Consolidation settlement calculation and examination of the foundation settlements with finite elements method, example of Batman city Gültepe bridge

Veysel Köylü,Nuray Alpaslan,Veysel Süleyman Yavuz

doi:10.24012/dumf.834478

Abstract

In this study, geological and geotechnical studies were carried out on the soil of a bridge built in 2015 in the Gültepe District of Batman City, located in southeastern Turkey, to perform the foundation settlement calculation. For this purpose, four foundation boreholes were drilled to determine the engineering parameters of the soil, and triaxial pressure and consolidation tests were carried out on the obtained samples. The consolidation settlement calculation was made in accordance with these parameters. Using the same data, numerical analysis was performed with PLAXIS V.8.2 (Finite Element Code for Soil and Rock Analyses), a two-dimensional finite element package program. The consolidation settlement value was calculated by performing dynamic analysis based on time in the computer software. The settlement value was determined to be 1.70 cm after the analysis, and it was evaluated by correlating with the consolidation settlement analysis results made according to Bowles (1988). Consolidation settlement calculations and finite element package program analyses gave similar results. We observed liquefaction risk and settlements in the structures with shallow foundations in the residential zone near the study area since the soils in the study area consist of silty sand of 5-10 meters and have groundwater. The Bored Pile technique, which is one of the soil improvement methods, was applied and discussed in order to determine the geological problems in the study field.

Highlights

Soil has a heterogeneous structure; it can show changes on the meter or even centimeter scale
The soil, which consists of low plasticity clay (CL) and silty sand (SM) in accordance with the unified soil classification system (USCS), is not expected to cause a total and different settlement at a rate that can damage the above-mentioned engineering structure
Settlements and stresses occurring at the base of the bridge legs in the study area were determined using the PLAXIS computer software, and the models created were correlated according to the geological data

Summary

Introduction

Soil has a heterogeneous structure; it can show changes on the meter or even centimeter scale. Soil is important in terms of being used as a building material and carrying the weights of engineering structures, such as buildings, bridges, roads and dams. In designing and making stability calculations of big structures, such as bridges, it has become mandatory to determine the physical and mechanical properties of the foundation and the materials being used, as well as understanding the deformations developed against the forces on the charge [1]. It is quite important to consider settlements under the stress effect, which is transferred to the foundation soil in the design of engineering structures, such as bridge piers. Settlements formed beneath the structures, especially different settlements, may have negative effects on the structural behavior [2]

Methods

Results

Conclusion