Abstract
In this research, an internal sand displacement field around a laterally loaded vertical pile is visualized using transparent soil and an image processing technique called digital image cross-correlation (DIC). DIC is a region-based image processing technique which can calculate the displacement field between two images. Transparent soil is made of silica gel with a pore fluid having the same refractive index. Transparent soil has been studied to have the strength and deformation properties similar to natural soil. An optical test set-up is developed to capture the images during loading. This optical test set-up consists of a camera, a laser light, a line generator lens, a loading frame, a Plexiglas mould, and a PC. The saturated fine sand in loose condition is modeled in this research. A laser light sheet is generated to slice the transparent soil model by passing a laser beam through the line generator lens. A distinctive laser speckle pattern is generated through the interaction between the laser light and transparent soil. A series of images are taken from the camera while a scaled pile is being loaded laterally. The displacement fields are calculated by cross-correlating two consecutive images and the corresponding strain fields are deduced from the displacement fields. The development of both displacement and strain fields is investigated by studying deformation and strains at different loading stages. The test results are similar to the published data. This research improves the understanding of soil movement around a laterally loaded pile. It also advances the physical modeling technique using transparent soil.
Highlights
IntroductionAlmost all the piled foundations are subjected to at least some degree of horizontal loading
Transparent soil is made of silica gel with a pore fluid having the same refractive index
Silica gels can be used to model sands, though special caution is required in interpolating model results because of its high compressibility
Summary
Almost all the piled foundations are subjected to at least some degree of horizontal loading. Piles are installed at an angle to the vertical and in such cases lateral resistance is efficiently provided by the horizontal component of the axial loading capacity. Horizontal loads on a vertical pile are resisted by the mobilization of resistance in the surrounding soils, as the pile deflects. The methods presently available for the design of piled foundations subjected to horizontal loads must be regarded as highly empirical. The input soil data are associated with a high degree of uncertainty These methods must be used with great caution and with due consideration of their limitation. Large scale models made of glass beads or quartz powder are limited by the poor transparency of the model
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