In this research a series of experimental tests were performed to investigate the effects of nano TiO2 (NT) on the triaxial behavior of cemented clayey sand (with variable amounts of kaolinite). To reduce the number of experiments, time and cost of research, the design and assessment of the experiments were performed using the response surface method (RSM). The amount of used NT was 0-4 wt% of cement, and the amounts of cement and kaolinite were 3-9 wt% and 10-30 wt% of soil respectively. The consolidated drained (CD) triaxial tests were performed for the confining pressures of 100, 300 and 600 kPa. The results of these tests showed that the amount of kaolinite clay at 20 % has the largest effect on the peak deviator stress and friction angle, but the soil cohesion has an ascending trend at 10-30 % kaolinite clay. The amount of cement in the range of 3-9 % causes an increase in the peak-deviator stress, shear strength parameters and the brittleness index. Also, the use of NT in a desirable amount (2 %) causes an increase in the peak deviator stress and the shear strength parameters.

For traditional slice methods of limit equilibrium used to analyze slope stability, some hypothetical conditions on interslice force are generally introduced to solve the problem. In order to reduce the defect theoretically due to the related hypothesis, more rigorous constraints of interslice force are completely considered in light of static equilibrium conditions and energy dissipation principle of the interface between two adjacent slices. Without hypothesis of interslice force, the slope stability analysis is transformed consistently into a non-linear programming problem to be solved. So, a generally improved solution of slice method of limit equilibrium to slope stability is put forward. In particular, influence of the dilation angle of soil on slope stability can be involved in the method. The proposed method can be utilized for any slopes with arbitrary slip surfaces.

The precise study of the response of earth dams to earthquakes is one of the most complex issues in the field of soil structures. In this research, dynamic analysis of earth dam structures (a case study: Doyraj dam in the west of Iran) have been performed using 2D Finite Difference Method (2D F.D.M.). The aim of this study is to investigate accelerations, lateral (horizontal) and vertical displacements (i.e. settlements) due to earthquake occurrence. The results of dynamic analysis indicate that the performance of the dam is satisfactory for each one of the seismic scenarios considered in this investigation. The maximum settlements at the dam crest is considerably smaller than that of the dam freeboard, with maximum value of 540 mm, which is comparable to recommendation of the Department of Safety of Dams (DSOD). Depth of sliding surfaces is better shown in the Finn model, and the settlements based on the Finn model is about 2.5 times higher than that of Mohr model. In contrast to what is commonly accepted about earthquake acceleration (the increase in earthquake acceleration from the base to the top of the dam), it cannot generalize to all cases, and it can be limited to very strong dams or can be related to poor earthquakes.

In this study the behavior of buried pipes under impact loading was investigated by forming protective layers with geosynthetics in various combinations in single and double layers. For this purpose, experiments were performed using a HDPE pipe with a 160 mm outer diameter, which is frequently used in the laboratory. In the experiments, Geocell, Geogrid, Geotextile, and Geonet protective layers at a depth of 120 mm were tested by laying Geosynthetic in single and double layers and then tested under the effects of impact loading by using free-weight dropping test apparatus. In the experimental study, the protective layers' energy absorption capacities were calculated by using acceleration measurements over the pipe and then evaluated together with their costs. In the experiments with a single layer Geosynthetic as a protective layer, Geonet's most successful protection structure was a 72.9 % acceleration-damping capacity. In the experiments with the combination of double-layer reinforcement elements, the most successful performance with 88.0 %, in terms of acceleration damping capacity, was obtained from Geocell and Geonet's combination with a thickness of 1 mm at a depth of 50 mm. When all the experiments with single- and double-layer Geosynthetic protective elements were evaluated as an acceleration damping ratio per unit cost, it was found that the optimum application was achieved when using a single-layer Geogrid.

The threshold silt content is well known as a key parameter affecting the mechanical response of binary granular assemblies considering particle characteristics (size and shape). In this context, the threshold silt content (TSC) is determined from different laboratory tests based on packing density response (emax and emin versus silt content «Sc») and theoretical approaches proposed by several researchers in the specialized published literature using the characteristics of host sand and silt [emax(sand), emin(sand) , emax(silt) , emin(silt) , Gs , Gf and x]. The analysis of the recorded data indicates that the TSC derived from the (emax) curve appears more reliable than that obtained from the (emin) one. Moreover, it is found that the proposed analytical methods are suitable to quantify the threshold silt content (TSC) than that determined experimentally using the packing density (emax and emin). In addition, the test results show that the new introduced ratios [(D50s×As)/(D50f×Af)] and [(Cus×As)/(Cuf×Af)] determined based on particle characteristics (shape and size) appear as appropriate parameters for predicting the threshold silt content (TSC) of sand-silt mixture of the compiled data from the published literature as well as that of the present research related to Chlef sand, Fontainebleau sand and Hostun sand mixed with Chlef silt.

In this paper the mechanical properties of mudstone with different immersion durations (e.g., immersion in water for 0, 7 and 14 days), at different temperatures (20, 35 and 50 °C) and in different confining pressures (0.6 and 1.2 MPa) were investigated using uniaxial compression tests, conventional triaxial compression tests and scanning electron microscopy. The test results indicate that in the temperature range from 20 °C to 50 °C the water content can significantly reduce the mechanical parameters, including the strength and elastic modulus of the mudstone samples. In contrast, the Poisson ratio of the mudstone samples increases with the increase in the water content. In addition, there is little difference between the effects of an immersion time of 7 days and 14 days on the mudstone samples, indicating that the confining pressure plays a protective role on the mudstone samples.

The accurate predictions of load- deflection response of the pile group are necessary for a safe and economical design. The behavior of piles under the lateral load embedded in soil, is typically analyzed using the Winkler nonlinear springs method. In this method, the soil-pile interaction is modeled by nonlinear p-y curves in a way that the single pile p-y curve is modified using a p-multiplier (Pm) for each row of piles in the group. The average Pm is called the group reduction factor. The Pm factor depends upon the configuration of pile group and the pile spacing (S). The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of various parameters, such as the pile spacing in the group, different layouts and the lateral load angle (Ѳ) change as a new parameter on the Pm factor and group efficiency based on the 1-g model test. The Pm factor is well comparable with the results of the full-scale test on pile group. However, based on the results, the calculated values of the Pm factor for 3×3 pile groups under 2.5-diameter spacing was estimated about 0.38 and under 3.5-diameter spacing was estimated about 0.52, so the calculated values at S/D=3, obtained from interpolation the values of group reduction factor at S/D=2.5 and S/D=3.5, are close to the AASHTO recommendation.

Deep excavations in urban areas impose deformation to adjacent structures; hence the reliability of deformation analysis for the real deep excavation projects is very important to be assessed. In this study a framework is presented for the use of reliability methods in deformation analysis of deep urban excavations. The suggested framework is applied for 5 real deep excavation projects implemented during last 10 years. All studied cases were recognized as projects of high importance in urban areas, and were monitored during the excavation process. A non-probabilistic reliability analysis procedure, Random set method, in combination with finite element numerical modeling is applied to obtain the probability of unsatisfactory performance for each case. The reliability analysis results are confirmed by field observations and measurements. Typical results for the probability of analytical deformations exceeding the acceptable values along with the site observations and measured displacements for 5 real deep excavation projects show that the reliability analysis could be a beneficial tool for designer. It is concluded that applying the suggested framework in the design stage of deep excavation projects may lead to design more appropriate systems compared to common deterministic design methods.

There is a close relationship between tensile strength of soil and crack development, but the tensile stress-strain in full failure process is rarely studied because challenges exist in accurately measuring shear strain using traditional methods. In this paper, we employed a newly developed diametric splitting testing apparatus and particle image velocimetry (PIV) system to study the tensile strength of compacted unsaturated expansive soil with different water contents and initial dry densities. Soil water characteristic curves of compacted expansive soil with different initial dry densities were determined using the filter paper method. Test results show that the tensile strength increases first and then decreases with increasing water content, and there is a critical water content for the peak load vs. water content curve. The diametric splitting test process can be divided into four stages on the basis of the plotted load-displacement curves: a stress contact adjustment stage (I); stress approximately linear increasing stage (II); tensile failure stage (III); and residual stage (IV). Under the same water content, the angle between the major directions of the displacement vector and the major crack decreases with increasing the dry density, especially when the fissure appears. Using the particle image velocimetry technique, the displacement and strain during the test process recorded is helpful for better understanding the soil failure mechanism.

A series of 94 laboratory tests were conducted to measure the response of pile foundation when subjected to dynamic loads. Eight tests were conducted on single pile in dry soil at relative density 30 % (loose) and 50 % (medium); 66 tests on group of piles with different spacings and patterns. All tests were carried out under operating frequencies 0.5, 1 and 2 Hz under horizontal shaking. All tests were achieved with one embedment ratio (L/d = 30). These tests were grouped in three different numbers of piles; 2 piles in row and line patterns, 3 piles and 4 piles; and three pile spacing ratios (s/d = 3, 4 and 5). The results of dry soil indicating the mechanism of dynamic response of piles and soil subjected to dynamic horizontal shaking include the variation and distribution of acceleration with time in different states of soil in addition to the vertical and horizontal displacements, end-bearing load, peak acceleration and the peak velocity of foundation. It was concluded that for a dry soil bed, the acceleration amplitudes increase with frequency for both soil relative densities (loose and medium) and different pile patterns (number; single or group and different spacing ratios s/d). The maximum acceleration in the foundation is lower than in the soil bed for all operating shaking frequencies, pile spacing ratios and soil states. The decreasing of the maximum acceleration recorded in the foundation as compared to that in the soil bed is between 10-100 % for loose and medium state of soil, and the decrease in loose state is more than in medium state. This means that there is damping effect or attenuation of vibration waves. The amplitudes of recorded acceleration in the pile cap are much higher than in the soil bed for single pile and pile group with different pile spacing ratios, also these amplitudes are increasing with increase of shaking frequency and relative density of the soil.