Unconsolidated Research Articles

Numerical analysis of soil arching effect in piles-reinforced airport foundation

The soil arching effect is the key mechanism for load transfer in pile-supported reinforced road (runway) foundations. To investigate the formation and evolution process of soil arching effect in the whole process of embankment filling and soft soil foundation consolidation, a three-dimensional hydro-mechanical coupled numerical model of pre-fabricated high-strength concrete (PHC) pile-reinforced soft soil runway foundation was established based on the foundation treatment project in Pudong Airport. The laws of variation of soil settlement, pore water pressure and pile soil stress were analysed, and the influence of pile spacing was considered. These data from both numerical simulation and field test indicate the soil arching effect in the foundation reinforced by PHC piles and preliminarily reveal the evolution of soil arching in the process of embankment filling and soft soil foundation consolidation. The preliminary results encourage the authors to continue this research to investigate the evolution of soil arching under aircraft dynamic loads through adding a more suitable constitutive model or subroutine in this numerical model.

Determining Saturated Clay Parameters Using CPT and the Modified Cam Clay Model: Overconsolidation Ratio and Effective Friction Angle

Determining Saturated Clay Parameters Using CPT and the Modified Cam Clay Model: Overconsolidation Ratio and Effective Friction Angle

Target reliability-based design optimization studies on cohesive soil amended with chitosan and casein for liner applications

The current study investigated the primary and secondary compressibility characteristics of organic clay with two biopolymers, Chitosan (Dch) and Casein (Dca) at dosages of 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 4%. The primary compression index (Cc) values were reduced by 18% and 59% at dosage (Dch and Dca) of 4% at a consolidation pressure of 800 kPa. The secondary compression indices of chitosan and casein-treated soils fell below the normal range specified for organic soils and lay in the range of 0.01–0.017. The biopolymers also accelerated the consolidation process at all dosages (Dch) and 2% Dca. The hydraulic conductivity increased for all dosages of chitosan whereas it declined for all dosages of casein compared to untreated soil. The reliability analysis was conducted for biopolymer-treated soils and presented a rational approach toward the selection of a suitable liner. Chitosan failed to achieve a target reliability index of 3 whereas casein-amended samples attained values equal to and greater than 3 at all dosages and consolidation pressures at COV of Kmax = 20%. At all dosages, the casein-treated soils exhibited reliability index values greater than 3 up to COV of Kmax = 40% indicating the higher stability of casein mixes as a liner material.

Physical Model Test of Deformation Self-Adaptive Mechanism of Landslide Mass

Reservoir impoundment induces a large amount of cumulative deformation of landslide body, leading to damage to the geological environment. Due to many yearly cycles of reservoir water fluctuation, the cumulative deformation of landslides tends to be stable, showing a self-adaptive deformation phenomenon. The study of the self-adaptive deformation mechanism is very important for evaluating landslide stability and achieving the safe operation of hydropower stations. To study the mechanism of self-adaptive deformation, two sets of physical models were used to monitor the groundwater, earth pressure, and cumulative deformation of landslide under periodic fluctuations of the reservoir water level. The results showed that the soil consolidation compaction, release of sliding stress, and increase in permeability are the three main factors of the self-adaptive deformation of landslide accumulation. The overall permeability decreased first and then increased, the front permeability increased greatly, and the middle and rear permeability decreased. The main factors that affected the permeability change were deformation and seepage force.

Modelling and analysis of train-track-subgrade-soil dynamic interaction subjected to the interfacial damage of slab induced by uneven settlement

In this paper, a dynamic model is established to investigate the dynamic behavior of train-track-subgrade-soil (TTSS) interaction. The effects of interfacial damage of the track slab induced by soil settlement on the dynamic interaction system are considered. The model framework is established by the finite element method. The soil settlement-induced track deformation is calculated by a practical iteration algorithm, where the nonlinear interfacial damage is simulated by the cohesive zone model. The simulation model is verified by comparison with other models. In regards to the excitations of the dynamic TTSS interaction system, two types of track irregularities are considered, namely the conventional track irregularities generated by known spectrums, and the additional irregularities caused by soil settlement. In the numerical study, the dynamic performances of the TTSS interaction subjected to interfacial damage, and soil settlement are compared. Next, the short wavelength irregularity is discussed as well. From the results, the vibration enhancement can be observed in the time and frequency domain. The interfacial damage of the track enhances the vibration both in low- and high-frequency domains, while the impacts of settlement are only observed in the frequency band of 0∼3 Hz. The frequency band of vibrations triggered by short wavelength irregularities is correlated with its wavelength range. Moreover, the settlement with different wavelengths and amplitudes is studied. It is shown that the increase of settlement amplitude and decrease of settlement wavelength lead to higher damage degree in amplitude and wider spatial distribution. In regards to the dynamic responses, the vehicle accelerations, wheel-rail contact forces, track displacement, and soil displacement are more sensitive to the settlement amplitudes varying from 10 to 80 mm, while the sensitive settlement wavelength is concentrated in 20 to 40 m.

Effect of loading frequency and cyclic stress ratio on undrained cyclic behaviors of clay-structure interface with various overconsolidation ratios

The widely used suction caissons in offshore engineering are commonly subject to cyclic loads including the wind, wave, and current. For proper design and sustainable maintenance of the suction caisson foundations, it is essential to investigate the dynamic response of the clay-structure interface. This research conducted a series of clay-structure interface cyclic shear tests under constant volume equivalent undrained state using a modified direct simple shear device to fully investigate the effects of cyclic stress ratio (CSR), loading frequency, and overconsolidation ratio (OCR) on the dynamic response of the interface. The interface shear strength, relative shear displacement, the number of cycles to failure (Nf), and interface pore water pressure were analyzed. Results show that the Nf is strongly affected by CSR and loading frequency. A model is proposed to describe the decrease in the Nf with increasing CSR under a given loading frequency and OCR. The Nf increases approximately linearly with loading frequency on a double-logarithmic scale. Additionally, the contour diagrams, defining the Nf as a function of interface average and cyclic shear stress under various OCRs, are proposed to predict the failure behaviors of clay-structure interface subjected to various loading combinations. Besides, the development models are established respectively to describe the evolutions of accumulated interface pore pressure (Uia) against the number of cycles (N) and cyclic relative shear displacement (Wcy), presenting better capability to describe the development of Uia. The findings in this study hold potential implications for determining whether the failure occurs under corresponding loading conditions and predicting interface pore pressure development.

An Unsaturated Soil Mechanics-Based Numerical and Experimental Method to Assess Soil Settlement Due to Ground Water Level Rise

An Unsaturated Soil Mechanics-Based Numerical and Experimental Method to Assess Soil Settlement Due to Ground Water Level Rise

Undrained behavior of marine clay under one-way cyclic loading with variable confining pressure

Settlement of roads or railway caused by traffic loading has a serious effect on the safety and service performance of transport infrastructures constructed on soft marine clay. While simple cyclic triaxial test with constant confining pressure (CCP) were used in most of the previous studies, a series of cyclic triaxial tests with variable confining pressure (VCP) were carried out on normally consolidated (NC) and overconsolidated (OC) reconstituted Wenzhou soft clay in this paper to study the undrained behavior of soft marine clay due to surcharge preloading as well as cyclic traffic loading. VCP test is able to approximate the complicated stress path than CCP test caused by traffic loading. The test results indicate that NC specimens show significantly different pore water pressure (u) evolution compared with OC specimens. However, a change in the overconsolidation ratio (OCR) of OC specimens does not have a significant influence on variation of u with identical cyclic stress ratio (CSR) and total stress path (η). The slope of the effective stress path is dependent on the total stress path under which the specimen was loaded cyclically, regardless of the OCR and whether variable confining pressure was applied. The slope of the effective stress path is broadly in line with the slope of corresponding total stress path. In addition, the development of permanent axial strain (εpa) due to one-way cyclic loading was shown to depend significantly on the values of η and OCR. Both the variable confining pressure and OCR limited the strain accumulation of saturated marine clay under undrained one-way cyclic loading. Finally, the effects of η and OCR on the magnitude of εpa after 1000 loading cycles are quantified and incorporated in a power law function for the permanent deformation prediction of soft marine clay due to traffic loading.

A Simplified Analysis of Radial Consolidation of PVD-Installed Soft Soil Considering Sand Seam and Well Resistance

A Simplified Analysis of Radial Consolidation of PVD-Installed Soft Soil Considering Sand Seam and Well Resistance

საავტომობილო გზის მიწის ვაკისისა და საფუძვლის გაძლიერება დოროსოლისა და დოროპორტის გამოყენებით

Road construction is the main determining part of the transport and operational condition of highways. The improvement of the road surface with the use of hydraulic binders under the conditions of minimum costs is discussed. The physical-mechanical parameters of soils are examined, as well as the issues of deformation of layers and a higher modulus of elasticity, which all contribute to enhancing the quality and durability of road construction. Details on the advantages of using hydraulic road binders, Dorosol and Doroport in the soil strengthening process are provided. Financial costs and terms for road construction are compared and calculated, and the differences between soil consolidation using new hydraulic road binders and Portland cement are evaluated. In addition, the article concentrates on the challenges of reducing the following negative impact on the ecology and the environment by strengthening soils with hydraulic road binders, with economical use of water and natural resources.

Consolidation behaviour of marine clay improvement by combined vacuum preloading with geotextile

ABSTRACT The traditional vacuum preloading method of prefabricated vertical drain (PVDs) has been widely used in practical engineering. However, the serious clogging effect around PVDs in the process of vacuum-preloading reinforcement can easily lead to a series of problems such as uneven settlement and large lateral displacement of soil after reinforcement, which seriously affects the application of PVDs in marine clay foundation treatment. In this paper, the effect of combined treatment of marine clay by geotextiles and PVDs on reducing the clogging effect around PVDs was studied by laboratory model experiment. The effects of geotextiles with different diameters and spacings on the surface settlement, excess pore water pressure and lateral displacement of the reinforced soil were analysed. The experimental results show that this method has obvious help on alleviating the above problems, thus providing a reference for the application of geotextile combined with vacuum preloading method to treat marine clay foundation in engineering practice.

Soft soil foundation treatment of hydraulic fill site based on vibration boosting drainage consolidation method

Reclamation from the sea is a method of expanding urban area, but it also faces the problem of difficult treatment of soft soil foundation by hydraulic reclamation. Therefore, a soft soil consolidation method that combines vibration pressure boosting drainage and piled-load static pressure stacking is now proposed. To verify the effectiveness of this method, a consolidation test based on soft soil samples was designed and conducted in the study. The test results showed that when the sampling height was 240mm, the overall moisture content of the consolidated soil sample was the highest, 44.3%, and the consolidation effect was the worst. When the sampling height was 140mm, the overall moisture content obtained from the test was the lowest, 43.1%, and the consolidation effect was the best. The displacement of corner 2 and center point at the intersection of the preceding and following periods was greater, with values of 37.1 mm and 39.2 mm, respectively. At this point, the displacement of corner 1 was significantly smaller, at 30.9 mm. In the later loading stage, the slope of the vertical displacement curve significantly increased. When the experimental time reached 7000 min, the mixed method designed in this study had a drainage rate of 0.53 ml/min, which was significantly higher than other traditional methods. The experiment outcomes indicated that the method designed in this study had certain application potential for improving the consolidation effect of soft soil foundation in hydraulic fill sites.

INFLUENCE OF CRUSHED BRICK COLUMNS ON GEOTECHNICAL PROPERTIES OF EXPANSIVE SOIL

Utilization of crushed brick which is a common industrial material that is potentially wasted during the construction process in ground improvement can relieve its detrimental effects on the environment thereby reducing the waste disposal challenges. Hence, this study proposes its utilization as reinforcement to the soft clay soil. The tests mainly focused on the particle size distribution (PSD), specific gravity, Atterberg limit, proctor analysis as well as the shear strength parameters from Unconfined Compression Test (UCT). Coherently, the vibro-replacement method was deployed within a small-scale laboratory approach as a prediction model for the construction of a group of crushed brick columns. The column design was mainly classified into partially penetrated columns which have 60 mm and 80 mm height, and fully penetrated columns with 100 mm height. The mass of crushed brick used was approximately 1.07% - 4.56% of its total mass of specimen which produces the shear strength improvement rate from 11.00% - 18.55%. From the obtained results, the use of fully penetrated 100 mm diameter columns enhanced the undrained shear strength of kaolin clay to the maximum value, 26.20kPa or 18.55% as compared to the control sample with no reinforcement, which reduced the soil settlement and promoted the use of sustainable material in ground improvement.

Centrifuge modelling of permeable pipe pile in consideration of pile driving process, soil consolidation, and axial loading

Precast driven piles are extensively used for infrastructure on soft soils, but the buildup of excess pore water pressure associated with pile driving is a challenging issue. The process of soil consolidation could take several months. Measures are sought to shorten the drainage path in the ground, and permeable pipe pile is a concept that involves drainage channels at the peak pore pressure locations around the pile circumference. Centrifuge tests were conducted to understand the responses of permeable pipe pile treated ground, experiencing the whole pile driving, soil consolidating, and axially loading process. Results show that the dissipation rate of pore pressures can be improved, especially at a greater depth or at a shorter distance from the pile, since the local hydraulic gradient was higher. Less significant buildup of pore pressures can be anticipated with the use of permeable pipe pile. For this, the bearing capacity of composite foundation with permeable pipe pile can be increased by over 36.9%, compared to the case with normal pipe pile at a specific time period. All these demonstrate the ability of permeable pipe pile in accelerating the consolidation process, mobilizing the bearing capacity of treated ground at an early stage, and minimizing the set-up effect.

Determination of Permanent Deformations of Non-Cohesive Soils in Pavement Structures under Repeated Traffic Load

One of the main types of distress in pavement structures is rutting, which may also reduce serviceability significantly. Most design methods typically attribute rutting to the asphalt layer alone, proposing that it can be managed by controlling vertical deformation or stress at the subgrade’s top. Furthermore, these methods frequently lack precise measurements for rut depth. On-site measurements show that the majority of permanent deformation occurs in the unbound layers beneath the asphalt; attention should be directed towards these layers. In recent literature, there are calculation methods that account for accumulating strains in soils. However, further investigation is needed regarding the effect of soil properties and the significance of the pavement cross-section. The literature is also somewhat contractionary regarding the origin of permanent deformations. In this research, the residual settlement of soils (base, subbase, and subgrade) under flexible pavement systems was analyzed due to the repeated traffic loads. Rut depths were calculated and analyzed using the High-Cycle Accumulation (HCA) model. The different behaviour in each course of the pavement system is discussed to reveal their contribution to total ruts. The effect of the grain size distribution of the subgrade was analyzed, and its significance on the rutting depths was demonstrated. Standardized pavement cross-sections with different asphalt thicknesses were evaluated, and the calculated settlements of the pavement originating from the ground during the design lifetime are also presented. It is shown that, with the same number of repetitions, the settlements calculated in each traffic load class are proportional to the thickness of the asphalt course. The contribution of the base, subbase, and subgrade courses to the total settlement is also presented for different subgrade types and traffic load classes.

Study on the influence of intermediate airshafts on the aerodynamic effect of urban rapid rail transit

This study explores how intermediate airshafts affect the aerodynamics of urban rapid transit trains in tunnels. It employs a three-dimensional turbulence model to simulate train-tunnel interactions, specifically examining airshafts’ impact on transient pressure variations along surfaces. The model’s accuracy and reliability are confirmed by comparing results with full-scale experimental data. The results show that airshafts effectively mitigate peak tunnel wall pressures, with the lowest peak overpressure observed at the airshaft location. With the airshaft-reflected expansion wave arriving ahead of the train, the pressure between the train front and tunnel wall decreases compared to scenarios without airshafts. Similar transient pressure changes at the tunnel entrance and rear half suggest the emergence of a “secondary compression wave” due to the train’s transit.

Multidisciplinary reconnaissance investigation covering structural, geotechnical, and architectural based damage to mid-rise residential buildings following the February 6th, 2023 Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye earthquake doublets (Mw 7.8, Mw 7.6)

Kahramanmaraş and its surroundings were devastated with major earthquake doublets of Mw = 7.8 Pazarcık and Mw = 7.6 Elbistan/Ekinözü on February 6th, 2023. While a wide scatter of reinforced concrete (RC) structures experienced damage, mid-rise residential buildings constitute a large bulk with heavy damage or total collapse. Among many reasons, poor concrete strength and brittle fracture of rebars along with liquefaction-caused soil deformations contributed to building damage. This paper investigates structural, geotechnical, and architectural conditions of mid-rise RC residential buildings with heavy damage. The geotechnical component includes the investigation of liquefaction-caused settlement and subsidence of loose foundation soils. Architectural reconnaissance suggests that commonly encountered design mistakes observed in past earthquakes were repeated. Field investigation concludes that loose saturated silty and sandy soils exhibit liquefaction leading to permanent damage on the mid-rise buildings while tunnel-form code-designed RC buildings with seven-to-ten stories performed well.

End-of-secondary compression for some Indian soils

ABSTRACT Computation of end-of-primary compression for clayey soils is an important step undertaken to meet the serviceability criteria of geotechnical engineering structures. But for soils that exhibit secondary compression behaviour, computing the end-of-secondary compression values is more significant. One of the prevailing methods suggested for its computation is the c α (coefficient of secondary compression) method. However, without sufficient data, interpretation of the end-of-secondary compressions could be challenging, if not erroneous. This paper presents the computation of the end-of-secondary compression for a set of five soils from India namely Red soil, Bombay marine clay, Kuttanad clay, Cochin marine clay and Peat by conducting long-term consolidation tests to the order of 10 days for each pressure increment. A non-linear creep function was used to determine the limiting creep condition of the soils. The curves obtained are more realistic compared to the c α concept which overestimates secondary compression settlements.

Data-driven forward and inverse analysis of two-dimensional soil consolidation using physics-informed neural network

Data-driven forward and inverse analysis of two-dimensional soil consolidation using physics-informed neural network

A microstructural insight into the compression behaviour of scaly clays

Scaly clays are intensely fissured clays with lens-shaped elements of millimetre size and they show a complex compression behaviour that poses challenges to the design and construction of geostructures (excavations, retaining diaphragms and tunnels). Scaly clays show a normal compression line (NCL) where plastic deformation accumulates, as typically observed in non-scaly clays. Yet the response observed upon unloading and subsequent reloading is very peculiar, (a) the unloading–reloading cycle is typically a closed loop with relatively large hysteresis; (b) the compressibility recorded at high overconsolidation ratio of the unloading or reloading branches is close to the NCL compressibility. This paper presents a microstructural study on an Italian scaly clay where scanning electron microscope observations are integrated with mercury intrusion porosimetry analyses and X-ray computed tomography images. The mechanism associated with the closing of inter-scale porosity and the generation of new intra-scale porosity was identified as the process responsible for the plastic deformation. Experimental observation of reconstituted clay showed a ‘quasi-reversible’ behaviour upon loading and unloading and a pore size distribution characterised only by interparticle porosity. The observation that unloading and reloading curves are parallel in natural and reconstituted clays, led to the postulation that the interparticle porosity is controlling the elastic response.