Soil Thickness Research Articles

Translating mineral systems criteria into a prospectivity model for IOCG deposits in the Kolari region, Finland

The mineral system approach facilitates mapping the fingerprints of geological processes in ore formation using mineral prospectivity modeling (MPM). It aims to reduce the time and cost of exploration as a priority in the mineral exploration industry. Finland, which is covered with thick soil, dense vegetation, and snow in winter and thus has limited outcrops, serves as a suitable testing ground for this method. In this contribution, MPM was employed to predict favorable targets for Fe-Cu-Au (IOCG) deposits in the Kolari region, northwestern Finland. The mineral system components ore metal and sulfur sources, pathways, energy sources/drivers, traps, and the geological factors influencing the ore-forming processes were translated into mappable criteria and were considered for a regional-scale analysis. Knowledge-driven, fuzzy logic overlay, fuzzy inference system, and geometric average methods integrate evidential layers derived from geological (scale-free geology map), geochemical (till and bedrock sample geochemistry), and geophysical data (magnetic, radiometric, electromagnetic measurements, and gravity worms). Subsequently, the data were modeled using a combined conceptual/empirical approach, i.e. fuzzified evidential layers and logistic regression. In the prospectivity models, existing IOCG deposits are consistently placed within high-favorability areas. In addition, new exploration targets were identified. The models were validated against known IOCG deposits using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis and average Area Under the Curve (AUC) with values of final prospectivity models consistently reaching scores > 0.8. This indicates a favorable outcome of the application of MPM, making the approach applicable to other regions and ore deposit types. A majority voting ensemble technique was employed to combine the favorable areas of each prospectivity model. Then a confidence index was adopted reducing uncertainty linked to the models generated. These outputs consistently facilitated the identification of exploration targets more reliably.

Advances in Cold-Climate-Responsive Building Envelope Design: A Comprehensive Review

Extreme low temperatures, heavy snowfall, ice accumulation, limited daylight, and increased energy consumption in cold climates present significant challenges but also offer opportunities for improving building efficiency. Advanced materials and technologies in climate-responsive envelopes can enhance sustainability, reduce carbon footprints and operational costs, and improve thermal comfort under these environmental conditions. This literature review combines theoretical aspects of building performance in cold climates with a summary of current and critical applications in building envelope design, identifying research gaps and proposing future research directions. It has been shown that various BIPV systems require further climate-based studies to optimize solar energy yield. For example, integrating PV layers and PCM within DSFs can reduce cooling loads, but more research is needed on PCM transition temperatures and ventilation strategies in cold climates. A notable research gap exists in building-integrated vegetative systems, particularly regarding soil thickness, irrigation, hygrothermal performance, and snow accumulation. Despite excellent winter performance in buildings incorporating CLT components, they face increased cooling energy consumption and potential overheating in summer. Additionally, the high initial moisture content in CLT raises the risk of mold growth, especially when covered with vapor-tight layers. The design examples in this paper emphasize the need for further investigation to achieve sustainable, low-carbon, energy-efficient envelope designs for cold climates.

Seismic Stability Evaluation of Landfill Veneer Cover Systems Using Modified Pseudo-Dynamic Method

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the seismic stability of veneer cover systems, addressing the sliding failure (SF) and uplifted-floating failure (UF) caused by retained water. The modified pseudo-dynamic (MPD) method, considering hydrostatic, hydrodynamic, and seismic forces, is employed. Comparison of the results with the literature under the pseudo-static (PS) and pseudo-dynamic (PD) loading conditions highlight the precision of the MPD method. Consideration of the visco-elastic behavior and soil damping in the analysis enhances the accuracy of the MPD method. Design charts are proposed for the determination of the allowable thickness of cover soil, which is cost-effective, ensuring seismic safety against SF and UF modes.

Productive conservation at the landslide prone area under the threat of rapid land cover changes

Abstract Landslides often occur in the study area as a continuation of the erosion process on very thick soil from a series of volcanic ash deposition during the Tertiary and Quaternary periods. Rapid land cover changes from agricultural land into settlement increase runoff significantly causing accelerated soil erosion. Soil conservation approaches using parameters to reduce surface runoff and soil loss are less acceptable in agricultural society. Soil conservation methods aimed at reducing runoff and soil loss are not widely embraced in agricultural communities, efforts in soil conservation must be economically beneficial. Vegetative-based erosion control is the most suitable option for the agricultural communities. However, there needs to be improvements in terms of plant arrangement that is adapted to the spatial arrangement of slopes and is focused on zones along rills and gullies. Selection of tree species planted for erosion control that have the value of increasing economic income is the key to the success of planned soil and water conservation efforts.

Difference of Soil Thickness Depending on Climate Zones and Geological Classification: Based on a Survey of Mountain Slopes in Japan

There is little information which examines and compares climate zones or geology/topography in their relation to soil thickness along mountain slopes, where soil thickness is a possible contributing factor for the increase of sediment wash-off. In this study, the data obtained from handy penetration tests conducted throughout Japan are collected and attached to information on climate zones and geography/topography with the aim of clarifying the difference in soil thickness according to the climate zone and geological classification. The probability distribution of soil thickness was found to fit roughly with the probability density function of a log-normal distribution, regardless of the climate zone or geological age / lithology. A comparison of μ showed that the soil thickness at target sites in the Pacific climate zone, which have high rainfall, was large, at approximately 2.1 m. Meanwhile, the soil thickness was low, at approximately 1.5 m, at target sites in the Setouchi climate zone, which has low rainfall. A comparison of the geology showed that soil thicknesses of sites where the geology consisted of Tertiary and Quaternary sedimentary rocks were high, at approximately 2.1 m and 2.3 m, respectively. This suggests that, in high-precipitation regions, the weathering of rocks is promoted so that the soil layers tend to increase in thickness.

Safety Factor Analysis on the Stability of the Retaining Wall Structure in Cimahi City, Indonesia

Retaining wall is a construction built to hold the ground on the slopes. Retaining wall can be said to be safe if its safety factors have been taken into account.In this study will be calculated the security factor based on SNI 8640:2017 on the location to be built retaining wall located in the area of Cimahi City, West Java using the help of software with two-dimensional finite element method.Based on the soil type map, the majority of the Cimahi City area consist of Tuffaceous Clay and Sandy Clay soils, which are alluvial fan deposits of volcanic origin, with soil thickness ranging from 1 m to 5 m. Retaining wall structures using cyclopean concrete appear to be slimmer compared to those using stone masonry. The use of dolken wood piles as additional reinforcement in locations using cyclopean concrete can strengthen the structure on the sliding plane, thus preventing overturning. Based on the modeling, the use of this structure resulted in a safety factor value greater than 1.5, with a displacement of 20 cm.

Characterizing rapid infiltration processes on complex hillslopes: Insights from soil moisture response to rainfall events

Evaluating the soil moisture response characteristics to rainfall events is valuable for understanding eco-hydrological effects in the context of global climate change. However, the effects of soil thickness and rainfall characteristic indicators on soil moisture responses remain unclear, especially in the karst hillslopes characterized by highly complex topography. This study examined the soil moisture response to 35 rainfall events at 5-min intervals by deploying 20 sets of monitoring devices across two hillslope plots (5 × 20 m) with distinct mean soil thicknesses. The response metrics included the soil moisture response time (Tp2p) and wetting front velocity (Vwf), whereas indicator factors considered were soil thickness distribution, slope position, and rainfall characteristics. Overall, the results showed that Tp2p increased from downslope to upslope, as well as from the surface to deep layers. Surprisingly, the mean Vwf (1373 mm h−1) in this study site was significantly higher than that in non-karst regions (17–610 mm h−1). This suggests that rainwater can rapidly infiltrate the soil profile and contribute to subsurface runoff generation. Rainfall characteristics are the primary controlling factors influencing the soil moisture response to rainfall, with their contribution priority (44.3–63.9 %) higher than that of antecedent soil moisture conditions (26.1–35.2 %). The variation in soil moisture response metrics in shallow soil cover hillslopes was more affected by rainfall indicators (41–64 % vs. 31–47 %), thereby potentially weakening the potential influence of topography and soil properties. These findings highlight the effect of refined monitoring in characterizing soil moisture heterogeneity in response to rainfall and emphasize the potential impact of rapid responses on karst eco-hydrological processes.

Oil spills characterization and modeling using remote sensing and geophysical techniques to protect the highly vulnerable coastal zones in Alexandria, Egypt

Nowadays, oil spills threaten both aquatic and terrestrial environments, especially in regions with intensive oil refining and shipping activities and high environmental sensitivity, such as Alexandria city, Egypt. Oil spill characterization in coastal populous cities is particularly difficult due to large chemical/physical soil heterogeneities and saltwater intrusion, which represent a major challenges for soil remediation and restoration. Recently, the development of inversion algorithms enables electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) to perform detailed characterization of near-surface soil pollution. The study implements an interdisciplinary approach using remote sensing and an advanced time-lapse 2D-inversion scheme for detailed characterization of oil spill patterns around oil refinery sites in the Alexandria coastal zone. The implemented scheme was able to improve the depth of investigation while maintaining the shallow lateral model resolution. The findings indicate that the mapped oil spills constitute a wedge-like form where the oil moves gradually downward, and it then shifts horizontally towards the shoreline with thinning in oil-contaminated zones under control of tidal action and ground surface slope. Consequently, guided by remote sensing observations, in-situ trenches/wells are suggested to withdraw the oil-contaminated water at the maximum deduced oil-contaminated soil thickness. The applied procedures in this study are replicable and can be effectively used as a pre-requisite to remedy oil spills along terrestrial coastal environments worldwide.

Surveying along the Slopes: Evaluating the Impact of Geomorphic Processes on Field Survey’s Site Discovery Effectiveness

ABSTRACT This paper deals with the effectiveness of archaeological field survey under different geomorphic and topographic conditions. In particular, it addresses the informativeness of survey-recovered topsoil artifacts for discovering sites. To this end, the study uses the theoretical framework of five slope elements and soil thickness models and the data from a large development project, the Slovenian motorways, focusing on 24 case studies from backslope, footslope, and toeslope positions. Data on slope classification, soil classification, soil thickness, survey, and excavation results are used to determine the relationship between topsoil artifacts and the subsurface archaeological record at each site. The results show that topsoil artifacts on backslope, footslope, and toeslope positions are mainly transported and hold little value for site discovery. Sites on footslopes, toeslopes, and partly backslopes are mainly buried and undetectable by survey, which calls for other site discovery methods in these landscape positions. The study also points out that field survey can only detect disturbed sites and calls for rethinking the main objectives of its application.

Spatial variation of soil organic carbon density in the black soil region of Northeast China under the influence of erosion and deposition

Soil erosion of the Songnen typical Black Soil Region (BSR) in Northeast China where contains higher soil organic carbon is serious, resulting in soil organic carbon spatial redistribution. To study the spatial redistribution pattern of cropland SOC caused by erosion, 115 cropland sample points were selected in the Songnen typical BSR, and soil samples were collected along the entire soil profile. The soil organic carbon density (SOCD) of the soil layer and profile were calculated, and the carbon storage (CS) was calculated for the erosion and deposition areas. The average soil organic carbon density (SOCDav) of the 115 cropland soil profiles (1 m) ranged from 1.5 to 4.5 kg/m2, and the total soil organic carbon density (SOCDt) of the soil profile (1 m) ranged from 10 to 20 kg/m2. The SOCD of each soil layer (20 cm) decreased vertically in a logarithmical manner from the top, and was divided into four groups with thickness through systematic clustering, which were 30–60 cm, 60–100 cm, less than 300 cm and greater than 350 cm. The SOCDt in the area north of the Songhua River and the area west of Nen River (The Greater Khingan Mountains area) ranged from 2.5 to 59.3 kg/m2, with an average is 14.1 kg/m2, and the first sample point group (30–60 cm) was mainly located in this area which had an average slope of 3.2° and an average black soil thickness of 24.6 cm. The SOCDt in the area north of the Songhua River and the area east of the Nen River ranged from 11 to 90 kg/m2, with an average of 28.6 kg/m2, the third and the fourth sample point group (greater than 100 cm) were both mainly located in this area which had an average slope of 2° and an average black soil thickness of 61 cm. The SOCDt in the area south of the Songhua River ranged from 1.6 to 28.7 kg/m2, with an average of 13.8 kg/m2, and the second sample point group (60–100 cm) was mainly located in this area which had an average slope of 2.4° and an average black soil thickness of 58.7 cm. The results showed that soil erosion occurred on steeper slopes, resulting in thinner soil layers, whereas soil deposition occurred on lower grade slopes, resulting in thicker soil layers. Kriging interpolation in ArcGIS showed that the Cs in the erosion and deposition areas of the Songnen typical BSR was 459.7 and 1234.7 Tg, respectively, and the total Cs was 1.6944 Tg (1 Tg = 1012 g).

Mapping soil thickness by accounting for right‐censored data with survival probabilities and machine learning

AbstractIn digital soil mapping, modelling soil thickness poses a challenge due to the prevalent issue of right‐censored data. This means that the true soil thickness exceeds the depth of sampling, and neglecting to account for the censored nature of the data can lead to poor model performance and underestimation of the true soil thickness. Survival analysis is a well‐established domain of statistical modelling that can deal with censored data. The random survival forest is a notable example of a survival‐related machine learning approach used to address right‐censored soil property data in digital soil mapping. Previous studies that employed this model either focused on mapping the probability of soil thickness exceeding certain depths, and thereby not mapping soil thickness itself, or dismissed it due to perceived poor performance. In this study, we propose an alternative survival model to map soil thickness that is based on the inverse probability of censoring weighting. In this approach, calibration data are weighted by the inverse of the probability that soil thickness exceeds a certain depth, that is, a survival probability. These weights can then be used with most machine learning models. We used the weights with a regular random forest, and compared it with a random survival forest, and other strategies for handling right‐censored data, through a comprehensive synthetic simulation study and two real‐world case studies. The results suggest that the weighted random forest model produces competitive predictions, establishing it as a viable option for mapping right‐censored soil property data.

Research on the Design of Green Roofs for Office Buildings in Xuzhou Based on Building Energy Consumption Evaluation

The roof is the part of a building that is exposed to solar radiation for the longest period, making green roofs particularly effective in reducing air conditioning energy consumption during the summer. This study aims to assess the advantages of modular green roofs in terms of energy savings and cost reduction during the summer in Xuzhou. By conducting field measurements and surveys under both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned conditions and utilizing building energy simulation tools, the performance of green roofs with different parameters was compared. Using EnergyPlus, factors such as soil thickness, thermal conductivity, and leaf area index were simulated. The results indicated that green roofs have superior thermal performance in summer, with the daily cooling load per unit area for top-floor rooms being 1.05 kWh/m2, 0.21 kWh/m2 lower than that for bare roofs, achieving an energy saving rate of 16.7%. It is recommended that soil thickness not exceed 0.3 m and insulation thickness not exceed 0.05 m or be set to 0 m. Take building no. 2 of the Xuzhou material market as an example: with the optimized green roof, the energy saving rate increased to 27.0%, which is 12.4% higher than that of the original green roof. The suggested cost for modular green roofs is 204 RMB/m2.

Identification of Topographic Seismic Site Periods in Sloping Terrains

The fundamental period of a terrain is a key parameter for characterizing the maximum soil amplification. Since the 1960s, research has been conducted for sloping terrains with a focus on evaluating topographic effects. However, few studies have focused on identifying whether the site topography induces an amplification peak that is associated with a characteristic period of sloping terrain. This study conducts a parametric analysis to identify a potential amplification pattern attributable to terrain geometry, using two-dimensional finite element models subjected to the action of a dynamic signal. The periods in which amplification peaks are generated are evaluated and compared with the amplification response recorded in the free field on horizontal terrain. The results reveal that the dynamic response of sloping terrain is a combination of the response from the surrounding terrain to the sloping zone and vice versa, and a distinctive amplification peak linked to the topography is identified. A new expression is proposed to define a topographic seismic site period in terms of shear wave velocity and the total soil thickness from the bedrock to the crest of sloping terrain. This study advances the processes of characterizing the seismic response of sloping terrains by demonstrating that the topographic seismic site period is consistent regardless of the slope angle. This provides engineers with a new dimension of analysis for the practical definition of criteria to determine topographic effects in design spectra.

Factors controlling peat soil thickness and carbon storage in temperate peatlands based on UAV high-resolution remote sensing

Peatlands store a large amount of carbon. However, peatlands are complex ecosystems, and acquiring reliable estimates of how much carbon is stored underneath the Earth’s surface is inherently challenging, even at small scales. Here, we aim to establish links between the above- and below-ground factors that control soil carbon status, identify the key environmental variables associated with carbon storage, as well as to explore the potential for using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing for spatial mapping of peatlands. We combine UAVs equipped with Red-Green-Blue (RGB), multispectral, thermal infrared, and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) technology and traditional field surveys to provide a comprehensive, 3-dimensional mapping of a peatland hillslope-floodplain landscape in the Belgian Hautes Fagnes. Our results indicate that both peat thickness and soil organic carbon (SOC) stock (top 1 m) are spatially heterogeneous and that the contributions from the surface topography to peat thickness and SOC stock varied from micro- to macro-scales. Peat thickness was more strongly controlled by macro-topography (R2 = 0.46) than SOC stock, which was more influenced by micro-topography (R2 = 0.21). Current vegetation had little predictive power for explaining their spatial variability. Additionally, the UAV data provided accurate estimates of both peat thickness and SOC stock, with RMSE and R2 values of 0.16 m and 0.85 for the peat thickness, and 59.25 t/ha and 0.85 for the SOC stock. However, similar performance can already be achieved by using only topographical data from the LiDAR sensor (for peat thickness) and a combination of peat thickness and topography (for SOC stock) as predictor variables. Our study bridges the gap between surface observations and the hidden carbon reservoir below. This not only allows us to improve our ability to assess the spatial distribution of SOC stocks, but also contributes to our understanding of the environmental factors associated with SOC storage in these highly heterogeneous landscapes, providing insights for environmental science and climate projections.

Anisotropic effect of shear zone on groundwater potentiality in crystalline hard rock terrain

Assessment of potential groundwater recharge sites and sustainable water resource management in semi-arid crystalline rock terrain is a challenging task. Globally, analysis of remote sensing satellite imagery data for delineation of groundwater potential zones over sheared crystalline hard rock terrains has been fairly successful. But there is no existing study present at our disposal which discusses the factors controlling the inconsistent groundwater potentiality that exits along the shear zones. This study attempts to analyse the major geological factors controlling the irregular groundwater potentiality of shear zones within older crystalline rock terrain. Therefore, the study area selected for this analysis is the Purulia district of West Bengal, NE India, composed mostly of Precambrian metamorphic rocks i.e., quartzite, granite gneisses, porphyroclastic granite-gneiss, quartzo-feldspathic-granite-gneiss, mylonitic granites, quartz-biotite-granite gneiss, quartzites, carbonatites and phyllites. Satellite imagery study of IRS-P6 LISS IV standard FCC image reveals the presence of two bifurcating shear zones namely North Purulia Shear Zone (NPSZ) and South Purulia Shear Zone (SPSZ) over the study area. Careful analysis of rock structure, different lithotypes, soil thickness, electrical resistivity tomography data and water table data with an emphasis on high water table fluctuation, shows a strong spatial relation between the potentially good groundwater recharge zones and the branching/confluence sites of shear zones present in the study area. The study constructs an attempt to demonstrate the relationship between shear zone conjunctions and significant groundwater recharge sites in Precambrian crystalline fractured-rock aquifer system.

Field study on vibration characteristics of geocell-reinforced aeolian sand subgrades

Constructing highways in deserts is expensive due to the difficulty of acquiring materials; utilizing aeolian sand effectively has become a problem, especially in the Xinjiang region, where the desert widely occurs. This paper aims to investigate the vibration response of a geocell-reinforced aeolian sand subgrade under traffic loading based on field tests of highways in deserts. The vibration acceleration response of geocell-reinforced aeolian sand and gravelly soil upper roadbed structures is tested. The field test results illustrate the effects of dynamic loading on geocell-reinforced aeolian sand roadbeds, and the thickness substitution ratio between geocell-reinforced aeolian sand roadbeds and conventional gravelly soil roadbeds is determined and verified based on the vibration acceleration monitoring values. The results show that the vibration response induced by the test vehicle is concentrated within the 30 Hz frequency band, and the higher the vibration frequency, the faster the vertical decay in the road. The vibration damping capacity of the reinforced aeolian sand roadbed is better than that of the gravelly soil roadbed; when replacing the gravelly soil roadbed with the reinforced aeolian sand roadbed, the substitution ratio is 0.31–0.42. It is verified that half thickness of gravel soil on roadbeds can be replaced by geocell-reinforced aeolian sand under different working conditions. The results of this study can provide reference data for the design of highway subgrades in deserts.

Identifying the effect of subgrade layer thickness of soil stabilized with waste foundry sand and fly ash on bearing capacity

The issue of subgrade soil often involves unstable soil properties, such as low bearing capacity, susceptibility to expansion and shrinkage, and vulnerability to erosion and deformation due to traffic loads and weather conditions. Unstable subgrade soil can cause various infrastructure problems, including cracks, settlement, and damage to road surfaces. Therefore, stabilizing subgrade soil is an important step to ensure the reliability and longevity of highways. One effective and sustainable method for subgrade soil stabilization is by utilizing local waste materials. The use of local waste materials such as fly ash (FA) and waste foundry sand (WFS) not only improves the physical and mechanical properties of the soil but also helps reduce environmental impact by repurposing pollutants. This study aims to analyze the effect of the thickness of subgrade layers stabilized with FA and WFS on bearing capacity. The initial stage includes examining the physical and mechanical properties of natural soil and soil stabilized with FA and WFS. The waste content used is 9 % FA and 15 % WFS by dry weight of the soil. Subgrade modeling was conducted using a steel box measuring 60×60×60 cm with a soil thickness of 30 cm. Load testing was carried out on 5 layer variants that had undergone 4 days of curing. The study results found that the ultimate bearing capacity (qult) of 890 kPa was produced by the V4 layer, which is a subgrade with a 30 cm thick layer of soil stabilized with FA and WFS at a settlement of 6 mm. The bearing capacity ratio of 2.87 means that the subgrade with a 30 cm thick layer of soil stabilized with FA and WFS experienced an improvement in bearing capacity of 2.87 times that of the subgrade with untreated soil material. The results obtained can be applied in practice to the local geotechnical conditions of the project site in West Java, including natural soil properties and seasonal changes

The nonlinear rainfall–quick flow relationships in a humid mountainous area: Roles of soil thickness and forest type

The nonlinear behavior of hillslope quick flow (QF) in response to variations in soil thickness and forest types remains unclear due to uncertainties or unknown features in field studies, hindering accurate interpretation of their impact on QF. To this end, three artificial physical models with different mineral soil thickness (0 cm, shallow 50 cm, and thick 150 cm) beneath a 50 cm root zone for each forest (i.e., the broadleaf and coniferous forests) were constructed and intensively monitored. Results showed that the threshold-based QF was a function of the sum of rainfall amount and antecedent soil wetness, which was isolated by two breakpoints—the generation and rising thresholds—across all artificial physical models. These breakpoints indicated the storage thresholds for QF generation and the transition from slow to fast QF in humid forests. The broadleaf forest required more rainfall to reach the generation threshold due to higher litter interception capacity and soil water deficit by plant water uptake compared to the coniferous forest. Above the rising threshold phase, QF increased rapidly and linearly due to the establishment of flow path connectivity driven by soil water content, with the broadleaf forest showing a faster increase in QF than the coniferous forest. The dominant preferential/unsaturated flow in humid mountainous areas was also confirmed. Preferential flow paths were well-connected in the root zone and extended to the shallow mineral soil, resulting in an insignificant difference in mean QF between forest types. The thick mineral soil disrupted preferential flow path connectivity, leading to a greater amount of water being laterally diverted and retained within the soil. Consequently, a sharp decrease in QF was observed in hillslope with the root zone capping thick mineral soil for both forests. Our results highlighted the application of threshold-based theory and controlled experiments in enhancing the comprehension of the fundamental physical mechanism governing runoff processes in humid forests.

Lateral response and failure mechanism of single and group piles in cement-improved soil

Precast prestressed high-strength concrete (PHC) pipe pile with cement-improved soil is a novel pile foundation technique that has been extensively utilized in contemporary years due to the enhanced lateral load-bearing capacity in soft grounds. However, though several studies have shown the damage mechanism of single piles with cement-improved soil, the group behavior of such pile foundations is still largely unexplored. Hence, this article aims to illustrate the lateral capacity and tension-induced failure characteristics of single and 1 × 2 group PHC piles reinforced by cement-improved soil. Extensive 3D nonlinear finite element analyses have been performed and the precision of the numerical models is confirmed by a previous experimental-numerical study. The effects of pile spacing, embedment length, and cement-improved soil thickness were examined in terms of various lateral responses and damages. Results have revealed that the addition and thickening of CIS around core piles enhances the overall pile performance and protects the core pile from excessive tensile damage. Declines in head displacement and bending moment were found to be up to 45 % and 25 % for single piles, and up to 47 % and 24 % for group piles, respectively. Moreover, the presence of CIS makes the stress distribution mechanism between the trailing and leading piles in group arrangement more uniform. Results of this study are expected to provide valuable insights for a better understanding of the damage behavior of group precast piles reinforced with cement-improved soil.

A Prediction Method for Surface Subsidence at Deep Mining Areas with Thin Bedrock and Thick Soil Layer Considering Consolidation Behavior

A Prediction Method for Surface Subsidence at Deep Mining Areas with Thin Bedrock and Thick Soil Layer Considering Consolidation Behavior