Modelling and Sizing of a Floor Reinforced by Ballasted Columns Intended to Support a Tank

This work aims to study the modeling and sizing of a floor reinforced by ballasted columns. We are studying the system of reinforcement by ballasted columns because this technique is able to replace deep foundations that are technically difficult to realize and their cost is higher. The modelling and dimensioning of foundations on a ballasted column will be an important contribution to the state of the art of this method because it will highlight the mode of transfer of loads, and will expose the induced deformations by also allowing to verification criteria of bearing capacity and allowable settlement according to geometric information of the model. The columns on a substrate located at 9 m have a length of 9 m and a diameter of 40 cm and were obtained by incorporating ballast of granular class 0/31.5 of internal friction angle of 38˚ and a density weight of 21 kN/m3. The choice of this method is based on the geotechnical characteristics of the initial soil. Thus, identification and characterization tests were carried out to estimate the bearing capacity and the settlement giving respectively 125 kPa and 57 cm. These results show the ground does not have sufficient mechanical properties to withstand the loads transmitted by the tank. By adopting the reinforcement of the soil with ballasted columns, numerical calculations show that after applying a load equal to 265.1 KPa, 20 cm vertical settlement and 17 cm horizontal displacement were obtained. This is in the tolerable deformation range for our tank, namely, less than 20 cm. Analytically, in addition to reducing settlement, ballasted columns, Due to their high stiffness, they have effectively contributed to the increase of the permissible soil stress up to 257 kPa.

Modeling rock specimens through 3D printing: Tentative experiments and prospects

Current developments in 3D printing （3DP） technology provide the opportunity to produce rock-like specimens and geotechnical models through additive man- ufacturing, that is, from a file viewed with a computer to a real object. This study investigated the serviceability of 3DP products as substitutes for rock specimens and rock-type materials in experimental analysis of deformation and failure in the laboratory. These experiments were performed on two types of materials as follows： （1） compressive experiments on printed sand-powder specimens in different shapes and structures, including intact cylinders, cylinders with small holes, and cuboids with pre-existing cracks, and （2） com- pressive and shearing experiments on printed polylactic acid cylinders and molded shearing blocks. These tentative tests for 3DP technology have exposed its advantages in produc- ing complicated specimens with special external forms and internal structures, the mechanical similarity of its product to rock-type material in terms of deformation and failure, and its precision in mapping shapes from the original body to the trial sample （such as a natural rock joint）. These experiments and analyses also successfully demonstrate the potential and prospects of 3DP technology to assist in the deformation and failure analysis of rock-type materials, as well as in the sim- ulation of similar material modeling experiments.

Application and prospective of 3D printing in rock mechanics: A review

This review aims to discuss the application and development of three-dimensional printing(3DP) technology in the field of rock mechanics and the mechanical behaviors of 3D-printed specimens on the basis of various available printing materials.This review begins with a brief description of the concepts and principles associated with 3DP, and then systematically elaborates the five major applications of 3DP technology in the field of rock mechanics, namely, the preparation of rock(including pre-flawed rock) specimens, preparation of joints, preparation of geophysical models, reconstruction of complex rock structures, and performance of bridging experimental testing and numerical simulation.Meanwhile, the mechanical performance of 3D-printed specimens created using six different printing materials, such as polymers, resin,gypsum, sand, ceramics, and rock-like geological materials, is reviewed in detail.Subsequently, some improvements that can make these 3D-printed specimens close to natural rocks and some limitations of 3DP technology in the application of rock mechanics are discussed.Some prospects that are required to be investigated in the future are also proposed.Finally, a brief summary is presented.This review suggests that 3DP technology, especially when integrated with other advanced technologies, such as computed tomography scanning and 3D scanning, has great potential in rock mechanics field.

Stabilizing subgrades of transport structures by injecting solidifying solutions in cold regions

Transport structures built throughout the period from 1960 to 1980 in permafrost regions based on the principle of permafrost preservation are subject to deformations.In many cases,the reason is a gradual change in temperature and their subgrade condition within the active zone due to the structures'technogenic impact.Design solutions for the fifty-year-old structures fail to ensure in all cases their reliable operation at the present time.The greatest danger to the reliable operation of railway lines in cold regions is uneven deformations of bridges,which are barrier places.Therefore,the solution to this problem is urgent especially due to the necessity of increase carrying capacity.The purpose of this study is to increase reliability of bridge operation in cold regions through strengthening the subgrade by reinforcement with injection of solidifying solutions.The problem of uneven deformations due to permafrost degradation is considered using the example of a railway bridge located in the northern line of the Krasnoyarsk railway.Deformations of the bridge abutments began immediately after the construction was completed and the bridge was open for traffic-since 1977.Permafrost degradation was developing more actively straight under the abutments due to higher thermal conductivity of the piles concrete.Notably,thawing intensity of frozen soils under the bridge abutments is uneven due to its orientation to the cardinal points.The analysis of archive materials and results of the geodetic survey made it possible to systematize the features of augmenting deformations of each abutment over time.The engineering-geological survey with drilling wells near the abutments ensured determination of soil characteristics,both in the frozen and thawed states.Thermometric wells were arranged to measure temperatures.The analysis and systematization of the data obtained allowed us to develop geotechnical models for each abutment of the bridge.The peculiarity of these models is allowance for changes in the strength and deformation characteristics of the soil calculated layers depending on changes in temperature and the soil condition.Thus,different calculated geological elements with the corresponding strength and deformation characteristics were identified in the soil layers of the same origin.The analysis of the systematized geodetic data allowed us to confirm adequacy of the developed geotechnical models.Studies carried out using geotechnical models made it possible to predict improvement of physical and mechanical characteristics of the subgrade to prevent further growth deformations of the bridge abutments.The method of reinforcement by injection is proposed.Injecting a solution under pressure leads to strengthening of weakened thawed soils and improving their physical and mechanical properties.This research theoretically substantiates and develops the geotechnical models of the reinforced pier footing of bridge abutments by injection of solidifying solutions.The models take into account the reinforcement parameters and elements for the case in question.The influence of reinforcement on the change in physical and mechanical properties of the soil mass is determined.