Fractional description of mechanical property evolution of soft soils during creep

The motion of pore water directly influences mechanical properties of soils, which are variable during creep. Accurate description of the evolution of mechanical properties of soils can help to reveal the internal behavior of pore water. Based on the idea of using the fractional order to reflect mechanical properties of soils, a fractional creep model is proposed by introducing a variable-order fractional operator, and realized on a series of creep responses in soft soils. A comparative analysis illustrates that the evolution of mechanical properties, shown through the simulated results, exactly corresponds to the motion of pore water and the solid skeleton. This demonstrates that the proposed variable-order fractional model can be employed to characterize the evolution of mechanical properties of and the pore water motion in soft soils during creep. It is observed that the fractional order from the proposed model is related to the dissipation rate of pore water pressure.

Time-dependent deviation of bridge pile foundations caused by adjacent large-area surcharge loads in soft soils and its preventive measures

Time-dependent characteristics(TDCs)have been neglected in most previous studies investigating the deviation mechanisms of bridge pile foundations and evaluating the effectiveness of preventive measures.In this study,the stress-strain-time characteristics of soft soils were illustrated by consolidation-creep tests based on a typical engineering case.An extended Koppejan model was developed and then embedded in a finite element(FE)model via a user-material subroutine(UMAT).Based on the validated FE model,the time-dependent deformation mechanism of the pile foundation was revealed,and the preventive effect of applying micropiles and stress-release holes to control the deviation was investigated.The results show that the calculated maximum lateral displacement of the cap differs from the measured one by 6.5%,indicating that the derived extended Koppejan model reproduced the deviation process of the bridge cap-pile foundation with time.The additional load acting on the pile side caused by soil lateral deformation was mainly concentrated within the soft soil layer and increased with the increase in load duration.Compared with t=3 d(where t is surcharge time),the maximum lateral additional pressure acting on Pile 2#increased by approximately 47.0%at t=224 d.For bridge pile foundation deviation in deep soft soils,stress-release holes can provide better prevention compared to micropiles and are therefore recommended.

Reinforcement Technology for Soft Soil Roadbed in the Widened Section of Expressway Expansion

This article examines the soft soil roadbed reinforcement technology for widened sections of highways in a specific project.It provides an overview of the project,the principles of soft soil roadbed reinforcement technology for wide sections,and its practical application.The analysis aims to offer guidance on applying soft soil roadbed wide section reinforcement technology and enhancing the overall quality of similar projects.

A practical ANN model for predicting the excavation-induced tunnel horizontal displacement in soft soils

The objective of this study is to propose an artificial neural network(ANN)model to predict the excavation-induced tunnel horizontal displacement in soft soils.For this purpose,a series of finite element data sets from rigorously verified numerical models were collected to be utilized for the development of the ANN model.The excavation width,the excavation depth,the retaining wall thickness,the ratio of the average shear strength to the vertical effective stress,the ratio of the average unloading/reloading Young’s modulus to the vertical effective stress,the horizontal distance between the tunnel and retaining wall,and the ratio of the buried depth of the tunnel crown to the excavation depth were chosen as the input variables,while the excavation-induced tunnel horizontal displacement was considered as an output variable.The results demonstrated the feasibility of the developed ANN model to predict the excavation-induced tunnel horizontal displacement.The proposed ANN model in this study can be applied to predict the excavation-induced tunnel horizontal displacement in soft soils for practical risk assessment and mitigation decision.

Finite Element Modeling of Geotextile Reinforced Embankments on Soft Clay

The use of geotextiles as a reinforcement material for improving the factor of safety against slope failure in embankments built on soft clay is becoming a common practice. This work is intended to help understand the effect of the geotextile reinforcement has on such embankments and to provide a design aid for civil engineers that enables them to quickly estimate the factor of safety against slope failure. Seventy four different cases were modelled and analyzed using a finite element software, GeoStudio 2018 R2. The results showed that the optimum improvement was achieved when using a single layer of geotextile reinforcement placed at the base of the embankment, by which the factor of safety increased by up to 40%. Adding a second layer, a third layer and a fourth layer, increases the safety factor by 2.5%, 1% and 0.5% respectively. Different charts for different heights of embankments were presented to aid in finding the most suitable slope angle and number of reinforcement layers required to achieve a certain safety factor.

Numerical Comparative Study on the Effective Replacement Thickness of Traditional Stone Coarse Aggregate or Steel-Slag Aggregate Mixtures in Improved Soft Fine Soils

This study uses Steel Slag Coarse Aggregate (SSCA) as a mixture replacement, preamble material to improve soft soils, which is economic, and has good effect environment. Recently, the development and utilization of by-product, waste and recycle materials must be studied and investigated as a source of improved material for soft soils as, an economic and good effect environmental. The study analyzes effects of both replaced mixtures, (SSCA) or (TSCA) on improved soil bearing capacity and expected settlement after verifying the model. Numerical modeling of the one of real store loaded strip using, PLAXIS, 2D, strain deformation behavior to achieve field visible and measured deformations of untreated soft soil. Numerical studies were devolved to investigate geomechanics parameters improved to compare between using (SSCA) or (TSCA) as, replacement mixture. Results demonstrate that using (SSCA) improved compressibility and strength of shallow soft soil layer significantly than using (TCSA) mixture, while (SSCA) improved strip footing ultimate bearing capacity, (UBC), by 84.4% compared with increase of 20.5% when using (TCSA) mixture at the same thickness. In addition, the study highlights the effective (SSCA) replacement thickness ranges between (0.65 ~ 0.80) footing width.

Earthquake response of wrap faced embankment on soft clay soil in Bangladesh

A wrap-faced embankment model on soft clay soil subjected to earthquake motion was investigated in this study.The study was conducted both experimentally using a shaking table and numerically using PLAXIS 3D software.The amplification of acceleration,displacement,pore water pressure,and strain response were measured while varying input accelerations and surcharge pressures.Time histories of the Kobe record of the 1995 Hanshin earthquake were used as the input seismic motion.The input acceleration was 0.05 g,0.1 g,0.15 g,and 0.2 g,and different surcharge pressures were 0.70 kPa,1.12 kPa,and 1.72 kPa with relative density of Sylhet sand fixed to 48%.The output data from the shaking table tests and the numerical analysis performed through the PLAXIS 3D software were compared,and these findings were also compared with some earlier similar studies.The acceleration amplification,displacement,pore water pressure,and strain(%)changed along the elevation of the embankment and acceleration response increased with the increase in base acceleration.The increase was more noticeable at higher elevations.These findings enrich the knowledge of predicting the dynamic behavior of wrap-faced embankments and enable the design parameters to be adjusted more accurately.

Pseudo-Static Elasto-Plastic Cyclic Creep Model and Cyclic Stability of Offshore Soft Foundation

The accumulative shear deformation of soft clays under cyclic loads is considered as pseudo-static creep. A pseudo-static elasto-plastic cyclic creep model is developed based on the visco-elasto-plastic theory. The parameters in the model are determined by cyclic triaxial soil tests. A method for analyzing the stability of offshore soft foundation under wave loads is given by combining the model with pseudo-static creep analysis. An example is analyzed by the method. The results show that the horizontal and vertical stability of foundations under wave loads can be analyzed by it and the analytical results are qualitatively consistent with the observed failure modes of shallow foundations.

Review of research on high-speed railway subgrade settlement in soft soil area

Construction issues of high-speed rail infrastructures have been increasingly concerned worldwide,of which the subgrade settlement in soft soil area becomes a particularly critical problem.Due to the high compressibility and low permeability of soft soil,the post-construction settlement of the subgrade is extremely difficult to control in these regions,which seriously threatens the operation safety of high-speed trains.In this work,the significant issues of high-speed railway subgrades in soft soil regions are discussed.The theoretical and experimental studies on foundation treatment methods for ballasted and ballastless tracks are reviewed.The settlement evolution and the settlement control effect of different treatment methods are highlighted.Control technologies of subgrade differential settlement are subsequently briefly presented.Settlement calculation algorithms of foundations reinforced by different treatment methods are discussed in detail.The defects of existing prediction methods and the challenges faced in their practical applications are analyzed.Furthermore,the guidance on future improvement in control theories and technologies of subgrade settlement for high-speed railway lines and the corresponding challenges are provided.

Consolidation of soft clay foundation improved by geosyntheticreinforced granular columns:Numerical evaluation

Soft clays are problematic soils as they present high compressibility and low shear strength.There are several methods for improving in situ conditions of soft clays.Based on the geotechnical problem’s geometry and characteristics,the in situ conditions may require reinforcement to restrain instability and construction settlements.Granular columns reinforced by geosynthetic material are widely used to reduce settlements of embankments on soft clays.They also accelerate the consolidation rate by reducing the drainage path’s length and increasing the foundation soil’s bearing capacity.In this study,the performance of encased and layered granular columns in soft clay is investigated and discussed.The numerical results show the significance of geosynthetic stiffness and the column length on the embankment settlements.Furthermore,the results show that granular columns may play an important role in dissipating the excess pore water pressures and accelerating the consolidation settlements of embankments on soft clays.

Radial consolidation characteristics of soft undisturbed clay based on large specimens

In recent years, reconstituted small samples have often been used to assess the performance of radial consolidation due to prefabricated vertical drains(PVDs), but the permeability and compressibility of samples of undisturbed soil often differ from those of the remoulded ones. The problem seems more complex in marine environment due to the presence of random coarse particles including gravels, shells and natural partings. Performing small-scale laboratory experiment with reconstituted samples, especially in marine environment, cannot predict the exact soil behaviour in the field. This paper describes an experimental programme that measures radial consolidation using a conventional Rowe cell and a largescale consolidometer, where the samples of undisturbed soil obtained from a site along the Pacific Highway(north of Sydney) were compared using measured settlements and excess pore pressures.Moreover, this paper highlights the implications of the smear effect and sample size influence, which are imperative in translating the laboratory testing practices to actual real-life behaviour. The effect of vacuum pressure on the coefficient of radial consolidation of a large-scale undisturbed test specimen is also discussed. The paper demonstrates that the extent of smear zone in the field can be very similar to the large-scale laboratory consolidation test using a scaled-down drain and mandrel, but considerably different from the data obtained for small laboratory specimens.

Engineering Geological Zoning of Soft-Soil Foundation Based on Combination Weighting and Extension Methods

Different criteria and factors are used in different methods of soft soil foundation settlement calculation and engineering geological zoning.The methods used are not universally suitable for complex geological environments.The post-construction settlement of soft soil foundations are especially large and difficult to calculate.In addition,there are many deficiencies in the current methods used for engineering geological zoning.Focusing on the need of establishing engineering geological zoning for areas with soft soil foundations in the Tianjin Marine Economic Area,combination weighting and extension methods were introduced.An evaluation model for the settlement of soft soil foundations was established using multiple factors and large amounts of data.This evaluation model is accurate and objective for delineating engineering geological zoning.These methods eliminate deficiencies by considering both objective and subjective factors,and help obtain an objective and accurate result.

Behavior of diatomaceous soil in lacustrine deposits of Bogota, Colombia

This work presents a study on the behaviors of diatomaceous soils. Although studies are rarely reported on these soils, they have been identified in Mexico City, the Sea of Japan, the northeast coast of Australia,the equatorial Pacific, and the lacustrine deposit of Bogota(Colombia), among other locations. Features of this kind of soil include high friction angle, high initial void ratio, high compressibility index, high liquid limit, and low density. Some of these features are counterintuitive from a classical soil mechanics viewpoint. To understand the geotechnical properties of the diatomaceous soil, a comprehensive experimental plan consisting of more than 2400 tests was performed, including physical tests such as grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, density of solid particles, and organic matter content; and mechanical tests such as oedometric compression tests, unconfined compression tests, and triaxial tests.Laboratory tests were complemented with scanning electron microscope(SEM) observations to evaluate the microstructure of the soil. The test results show that there is an increase in liquid limit with increasing diatomaceous content, and the friction angle also increases with increasing diatomaceous content. In addition, several practical correlations were proposed for this soil type for shear strength mobilization and intrinsic compression line. Finally, useful correlations were presented, such as the relationship between the state consistency and the undrained shear strength, the friction angle and the liquid limit, the void ratio at 100 kPa and the liquid limit, the plasticity index and the diatomaceous content, among others.

Analysis of ground deformation development and settlement prediction by air-boosted vacuum preloading

Vacuum preloading has been widely used to improve soft soils in coastal areas of China.An increasing amount of evidence from field operations has shown that conventional vacuum preloading is prone to clogging in prefabricated vertical drains(PVDs)and demands a large volume of sand fills.In recent years,air-boosted vacuum preloading has been developed to overcome these limitations;however,this method still requires more data to verify its performance.In this study,a field test for air-boosted vacuum preloading was conducted,and a large-strain two-dimensional(2D)finite element(FE)model was developed and validated against the field test data.Then,a series of FE parametric analyses was performed to assess key factors,i.e.the air injection pressure,the injection spacing,and the characteristics of cyclic injection,which affect the performance of the air-boosted vacuum preloading.The results showed that the ground settlement and lateral displacement of the soils increased due to an increase in the injection pressure,a decrease in the injection spacing,or increases in the number and duration of the injection cycles.Based on the parametric analyses,an empirical formula for ground settlement prediction was proposed and compared with a case history reported in the literature,showing good agreement.

A Study on the Dynamic Analysis of A Tracked Vehicle for Ocean Mining on the Deep Seabed

A study is presented on the dynamic analysis of a tracked vehicle for mining on the deep seabed of very soft soil. Equations for the interaction between the track and extremely soft seabed are employed to develop a track/soil interaction module called TVAS. The vehicle is modeled as a multibody dynamic system by the use of a multibody dynamic analysis program. The module developed is cooperated with the multibody dynamic analysis program with a user-defined subroutine. The dynamic behavior and the conceptual design of the mining vehicle on the deep seabed are investigated.

Spatial-Temporal Ground Deformation Study of Baotou Based on the PS-InSAR Method

Ground subsidence is an emerging geological hazard in Baotou,Inner Mongolia.Four areas of Baotou with relatively large subsidence range and rate were selected for analysis.Focusing on investigation of ground subsidence using PS-In SAR technology,a total of 43 frames of ALOS PALSAR images yielded a SAR data span from December 2006 to January 2011,allowing ground subsidence scope,subsidence velocity,time-series deformation to be obtained.Major causes and influencing factors of the ground subsidence are closely related to soft soil consolidation and compaction and the decrease in the level of groundwater caused by increased development and utilization of groundwater.

Settlement Mode Analysis for An Immersed Tube Tunnel Considering A Nonuniform Foundation Under Tidal Load

Immersed tube tunnels are usually placed on soft soil layers in cross-sea tunnelling engineering.Owing to the influence of stratum conditions and slope design,the longitudinal distribution of substratum layers is generally uneven.Thus,the inhomogeneous deformation of the element-joint becomes the key factor in the failure of the immersed tube tun-nel.Therefore,a corresponding calculation method for joint deformation is needed to explore the deformation law of immersed tube tunnels.By constructing a three-section immersed tube tunnel analysis model(TTM),the relationship between the two types of deformation of the immersed tube tunnel structure in a longitudinal nonuniform soft soil foundation is described,and the deformation characteristics of the immersed structure under different boundaries are discussed.Based on the mechanical behaviour of the joint and foundation,according to the Timoshenko beam on the Vlasov two-parameter foundation(VTM),considering the tidal cyclic load during the operation and maintenance period,an example analysis is given.Moreover,the deformation characteristics and development trend of the immersed tube tunnel under the influence of different soil layers are discussed.The obtained results have a certain guiding significance for the deformation calculation of immersed tube tunnels.

Smoothed response spectra including soil-structure interaction effects

Elastic response spectra that take into account the effects of soil-structure interaction on soft soils are developed. The response spectra are calculated utilizing a 3 DOF system including deformations of the superstructure and foundation. The equations of motion of the system are solved using direct integration under normalized earthquake records. Statistical processing of the results is implemented resulting in response spectra for "short and dense buildings with low interaction", "short and dense buildings with high interaction", "tall and light buildings with low interaction" and "tall and light buildings with high interaction". The resulting response spectra are smoothed and discussed.

Numerical simulation of irregular section underground structure shaking table test model

Based on the the large shaking table test results on irregular section subway station structure in soft soil,an overall time-history numerical simulation is conducted to study the nonlinear dynamic interaction of the soilirregular underground structure.Typical test results,including the acceleration of the soil,acceleration,and deformation of the structure,were analyzed.Satisfactory consistency between the simulation and test results is verified,and the difference between these results was discussed in detail.The maximum inter-story drift ratio was approximately 1/472 under input PGA=0.54 g.The strain responses of columns were significantly larger than those of the side walls and slabs.The components in the lower layers of the irregular subway station structure,particularly in the central columns,underwent cumulative damage.The research results could provide a simplified analysis method to quantitatively evaluate the damage of irregular underground structures in soft soil.

Horizontal freezing study for cross passage of river-crossing tunnel

To determine the appropriate soft foundation treatment for a river-crossing tunnel, freezing reinforcement design and technology were introduced based on the channel tunnel design and construction practice. Through finite element analysis and engineering practices, two rows of horizontal perforated freezing pipes were designed and installed on both sides of a passage for tunnel rein- forcement, which produced the thickness and strength of frozen crust that satisfied the design requirements. These information are valuable for guiding the design and construction of river-crossing tunnels in coastal areas.