Seismic response of bridge pier on rigid caisson foundation in soil stratum

An analytical method to study the seismic response of a bridge pier supported on a rigid caisson foundation embedded in a deep soil stratum underlain by a homogeneous half space is developed. The method reproduces the kinematic and inertial responses, using translational and rotational distributed Winkler springs and dashpots to simulate the soil-caisson interaction. Closed-form solutions are given in the frequency domain for vertical harmonic S-wave excitation. Comparison with results from finite element （FE） analysis and other available solutions demonstrates the reliability of the model. Results from parametric studies are given for the kinematic and inertial responses. The modification of the fundamental period and damping ratio of the bridge due to soil-structure interaction is graphically illustrated.

Characteristic Test Study on Bearing Capacity of Suction Caisson Foundation Under Vertical Load

Suction caisson foundations are often subjected to vertical uplift loads,but there are still no wide and spread engineering specifications on design and calculation method for uplift bearing capacity of suction caisson foundation.So it is important to establish an uplift failure criterion.In order to study the uplift bearing mechanism and failure mode of suction caisson foundation,a series of model tests were carried out considering the effects of aspect ratio,soil permeability and loading mode.Test results indicate that the residual negative pressure at the top of caisson is beneficial to enhance uplift bearing capacity.The smaller the permeability coefficient is,the higher the residual negative pressure will be.And the residual negative pressure is approximately equal to the water head that causes seepage in the caisson.When the load reaches the ultimate bearing capacity,both the top and bottom negative pressures are smaller than Su and both the top and bottom reverse bearing capacity factors are smaller than 1.0 in soft clay.Combined the uplift bearing characteristics of caisson in sandy soil and soft clay,the bearing capacity composition and the calculation method are proposed.It can provide a reference for the engineering design of suction caisson foundation under vertical load.

Upper Bound Solutions for Uplift Ultimate Bearing Capacity of Suction Caisson Foundation

Suction caisson foundation derives most of their uplift resistance from passive suction developed during the pullout movement. It was observed that the passive suction generated in soil at the bottom of the caisson and the failure mode of suction caisson foundation subjecting pullout loading behaves as a reverse compression failure mechanism.The upper bound theorems have been proved to be a powerful method to find the critical failure mechanism and critical load associated with foundations, buried caissons and other geotechnical structures. However, limited attempts have been reported to estimate the uplift bearing capacity of the suction caisson foundation using the upper bound solution. In this paper, both reverse failure mechanisms from Prandtl and Hill were adopted as the failure mechanisms for the computation of the uplift bearing capacity of the suction caisson. New equations were proposed based on both failure mechanisms to estimate the pullout capacity of the suction caisson. The proposed equations were verified by the test results and experimental data from published literature. And the two solutions agree reasonably well with the other test results. It can be proved that both failure mechanisms are reasonably and more consistent with the actual force condition.

Numerical analysis on bearing capacity of middle pylon caisson foundation of Taizhou Bridge

Because of the computation difficulty of the beating capacity of large underwater caisson foundation on thick overburden layer ground, the geotechnieal software FLAC3D was utilized in the 3D numerical analysis on the bearing capacity of middle pylon foundation. From the computational results, it is concluded that the caisson foundation has a good bearing capacity on thick overburden layer ground and the beating capacity can be improved assuming that the soil near the area of basal comer is reinforced.

Prediction Method of Seismic Residual Deformation of Caisson Quay Wall in Liquefied Foundation

The multi-spring shear mechanism plastic model in this paper is defined in strain space to simulate pore pressure generation and development in sands under cyclic loading and undrained conditions, and the rotation of principal stresses can also be simulated by the model with cyclic behavior of anisotropic consolidated sands. Seismic residual deformations of typical caisson quay walls under different engineering situations are analyzed in detail by the plastic model, and then an index of liquefaction extent is applied to describe the regularity of seismic residual deformation of caisson quay wall top under different engineering situations. Some correlated prediction formulas are derived from the results of regression analysis between seismic residual deformation of quay wall top and extent of liquefaction in the relative safety backfill sand site. Finally, the rationality and the reliability of the prediction methods are validated by test results of a 120 g-centrifuge shaking table, and the comparisons show that some reliable seismic residual deformation of caisson quay can be predicted by appropriate prediction formulas and appropriate index of liquefaction extent.

Study on Unloading Creep Characteristics of the Soil and Application of the Stress-Dependent Creep Model in Suction Caisson Foundation

As the anchoring foundation of the tension leg platform(TLP),suction caisson foundation is subjected to the long-term vertical pullout loads.But there are few studies on the mechanism of the unloading creep of soft clay and long-term uplift bearing capacity of suction caisson foundations.To address this problem,unloading creep tests of soft clay were carried out to analyze the strain development with time under different confining pressures.The test results show that the creep curve rapidly develops in the early stage and tends to stabilize in the later stage.The unloading deviator stress is higher,the unloading creep deformation is greater and the soft clay has typical nonlinear creep characteristics.Therefore,by introducing the creep model and considering the influence of the deviator stress,the stress-dependent Merchant model is proposed to describe the unloading creep of soft clay.Then,the stress-dependent Merchant model is extended to a three-dimension constitutive model,and a finite element subroutine is developed to establish a finite element analysis method for analyzing the long-term uplift capacity of suction caisson foundations and validated with the long-term uplift bearing capacity results of caisson model.

Failure envelope of a caisson foundation under combined vertical,horizontal and moment loadings

To investigate the bearing capacity of a caisson foundation under combined vertical,horizontal and moment loadings,the three-dimensional finite element analyses of a circular caisson foundation in homogenous sandy soil subjected to combined loadings are conducted.The caisson model has a depth to breadth ratio equaling one,and a soil-caisson interface friction coefficientμ=0.3.First,the responses of caisson foundations under uniaxial vertical loading V,horizontal loading H and moment loading M are examined.Moreover,the responses of caisson foundations under combined vertical-horizontal V-H,vertical-moment V-M and horizontal-moment H-M load space are studied and presented using normalized failure envelopes generated by the load-controlled method.Subsequently,the bearing behavior of caisson foundations under combined vertical-horizontal-moment V-H-M load space,as well as the kinematic mechanisms accompanying the failure under uniaxial and combined loading,are addressed and presented for different vertical load ratios V/Vu.Finally,three equations that approximate the three-dimensional shape of the failure locus are proposed,which provides a convenient means of calculating the bearing capacity of a caisson foundation subjected to uniaxial and combined vertical,horizontal and moment loadings.

Technical research on control of caisson construction for the middle tower foundation of Taizhou Bridge

The real-time informational monitoring system is adopted in the construction of middle tower foundation of Taizhou Bridge for the first time. The geometric state of the caisson, the stress of upstream and downstream anchorage cables, underwater topography, the drag forces of the caisson cutting edge and frictional resistances of the sidewall and etc. are monitored in real time. According to the synthesized data analysis and decision-making system, the spatial states of the caisson are adjusted in time to locate and embed the deep water caisson precisely. The offset error of the caisson is less than 30 cm and the vertical error is 1/363 at the final stage. The control technology for construction of large caisson under deep water is concluded and would be helpful for the construction of bridge foundation in the future.

Application of bi-directional static loading test to deep foundations

Bi-directional static loading test adopting load cells is widely used around the world at present, with increase in diameter and length of deep foundations. In this paper, a new simple conversion method to predict the equivalent pile head load-settlement curve considering elastic shortening of deep foundation was put forward according to the load transfer mechanism. The proposed conversion method was applied to root caisson foundation in a bridge and to large diameter pipe piles in a sea wind power plant. Some new load cells, test procedure, and construction technology were adopted based on the applications to different deep foundations, which could enlarge the application scopes of bi-directional loading test. A new type of bi-directional loading test for pipe pile was conducted, in which the load cell was installed and loaded after the pipe pile with special connector has been set up. Unlike the conventional bi-directional loading test, the load cell can be reused and shows an evident economic benefit.

An Experimental Investigation on the Stability of Foundation of Composite Vertical Breakwaters

A series of 2D model tests were conducted to assess the foundation stability of composite vertical breakwaters. In this paper, the results from the experimental study are presented conjointly with a formula to estimate the stability number of foundation, which is the most important parameter for evaluation of foundation stability of such structures. The influences of wave height, wave period and the berm width on the stability of compo^ite breakwaters with different armor stone sizes were investigated. Forty-five tests were performed to cover the influences of these parameters. According to the present research, berm width is a significant parameter concerning erosion of armor foundation. As the berm width increases, the amount of berm erosion decreases. Comparisons are made between results of present study and the estimated stability number proposed by Kimura et al. （1994）, which is extension of Tanimoto formula. Results show that the later formula underestimates the stability number. However, by applying an enhancement factor about 1.7 meters to Kimura et al. formula, results correlated with the present experimental results..

北口大桥锚碇沉井施工技术研究及应用

温州瓯江北口大桥为主跨2×800m的三塔四跨连续双层钢桁梁悬索桥,南岸陆上重力式锚碇采用沉井基础。在淤泥质土施工承载力低、黏聚性高、灵敏度高的不利条件下,建立“有效应力-含水率-承载力”的作用模型,优化砂桩置换率算法;排水下沉通过支垫抽除模拟试验及工艺数值分析,研发支撑体系分级转化的开挖下沉方案;研制四绞刀空气吸泥和钻机+移动台车两种设备,保证取土下沉效率。

Experimental Studies on Modified Suction Caissons in Fine Sand Subject to Uplift Loading

A modified suction caisson (MSC), which was reported by the authors of this paper previously, comprises an external short-skirted structure that is added to a regular suction caisson (RSC). It has been proved that MSCs can improve the lateral bearing capacity and limit the deflection of the caisson compared with RSCs. A series of model tests were conducted to investigate responses of MSCs subject to uplift loading in saturated sand. The effects of external skirt dimensions on the uplift bearing capacity of MSCs were considered. In addition, the influences of the sealed top lid of the skirted structure on the uplift bearing capacity and the resulting passive suction of MSCs were also studied. It was found that the uplift bearing capacities of MSCs are 1.4–1.7 times that of RSCs. Moreover, test results in serviceable conditions show that the sealed external skirted structure of perspex-made suction caissons significantly contributed to the uplift bearing capacity as a result of passive suction. © 2017 Tianjin University and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany

Vibration mechanism research of large-scale and deep-water caisson

According to the construction method of Taizhou Bridge, numerical simulation is conducted to analyze the vibration of caisson under wind and water flows to determine the main factors of the caisson vibration. Meanwhile, the localization system of caissons and anchors of Taizhou Bridge is modeled in order to summarize the vibration mechanism of caissons under deep-water and jet-flow condition, and further pertinent vibration-control measures are proposed. The obtained results are well verified in engineering practice, and consequently the safety risk of positioning the caisson is reduced.

大型沉井接高过程中地基抗剪强度的有限元计算

为探讨大型沉井在强度较低且具有时变效应的软土地基上产生的突沉、偏沉等问题,运用ABAQUS有限元软件对南京市龙潭大桥南锚碇沉井前3节的接高过程进行模拟,观察沉井地基中超静孔压的消散情况,并通过规范法和有效应力法计算并比较其抗剪强度的变化。结果表明,在沉井混凝土养护期间,超静孔压迅速消散,地基抗剪强度得到提升,且浅部的强度提升较大,向深部则存在衰减;沉井能否进行下一节的浇筑接高不受超静孔压消散时间的控制,而主要受控于混凝土的养护情况;规范法的抗剪强度计算结果相较于有效应力法大,在工程实践中为保守取值,可选取有效应力法计算强度增长。

移动射流加固吸力式沉箱基础承载特性试验研究

吸力式沉箱基础基础因其尺寸范围广、极限水深大、经济性好、施工便捷等优势,受到了广大工程师青睐。然而软黏土中吸力式沉箱基础水平与竖向承载力较低,尚未形成一套有效的吸力式沉箱基础承载力提升技术。为了有效提高吸力式沉箱基础承载力,创新性提出了移动射流加固技术及劲性复合吸力式沉箱基础形式。通过吸力式沉箱基础移动射流加固试验以及加固后模型试验,研究加固后吸力式沉箱基础水平与竖向承载特性。试验结果表明:加固后的沉箱模型水平承载力是未加固沉箱模型的2.5~3.5倍,加固后的沉箱模型竖向抗拔承载力是未加固沉箱模型的3.5~5.0倍,可以看出加固后沉箱基础水平与竖向承载提升较为明显。通过后移动射流加固技术,不仅提高桩土接触面积同时提升桩周土体强度,移动射流管道布置越多,浆液包裹越好,包络线面积越大,荷载玫瑰越均匀,承载力差异较小。在移动射流管道布置时需考虑射流参数、土体特性等因素,移动射流管道布置需满足相邻破土半径搭接要求。通过对移动射流加固吸力式沉箱基础承载特性的初步探究,为吸力式沉箱基础移动射流加固技术工程应用以及劲性复合吸力式沉箱基础理论分析提供参考。

常泰长江大桥6号墩沉井下沉施工监控技术

常泰长江大桥主航道桥为主跨1208 m的公铁两用斜拉桥,大桥6号墩采用平面圆端形、立面台阶型的超大钢壳混凝土沉井基础,沉井基础底平面尺寸为95.0 m×57.8 m,总高72.0 m,下沉穿过黏土、砂交互地层。为有效控制6号墩沉井下沉施工风险,提高下沉效率,提出“一条主线、三个限定”的总体控制原则。在沉井下沉可行性控制方面,将沉井底面支承反力监测点布置在内、外井壁和隔墙的刃脚踏面上,兼顾了沉井下沉阻力计算、地基土失稳破坏风险预警和取土效果评价的功能;提出基于CPT评估砂土层沉井外井壁刃脚踏面反力的经验算法,解决了施工前难以评估沉井下沉端阻力的问题;提出采用分项计算下沉阻力、分状态评估沉井下沉可行性的方法,解决了下沉系数的力学意义不明确、难以准确评估下沉可行性的问题。在地基土稳定性控制方面,提出基于圆弧滑动理论评估地基土稳定性的方法,确定保证地基土稳定需控制外井壁刃脚踏面反力不小于1.0 MPa。在沉井姿态控制方面,提出将下沉侧阻力占下沉总阻力的比重系数作为沉井突沉风险判定指标,根据该指标判断该沉井突沉风险较低。基于上述监控技术,6号墩沉井实现了平稳、高效下沉。

基于离心模型试验的水下保护沉箱沉降规律研究

水下保护沉箱可以有效防护水下生产系统免受船锚和渔网拖曳、海底滑坡冲击以及冰山撞击等风险,但沉箱一旦发生超出允许变形量的沉降,将会引起沉箱内采油树失稳,管汇及沉箱跨接管、海管、脐带缆等发生断裂,进而酿成油气泄露等重大工程事故。通过开展离心模型试验研究了水下保护沉箱基础在基坑开挖安装就位和自重固结过程中的沉降规律,并采用Weibull曲线模型拟合出最终沉降量的预测公式。离心模型试验预测的最终沉降量与数值模拟、规范理论计算结果的对比,发现三种方法的预测沉降量较为接近。通过分析离心模型试验结果可知:基坑开挖完成后,基坑底部出现较为明显的回弹变形;在沉箱基础安装后的固结过程中,基础底部土体的回弹量有所减小,但回弹变形依旧存在。

Dynamic behavior of laterally loaded caisson foundations based on different cushion types: an experimental and theoretical study

Bridge foundations located in deep water are usually subjected to horizontal dynamic loads and moments which may be caused by the wind, waves, earthquake, and the possibility of boat crashing or vehicle braking. Caisson foundations based on gravel or sand cushions are a new type of deep-water foundation for bridges, suitable for meizoseismal areas. In this paper, harmonic horizontal excitation tests for the study of the lateral dynamic response of caisson foundations based on cushion layers are described. Different lateral loads and two different cushion types are considered. The results show that the lateral dynamic responses of caisson foundations based on sand and gravel cushions both show strong nonlinear characteristics, and the resonant frequency of the foundation decreases with the increase of the excitation force. The dynamic displacement of a foundation based on a sand cushion is far less than that based on a gravel cushion, and the rate of decrease of the resonant frequency of a foundation based on a gravel cushion is faster than that of a foundation based on a sand cushion under the same conditions. Under dynamic loading the gravel cushion can more effectively dissipate vibration energy and isolate the vibration, than the sand cushion can. A simplified nonlinear analysis method is proposed to simulate the lateral dynamic response of caisson foundations, and the predicted response shows a reasonable match with the results observed in laboratory tests. Scaling laws have also been applied in this small-scale vibration model test to predict the dynamic behavior of the prototype foundation.

硬质岩基条件下沉箱码头的抛石棱体优化设计

对于硬质基岩条件下的重力式沉箱码头,通常在沉箱后方设置抛石棱体,用以减小沉箱宽度,从而缩减基槽开挖范围内的炸礁量。依托某海外工程,对棱体高度和工程造价的关系进行分析,探究抛石棱体的优化设计规律。结果表明,当抛石棱体高度约为沉箱高度的60%~80%时,工程造价最低;在硬质岩面低于沉箱高度的1/2时,抛石棱体的最优高度为沉箱高度的60%左右;在硬质岩面高出沉箱高度的1/2时,抛石棱体的最优高度为沉箱高度的80%左右。揭示的规律可供类似项目参考,实际工程中应综合考虑工程地质条件、地材价格、施工能力等多方面因素,分析确定经济合理的棱体高度。

Calculation Method of Wave Forces on Large Round-Ended Caisson Foundation

This paper presents an analytical formula for estimating the longitudinal wave forces on a large roundended caisson foundation. The establishment of the formula is based on the superposition of the theoretical formula of wave forces on a large circular cylinder and the empirical formula of wave forces on a large rectangular cylinder. With the formula transformed into an inertial force form, a specific inertia coefficient with an exact expression is extracted from the formula. The numerical calculations of the wave forces on round-ended cylinders are carried out by the boundary-element method. The undetermined coefficients in the expression of the inertial coefficient are determined by the numerical results. It is obvious that the numerical values can be well expressed by the computation values from the established formula. By a model experiment carried out in laboratory wave flume, the correctness of the analytical formula is further verified by the measured wave forces on a test model of a round-ended bridge caisson foundation. The comparison shows that the experimental forces can be approximately estimated by this simple calculation method.