A thermal stress loading technique for large-sized hot dry rock mechanical tests

Testing of large-sized specimens is becoming increasingly important in deep underground rock mechanics and engineering.In traditional mechanical loading,stresses on large-sized specimens are achieved by large host frames and hydraulic pumps,which could lead to great investment.Low-cost testing machines clearly always have great appeal.In this study,a new approach is proposed using thermal expansion stress to load rock specimens,which may be particularly suitable for tests of deep hot dry rock with high temperatures.This is a different technical route from traditional mechanical loading through hydraulic pressure.For the rock mechanics test system of hot dry rock that already has an investment in heating systems,this technology may reduce the cost of the loading subsystem by fully utilizing the temperature changes.This paper presents the basic principle and a typical design of this technical solution.Preliminary feasibility analysis is then conducted based on numerical simulations.Although some technical details still need to be resolved,the feasibility of this loading approach has been preliminarily confirmed.

Mechanical Properties of Deep-buried Marble Material Under Loading and Unloading Tests

The mechanical properties are essentially different when rock material is subjected to loading or unloading conditions. In this study, loading and unloading tests with various confining pressures are conducted to investigate the mechanical properties of marble material samples taken from the deep diversion tunnels of Jinping II Hydropower Station. The stress-strain relationship, failure characteristics and strength criterion are compared and analyzed based on the experiment results. The results show： in the loading and unloading test, peak strength, lateral strain, axial strain and plastic deformation increase significantly as the confining pressure increases. Lateral strain increased significantly and obvious lateral dilatancy can be observed to the change of confining pressure; The fracture mode is mainly the single shear fracture for the triaxial compression test and post-peak test, angle between the failure surface and the ends of the rock material becomes smaller as the confining pressure increases. Hock-Brown strength criterion reflects the strength characteristics of marble material under two different unloading conditions, and has some supplementary effects to the rock material of mechanical field.

Effects of water saturation and loading rate on direct shear tests of andesite

For estimating the long-term stability of underground framework,it is vital to learn the mechanical and rheological characteristics of rock in multiple water saturation conditions.However,the majority of previous studies explored the rheological properties of rock in air-dried and water saturated conditions,as well as the water effects on compressive and tensile strengths.In this study,andesite was subjected to direct shear tests under five water saturation conditions,which were controlled by varying the wetting and drying time.The tests were conducted at alternating displacement rates under three vertical stresses.The results reveal that the shear strength decreases exponentially as water saturation increases,and that the increase in shear strength with a tenfold increase in displacement rate is nearly constant for each of the vertical stresses.Based on the findings of the shear tests in this study and the compression and tension tests in previous studies,the influences of both water saturation and loading rate on the Hoek-Brown failure criterion for the andesite was examined.These results indicate that the brittleness index of the andesite,which is defined as the ratio of uniaxial compressive strength to tensile strength,is independent of both water saturation and loading rate and that the influences of the water saturation dependence and the loading rate dependence of the failure criterion can be converted between each other.

Lateral earth pressure of granular backfills on retaining walls with expanded polystyrene geofoam inclusions under limited surcharge loading

Existing studies have focused on the behavior of the retaining wall equipped with expanded polystyrene(EPS)geofoam inclusions under semi-infinite surcharge loading rather than limited surcharge loading.In this paper,the failure mode and the earth pressure acting on the rigid retaining wall with EPS geofoam inclusions and granular backfills(henceforth referred to as EPS-wall),under limited surcharge loading are investigated through two-and three-dimensional model tests.The testing results show that different from the sliding of almost all the backfill in the EPS-wall under semi-infinite surcharge loading,only an approximately triangular backfill slides in the wall under limited surcharge loading.The distribution of the lateral earth pressure on the EPS-wall under limited surcharge loading is non-linear,and the distribution changes from the increase of the wall depth to the decrease with the increase of the limited surcharge loading.An approach based on the force equilibrium of a differential element is developed to predict the lateral earth pressure behind the EPS-wall subjected to limited surcharge loading,and its performance was fully validated by the three-dimensional model tests.

Field testing of stiffened deep cement mixing piles under lateral cyclic loading

Construction of seaside and underground wall bracing often uses stiffened deep cement mixed columns （SDCM）. This research investigates methods used to improve the level of bearing capacity of these SDCM when subjected to cyclic lateral loading via various types of stiffer cores. Eight piles, two deep cement mixed piles and six stiffened deep cement mixing piles with three different types of cores, H shape cross section prestressed concrete, steel pipe, and H-beam steel, were embedded though soft clay into medium-hard clay on site in Thailand. Cyclic horizontal loading was gradually applied until pile failure and the hysteresis loops of lateral load vs. lateral deformation were recorded. The lateral carrying capacities of the SDCM piles with an H-beam steel core increased by 3-4 times that of the DCM piles. This field research clearly shows that using H-beam steel as a stiffer core for SDCM piles is the best method to improve its lateral carrying capacity, ductility and energy dissipation capacity.

Model tests on XCC-piled embankment under dynamic train load of high-speed railways

Piled embankments,which offer many advantages,are increasingly popular in construction of high-speed railways in China.Although the performance of piled embankment under static loading is well-known,the behavior under the dynamic train load of a high-speed railway is not yet understood.In light of this,a heavily instrumented piled embankment model was set up,and a model test was carried out,in which a servo-hydraulic actuator outputting M-shaped waves was adopted to simulate the process of a running train.Earth pressure,settlement,strain in the geogrid and pile and excess pore water pressure were measured.The results show that the soil arching height under the dynamic train load of a high-speed railway is shorter than under static loading.The growth trend for accumulated settlement slowed down after long-term vibration although there was still a tendency for it to increase.Accumulated geogrid strain has an increasing tendency after long-term vibration.The closer the embankment edge,the greater the geogrid strain over the subsoil.Strains in the pile were smaller under dynamic train loads,and their distribution was different from that under static loading.At the same elevation,excess pore water pressure under the track slab was greater than that under the embankment shoulder.

Model test to investigate failure mechanism and loading characteristics of shallow-bias tunnels with small clear distance

Based on the similarity theory,a tunnel excavation simulation testing system under typical unsymmetrical loading conditions was established.Using this system,the failure mechanism of surrounding rock of shallow-bias tunnels with small clear distance was analyzed along with the load characteristics.The results show that:1) The failure process of surrounding rock of shallow-bias tunnels with small clear distance consists of structural and stratum deformation induced by tunnel excavation; Microfracture surfaces are formed in the tunnel surrounding rock and extend deep into the rock mass in a larger density; Tensile cracking occurs in shallow position on the deep-buried side,with shear slip in deep rock mass.In the meantime,rapid deformation and slip take place on the shallow-buried side until the surrounding rocks totally collapse.The production and development of micro-fracture surfaces in the tunnel surrounding rock and tensile cracking in the shallow position on the deep-buried side represent the key stages of failure.2) The final failure mode is featured by an inverted conical fracture with tunnel arch as its top and the slope at tunnel entrance slope as its bottom.The range of failure on the deep-buried side is significantly larger than that on the shallow-buried side.Such difference becomes more prominent with the increasing bias angle.What distinguishes it from the "linear fracture surface" model is that the model proposed has a larger fracture angle on the two sides.Moreover,the bottom of the fracture is located at the springing line of tunnel arch.3) The total vertical load increases with bias angle.Compared with the existing methods,the unsymmetrical loading effect in measurement is more prominent.At last,countermeasures are proposed according to the analysis results: during engineering process,1) The surrounding rock mass on the deep-buried side should be reinforced apart from the tunnel surrounding rock for shallow-buried tunnels with small clear distance; moreover,the scope of consolidation should go beyond the midline of tunnel(along the direction of the top of slope) by 4 excavation spans of single tunnel.2) It is necessary to modify the load value of shallow-bias tunnels with small clear distance.

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.

Destructive field tests on mobilization of end resistance of cast-in-situ bored piles

A series of well-designed full-scale destructive load tests were conducted on six bored piles to investigate the influence of loose debris at the pile tip on end resistance. The results show that soft debris below the pile tip will weaken the mobilization of end resistance. The ultimate tip resistance of post-grouted pile is 2.05 times that of the pile without post-grouting and the ultimate tip resistance in the second load cycle is 2.31 times that of pile in the first load cycle. The relationship between unit end resistance and displacement follows a linear model and a bilinear mode in the first load cycle and the second load cycle, respectively, whereas the unit end resistance-displacement response of post-grouted bored pile can be simulated using a bilinear mode. The critical end resistance ranges between 2 000 kN and 3 000 kN and the critical displacement ranges between 2.5 mm and 4.5 mm in the bilinear mode. As for piles rested on moderately-weathered peliticsiltstone, the socketed length has no effect on the end resistance because of the existence of loose debris.

Surface Pressure Loading Technology of Ship Structures

A hull structure is prone to local deformation and damage due to the pressure load on the surface.How to simulate surface pressure is an important issue in ship structure test.The loading mode of hydraulic actuator combined with high-pressure flexible bladder was proposed,and the numerical model of the loading device based on flexible bladder was established.The design and analysis method of high-pressure flexible bladder based on aramid-fiber reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane was proposed to break through the surface pressure loading technology of ship structures.The surface pressure loading system based on flexible bladder was developed.The ultimate strength verification test of the box girder under the combined action of bending moment and pressure was carried out to systematically verify the feasibility and applicability of the loading system.The results show that the surface pressure loading technology can be used well for applying uniform pressure to ship structures.Compared with the traditional surface loading methods,the improved device can be applied with horizontal constant pressure load,with rapid response and safe process,and the pressure load is always stable with the increase of the bending moment load during the test.The requirement for uniform loading in the comprehensive strength test of large structural models is satisfied and the accuracy of the test results is improved by this system.

Crack propagation and damage evolution of metallic cylindrical shells under internal explosive loading

This paper investigates the three-dimensional crack propagation and damage evolution process of metallic column shells under internal explosive loading.The calibration of four typical failure parameters for 40CrMnSiB steel was conducted through experiments and subsequently applied to simulations.The numerical simulation results employing the four failure criteria were compared with the differences and similarities observed in freeze-recovery tests and ultra-high-speed tests.This analysis addressed the critical issue of determining failure criteria for the fracture of a metal shell under internal explosive loads.Building upon this foundation,the damage parameter D_(c),linked to the cumulative crack density,was defined based on the evolution characteristics of a substantial number of cracks.The relationship between the damage parameter and crack velocity over time was established,and the influence of the internal central pressure on the damage parameter and crack velocity was investigated.Variations in the fracture modes were found under different failure criteria,with the principal strain failure criterion proving to be the most effective for simulating 3D crack propagation in a pure shear fracture mode.Through statistical analysis of the shell penetration fracture radius data,it was determined that the fracture radius remained essentially constant during the crack evolution process and could be considered a constant.The propagation velocity of axial cracks ranged between 5300 m/s and 12600 m/s,surpassing the Rayleigh wave velocity of the shell material and decreasing linearly with time.The increase in shell damage exhibited an initial rapid phase,followed by deceleration,demonstrating accelerated damage during the propagation stage of the blast wave and decelerated damage after the arrival of the rarefaction wave.This study provides an effective approach for investigating crack propagation and damage evolution.The derived crack propagation and damage evolution law serves as a valuable reference for the development of crack velocity theory and the construction of shell damage evolution modes.

Dynamic failure process of expanded polystyrene particle lightweight soil under cyclic loading using discrete element method

Expanded polystyrene(EPS)particle-based lightweight soil,which is a type of lightweight filler,is mainly used in road engineering.The stability of subgrades under dynamic loading is attracting increased research attention.The traditional method for studying the dynamic strength characteristics of soils is dynamic triaxial testing,and the discrete element simulation of lightweight soils under cyclic load has rarely been considered.To study the meso-mechanisms of the dynamic failure processes of EPS particle lightweight soils,a discrete element numerical model is established using the particle flow code(PFC)software.The contact force,displacement field,and velocity field of lightweight soil under different cumulative compressive strains are studied.The results show that the hysteresis curves of lightweight soil present characteristics of strain accumulation,which reflect the cyclic effects of the dynamic load.When the confining pressure increases,the contact force of the particles also increases.The confining pressure can restrain the motion of the particle system and increase the dynamic strength of the sample.When the confining pressure is held constant,an increase in compressive strain causes minimal change in the contact force between soil particles.However,the contact force between the EPS particles decreases,and their displacement direction points vertically toward the center of the sample.Under an increase in compressive strain,the velocity direction of the particle system changes from a random distribution and points vertically toward the center of the sample.When the compressive strain is 5%,the number of particles deflected in the particle velocity direction increases significantly,and the cumulative rate of deformation in the lightweight soil accelerates.Therefore,it is feasible to use 5%compressive strain as the dynamic strength standard for lightweight soil.Discrete element methods provide a new approach toward the dynamic performance evaluation of lightweight soil subgrades.

Design and Experiment of Electronic-hydraulic Loading Test-bed Based on Tractor's Hydraulic Steering By-wire

An Electro-hydraulic loading system is designed based on a test-bed of tractor's hydraulic steering by-wire. To simulate the steering resistance driving tractor in many kinds of soils and roads,the loading force is controlled to make proportional and continuous variable by an electro-hydraulic proportional relief valve. A steering resistance loading test-bed is built to test three kinds of steering resistance including constant,step and sine style. Tire lateral resistance is also tested under different steering conditions. The result shows that the electro-hydraulic loading system has high stability and following performance. Besides,the system's steady state error is lower than 3. 1%,and it meets the test requirement of tractor's hydraulic steering by-wire.

Field Load Test Based SHM System Safety Standard Determination for Rigid Frame Bridge

The deteriorated continuous rigid frame bridge is strengthened by external prestressing. Static loading tests wereconducted before and after the bridge rehabilitation to verify the effectiveness of the rehabilitation process. Thestiffness of the repaired bridge is improved, and the maximum deflection of the load test is reduced from 37.9 to27.6 mm. A bridge health monitoring system is installed after the bridge is reinforced. To achieve an easy assessmentof the bridge’s safety status by directly using transferred data, a real-time safety warning system is createdbased on a five-level safety standard. The threshold for each safety level will be determined by theoretical calculationsand the outcomes of static loading tests. The highest risk threshold will be set at the ultimate limit statevalue. The remaining levels, namely middle risk, low risk, and very low risk, will be determined usingreduction coefficients of 0.95, 0.9, and 0.8, respectively.

Evolution of mechanical parameters of Shuangjiangkou granite under different loading cycles and stress paths

Surrounding rocks at different locations are generally subjected to different stress paths during the process of deep hard rock excavation.In this study,to reveal the mechanical parameters of deep surrounding rock under different stress paths,a new cyclic loading and unloading test method for controlled true triaxial loading and unloading and principal stress direction interchange was proposed,and the evolution of mechanical parameters of Shuangjiangkou granite under different stress paths was studied,including the deformation modulus,elastic deformation increment ratios,fracture degree,cohesion and internal friction angle.Additionally,stress path coefficient was defined to characterize different stress paths,and the functional relationships among the stress path coefficient,rock fracture degree difference coefficient,cohesion and internal friction angle were obtained.The results show that during the true triaxial cyclic loading and unloading process,the deformation modulus and cohesion gradually decrease,while the internal friction angle gradually increases with increasing equivalent crack strain.The stress path coefficient is exponentially related to the rock fracture degree difference coefficient.As the stress path coefficient increases,the degrees of cohesion weakening and internal friction angle strengthening decrease linearly.During cyclic loading and unloading under true triaxial principal stress direction interchange,the direction of crack development changes,and the deformation modulus increases,while the cohesion and internal friction angle decrease slightly,indicating that the principal stress direction interchange has a strengthening effect on the surrounding rocks.Finally,the influences of the principal stress interchange direction on the stabilities of deep engineering excavation projects are discussed.

Behavior of transporting pipeline sections without and with hydrogen exposure based on full-scale tests

Pipeline transport of hydrogen is one of today’s economic and environmental challenges.In order to find safe and reliable application of both existing gas and build new pipelines,it is essential to carry out tests on full-scale pipeline section,including the potentially more dangerous places than the main pipe,the girth welds.For the investigations,pipeline sections of P355NH steel with girth welds were prepared and exposed to pure hydrogen at twice the maximum allowable operating pressure for 41 days.Subsequently,full-scale burst tests were carried out and specimens were cut and prepared from the typical locations of the failed pipeline sections for mechanical,and macro-and microstructural investigations.The results obtained were evaluated and compared with data from previous full-scale tests on pipeline sections without hydrogen exposure.The results showed differences in the behavior of pipeline sections loaded in different ways,with different characteristics of the materials and the welded joints,both in the cases without hydrogen exposure and in the cases exposed to hydrogen.

Analysis of the Application of Static Load Test in Bridge Bearing Capacity Testing

This article uses real engineering projects as examples to analyze how static load test technology is applied in testing the bridge-bearing capacity.The analysis covers aspects such as testing section layout,test load and efficiency coefficient,loading plan,evaluation optimization,test result modification,and result evaluation.The aim is to support the accurate detection and evaluation of bridge-bearing capacity.

Loader and Tester Swarming Drones for Cellular PhoneNetwork Loading and Field Test: Non-stochasticParticle Swarm Optimization

Cellular network operators have problems to test their network without affecting their user experience. Testingnetwork performance in a loaded situation is a challenge for the network operator because network performance differswhen it has more load on the radio access part. Therefore, in this paper, deploying swarming drones is proposed to loadthe cellular network and scan/test the network performance more realistically. Besides, manual swarming dronenavigation is not efficient enough to detect problematic regions. Hence, particle swarm optimization is proposed to bedeployed on swarming drone to find the regions where there are performance issues. Swarming drone communicationshelps to deploy the particle swarm optimization (PSO) method on them. Loading and testing swarm separation help tohave almost non-stochastic received signal level as an objective function. Moreover, there are some situations that morethan one network parameter should be used to find a problematic region in the cellular network. It is also proposed toapply multi-objective PSO to find more multi-parameter network optimization at the same time.

Discussion on bearing capacity of soft rock ground based on in-situ load test

The suitability of five methods was discussed here,taking the typical results from in-situ load test of Renshou Mansion and Caifu Plaza in Yueyang City for example.It shows that bearing capacity can be obtained by the proportion load and limit load from p-s curve with the first and the second point of contraflexure easily.It is recommended that the accurate value of bearing capacity can be obtained by hyperbola fitting method and minimum curvature radius method theoretically.The rebound method is clear in principle,in which the elastoplasticity characteristic is thought about.Out of consideration for the unsteadiness and unobviousness of bearing capacity from relative settlement method,it can be only adopted as reference.So bearing capacity of soft rock ground should be determined by weathering condition of soft rock and curve type.

Load Testing in Bridge Maintenance

Highway bridges are a crucial component in road transportation networks.These bridges must be maintained according to usage requirements regularly.Test results must be considered before devising a maintenance plan.Load testing is a vital method of assessing the quality and performance of highway bridges.The outcomes of these tests facilitate the formulation of maintenance plans.This article examines the definition of load testing,its significance,and the process of execution,with the goal of providing support for bridge inspection and maintenance.