Stability assessment of 3D reinforced soil structures under steady unsaturated infiltration

Internal stability assessment of geosynthetic-reinforced soil structures (GRSSs) has been commonly carried out assuming plane-strain conditions and dry backfills. However, failures of GRSSs usually show three-dimensional (3D) features and occur under unsaturated conditions. A procedure based on the kinematic limit-analysis method is proposed herein to assess 3D effects and the role of steady unsaturated infiltration on the required geosynthetic strength for GRSSs. A suction stress-based framework is used to describe the soil stress behavior under steady unsaturated infiltration. Based on the principle of energy-work balance, the required geosynthetic strength is determined. A comparison analysis with the prior research is conducted to verify the developed method. Two kinds of backfills, i.e., high-quality backfill and marginal backfill, are considered for comparison in this work. It is shown that accounting for 3D effects and the role of unsaturated infiltration considerably reduces the required geosynthetic strength. The 3D effects are primarily affected by the width-to-height ratio of GRSSs, and the contribution of unsaturated infiltration is mainly influenced by the soil type, flow rate, GRSS's height, and location of the water table.     

Experimental study on the load bearing behavior of geosynthetic reinforced soil bridge abutments with different facing conditions

This paper presents an experimental study on reduced-scale model tests of geosynthetic reinforced soil (GRS) bridge abutments with modular block facing, full-height panel facing, and geosynthetic wrapped facing to investigate the influence of facing conditions on the load bearing behavior. The GRS abutment models were constructed using sand backfill and geogrid reinforcement. Test results indicate that footing settlements and facing displacements under the same applied vertical stress generally increase from full-height panel facing abutment, to modular block facing abutment, to geosynthetic wrapped facing abutment. Measured incremental vertical and lateral soil stresses for the two GRS abutments with flexible facing are generally similar, while the GRS abutment with rigid facing has larger stresses. For the GRS abutments with flexible facing, maximum reinforcement tensile strain in each layer typically occurs under the footing for the upper reinforcement layers and near the facing connections for the lower layers. For the full-height panel facing abutment, maximum reinforcement tensile strains generally occur near the facing connections.     

Effects of fibers and conventional reinforcement contents on fibers scaterring in prismatic bars

This paper presents results from a second stage of an experimental study of the dependence of steel fibers distribution along RFC prismatic specimens on the conventional reinforcement ratio and on the total amount of fibers in the concrete mix. The experimental program included two types of prismatic specimens with 30- and 60- kg/m³ of hooked-end steel fibers. Each specimen was sawed into equal segments and the numbers of fibers appearing at the cross-sections were counted and used for a further statistical analysis. This analysis comprised calculations of the average value and standard deviation of a non-dimensional variable, which represents the distribution of the total steel along the specimen. They were used to calibrate a theoretical model, which had been previously proposed by the authors. The test results showed reasonable to good agreement with the theoretical model. A comparison between the results of the 30- and 60-kg/m³ fibers shows that as the conventional reinforcement ratio increases, the standard deviations for the different mixtures approach each other.     

南海北部陆坡天然气水合物成藏特征研究进展分析

南海北部陆坡区域构造地质控制着气源、流体疏导体系、富集空间及储层物性特征,因此,东沙海域、神狐海域、西沙海槽和琼东南盆地的水合物成藏条件及控制因素具有明显差异性。东沙海域深部气体可沿断层、裂缝、不整合面、砂岩疏导层和气烟囱等通道向上运移,并形成天然气水合物,具有渗漏型水合物产出特征;神狐海域水合物成藏与规模巨大的泥底辟活动相关,并与布莱克海台天然气水合物产出特征具有相似性;琼东南盆地中央坳陷带内为天然气水合物发育的重点区,底辟、泥火山或麻坑构造与天然气水合物发育密切相关。     

Investigation on the effectiveness of the repair method 8.3 “Corrosion protection by increasing the electrical resistivity” in chloride-containing concrete Part 2: Chloride redistribution in concrete after application of a system sealing surface protective coating

This DFG-funded research project aimed to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of the W-Cl repair principle within the framework of fundamental investigations, to contribute to the creation of the necessary basis for a broader application of the repair principle in practice. The focus was on the development of a model to describe the chloride redistribution after the application of a system sealing surface protective coating. On the basis of Fick's second law of diffusion, a mathematical model with a self-contained analytical solution was developed, with the help of which the chloride redistribution after application of a system sealing surface protective coating can be calculated under the idealized assumption of complete water saturation of the concrete. Furthermore, the influence of the dehydration of the concrete, expected as a result of the application of the repair principle W-Cl, on the chloride redistribution was investigated. On the basis of laboratory tests and numerical simulations, material-specific reduction functions were developed to quantify the relationship between the chloride diffusion coefficient and the ambient humidity.     

Case history on failure of a 67 M tall reinforced soil slope

Construction of this 67 m high RSS was completed in December 2006. After seven years in-service, a tension crack was observed at the top of the slope. In March 2015 this RSS structure catastrophically collapsed. This RSS structure collapsed in a compound failure mode; as the failure plane passed beneath, partially behind, and partially through the reinforced soil mass. The failure plane beneath the RSS was along a shale-claystone interface. The failure surface partially behind the RSS was along sandstone bedrock with water-seeping bedding planes dipping out of the rock mass. The failure surface through the upper portion of the RSS is where the geogrid reinforcement was overwhelmed by stresses originating from underlying deformation. The RSS collapse occurred after 8.3 years in-service as the shear strength along the shale-claystone interface decreased and approached the fully softened strength. The primary causative factors of this failure are: (i) an insufficient subsurface investigation program and interpretation of data for design and detailing; (ii) insufficient specifications and construction plan details for both foundation preparation and rock backcut benching; (iii) insufficient foundation preparation and rock backcut benching during construction; and (iv) adaptations to the design made during construction.     

Investigation of mechanical factor of soil reinforced with four types of fibers: An integrated experimental and extreme learning machine approach

ABSTRACT

This study investigates and compares mechanical factor (a dimensionless parameter and defined as the ratio of the compressive strength of fiber reinforced soil to that of unreinforced soil) for soils reinforced with four different fibers (three natural fibers and one synthetic fiber). An integrated methodology was utilized, including 351 laboratory experiments for obtaining data and Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) technique for developing functional relationships between mechanical factor and soil and fiber parameters. Soils reinforced with synthetic fiber (Polypropylene) and with natural fibers exhibited different characteristics when subjected to the same variation in soil parameters. This phenomenon can be attributed to the differences in surface morphology and water absorption capability of Polypropylene comparative to other natural fibers. Polypropylene–soil composite shows the maximum sensitivity to the soil moisture. It also shows the least sensitivity toward soil density and fiber content among all tested fiber–soil composites.     

玻璃纤维增强建筑用聚乙烯树脂复合材料的性能

采用剥离测试方法来表征制得的玻璃纤维增强建筑用聚乙烯树脂复合材料的界面黏结强度,并对其进行红外光谱、接触角、微观组织测试与分析。研究结果表明:采用浸润剂处理可以使玻璃表面生成新基团;浸润剂能够提高玻璃表面接触角,从而更易与树脂形成浸润状态,由此改善玻璃和树脂的界面结合状态,实现界面黏结特性的显著优化。在剥离测试中发现经浸润剂处理后,玻璃可以和树脂之间形成更强的界面结合作用;树脂从玻璃表面发生剥离之后,形成了光滑的玻璃片,同时还有部分纵横交错的划痕。