Influence of geosynthetic reinforcement on the stability of an embankment with rigid columns embedded in an inclined underlying stratum

Incompressible dipping substrata are commonly encountered in engineering practice. Compared to horizontal underlying strata, the inclined underlying stratum increase the risk of collapse of embankments reinforced with columns because it weakens the restraint of the column base. The objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of geosynthetics on improving the embankment stability when the underlying stratum is inclined. The influence of geosynthetic tensile stiffness on the ultimate surcharge and failure mechanism is studied. A deep-seated failure with column tilting occurs when the geosynthetic tensile stiffness is low, whereas a lateral sliding occurs when the geosynthetic tensile stiffness is high. To illustrate the contribution of geosynthetics, the distribution of the lateral pressures acting on the columns is analyzed.     

珠江三角洲土坝和堤围震害初步预测

本项预测采用概率方法,即首先根据广东省水利部门提出的55座土坝和59个重点的座标(见附图),进行概率地震危险性分析,给出它们在一定预测年限T(取50年和100年)的地震烈度Ⅰ的超越概率;其次根据近年我国发生的几次强震时处于不同烈度区内的土坝和堤防的震害资料,形成表示土坝和土堤地震易损性的震害概率矩阵;然后,根据上述两方面结果用概率公式评价各土坝和堤围点在预测年限内各震害等级的超越概率,并取10％超越概率为标准,估计震害等级。结果表明,珠江三角洲土工构筑物的地震危害性南部高于北部。     

江西省堤防保险机制的探索与思考

通过总结近几年江西省洪涝灾情和堤防现状,阐述江西省开展堤防保险工作的必要性。从基本原则、保险周期、保险范围、保险标的、保险险种、保险责任、保费补贴、保险金额、保险费率、保险方式、理赔方式及流程、理赔限额等方面探索江西省堤防保险方案,并提出了进一步做好堤防保险工作的对策建议,为其他地区开展堤防保险工作提供重要理论依据与决策支持。     

软弱地基不同置换深度及宽度对堤防应力变形及稳定性影响研究

软弱地基对堤防稳定性有很大影响。本文采用数值计算方法分析了不同置换深度、不同的坡脚外置换宽度对堤防应力变形及稳定性影响规律。结果表明,当软土厚度一定时,随着置换厚度增大,新填筑堤防地基表面沉降减小,安全系数有所增大;当置换厚度一定时,增大堤脚外地基置换宽度对加固区堤身及地基变形影响不大,但对稳定性影响较大;置换深度越小,堤脚外加固宽度就越大。其成果对软基置换设计具有一定指导意义。     

堤防工程设计防洪标准探讨

就＜＜堤防工程技术规范＞＞和＜＜堤防工程设计规范＞＞编制过程中的体会,笔者认为,许多部门的防护对象都有各自的防洪标准,但在堤防工程设计时,防洪标准需要统一、防护区的划分是确定堤防工程防洪标准的基础工作,需要有一套完整的计算方法;防洪标准中的防护对象不可能包罗万象,标准的拟定和运用,都有防护对象分类和类比的问题,影响堤防工程等级的因素很多,单纯用防护对象的防洪要求作为指标是片面的,国内外表达防护对象     

关于堤防道路功能分类的思考

因地制宜的确定堤防道路的各项功能,明确堤防道路性质,不但能为堤防道路规划和建设提供指导,而且是堤防道路综合利用的重要基础工作。考虑到堤防道路与普通道路在功能上的差异,根据相关规范和我国近年来堤防道路的建设情况,分析了堤防道路在功能分类中存在的问题,探讨了堤防道路具备的各项功能,提出了关于堤防道路功能分类的几个原则和观点。     

Performance of a 33m high geogrid reinforced soil embankment without concrete panel

Geosynthetic reinforced soil embankment are extensively applied in the construction of high-speed railway and highway in mountainous regions but limited field monitoring is conducted on high and steep cases. Aiming to acquire better understanding, a 33-m-high single-tiered wrapped-facing geogrid reinforced soil embankment with the slope of 1 V:0.5H in China was monitored for 2 years during and after construction. Vertical earth pressure, strain of geogrids, horizontal displacement and settlement per layer were recorded and analysed. The results show that the geogrid tensile strains gradually increased during construction. And they were still developing after completion due to creep and subsequent vehicle surcharge load. The predictions of reinforcement loads by the FHWA methods were much higher than the estimated ones from measured strains. The vertical earth pressures linearly grew during construction and then stabilized fast. The horizontal displacement increases with height and the largest value achieved around the top of the slope two years after the construction is 0.14% the total height approximately. The settlement per layer is larger in the lower and middle portion of the embankment and no obvious change is observed over time. This study hopes to serve as a case reference for design and construction of similar reinforcement projects in the future.     

Deformation analysis of geosynthetic-encased stone column using cavity expansion models with emphasis on boundary condition

This paper presents a modified theoretical model to predict the deformation of geosynthetic-encased stone column (GESC) and surrounding soil, using cylindrical cavity expansion model (CEM). The model was distinguished for single GESC and GESC in groups with emphasis on the different boundary conditions. The displacement boundary of CEM was used for GESC in groups, and the stress boundary of CEM was adopted for single GESC. The plasticity development of the soil obeying the Mohr-Coulomb yielding criterion was considered. The stress and settlement of the GESC were analyzed by radial stress and vertical stress equilibrium. This method has been verified via comparison with test data and numerical simulation results. The influences of applied loading, geosynthetic encasement stiffness, and soil stiffness on the mechanical performance of the GESC and the surrounding soil have also been investigated. The proposed theoretical approaches are suitable for predicting the deformation of the GESC, and the surrounding soil. The proposed method in unit cell analysis was more reasonable for GESC in groups.     

Where to for Brazil's Cities? Citizen Empowerment or Global Marketing?

An awakening interest in public space in Brazilian cities is emphasising the value of existing civic areas. Guilherme Wisnik , a critic, curator and professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of São Paulo, looks at the history and potential future of Brazil's urban spaces. He highlights how despite the introduction of innovative Modernist design in the mid-20th century, which forged ‘a new relationship between architecture, urbanism and landscape design’, more recently the country's cities have been subject to the vicissitudes of market and political forces.