Study on seismic stability and performance of reinforced soil walls using shaking table tests

The paper reports a 1 g shaking table test that was carried out on a reinforced soil wall with an objective to study the acceleration amplification in the backfill, and phase differences between dynamic responses of the reinforced and retained zones. Results of the study show that including the observed larger acceleration amplification in the upper half of the wall, and the phase difference between maximum lateral earth pressure and inertial load in the backfill in the analysis would lead to more accurate predictions of: (1) the wall response relative to predicted reinforcement load, (2) elevations of line of action for both the inertial and lateral earth forces in the backfill, and (3) wall deformations, as compared to pseudo-static methods of analysis.     

Shaking table performance of reinforced soil retaining walls with different facing configurations

In this paper, a new type of MSE wall facing, termed as hybrid facing, is introduced and studied, which is built using a combination of concrete modular blocks and cast-in-place concrete. Two shaking table tests were carried out to compare seismic performances of model reinforced soil retaining walls with full-height vs. hybrid facing configurations. Results of this study show that the stability and performance of the hybrid facing model were similar to those of the full-height panel wall for peak input acceleration magnitudes less than 0.40 g. The amplification factors along the height of the facing were more uniform and smaller in the hybrid facing model as compared to the full-height panel wall, especially at higher peak acceleration amplitudes. Dynamic increment of lateral earth loads acting on the facing in both cases were found to be only 20% of the values calculated using pseudo-static methods. Connection loads in the hybrid facing model were smaller than those in the full-height panel wall, which was attributed to its smaller facing displacements.     

Experimental study on seismic response of soilbags-built retaining wall

The seismic performance of soilbags-built retaining wall model was studied experimentally. A series of small-scale shaking table tests with the input of different amplitude sinusoidal waves and a large-scale shaking table test in a designed laminar shear box with the input of the Wenchuan earthquake wave were carried out on soilbags' retaining wall models. For comparison, the small-scale shaking table tests were also conducted on horizontally reinforced retaining wall models. The horizontal acceleration responses, the Fourier spectra, the dynamic earth pressure and the lateral displacements of soilbags' retaining wall models were investigated in shaking table tests. The results show that the seismic response of the soilbags' retaining wall is equivalent to or even slightly better than that of the horizontally reinforced retaining wall. The fundamental frequency and the Fourier spectral characteristics of the soilbags’ retaining wall are similar to those of backfill sands. The dynamic earth pressure of the wall model fluctuates almost synchronously with the input Wenchuan wave and no residual earth pressure is induced by the seismic loading. The permanent lateral displacements are small when subjected to multiple shakings, providing a proof that the retaining wall of soilbags has a good seismic performance.     

Reinforcement load and deformation mode of geosynthetic-reinforced soil walls subject to seismic loading during service life

A Finite Element procedure was used to investigate the reinforcement load and the deformation mode for geosynthetic-reinforced soil (GRS) walls subject to seismic loading during their service life, focusing on those with marginal backfill soils. Marginal backfill soils are hereby defined as filled materials containing cohesive fines with plasticity index (PI) >6, which may exhibit substantial creep under constant static loading before subjected to earthquake. It was found that under strong seismic loading reinforced soil walls with marginal backfills exhibited a distinctive “two-wedge” deformation mode. The surface of maximum reinforcement load was the combined effect of the internal potential failure surface and the outer surface that extended into the retained earth. In the range investigated, which is believed to cover general backfill soils and geosynthetic reinforcements, the creep rates of soils and reinforcements had small influence on the reinforcement load and the “two-wedge” deformation mode, but reinforcement stiffness played a critical role on these two responses of GRS walls. It was also found that the “two-wedge” deformation mode could be restricted if sufficiently long reinforcement was used. The study shows that it is rational to investigate the reinforcement load of reinforced soil walls subject to seismic loading without considering the previous long-term creep.     

Shaking table tests on polymeric-strip reinforced-soil walls adjacent to a rock slope

This research adopts the approach to constructing reinforced-soil walls on rock slope, where the extent of reinforced zone has to be constrained since excavation of the relatively rigid zone may not be economical and may disrupt the traffic. To examine the seismic behavior of these structures, a series of 1-g shaking table tests using variable-amplitude harmonic excitations was conducted on 0.8m-high polymeric-strip reinforced-soil walls (PSWs) on rock slope under a scenario of waves with different intensities. Rock slope appeared to have a satisfactory dynamic response compared to the soil base as the rock behind the reinforced zone controls the development of active wedge failure and prevents higher amplification and progressive deformation. The results illustrated that the confining pressure and reinforcement length considerably affect the shear modulus and damping ratio. Also, it was found that in PSWs on rock with L/H ratio of 0.3 for bottom strips, the lowest facing panel, having the maximum horizontal displacements after failure, and lower maximum shear modulus (G_max), and damping ratio (D), is the most crucial one despite having the highest confining pressure representing the profound effect of L/H ratio when it equals 0.3.     

Shaking table study on seismic behavior of MSE wall with inclined backfill soils reinforced by polymeric geostrips

In this study, the seismic behavior of a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall with inclined backfill is investigated under sinusoidal acceleration excitations using a series of 1-g shaking table tests performed on the MSE model of 150 cm in height reinforced with polymeric geostrips. The effects of the stiffness of the reinforcement and slope angles of the backfill soil on the acceleration amplification factor (RMSA), the lateral displacement of the wall, the surface displacement of the backfill, the distribution of dynamic earth pressure along the height of reinforced wall and the strain distributions on the surfaces of the polymeric geostrips in three planes of the wall are investigated. The experimental results show that the dynamic earth pressure determined by traditional pseudo-static approaches leads to overestimated values. In addition, increasing the inclination angle of backfill soil results in the increase of surface settlement, lateral wall displacements, soil dynamic earth pressures, acceleration amplification factors and strains on the polymeric geostrip materials. The stiffness of the polymeric geostrip material has a negligible effect on the displacement, dynamic earth pressures and failure surface geometry.     

Equivalent seismic coefficient in geocell retention systems

Ideal design of an earthquake resistant earth structure would consider the time records of future seismic events. Objectively, such time records are difficult to predict especially when compared with prediction of the design peak ground acceleration (PGA), a single-value parameter. Furthermore, relevant soil properties are not easily obtainable in the field. Consequently, in routine stability designs, the state of practice utilizing a pseudostatic analysis has not changed for many years. To reduce the inherent conservatism of the pseudostatic approach, it is common to use a fraction of PGA in the stability analysis. For earth structures such as slopes, existing standards suggest a value of this fraction, typically varying between 0.3 and 0.5 times PGA. While one hopes that such values are calibrated against case histories, it is doubtful if there is sufficient field data for a value corresponding to geocell gravity walls and geocell reinforced slopes. Reported here are relevant results of shake table tests on five different geocell structures, each 2.8 m high, subjected to an excitation simulating the Kobe earthquake. Exhumation enabled the tracing of slip surfaces that developed during the shaking. Back-analysis resulted in the fraction of the applied PGA needed to establish a slip surface. The formation of slip surfaces in the context of this work should not be interpreted as collapse or catastrophic failure; rather it signifies the development of an active wedge. Hence, the equivalent coefficients in this work are an upper bound value for the magnitude and intensity of the ground motion applied in the analysis. It was found that for geocell gravity walls, essentially flexible structures, the upper bound seismic coefficient for the applied motion is about 0.4 times PGA. For reinforced geocell walls the upper bound coefficient would be 0.3 times PGA.     

Experimental study on seismic response and progressive failure characteristics of bedding rock slopes

Bedding rock slopes are common geological features in nature that are prone to failure under strong earthquakes. Their failures induce catastrophic landslides and form barrier lakes, posing severe threats to people’s lives and property. Based on the similarity criteria, a bedding rock slope model with a length of3 m, a width of 0.8 m, and a height of 1.6 m was constructed to facilitate large-scale shaking table tests.The results showed that with the increase of vibration time, the natural freque...     

Dynamic behavior of reinforced walls - Horizontal displacement response

A series of uni-axial shaking table tests using step-wise intensified sinusoidal waves is performed on plane-strain geosynthetic-reinforced slopes to investigate the effects of wave frequency and amplitude to the seismic displacements of geosynthetic-reinforced slopes. The geosynthetic-reinforced model slope is backfill with uniform steel rods with a known Coulomb friction angle. A comparative study on the normalized slope displacement based on Newmark’s sliding-block theory shows that the normalized displacement curves obtained here fall to the right of analytical and empirical curves reported in the literature, suggesting that a plastic displacement of the slope prior to the yielding of the slope has been ignored in conventional displacement evaluation for geosynthetic-reinforced slopes. Furthermore, no amplified acceleration response at the crest of the slope was found for the post-yield geosynthetic-reinforced slopes subjected to a relatively intensive input base acceleration of 0.4-0.6 g, or subjected to a maximum wall displacement greater than 1.9-3.9% of the wall height.     

考虑变形影响的重力式挡墙地震土压力分布

利用汶川地震丰富的近场实震资料,分析总结了地震作用下挡墙的变形破坏模式,指出挡墙的变形模式与地基基础关系最为密切。位于岩质地基上的挡墙主要发生倾斜变形,位于土质地基上的挡墙则主要发生推移变形。在此基础上,基于温克勒地基模型,将土体看做是一系列弹簧和理想刚塑性体的组合体,分析得到了不同变形模式下挡墙地震土压力及其合力作用点的计算方法。结果表明：不同变形模式下挡墙的地震土压力分布特征各异,除平移模式外,其余变形模式下挡墙地震土压力随深度都呈非线性分布;位于岩质地基上的挡墙发生变形后地震土压力的合力作用点要比土质地基上的挡墙高。通过开展位于岩质地基和土质地基上挡墙的振动台模型试验,对文中提出的挡墙地震土压力计算方法进行了验证,发现试验结果和理论分析结果较相吻合。     

多级拼装悬臂式挡墙地震响应振动台模型试验

多级拼装悬臂式挡墙是一种可用于高填方工程的新型轻型支挡结构.为确定墙-坡系统的地震动力响应特征,进行几何、重度和时间相似比分别为1 ∶ 10,1 ∶ 1和1 ∶ 3.162的三级拼装悬臂墙支挡边坡的水平振动台模型试验.结果表明:坡体加速度沿墙高呈明显的非线性放大效应;墙后静止土压力和动土压力均呈"三峰型"分布模式,各级...     

Assessment of deformation modulus of weak rock masses from pressuremeter tests and seismic surveys

The deformation modulus of intact rock can be determined through standardized laboratory tests for heavily jointed rock masses but this is very difficult, while in situ tests are time-consuming and expensive. In this study, the deformation modulus of selected heavily jointed, sheared and/or blocky, weathered, weak greywacke, andesite and claystone were assessed, based on pressuremeter tests, geo-engineering characterization and seismic surveys. Empirical equations based on GSI and RMR values are proposed to indirectly estimate the deformation modulus of the greywackes. For the andesites, the spacing of the discontinuities is greater than the length of the pressuremeter probe hence the intact rather than rock mass deformation modulus is obtained. The pressuremeter test results from the claystones could not be correlated with the field data; the relationship between the ratio of rock mass modulus to intact rock modulus and RQD appears to give a better estimation of the deformation modulus.      

Shaking table modeling of MSE/soil nail hybrid retaining walls

A series of 1-g shaking table tests using variable-amplitude harmonic excitations was performed on 0.8-m-high MSE/soil nail hybrid retaining (MSE/SN) wall models to investigate the seismic behavior of this innovative retaining earth structure. The tests were conducted on physical wall models with strips having a constant length and different nail lengths under loading conditions with different peak accelerations and durations. It was found that the deformation mode and the horizontal displacements of the MSE/SN walls were highly dependent on the length of the nails, such that L/H = 0.7 can be defined as the critical ratio in seismic conditions for MSE/SN walls which have been reinforced with strips having a constant length. Irrespective of the different nail lengths, the pattern of the observed failure mechanism included a moving block which was delineated by a two-part failure plane consisting of a concave curve and an inclined line with a certain point of intersection. Also, a consistent range of the normalized horizontal displacements (Δx/H), about 0.55–1.10%, corresponding to the formation of local shear bands, and a range of Δx/H = 5.0–5.6%, corresponding to the development of active wedge failure, were determined.     

型钢高强混凝土剪力墙抗震性能试验研究

为了研究型钢高强混凝土剪力墙的抗震性能,对8个剪跨比为2.5的剪力墙试件进行了拟静力试验。通过改变试件的轴压比、配箍特征值和配钢率,研究其在往复水平荷载作用下的破坏机理、滞回性能、变形能力以及耗能能力。试验结果表明,这种剪力墙的破坏形态为墙底部截面约束区混凝土被压碎的弯曲型破坏;试件的滞回曲线饱满,没有明显的捏缩现象;位移延性系数在3.50～4.66之间,并且随着配箍特征值和配钢率的增加,试件的变形能力提高;等效粘滞阻尼比在0.196～0.255之间,试件表现出较好的耗能能力。根据墙体在不同阶段的破坏程度,将型钢混凝土剪力墙结构的性能划分为使用良好、保证人身安全和防止倒塌三个性能水平,提出用位移角作为型钢混凝土剪力墙结构的性能指标,并给出了不同性能水平位移角限值的建议值。图10表6参14     

黏土与EPS颗粒混合轻质土的动力变形特性试验研究

通过室内动三轴试验研究了黏土与EPS颗粒混合轻质土(LCES)在动荷载作用下的变形特性,着重分析了围压、水泥含量和EPS掺入比的影响。结果表明:LCES的动应力应变关系符合双曲线关系;在相同的动应力作用下,LCES产生的应变随着围压和水泥含量的增大而减小;在动应变相同的情况下,随着围压和水泥含量的增大,LCES的割线动弹性模量Esec增大而阻尼比λ减小;EPS掺入比对LCES的动力变形特性的影响相对较小,不同EPS掺入比的σd–εd曲线、Esec–εd曲线和λ–εd曲线都发生了相交,交点前后EPS掺入比的大小对LCES变形特性的影响趋势是截然相反的,交点处的动应变值εint一般在0.5%～3.0%范围内,其大小与LCES的配比以及围压有关。     

钢筋混凝土自复位剪力墙抗震性能试验研究

自复位剪力墙是通过无黏结预应力钢绞线将预制墙板与预制墙板/基础连接成整体,其震后恢复能力良好。通过1个现浇钢筋混凝土剪力墙试件和3个自复位剪力墙试件的拟静力试验,研究了地震作用下自复位剪力墙的破坏特征、滞回性能、自复位特性及耗能能力等。研究结果表明：与现浇剪力墙相比,自复位剪力墙震后残余变形较小,破坏轻微,易于修复;自复位剪力墙滞回曲线捏拢明显,滞回环呈旗帜形;随着弯矩贡献比的增大,试件的自复位能力逐渐提高,但耗能能力有所下降。     

坝料动力变形特性试验研究

在大型动力三轴仪上进行了坝料的动力变形特性试验研究,分析了围压和固结比对最大动模量、动模量衰减规律和阻尼比的影响。试验研究表明:随围压和固结应力比的提高,最大动模量增大;随应变的增大,动模量逐渐衰减;固结比对最大阻尼比影响不大,随固结比的提高最大阻尼比略有降低。基于沈珠江动力变形特性模型,提出了可以将固结比影响归一化的最大动模量和模量衰减的修正公式,该公式能很好地消除围压和固结比对模量衰减规律的影响。结合其它工程试验成果,通过小于5 mm粒径颗粒含量初步探讨了尺寸效应对动力变形特性的影响,研究表明室内试验得出的最大动模量较工程原位土体的要低,而最大阻尼比要略高。     

Experimental evaluation of steel slit panel-frames for seismic resistance

The steel slit panel-frame is a new system for seismic resistance of buildings. The steel slit panels are bolted to beams which are simply connected to the columns. The steel slit panels are steel plates with rows of vertical slits forming a series of flexural members within the plate. The steel slit panels are designed to resist the entire lateral load and provide all the stiffness and energy dissipation in the system. The steel slit panel-frame system was studied via an experimental program, divided into two series of testing. The first series studied the fundamental characteristics of the steel slit panels, while the second series studied the behavior of the steel slit panels within the frame (i.e., behavior of the steel slit panel-frames). A concise introduction to the system is presented first, followed by the findings from the experimental study.     

活性粉末混凝土剪力墙抗震性能试验研究

为研究活性粉末混凝土剪力墙的抗震性能,对3个高宽比分别为1.0、1.5和2.0的剪力墙进行拟静力试验,分析了高宽比变化对活性粉末混凝土剪力墙破坏形态、承载力、滞回曲线、延性、耗能能力和刚度退化的影响规律。结果表明：活性粉末混凝土剪力墙承载力高,破坏形态与普通混凝土和高性能混凝土剪力墙基本相似,但裂缝分布范围更广,裂缝数量更多、更密集,高宽比对其破坏形态影响较大,墙体高宽比从1.0增大至2.0,极限位移增大2.8倍,耗能量提高3.9倍,高宽比为2.0的剪力墙延性系数大于3。采用OpenSees程序,选用分层壳单元模型对试件受力性能进行了数值模拟和参数分析。分析表明：分层壳单元模型能够较准确地模拟活性粉末混凝土剪力墙的抗震性能,高宽比和轴压比对活性粉末混凝土剪力墙承载力及极限位移影响显著,暗柱纵筋配筋率对其承载力影响较大,墙面分布钢筋对其承载力和极限位移影响较小。     

细粒含量对饱和珊瑚砂动力变形特性影响试验研究

为了满足南沙珊瑚岛礁及近岸军事与民事功能设施建设对珊瑚砂动力特性参数的急迫需要,系统而深入地研究珊瑚砂动力变形特性已是一项紧迫的科学任务。利用共振柱对取自南沙群岛某岛礁的珊瑚砂开展了系列动剪切模量和阻尼比特性试验研究,探究相对密度D_r、初始有效围压σ’_m、细粒含量F_C对南沙珊瑚砂动力变形的影响。试验结果表明:反映σ’_m对最大动剪切模量G_max影响程度的应力指数n是与土性相关的常数;结合文献中3类砂类土的G_max试验数据,发现随等效骨架孔隙比e_sk~*的增大各砂类土的应力修正最大动剪切模量G_max/(σ’_m/p_a)~n单调减小,且两者呈现较好的幂函数关系;在同一应变水平下,珊瑚砂动剪切模量G随Fc的增大而减小,随D_r、σ’_m的增大而增大;当剪应变γ<10^-4时,F_C、D_...