Performance of geosynthetic-encased stone column-improved soft clay under vertical cyclic loading

This paper presents the results of a laboratory investigation into the performance of geosynthetic-encased stone column-improved (GESC-improved) soft clay under vertical cyclic loading. A reduced-scale model is adopted to perform a series of tests considering the principal parameters, such as the cyclic loading characteristics, including the loading frequency and amplitude, and the encasement length. The results indicate that, among other things, the overall benefit of the geosynthetic encasement of stone columns installed in soft clay is greater under cyclic loading than under static loading, and that the cyclic effect tends to lead to a stress concentration ratio that is smaller than that under static loading. The effectiveness of this encasement in improving the performance of GESCs becomes greater when subjected to cyclic loading with a lower loading frequency and/or a smaller amplitude. The settlement and pore pressure variations with the encasement length, together with the exhumed GESCs taken after the tests, suggest that full encasement is necessary to maximize the performance of GESCs under cyclic loading.     

循环荷载下软黏土强度弱化研究及其动力计算应用

滨海软黏土在波浪循环荷载作用下会发生强度弱化,从而降低软黏土地基承载力,影响结构稳定性。以烟台港原状淤泥质粉质黏土为研究对象,通过室内动三轴试验,以围压、初始静偏应力、循环动应力和循环次数为试验变量,分析不同应力组合作用下的淤泥质粉质黏土的孔压发展规律和不排水抗剪强度弱化规律。根据孔压发展规律拟合出软黏土双曲孔压计算模型,同时利用等效超固结比理论,将得到的孔压模型和强度规律结合起来,提出了综合考虑围压、静偏应力、动应力和循环次数适用于整个动态循环过程的不排水抗剪强度弱化公式,并通过试验对公式进行了验证。最后将公式应用于烟台港防波堤数值模型的动力计算中。从试验到数模,比较完整地提出了一套便于应用于工程实践的考虑地基土体循环弱化效应的动力计算方法。     

Centrifuge modeling of geosynthetic-encased stone column-supported embankment over soft clay

Geosynthetic-encased stone column (GESC) has been proven as an effective alternative to reinforcing soft soils. In this paper, a series of centrifuge model tests were conducted to investigate the performance of GESC-supported embankment over soft clay by varying the stiffness of encasement material. The enhancement in the performance of stone columns encased with geosynthetic materials was quantified by comparing the test with ordinary stone columns (OSCs) under identical test conditions. The test results reveal that by encasing stone columns with geosynthetic material, a significant reduction in the ground settlement, relatively faster dissipation of excess pore pressure and enhanced stress concentration ratio was noticed. Moreover, with the increase in the encasement stiffness from 450 kN/m to 3300 kN/m, the stress concentration ratio increased from 4 to 6.5, which signifies the importance of encasement stiffness. In addition, a relatively lower value of soil arching ratio observed for GESCs compared to OSCs indicate the formation of a relatively strong soil arch in the GESC-supported embankment. Interestingly, under embankment loading, GESCs fail by bending while OSCs fail by bulging. The stress reduction method can be used to calculate the settlement of GESC-supported embankment with larger stress reduction factor than that in the OSC-supported embankment. Finally, the limitation of the construction of the embankment at 1 g was addressed.     

Evaluation of effect of limited pore water pressure development on cyclic behavior of a nonplastic silt

In this study, an experimental procedure was adopted to evaluate cyclic behavior of silts of pore water pressure ratios less than 50%. A commercially available nonplastic silt was used to eliminate the effects of plasticity. All the specimens were isotropically consolidated under 100 kPa and later subjected to cyclic triaxial compression tests. In this regard, dependence of cyclic stress ratio (CSR), initial relative density (D_r) and cyclic axial strain (ε_sa) on pore water pressure generation pattern – either at small or large deformation levels – were evaluated. It was inferred that, volume changes in silt due to the reconsolidation after cyclic loading with an induced pore water pressure ratio (R_u) less than 50% shows limited liquefaction.     

Centrifuge model tests on the deformation behavior of geosynthetic-encased stone column supported embankment under undrained condition

A series of centrifuge model tests were carried out to investigate the performance of geosynthetic-encased stone columns (GESCs) supported embankment under undrained condition. The influence of stiffness of encasement, basal reinforcement and embankment loading on the deformation behavior of GESCs were also assessed. The centrifuge test results reveal that under undrained condition, compared to ordinary stone column (OSC) supported embankment, the settlement of column has reduced by 50% and 34% when columns were encased with high and low stiffness geogrids respectively. Moreover, under identical embankment loading condition, the stress concentration ratio has increased significantly upon inclusion of basal reinforcement in the GESCs supported embankment. In case of OSCs supported embankment, columns experiences bulging in the top portion, inward bending in the central portion and a noticeable shear at the bottom portion. However, when columns were encased with geogrid layer, bulging in the top portion was significantly reduced but the inward bending of columns were noticed. With the inclusion of basal reinforcement, bending curvature of columns increases thereby inducing higher settlement in columns and relatively lesser settlement in surrounding soil. The differential settlement between the encased column and the surrounding soil under embankment loading has been considerably reduced with the inclusion of basal reinforcement.     

Evaluation of local soil-pile friction in saturated clays under cyclic loading

This paper presents laboratory measurements of mobilized local friction along piles subjected to very large numbers of axial loading cycles. The experimental approach used here is of the physical modelling type and consists of testing an instrumented prototype pile-probe installed and loaded in specimens of saturated clay reconstituted in a calibration chamber. The procedure developed for evaluating the local friction mobilized upon monotonic loading and the further evolution of local friction during the application of displacement-controlled cycles is described. After the installation of the probe, a succession of monotonic and cyclic displacement-controlled loading phases, carried out on a reference kaolinite, is presented and analysed. During the cyclic sequence, carried out up to 10⁵ cycles, an initial phase of friction degradation is observed, followed by a reinforcement phase, which continues until the end of the test. A coefficient of evolution is defined which allows for the quantification, during the application of the cycles, of the evolution of mobilized friction in terms of the degradation or reinforcement of friction. The evolution of the friction mobilized during the application of the cycles is interpreted in terms of the combination of excess pore water pressure generation and dissipation. A comparison is made between the maximum static shear mobilized before and after the cycles, which shows the influence of the cyclic sequence on this quantity. Elements are finally given on the repeatability of the test, showing a fairly good level of repeatability.     

饱和粘性土体中孔隙水压力对地铁振动荷载响应特征分析

以上海地铁二号线某区间隧道附近的饱和粘性土体为研究对象,在地铁振动荷载作用下,通过对不同位置、不同深度土体中预埋孔压计振动频率的连续监测,研究饱和粘性土体中孔隙水压力对振动荷载的响应特征,得出了饱和粘性土中孔隙水压力增长和消散的变化规律,并用土动力学及能量损失原理对其机理进行了分析。     

Model test of clogging effects on composite foundation of geosynthetic-encased steel slag column

Experiments were conducted to study the performance of geosynthetic encased steel slag column with a diameter of 150 mm and a length of 900 mm in a soft clay foundation. The effect of clogging was simulated by mixing the slag with 10% and 20% fines. The measured bearing capacity of the column treated foundation is notably increased to about 10 times than that of the untreated foundation, and is seldom affected by the intrusion of fines. The vertical stress within the soil at column tip attenuates to 85% and 60% of the stress close to the ground surface for the column with no fines and 20% fines, respectively. For the cases with fines content of 10% and 20%, the maximum excess pore pressure is in average 5% and 10% greater than the case without fines, respectively, and the dissipation rate of excess pore pressure is in average 18% and 24% slower than the case without fines. The column treated foundation prevents the water ponding on the surface as that occurs for the untreated foundation. The undrained shear strength of the soil close to the column increases by 18% at the depth of 100 mm, and 6% at the depth of half column, regardless of the fines.     

Laboratory investigation of the behavior of a geosynthetic encased stone column in sand under cyclic loading

This paper presents the results of a laboratory investigation into the behavior of a geosynthetic encased stone column (GESC) installed in sand under cyclic loading using a reduced-scale model. A number of test variables were considered, such as the geosynthetic encasement stiffness and the cyclic loading characteristics, including loading frequency and amplitude. The results indicate among other things that the overall benefit of the encasement to the performance of the stone column is greater under cyclic loading than under static loading. It is shown that the degree of load transfer to the column becomes smaller when subjected to cyclic loading than under static loading, leading to a 25% decreased stress concentration ratio. The encasement is found to be more effective in improving the stone column performance when subjected to lower frequency and/or smaller amplitude loading. The lateral bulging zone of the GESC under cyclic loading tends to extend beyond the reported critical encasement length for an isolated static loading case, and therefore full encasement is recommended. Practical implications of the findings are discussed in detail.     

Improvement of soft soils using geogrid encased stone columns

In recent years, geotextile encasement has been used to extend the use of stone columns to extremely soft soils. Although the technique is now well established, little research has been undertaken on the use of other encasement materials such as geogrid. This paper discusses the results of a series of small-scale model column tests that were undertaken to investigate the behaviour of geogrid encased columns. The tests focused on studying the effect of varying the length of encasement and investigating whether a column that was partially encased with geogrid would behave similarly to a fully-encased column. In addition, isolated column behaviour was compared to group column behaviour. The results of partially encased column tests indicated a steady reduction in vertical strain with increasing encased length for both isolated columns and group columns. Bulging of the column was observed to occur directly beneath the base of the encasement. A significant increase in column stiffness and further reduction in column strain was observed for fully-encased columns, with strain reductions in the order of 80%. This range of performance may lend the techniques of partial and full geogrid encasement to a series of potential site applications.     

The role of geosynthetics in reducing the fluidisation potential of soft subgrade under cyclic loading

The instability of railway tracks including mud pumping, ballast degradation, and differential settlement on weak subgrade soils occurs due to cyclic stress from heavy haul trains. Although geotextiles are currently being used as a separator in railway and highway embankments, their ability to prevent the migration of fine particles and reduce cyclic pore pressure has to be investigated under adverse hydraulic conditions to prevent substructure failures. This study primarily focuses on using geosynthetics to mitigate the migration of fine particles and the accumulation of excess pore pressure (EPP) due to mud pumping (subgrade fluidisation) using dynamic filtration apparatus. The role that geosynthetics play in controlling and preventing mud pumping is analysed by assessing the development of EPP, the change in particle size distribution and the water content of subgrade soil. Using 3 types of geotextiles, the potential for fluidisation is assessed by analysing the time-dependent excess pore pressure gradient (EPPG) inside the subgrade. The experimental results are then used to evaluate the performance of selected geotextiles under heavy haul loading.     

循环荷载后原状与重塑饱和粉质黏土不排水强度性状研究

为研究循环荷载作用后原状土与重塑土不排水强度发展规律,针对天津典型粉质黏土做了一系列动、静力三轴试验。结果表明,振后原状土样不排水抗剪强度会发生衰减,当振后轴向应变大于 3% 时,衰减度 β 随动轴向应变增加呈现先增大后稳定的趋势;最大孔压比处于 0.5 ～ 0.7 之间时,不排水强度衰减较小,最大孔压比高于 0.7 时,振后强度开始迅速衰减;振后饱和粉质黏土不排水剪应力路径表现出超固结性质,随着 β 的增加,应力路径由正常固结向轻似超固结,再向重似超固结发展。对于重塑土,循环荷载作用后其不排水抗剪强度变化较小。     

Analysis of cyclic shear characteristics of reinforced soil interfaces under cyclic loading and unloading

The cyclic properties of geosynthetic soil interface are crucial for reinforced soil structures subject to seismic loading. A series of cyclic direct tests under cyclic normal loading was conducted on geogrid-gravel interface. The relationship among the amplitudes of cyclic normal loading and shear displacement and frequencies in the horizontal and vertical directions with interface shear strength and volume change was investigated. Test results showed that the relative time shift, shear stiffness, and enhance coefficient increased with increasing amplitude of cyclic normal loading. The interface exhibited shear hardening and softening with increasing amplitude of shear displacement. The vertical displacement decreased with increasing amplitude of cyclic normal loading but increased with increasing amplitude of shear displacement. Furthermore, three patterns were analysed for different frequencies in two loading directions. The value of vertical displacement was largest when the normal loading impact frequency was larger than the cyclic horizontal shear frequency, and smallest at equal frequencies in two loading directions. The shear stiffness was positively correlated with the amplitude of cyclic normal loading. However, it was negatively correlated with the amplitude of shear displacement. The value of the damping ratio was smallest under constant normal loading at a shear displacement amplitude of 0.5 mm.     

Bearing capacity of geogrid reinforced sand over encased stone columns in soft clay

Stone columns develop their load carrying capacity from the circumferential confinement provided by the surrounding soils. In very soft soils, the circumferential confinement offered by the surrounding soft soil may not be sufficient to develop the required load carrying capacity. Hence a vertical confinement would yield a better result. The load carrying capacity is further increased with the addition of a sand bed over the stone columns. In the present study, a series of laboratory model tests on an unreinforced sand bed (USB) and a geogrid-reinforced sand bed (GRSB) placed over a group of vertically encased stone columns (VESC) floating in soft clay and their numerical simulations were conducted. Three-dimensional numerical simulations were performed using a finite element package ABAQUS 6.12. In the finite element analysis, geogrid and geotextile were modeled as an elasto-plastic material. As compared to unreinforced clay bed, an 8.45 fold increase in bearing capacity was observed with the provision of a GRSB over VESC. The optimum thickness of USB and GRSB was found to be 0.2 times and 0.15 times the diameter of the footing. A considerable decrease in bulging of columns was also noticed with the provision of a GRSB over VESC. Both the improvement factor and stress concentration ratio of VESC with GRSB showed an increasing trend with an increase in the settlement. It was observed that the optimum length of stone columns and the optimum depth of encasement of the group of floating VESC with GRSB are 6 times and about 3 times the diameter of the column respectively.     

浅谈振冲碎石桩在软土路基处理中的应用

振冲碎石桩加固软土地基的方法在我国各类大小工程中都被普遍应用,本文将以实例介绍振冲碎石桩的计算及设计过程,以及施工中应该注意的问题。     

双向激振下饱和软黏土应变软化现象试验研究

循环荷载作用下饱和软黏土将发生刚度软化现象。由于受试验条件的限制,以往对软黏土循环软化现象的研究大都基于单向循环荷载试验。通过GDS双向动三轴系统对双向循环荷载作用下饱和软黏土的刚度软化现象进行了初步的探讨。着重分析了循环偏应力、径向循环应力、初始剪应力等因素对双向循环作用下软黏土刚度变化规律的影响。研究结果表明:循环偏应力的增加、径向循环应力的提高都将加快刚度软化。随着径向循环应力比的增加,临界循环应力比减少。双向激振循环荷载作用下软黏土存在门槛径向循环应力比。当径向循环应力比小于该门槛值时,双向振动不能加速土体软化。随着初始固结剪应力的增加,刚度有所提高。在试验的基础上初步建立了双向循环荷载作用下饱和软黏土的软化模型。将该软化模型引入到修正的Iwan模型中来描述土体的应力–应变关系,证实了模型的准确性。     

饱和软粘土的再固结性状研究

围绕“动静结合排水固结法”课题,通过室内试验研究饱和软粘土在冲击荷载作用下的再固结性状,重点分析排水条件对土体固结和再固结的影响,指出孔隙压力升高与再固结体应变之间的唯一性关系。提出再固结体积压缩系数和再固结压缩指数的概念并给出其确定方法。对冲击荷载作用后软土地基沉降计算方法进行讨论,包括多遍冲击和部分排水条件的情形,并给出试验验证。     

循环荷载作用下结构性软粘土的变形和强度特性

采用萧山原状和重塑软粘土在不同压力下固结后进行动力试验,探讨结构性软粘土在循环荷载作用下,合适的动应变破坏标准。文中比较了按本文提出的破坏标准与破坏应变标准取为5%和10%时的动强度差异,结果表明,在破坏振次较小时,本文提出的应变破坏标准更为合理;随着振次的增大,不同应变标准下的动强度差异性逐渐减小并趋于同一个稳定值--土体的最小动强度。固结压力对结构性软土动强度的影响较大,当固结压力小于土体结构屈服应力时,原状土动强度明显高于重塑土;而当固结压力超过土体结构屈服应力时,两者的动强度基本趋于一致。     

循环荷载下砂质混合土孔隙水压力特性研究

通过对各种细颗粒含量的土实施从小到大应变水平的动力循环荷载试验,采用累积损失能量的观点,分别考察了土的细颗粒成分含量、围压、加载频率、加载形式及荷载的不规则性对孔压的影响,提出了孔隙水压力和累积损失能量的归一化方法,建立了砂质混合土的孔隙水压力上升模型,并探讨了模型参数和土的细颗粒成分含量的关系。     

分阶段循环加载条件下温州饱和软黏土孔压和应变发展规律

土体在经过一定次数的循环荷载作用后,其动力特性会发生改变,对后续振动的响应会变得大不相同。通过对温州原状饱和软黏土分别在不排水和排水条件下进行连续循环加载和5个阶段的分阶段循环加载试验,分析了循环荷载作用及一定时间的停振对土体动力特性的影响。试验结果表明,一定时间的振动和停振后,由于土体动力特性发生了改变,后续阶段的残余应变将变小;不排水条件下,停振期孔压稳定在循环加载产生的残余孔压值附近,而振动期产生的变形一部分得到恢复;排水条件下,在振动期孔压呈现出先增大后减小的趋势,在停振期残余应变基本保持不变。这些结论对于深入分析交通荷载下土体动力响应和沉降发展具有一定的指导意义。