Experimental study of displacement field of layered soils surrounding laterally loaded pile based on transparent soil

In this research, an internal sand displacement field around a laterally loaded vertical pile is visualized using transparent soil and an image processing technique called digital image cross-correlation (DIC). DIC is a region-based image processing technique which can calculate the displacement field between two images. Transparent soil is made of silica gel with a pore fluid having the same refractive index. Transparent soil has been studied to have the strength and deformation properties similar to natural soil. An optical test set-up is developed to capture the images during loading. This optical test set-up consists of a camera, a laser light, a line generator lens, a loading frame, a Plexiglas mould, and a PC. The saturated fine sand in loose condition is modeled in this research. A laser light sheet is generated to slice the transparent soil model by passing a laser beam through the line generator lens. A distinctive laser speckle pattern is generated through the interaction between the laser light and transparent soil. A series of images are taken from the camera while a scaled pile is being loaded laterally. The displacement fields are calculated by cross-correlating two consecutive images and the corresponding strain fields are deduced from the displacement fields. The development of both displacement and strain fields is investigated by studying deformation and strains at different loading stages. The test results are similar to the published data. This research improves the understanding of soil movement around a laterally loaded pile. It also advances the physical modeling technique using transparent soil.

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Visualization of an internal sand displacement field around a laterally loaded vertical pile

10.32920/ryerson.14663979.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ranga Walakulu Arachchi

Keyword(s):

Displacement Field ◽

Laser Light ◽

Processing Technique ◽

Image Processing Technique ◽

Displacement Fields ◽

Strain Fields ◽

Transparent Soil ◽

Optical Test ◽

Set Up ◽

Laterally Loaded

In this research, an internal sand displacement field around a laterally loaded vertical pile is visualized using transparent soil and an image processing technique called digital image cross-correlation (DIC). DIC is a region-based image processing technique which can calculate the displacement field between two images. Transparent soil is made of silica gel with a pore fluid having the same refractive index. Transparent soil has been studied to have the strength and deformation properties similar to natural soil. An optical test set-up is developed to capture the images during loading. This optical test set-up consists of a camera, a laser light, a line generator lens, a loading frame, a Plexiglas mould, and a PC. The saturated fine sand in loose condition is modeled in this research. A laser light sheet is generated to slice the transparent soil model by passing a laser beam through the line generator lens. A distinctive laser speckle pattern is generated through the interaction between the laser light and transparent soil. A series of images are taken from the camera while a scaled pile is being loaded laterally. The displacement fields are calculated by cross-correlating two consecutive images and the corresponding strain fields are deduced from the displacement fields. The development of both displacement and strain fields is investigated by studying deformation and strains at different loading stages. The test results are similar to the published data. This research improves the understanding of soil movement around a laterally loaded pile. It also advances the physical modeling technique using transparent soil.

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Influence of Stratified Soil System on Behavior of Laterally Loaded Pile Groups: An Experimental Study

International Journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Engineering ◽

10.1007/s40891-021-00263-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Teja Munaga ◽

Kalyan Kumar Gonavaram

Keyword(s):

Experimental Study ◽

Pile Groups ◽

Soil System ◽

Laterally Loaded Pile ◽

Laterally Loaded

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Development of Simulation Based p-Multipliers for Laterally Loaded Pile Groups in Granular Soil Using 3D Nonlinear Finite Element Model

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11010026 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 26

Author(s):

Muhammad Bilal Adeel ◽

Muhammad Asad Jan ◽

Muhammad Aaqib ◽

Duhee Park

Keyword(s):

Finite Element ◽

Element Model ◽

Design Guidelines ◽

American Petroleum Institute ◽

Winkler Foundation ◽

Group Effect ◽

Pile Groups ◽

Element Analysis ◽

Laterally Loaded Pile ◽

Laterally Loaded

The behavior of laterally loaded pile groups is usually accessed by beam-on-nonlinear-Winkler-foundation (BNWF) approach employing various forms of empirically derived p-y curves and p-multipliers. Averaged p-multiplier for a particular pile group is termed as the group effect parameter. In practice, the p-y curve presented by the American Petroleum Institute (API) is most often utilized for piles in granular soils, although its shortcomings are recognized. In this study, we performed 3D finite element analysis to develop p-multipliers and group effect parameters for 3 × 3 to 5 × 5 vertically squared pile groups. The effect of the ratio of spacing to pile diameter (S/D), number of group piles, varying friction angle (φ), and pile fixity conditions on p-multipliers and group effect parameters are evaluated and quantified. Based on the simulation outcomes, a new functional form to calculate p-multipliers is proposed for pile groups. Extensive comparisons with the experimental measurements reveal that the calculated p-multipliers and group effect parameters are within the recorded range. Comparisons with two design guidelines which do not account for the pile fixity condition demonstrate that they overestimate the p-multipliers for fixed-head condition.

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