scholarly journals Failure mode transitions of unconfined granular media from dry to unsaturated to “quasi-fully” saturated states

2020 ◽  
Vol 195 ◽  
pp. 03023
Author(s):  
Katherine Winters ◽  
Woodman Berry ◽  
Greg Seimens ◽  
Oliver-Denzil Taylor

Recent research has shown discrepancies between the prevailing mathematical representations of near-surface shear strength and the observed shear strengths. This investigation focuses on three granular materials, i.e., 1) poorly-graded, medium-fine silica-quartz sand, 2) an engineered silica-quartz mix of 3.38-mm and 0.638-mm sub-angular particles, and 3) an angular fused quartz sand. Specimens were tested under load-controlled conditions at variable saturations in order to identify and quantify the influence of suction on the granular structures and failure modes. All three materials exhibited localized radial particle force chain buckling failures in unconfined drained dry (UDκ) conditions and classical shear failures in the unconfined drained unsaturated shear (UDP) conditions. In unconfined drained suction failures (UDS) conditions, the poorly-graded, medium-fine silica-quartz sand exhibited a bulging and sloughing failure without weeping, while the other two materials wept and then held loads before failure. Thus, it is suggested that the pore fluid had a predominate lubrication (strength weakening) effect, and the assumption of structure stiffening (strength increase) from matric suction may not be valid at near-surface conditions for sub-angular silica-quartz materials but is valid for the angular fused quartz.

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 2821
Author(s):  
Jacob Wittrup Schmidt ◽  
Christian Overgaard Christensen ◽  
Per Goltermann ◽  
José Sena-Cruz

Significant strengthening of concrete structures can be obtained when using adhesively-bonded carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) systems. Challenges related to such strengthening methods are; however, the brittle concrete delamination failure, reduced warning, and the consequent inefficient use of the CFRP. A novel ductile near-surface mounted reinforcement (NSMR) CFRP strengthening system with a high CFRP utilization is introduced in this paper. It is hypothesized that the tailored ductile enclosure wedge (EW) end anchors, in combination with low E-modulus and high elongation adhesive, can provide significant strengthening and ductility control. Five concrete T-beams were strengthened using the novel system with a CFRP rod activation stress of approximately 980 MPa. The beam responses were compared to identical epoxy-bonded NSMR strengthened and un-strengthened beams. The linear elastic response was identical to the epoxy-bonded NSMR strengthened beam. In addition, the average deflection and yielding regimes were improved by 220% and 300% (average values), respectively, with an ultimate capacity comparable to the epoxy-bonded NSMR strengthened beam. Reproducible and predictable strengthening effect seems obtainable, where a good correlation between the results and applied theory was reached. The brittle failure modes were prevented, where concrete compression failure and frontal overload anchor failure were experienced when failure was initiated.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Akter Hosen ◽  
Mohd Zamin Jumaat ◽  
A. B. M. Saiful Islam

Nowadays, the use of near surface mounted (NSM) technique strengthening reinforced concrete (RC) structural members is going very popular. The failure modes of NSM strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) beams have been shown to be largely due to premature failure such as concrete cover separation. In this study, CFRP U-wrap end anchorage with CFRP fabrics was used to eliminate the concrete cover separation failure. A total of eight RC rectangular beam specimens of 125 mm width, 250 mm depth, and 2300 mm length were tested. One specimen was kept unstrengthened as a reference; three specimens were strengthened with NSM steel bars and the remaining four specimens were strengthened with NSM steel bars together with the U-wrap end anchorage. The experimental results showed that wrapped strengthened beams had higher flexural strength and superior ductility performance. The results also show that these beams had less deflection, strain, crack width, and spacing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 11249
Author(s):  
Ioannis Koutsoupakis ◽  
Yiannis Tsompanakis ◽  
Pantelis Soupios ◽  
Panagiotis Kirmizakis ◽  
SanLinn Kaka ◽  
...  

This study develops a comprehensive seismic risk model for the city of Chania, in Greece, which is located ina highly seismic-prone region due to the occurrenceof moderate to large earthquakes because of the nearby major subduction zone between African and Eurasian tectonic plates. The main aim is to reduce the seismic risk for the study area by incorporating the spatial distribution of the near-surface shear wave velocity model and the soil classification, along with all possible seismic sources, taking into account historical events. The study incorporates and correlates various ground motion scenarios and geological fault zones as well as information on existing buildings to develop a seismic risk model using QuakeIST software, and then the seismic hazard and a realistic prediction of resulting future adverse effects are assessed. The developed model can assist the municipal authorities of Chania to be prepared for potential seismic events, as well as city planners and decisionmakers, who can use the model as an effective decision-making tool to identify the seismic vulnerability of the city buildings and infrastructure. Thus, this study enables the implementation of an appropriate and viable earthquake-related hazards strategy to mitigate damage and losses in future earthquakes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (16) ◽  
pp. 9497-9508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Miao ◽  
Y. Shi ◽  
H. Y. Zhuang ◽  
S. Y. Wang ◽  
H. B. Liu ◽  
...  

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2514
Author(s):  
Bo Huang ◽  
Chang Guo ◽  
Yao Tang ◽  
Jiachen Guo ◽  
Linfeng Cao

An accurate estimation of soil permeability is essential in geotechnical engineering. Transparent soil provides a promising experimental material to visualize pore-scale fluid flow, although the permeability characteristic of transparent soil remains unclear. As a result of the replacement of the fluid and solid phase, the permeability coefficient of transparent soil is usually several times or even more than ten times smaller than that of natural soil with the same particle size distribution and porosity. Fused quartz sand is used as the solid phase in this proposed transparent soil, which exhibits a similar mechanical behavior but different permeability to those of natural sand. Due to its low cost and eco-friendly characteristic, a mixture of mineral oil and aliphatic hydrocarbon is proposed as the liquid phase, which can achieve the same refractive index as the fused quartz sand after calculating the material proportion. Through a series of laboratory tests, the permeability of the transparent soil is obtained; the permeability is affected by the fluid dynamic viscosity, fluid density, particle size, particle size distribution, void ratio, and pore morphology. A hierarchical approach is introduced to quantitatively evaluate the effect of the particle shape on the permeability. Based on the experimental results, a modified Kozeny–Carman model is proposed for the prediction of transparent soil permeability, which can guide the preparation of transparent soil samples in further experimental studies.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 73-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robb Eric S. Moss ◽  
Laurie G. Baise ◽  
Jing Zhu ◽  
Diwakar Kadkha

Many ground failures resulted from the 2015 Nepal earthquake sequence, including landslides, rockfalls, liquefactions, and cyclic failures. And whereas the amount and extent of landsliding were relatively consistent with predictions for a Mw 7.8 main shock, the amount and extent of liquefaction were not. We present a summary of liquefaction field observations that we made as part of the Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) investigations. The liquefaction that did occur in the Kathmandu Valley was limited in its spatial extent, and the postliquefaction deformations were small. Prior earthquakes in this region have been reported to have caused greater liquefaction-related failures, and liquefaction hazard–mapping studies predicted widespread liquefaction hazard from an event of this size. We explore two possible reasons at the regional scale for the limited liquefaction from this earthquake sequence: drawdown of the groundwater table and high near-surface shear wave velocity. Our study finds that pumping has depressed the groundwater table across the Kathmandu Valley by 13–40 m since 1980, thereby decreasing the amount of near-surface liquefiable material and increasing the nonliquefiable “crust” layer. The regional slope-based V S30 for the valley is on average higher than that for liquefaction sites in a global database of observed liquefaction. A global geospatial model for liquefaction occurrence shows low liquefaction potential in the Kathmandu Valley consistent with the observed patterns.


Solid Earth ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Burschil ◽  
T. Beilecke ◽  
C. M. Krawczyk

Abstract. High-resolution reflection seismic methods are an established non-destructive tool for engineering tasks. In the near surface, shear-wave reflection seismic measurements usually offer a higher spatial resolution in the same effective signal frequency spectrum than P-wave data, but data quality varies more strongly. To discuss the causes of these differences, we investigated a P-wave and a SH-wave seismic reflection profile measured at the same location on the island of Föhr, Germany and applied seismic reflection processing to the field data as well as finite-difference modelling of the seismic wave field. The simulations calculated were adapted to the acquisition field geometry, comprising 2 m receiver distance (1 m for SH wave) and 4 m shot distance along the 1.5 km long P-wave and 800 m long SH-wave profiles. A Ricker wavelet and the use of absorbing frames were first-order model parameters. The petrophysical parameters to populate the structural models down to 400 m depth were taken from borehole data, VSP (vertical seismic profile) measurements and cross-plot relations. The simulation of the P-wave wave-field was based on interpretation of the P-wave depth section that included a priori information from boreholes and airborne electromagnetics. Velocities for 14 layers in the model were derived from the analysis of five nearby VSPs (vP =1600–2300 m s-1). Synthetic shot data were compared with the field data and seismic sections were created. Major features like direct wave and reflections are imaged. We reproduce the mayor reflectors in the depth section of the field data, e.g. a prominent till layer and several deep reflectors. The SH-wave model was adapted accordingly but only led to minor correlation with the field data and produced a higher signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, we suggest to consider for future simulations additional features like intrinsic damping, thin layering, or a near-surface weathering layer. These may lead to a better understanding of key parameters determining the data quality of near-surface shear-wave seismic measurements.


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