Shear modulus and damping ratio characteristics of gravelly deposits

2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 638-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shang-Yuh Lin ◽  
Ping Sien Lin ◽  
Hong-Su Luo ◽  
C Hsein Juang

In this paper, the results of an experimental investigation of dynamic characteristics of gravelly cobble deposits, such as shear modulus (G) and damping ratio (D), are presented. The gravelly cobble deposits are very common in the Taichung metropolitan area of Taiwan where there is an urgent need to determine G and D for dynamic analysis and design of structures. The test program includes measurements of shear wave velocity by the downhole method and large-scale dynamic triaxial tests and resonant-column tests. Special consideration is given to preparing samples of gravelly cobble deposits for laboratory tests. The "equal-weight replacement method" to scale down the real gravelly deposits to cell diameters is used for the preparation of samples. This method is found to be satisfactory, as consistent and reasonable results are obtained. The results of the present study show that the shear modulus - shear strain (G-γ) relationship for this gravelly deposit does not follow exactly those reported in the literature. The deviation of this G-γ relationship from those reported in the literature is investigated and explained.Key words: shear modulus, damping ratio, downhole, shear wave velocity, gravel.

Author(s):  
J. O. Okovido ◽  
C. Kennedy

The study investigated the earthquake potential in Niger Delta region of Nigeria. A series of resonant column and bender element test was performed on compacted clay soil samples across the investigated Niger Delta States, which showed the influence of confinement on frequency, shear modulus, shear velocity and damping ratio. The confinement in clay was high. The frequency response increases with pressure increase. Also, the resonance column test at various confinements revealed changes in shear modulus, accelerometer output and damping ratio. Thus, there was high variation in the test parameters as confinement pressure was increased. Similarly, the bender element tests also showed that pressure has effect on shear wave-velocity, shear modulus and damping ratio confinement. Although, unlike Resonance Column tests, the shear modulus and shear wave-velocity generally increased as confinement pressure was increased, while for damping ratio it decreases as confinement pressure was increased. The variations in resonance column/binder element test parameters showed that the Niger Delta region, as an oil and gas area, is susceptible to earthquake. Therefore, continuous monitoring of oil exploration activities must be put in place.


Author(s):  
J. O. Okovido ◽  
C. Kennedy

The probability of earthquake occurrence in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria was studied in this research. The resonant column/bender element tests were used for the study. Series of analysis were carried out on compacted silt in subsoil strata obtained from various locations in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Akwa Ibom States. The effects of confinement on frequency, shear modulus, shear velocity and damping ratio were studied. The tests results revealed that confinement has effects on the investigated parameters. Thus, frequency response increases with increase in confinement pressure. Also, the resonance column test at various confinements revealed changes in shear modulus, accelerometer output and damping ratio. Accordingly, there was high disparity in the tested parameters as confinement pressure was increased. Similarly, the bender element tests also showed that pressure has effect on shear wave-velocity, shear modulus and damping ratio confinement. The shear modulus and shear wave-velocity generally increased as confinement pressure was increased, while damping ratio decreases as confinement pressure was increased. The variations in Resonance Column/Bender Element test parameters showed that the silty soil in the Niger Delta region, an oil and gas rich area, is likely to experience earthquake in the future. Therefore, geological data should be collated for monitoring, especially as several geological activities take place in the region.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 263
Author(s):  
Breno Padovezi Rocha ◽  
Heraldo Luiz Giacheti

ABSTRACT. The shear wave velocity (Vs) is an important geotechnical parameter to be used in dynamic problems (e.g. earthquakes and vibration problems) as well as in static deformation analysis such as excavations and foundation engineering design. There are several in situ seismic tests to determine Vs such as the crosshole and the downhole techniques, as well as hybrid tests (e.g. seismic dilatometer – SDMT). This paper presents crosshole, downhole and SDMT tests carried out in a typical tropical soil profile from Brazil. Advantages and limitations regarding the test procedures and interpretation are briefly presented and differences observed among Vs determined by these techniques are discussed. Shear wave velocities (Vs) estimated from the crosshole, downhole and SDMT tests ranging from 194 to 370 m/s. The shear wave velocity suggests that the experimental site could be divided into two strata, which are in agreement with soil profile description. The maximum shear modulus (G0) calculated from the Vs by theory of elasticity can be used to show the investigated tropical soil is a typical unusual geomaterial. This article also emphasizes that the SDMT is a useful test for site investigation since it allows a great means for profiling geostratigraphy and soil engineering properties during routine site investigation as well as for dynamics problems. Keywords: shear wave velocity, maximum shear modulus, crosshole, downhole, SDMT.RESUMO. A velocidade de onda cisalhante (Vs) é um parâmetro geotécnico empregado em análises dinâmicas (terremotos e problemas de vibração), bem como em análises estáticas (escavações e projeto de fundações). Existem vários ensaios sísmicos de campo para a determinação de Vs, entre eles as técnicas crosshole e downhole, e os ensaios híbridos (por exemplo, dilatômetro sísmico – SDMT). Este artigo apresenta os ensaios crosshole, downhole e SDMT realizados em um perfil típico de solo tropical do Brasil, as vantagens e limitações dos procedimentos de ensaio e de interpretação são brevemente apresentadas, e as diferenças observadas entre os valores de Vs determinados pelas diferentes técnicas são discutidas. Os perfis de Vs determinados pelas diferentes técnicas variaram de 194 a 370 m/s. A velocidade da onda cisalhante sugere que o campo experimental investigado pode ser dividido em dois horizontes, os quais estão de acordo com a descrição do perfil do solo estudado. O módulo de cisalhamento máximo (G0), calculado a partir de Vs pela teoria da elasticidade, pode ser utilizado para demonstrar o comportamento não convencional do solo investigado. Este artigo também enfatiza que o SDMT é um ensaio geotécnico útil para a investigação geotécnica do subsolo, uma vez que permite a definição do perfil estratigráfico e a estimativa de parâmetros estáticos e dinâmicos de um projeto.Palavras-chave: velocidade de onda cisalhante, módulo de cisalhamento máximo, crosshole, downhole, SDMT.


2019 ◽  
Vol 92 ◽  
pp. 04002
Author(s):  
Litong Ji ◽  
Abraham C.F. Chiu ◽  
Lu Ma ◽  
Chao Jian

This article presents a laboratory study on the maximum shear modulus of a THF hydrate bearing calcareous sand (CS)–fines mixture. The maximum shear modulus was inferred from the shear wave velocity measured from the bender elements installed in a temperature-controlled triaxial apparatus. The specimen preparation procedures were specially designed to mimic the hydrate formation inside the internal pores of CS. A trial test was conducted to validate whether the shear wave velocity is a feasible parameter to monitor the formation and dissociation of hydrate in the CS-fines mixture. Based on the bender element test results, hydrate has a more profound effect than confining pressure on enhancing the maximum shear modulus of CS-fines mixture.


Geophysics ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. E135-E147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregor T. Baechle ◽  
Gregor P. Eberli ◽  
Ralf J. Weger ◽  
Jose Luis Massaferro

To assess saturation effects on acoustic properties in carbonates, we measure ultrasonic velocity on 38 limestone samples whose porosity ranges from 5% to 30% under dry and water-saturated conditions. Complete saturation of the pore space with water causes an increase and decrease in compressional- and shear-wave velocity as well as significant changes in the shear moduli. Compressional velocities of most water-saturated samples are up to [Formula: see text] higher than the velocities of the dry samples. Some show no change, and a few even show a decrease in velocity. Shear-wave velocity [Formula: see text] generally decreases, but nine samples show an increase of up to [Formula: see text]. Water saturation decreases the shear modulus by up to [Formula: see text] in some samples and increases it by up to [Formula: see text] in others. The average increase in the shear modulus with water saturation is [Formula: see text]; the average decrease is [Formula: see text]. The [Formula: see text] ratio shows an overall increase with water saturation. In particular, rocks displaying shear weakening have distinctly higher [Formula: see text] ratios. Grainstone samples with high amounts of microporosity and interparticle macro-pores preferentially show shear weakening, whereas recrystallized limestones are prone to increase shear strengths with water saturation. The observed shear weakening indicates that a rock-fluid interaction occurs with water saturation, which violates one of the assumptions in Gassmann’s theory. We find a positive correlation between changes in shear modulus and the inability of Gassmann’s theory to predict velocities of water-saturated samples at high frequencies. Velocities of water-saturated samples predicted by Gassmann’s equation often exceed measured values by as much as [Formula: see text] for samples exhibiting shear weakening. In samples showing shear strengthening, Gassmann-predicted velocity values are as much as [Formula: see text] lower than measured values. In 66% of samples, Gassmann-predicted velocities show a misfit to measured water-saturated P-wave velocities. This discrepancy between measured and Gassmann-predicted velocity is not caused solely by velocity dispersion but also by rock-fluid interaction related to the pore structure of carbonates. Thus, a pore analysis should be conducted to assess shear-moduli changes and the resultant uncertainty for amplitude variation with offset analyses and velocity prediction using Gassmann’s theory.


Author(s):  
Mingu Kang ◽  
Joon Han Kim ◽  
Issam I. A. Qamhia ◽  
Erol Tutumluer ◽  
Mark H. Wayne

This paper describes the use of the bender element (BE) shear wave measurement technology for quantifying the effectiveness of geogrid stabilization of unbound aggregate materials with improved mechanical properties from repeated load triaxial testing. Crushed stone aggregate specimens were prepared with three different gradations, that is, upper bound (UB), mid-range engineered (ENG), and lower bound, according to the dense graded base course gradation specification in Illinois. The specimens were compacted at modified Proctor maximum dry densities and optimum moisture contents. Two geogrids with different triaxial aperture sizes were placed at specimen mid-height, and unstabilized specimens with no geogrid were also prepared for comparison. To measure shear wave velocity, three BE pairs were placed at different heights above geogrid. Repeated load triaxial tests were conducted following the AASHTO T307 standard resilient modulus test procedure, while shear wave velocity was measured from the installed BE pairs. After initial specimen conditioning, and at low, intermediate, and high applied stress states, both the resilient moduli and accumulated permanent strains were determined to relate to the geogrid local stiffening effects in the specimens quantified by the measured shear wave velocities. The resilient modulus and shear wave velocity trends exhibited a directly proportional relationship, whereas permanent strain and shear wave velocity values were inversely related. The enhancement ratios calculated for the geogrid stabilized over the unstabilized specimens showed significant improvements in mechanical behavior for the UB and ENG gradations, and a maximum enhancement was achieved for the engineered gradation specimens stabilized with the smaller aperture geogrid.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Forte ◽  
Eugenio Chioccarelli ◽  
Melania De Falco ◽  
Pasquale Cito ◽  
Antonio Santo ◽  
...  

<p>Soil conditions affect ground motion amplification. Thus, seismic site classification is a critical issue to predict ground motion parameters in the context of both probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and real-time generation of shaking maps. Especially on large areas, simplified procedures for estimating the seismic soil amplification can be advantageous. In order to account for these local effects, some proxies which account for the soil behaviour can be identified; e.g., the average shear-wave velocity of the upper 30 m (VS,30), or the equivalent shear-wave velocity from the depth of the seismic bedrock (VS,eq). <br>In this study, two maps of seismic shallow soil classification for Italy according to Eurocode 8 (EC08) and the new Italian Building Code (ItBC2018) are presented. The methodology from which the maps are derived is described in Forte et al. (2019) and accounts for two sources of information: site-specific measurements and large-scale geological maps. The soil maps are obtained via a four-step procedure: <br>(1) a database of about four-thousand shear-waves velocity (Vs) measurements coming from in-hole tests, surface geophysical tests and microtremors is built, covering (unevenly) the whole national territory; <br>(2) twenty geo-lithological complexes are identified from the available geological maps; <br>(3) the investigations are grouped as a function of the geo-lithological complex and the distribution of measured VS,30, VS,eq are derived;<br>(4) medians and standard deviations of such distributions are assumed to be representative of the corresponding complexes that are consequently associated to soil classes. <br>The EC08 soil class map and the available database of Vs measurements were compared with the seismic soil map provided by the USGS based on a topographic slope-proxy (Allen and Wald, 2007). The latter is obtained by the correlation between topographic slope and VS,30, assuming morphometrical characteristics of the terrain as representative of the lithology. The slope-based method appears less reliable than the proposed approach, because its predictions resulted in a slight but systematic overestimation of the measured soil classes. Therefore, the proposed map can be more suitable for large-scale seismic risk studies, despite it is not a substitute of seismic microzonation and local site response analyses.<br>To make the results of the study available, a stand-alone software “SSC-Italy” has been developed and is freely available at http://wpage. unina.it/iuniervo/SSC-Italy.zip. </p>


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