Effect of Confining Pressures on the Dynamic Response Characteristics of Niger Delta Clay Soils

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.

Effect of Confining Pressures on Dynamic Response Characteristics of Silty Soils in the Niger Delta

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.

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer strengthened reinforced concrete square columns under pre-existing eccentric loads

Numerous experimental studies have been conducted on the behavior of strengthened columns, mostly with glued layers of FRP before load application, and rarely under the pre-existing load. Results confirm a good efficiency of strengthening in the compression-controlled region of the columns, as mentioned in design codes and guides such as ACI 440.2R-17. However, their behavior in the tension-controlled region is still a challenging subject. Moreover, when the eccentricity is large enough, the efficiency of the strengthening method needs more attention. This study aimed at strengthening six RC columns in the tension-controlled region under the pre-existing load condition. Furthermore, tested specimens were verified using a nonlinear finite element analysis performed in ATENA software. Moreover, some identical strengthened specimens, which were not subjected to pre-existing load during strengthening, were modeled to capture the effect of pre-existing loads. The results of the analyses were in good agreement with experimental data. Comparison of numerical results obtained for columns strengthened without pre-existing load, and under pre-existing load showed that pre-existing loading significantly reduced the efficiency of FRP jacketing. Also, assuming a linear variation of confinement pressure in the tension-controlled region of the interaction diagram results in good agreement with attained results.

Dilatancy of frictional granular materials under oscillatory shear with constant pressure

We perform numerical simulations of a two-dimensional frictional granular system under oscillatory shear confined by constant pressure. We found that the system undergoes dilatancy as the strain increases. We confirmed that compaction also takes place at an intermediate strain amplitude for a small mutual friction coefficient between particles. We also found that compaction depends on the confinement pressure while dilatancy little depends on the pressure.