Numerical investigation of the monotonic drained lateral behaviour of large diameter rigid piles in medium dense uniform sand

This paper presents a numerical investigation of the monotonic lateral response of large diameter monopiles in drained sand with configurations typical of those employed to support offshore wind turbines. Results from new centrifuge tests using instrumented monopiles in uniform dry sand deposits are first presented and used to illustrate the suitability of an advanced hypoplastic constitutive model to represent the sand in finite element analyses of the experiments. These analyses are then extended to examine the influence of pile diameter and loading eccentricity on the lateral response of rigid monopiles. The results show no dependency of suitably normalized lateral load transfer curves on the pile diameter and loading eccentricity. It is also shown that, in a given uniform sand, the profile with depth of net soil pressure at ultimate lateral capacity is independent of the pile diameter because of the insensitivity of the depth to the rotation centre for a rigid pile. A normalization method is subsequently proposed which unifies the load-deflection responses of different diameter rigid piles at a given load eccentricity.

Numerical Study on the Fracture Properties of Concrete Shield Tunnel Lining Segments

Shield tunnel lining structure is usually under very complex loading conditions in the underground space. As a kind of the common concrete structures, any defect in the tunnel lining segment may deteriorate its bearing capacity and even cause severe disasters. Three-dimensional numerical models of shield tunnel lining segments with initial cracks are built using the Symmetric Galerkin Boundary Element Method- (SGBEM-) Finite Element Method (FEM) Alternating Method. The cracking load and ultimate load of the tunnel segments are obtained, and crack propagation under fatigue load is also simulated by employing the Paris Fatigue Law. Results show that loading eccentricity has a very large influence on the bearing capacity of the cracked lining segment; the larger the loading eccentricity, the smaller the bearing capacity. Deformation and damage of the lining segment show obvious phases, which consist of the initial crack, cracking stage, steady crack propagation, unsteady crack propagation, and eventual failure.

Experimental and numerical investigation on ultimate strength of four-legged latticed columns

Latticed built-up columns are applied more extensively than solid columns in structural engineering because of their excellent load-carrying capacity and light weight. Studies on the bearing capacity of latticed columns, particularly multiple-legged latticed columns, need to be conducted in detail. In this investigation, seven four-legged latticed column specimens of different bar sections, bar distributions and loading eccentricities under compressive loads were subjected to experimental tests. The initial geometric imperfections of the legs and bars were measured and introduced into the FE numerical method. The experimental results were then compared with those of Geometrical and Material Non-Linear Analysis with Imperfection in ABAQUS software. The combined data indicate that the bar section, bar distribution and loading eccentricity significantly influenced the ultimate strength of four-legged latticed columns, producing maximum variations of 105.67%, 65.7% and 48.48%, respectively. This investigation demonstrates the influence of lacing bars and improves the results obtained from FE numerical analytical techniques.

Surrogate Neural Network Model for Prediction of Load-Bearing Capacity of CFSS Members Considering Loading Eccentricity

In this study, a surrogate Machine Learning (ML)-based model was developed, to predict the load-bearing capacity (LBC) of concrete-filled steel square hollow section (CFSS) members, considering loading eccentricity. The proposed Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was trained and validated against experimental data using the following error measurement criteria: coefficient of determination (R2), slope of regression, root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). A parametric study was conducted to calibrate the parameters of the ANN model, including the number of neurons, activation function, cost function and training algorithm, respectively. The results showed that the ANN model can provide reliable and effective prediction of LBC (R2 = 0.975, Slope = 0.975, RMSE = 294.424 kN and MAE = 191.878 kN). Sensitivity analysis showed that the geometric parameters of the steel tube (width and thickness) and the compressive strength of concrete were the most important variables. Finally, the effect of eccentric loading on the LBC of CFSS members is presented and discussed, showing that the ANN model can assist in the creation of continuous LBC maps, within the ranges of input variables adopted in this study.

H-M Bearing Capacity of Cone-Shaped Foundation for Onshore Wind Turbine under Monotonic Horizontal Loading

In this paper, monotonic horizontal loading tests were carried out to study the bearing capacity of the cone-shaped foundation in marine fine sand. With load-controlled methods, the horizontal load was applied to the rod of cone-shaped foundation at loading eccentricity ratios of 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0. In addition, theoretical analysis was used to investigate the horizontal ultimate bearing capacity, and finite element analysis was also used in this paper to investigate the influence factors of the bearing capacity of cone-shaped foundation. Based on the theoretical analysis, the formula for horizontal ultimate bearing capacity was deduced. Test results show that, at the same loading eccentricity, cone-shaped foundation can provide higher H-M bearing capacity as well as lower lateral deflection compared to regular circular foundation for wind turbines. In addition, the deflection-hardening behavior of load-deflection curve for cone-shaped foundation is also observed. Numerical analysis results show that the H-M bearing capacity of the cone-shaped foundation increases with increasing aspect ratio and buried depth, however, and decreases with increasing loading eccentricity. Based on the results from finite element analyses, several equations to calculate the maximum moment bearing capacities are put forward, which take the aspect ratio, loading eccentricity, and embedded depth into account.

Numerical analysis of steel columns stabilized by sandwich panels

Two different types of finite element models to simulate the steel columns supported by sandwich panels are developed in this paper and validated by the full-scale tests by Hedman-Petursson (2001) at ambient temperature. The bracing forces in self-drilling screws, the effect of connections in horizontal joints, effects of the lateral stiffness of self-drilling screws are studied using the developed FE models. Effect of different configurations of loading eccentricity on the buckling resistances of steel columns supported by sandwich panels are further analyzed in this paper.

On the Flexural Failure of Thick Ice Against Sloping Structures

This paper investigates the breaking load of ice sheets up to 6 m thick, against a sloping structure. The reference model by Croasdale, which the design code is based on, neglects the edge moment arising from the loading eccentricity, as well as a second-order bending effect induced by the axial loading in its formulation. In this paper, the model is reformulated to incorporate these effects into the governing equation, as well as to account for the occurrence of local crushing at the point of contact between the ice sheet and sloping structure. For thin ice, predictions from the modified model resemble closely those by Croasdale's model. As the ice thickness increases, however, significant deviations from the reference model can be observed. For thick ice, the terms omitted for brevity in the reference model have a significant influence, without which the breaking load is under-estimated. It is furthermore demonstrated that against sloping structures, the dominant failure mode is that of flexural, except in very limiting cases where it switches to crushing.

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF CIRCULAR CONCRETE-FILLED STEEL TUBULAR SLENDER BEAM-COLUMNS WITH PRELOAD EFFECTS

This paper presents a new numerical model for the nonlinear analysis of circular concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) slender beam-columns with preload effects, in which the initial geometric imperfections, deflections caused by preloads, concrete confinement and second order effects are incorporated. Computational algorithms are developed to solve the nonlinear equilibrium equations. Comparative studies are undertaken to validate the accuracy of computational algorithms developed. Also included is a parametric study for examining the effects of the preloads, column slenderness, diameter-to-thickness ratio, loading eccentricity, steel yield stress and concrete confinement on the behavior of circular CFST slender beam-columns under eccentric loadings. The numerical model is demonstrated to be capable of predicting accurately the behavior of circular CFST slender beam-columns with preloads. The preloads on the steel tubes can affect significantly the behavior of CFST slender beam-columns and must be taken into account in the design.