The consolidation characteristics of an unsaturated compacted soil

The compacted soils are extensively employed as mineral liners or a sealing system, constructed under municipal solid waste and other containment hazardous materials to prevent or minimize the leakage of pollutant liquids and gases into ground water and sublayers. This article presents a detailed experimental study on settlement characteristics, which are required for the construction of a sealing system. For the experimental study where a compacted unsaturated soil taken from Adana in Turkey has been used, a special equipped consolidation cell has been designed and constructed. The matric suction adopted as independent stress-state variables has been controlled by using the axis translation technique. The consolidation tests have been performed under constant matric suction. Furthermore, the pressure plate tests for various net vertical stresses have been conducted. The test results have indicated that the settlement characteristics of a compacted soil as mineral liners and covers are highly affected by matric suction. The water retention capacity of mineral liners, an important factor for hydraulic conductivity, also changes with the vertical load. The compressibility decreases as the matric suction increases. It has been observed that there exists an exponential relationship between the compressive indexes (C _t, D _t) and matric suction.     

土壤水取样技术应用基础研究——土壤水提取量与土壤含水量关系

土壤水取样技术在环境地质研究领域，特别是包气带污染质迁移，集聚研究，浅层地下水的污染预测与防治，盐渍土改良及农业生态研究等方面具有重要的应用价值。因而，以实验资料为依据。研究了土壤水取样技术某些重要应用基础问题，重点描述了土壤水取样器在4种不同岩性中的土壤水提取量与土壤含水量的关系，岩性中的土壤水提取量与土壤吸力的关系，并建立了相应的相关方程，以及对影响土壤水取样速率和取样量主要因素等问题进行了分析。     

Finite Element Analysis of Laterally Loaded Suction Caisson in Anisotropic Clay

1 .IntroductionSuctioncaissons have been widely usedfor offshore oil exploration duetothe advantages of econo-my and simple installation over traditional piles (Huanget al .,2003) .For tensionleg platforms andspar platforms in deep ocean,suction caissons …     

桶形基础及其作用下的粉质土海床失稳机制研究的试验设计

在阅读、分析以往的有关资料的基础上 ,结合实际的试验条件 ,对桶形基础及其作用下的粉质土海床失稳机制研究的试验作出了专门设计。该设计通过配土、设计模型桶基和负压沉贯的操作过程、设置孔压传感器等实验手段 ,努力从土体破坏的角度 ,寻求负压沉贯过程中沉贯负压、沉贯阻力及孔隙水压力之间的变化关系和确定桶基的上拔力。并且指出了数据处理的基本思路 ,以利于课题的深入研究。     

Desiccation shrinkage of non‐clayey soils: multiphysics mechanisms and a microstructural model

Analysis of macroscopic desiccation shrinkage experiments indicates that most, but not all of the shrinkage during drying occurs while soil is still saturated. Shrinkage practically ceases and air starts to penetrate the soil, when the water content is still quite high, for example, above 20% for the tested soils. The remaining, unsaturated drying process occurs with a much‐reduced shrinkage rate. In this context, we examine data of the pore system evolution as represented by the mercury porosimetry experimental results. The process is then modeled as a two‐stage process of deformation and evacuation of a two‐tube vessel system driven by the external evaporation flux. In the first stage, Poiseuille flow occurs through the vessels. The amount of water evaporated in this stage equals to the reduction of volume of the vessel through the deformation of its walls. This stage ends when a negative water pressure (suction) required to further deform the vessel reaches a critical value at which air enters the pore space. Two physical interpretation of such threshold are discussed. In the subsequent stage, evaporation proceeds with a receding liquid/vapor interface starting from the open end, incrementally emptying the vessel but with a marginal water flow and vessel deformation. The leading variables of the process are identified, and a quantifiable multiphysics meso‐scale scenario of models is established. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A three‐phase thermo‐hydro‐mechanical finite element model for freezing soils

Artificial ground freezing (AGF) is a commonly used technique in geotechnical engineering for ground improvement such as ground water control and temporary excavation support during tunnel construction in soft soils. The main potential problem connected with this technique is that it may produce heave and settlement at the ground surface, which may cause damage to the surface infrastructure. Additionally, the freezing process and the energy needed to obtain a stable frozen ground may be significantly influenced by seepage flow. Evidently, safe design and execution of AGF require a reliable prediction of the coupled thermo‐hydro‐mechanical behavior of freezing soils. With the theory of poromechanics, a three‐phase finite element soil model is proposed, considering solid particles, liquid water, and crystal ice as separate phases and mixture temperature, liquid pressure, and solid displacement as the primary field variables. In addition to the volume expansion of water transforming into ice, the contribution of the micro‐cryo‐suction mechanism to the frost heave phenomenon is described in the model using the theory of premelting dynamics. Through fundamental physical laws and corresponding state relations, the model captures various couplings among the phase transition, the liquid transport within the pore space, and the accompanying mechanical deformation. The verification and validation of the model are accomplished by means of selected analyses. An application example is related to AGF during tunnel excavation, investigating the influence of seepage flow on the freezing process and the time required to establish a closed supporting frozen arch. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

海上风机吸力基础的水平受荷研究综述

吸力基础具有施工速度快、安装过程中受海况天气影响小且易于回收重复利用等优点,被广泛应用于海洋工程。当吸力基础作为海上风电塔架的基础时,常常承受较大的水平荷载,因此其水平承载力是设计的主控因素。介绍了海上风机基础的设计要求,分析了影响基础水平承载性状的因素,总结了吸力基础受水平单调荷载、水平循环荷载和不同荷载组合三个方面的研究现状。讨论了水平荷载的大小、水平加载的高度(偏心率)、循环荷载的频率、循环荷载的次数、循环荷载的幅值、循环荷载的方向性、竖向荷载对吸力基础水平承载性状的影响,考虑了水平荷载的非共线性,指出了目前研究的不足,明确了吸力基础水平承载性状进一步研究的方向,提出了供工程实践参考的建议。     

THM analysis of a large‐scale heating test incorporating material fabric changes

Engineered barriers are basic elements in the design of repositories for the isolation of high‐level radioactive waste. This paper presents the thermo‐hydro‐mechanical (THM) analysis of a clay barrier subjected to heating and hydration. The study focuses on an ongoing large‐scale heating test, at almost full scale, which is being carried out at the CIEMAT laboratory under well‐controlled boundary conditions. The test is intensely instrumented and it has provided the opportunity to study in detail the evolution of the main THM variables over a long period of time. Comprehensive laboratory tests carried out in the context of the FEBEX and NF‐PRO projects have allowed the identification of the model parameters to describe the THM behaviour of the compacted expansive clay. A conventional THM approach that assumes the swelling clay as a single porosity medium has been initially adopted to analyse the evolution of the test. The model was able to predict correctly the global THM behaviour of the clay barrier in the short term (i.e. for times shorter than three years), but some model limitations were detected concerning the prediction of the long‐term hydration rate. An additional analysis of the test has been carried out using a double structure model to describe the actual behaviour of expansive clays. The double structure model explicitly considers the two dominant pore levels that actually exist in the FEBEX bentonite and it is able to account for the evolution of the material fabric. The simulation of the experiment using this enhanced model provides a more satisfactory reproduction of the long‐term experimental results. It also contributes to a better understanding of the observed test behaviour and it provides a physically based explanation for the very slow hydration of the barrier. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

考虑基质吸力的非饱和土邓肯-张统计损伤修正模型

为反映非饱和地基土变形全过程,以某基础工程非饱和土为研究对象,开展固结排水三轴压缩试验。研究发现,非饱和土的偏应力-应变曲线形态近似双曲线,基质吸力对土体力学行为影响十分明显,基质吸力越大,土体偏应力越高。根据非饱和土变形特性及工程特点,选取邓肯-张双曲线模型作为基础模型,引入统计损伤理论,假设非饱和土微元强度服从Weibull概率密度分布,建立邓肯-张统计损伤模型。通过搭建初始切线模量与基质吸力的联系,建立一种新的考虑基质吸力的非饱和土邓肯-张统计损伤模型。给出参数解析方法,得到Weibull分布参数经验表达式,从而修正模型。分析不同基质吸力条件下非饱和土损伤累积规律,采用所建模型和传统邓肯-张模型对比验证非饱和土偏应力-应变试验曲线,证明所建模型的可行性和合理性。研究成果为非饱和土的力学特性研究及辨识模拟提供一定参考。     

Application of wellhead suction anchor technology in the second production test of natural gas hydrates in the South China Sea

Traditional suction anchor technology is mainly used in the fields of subsea structure bearing foundations, single-point mooring systems and offshore wind power. It is characterized by providing sufficient lateral and vertical bearing capacities and lateral bending moment. The anchor structure of a traditional suction anchor structure is improved with wellhead suction anchor technology, where a central pipe is added as a channel for drilling and completion operations. To solve the technical problems of a low wellhead bearing capacity, shallow built-up depth, and limited application of conductor jetting in the second production test of natural gas hydrates (NGHs) in the South China Sea (SCS), the China Geological Survey (CGS) took the lead in independently designing and manufacturing a wellhead suction anchor, which fulfilled the requirements of the production test. This novel anchor was successfully implemented in the second production test for the first time, providing a stable wellhead foundation for the success of the second production test of NGHs in the SCS.©2022 China Geology Editorial Office.