Identification of dynamic soil properties through shaking table tests on a large saturated sand specimen in a laminar shear box

Many laminar shear boxes have recently been developed into sliding-frame containers that can reproduce 1D ground-response boundary conditions. The measured responses of such large specimens can be utilized to back-calculate soil properties. This study investigates how the boundary effect in large specimens affects the identified soil properties through shaking table tests on a soil-filled large laminar box conducted at the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering in Taiwan. The tested soil-box system is unique because only 80% of the container is filled with soil. This system can be regarded as a two-layer system: an empty top and soil-filled bottom. The dynamic properties of this two-layer system are identified through various approaches, including theoretical solutions of wave propagation, free vibration, and nonparametric stress–strain analyzes. Therefore, the coupling effect of the box and soil can be evaluated. Results show that, compared with the two-layer system considering the influence of the box, the conventional approach with a single-layer system slightly underestimates shear wave velocity but obtains the same damping ratio of the soil layer. In addition, the identified modulus reduction and damping curves in the two-layer system are consistent with those obtained in a laboratory test on a small specimen. Furthermore, based on detailed acceleration measurements along different depths of soil, a piecewise profile of shear wave velocity is built. The identified shear wave velocity increases with depth, which is not uniform and differs from the constant velocity typically assumed for the specimen.     

Design and commissioning of a laminar soil container for use on small shaking tables

This paper describes the design, fabrication and commissioning of a single axis laminar shear box for use in seismic soil–structure interaction studies. A laminar shear box is a flexible container that can be placed on a shaking table to simulate vertical shear-wave propagation during earthquakes through a soil layer of finite thickness. The laminar shear box described in this paper was designed to overcome the base shear limitations of a small shaking table at The University of Western Ontario. The design details of the box are provided in addition to results of dynamic tests performed to commission the box. A synthetic clay comprising sodium bentonite mixed with diluted glycerin was used as the model soil and 1-G similitude theory was employed to maintain model to prototype similarity. The model soil was compacted into the container in lifts to achieve soil stiffness that increased with depth. A series of shaking table tests and numerical analyses that were performed to study the performance of the laminar box and non-linear seismic behavior of the model clay are described. The results of this study show that the laminar box does not impose significant boundary effects and is able to maintain 1-D soil column behavior. In addition, the dynamic behavior of the model clay during scaled model tests was found to be consistent with the behavior measured during cyclic laboratory tests.     

Boundary effects of a laminar container in centrifuge shaking table tests

Two dynamic centrifuge model tests were performed to simulate dry or saturated sand deposits subjected to 1 Hz base shaking. This experimental study investigated the boundary effects of a laminar container on the seismic response acquired from accelerometers and from pore pressure transducers, both of which were embedded in the sand bed at various depths and distances from the end walls. Under the tested configurations and the employed input motion used in the study, the test results revealed minimal boundary effects on the seismic responses. The measured maximum amplitude, main frequencies, phase lags of acceleration, and the profiles of the calculated RMS acceleration amplification factor were not affected by the boundaries if the instruments were positioned at a distance of more than one-twentieth of the model length from the end walls and were not positioned on the ground surface. No obvious discrepancies were observed in the time histories of excess pore water pressure, measured at a distance of one-fourth of the model length from the end walls. These results infer that variations in the seismic response at the end walls were minimal; hence the laminar container used in the study may be used effectively to simulate 1D shear wave propagation in centrifuge shaking table tests. However, for other testing configurations, a similar study should be undertaken for evaluating the boundary effect of the laminar container on the seismic responses.     

Micro- and macro-observations of liquefaction of saturated sand around buried structures in centrifuge shaking table tests

A novel experimental method was designed to study the micro-behavior of saturated sand around a buried structure in centrifuge shaking table tests under strong simulated earthquake loading, in addition to the traditional macro-measurements. One free field test was first carried out as a reference, followed by one test with a deep buried structure and one with a shallowly buried structure. During the tests with the buried structure, high quality pictures of moving sand around the structure were recorded by a newly developed image acquisition system. By analyzing the interesting pictures at reasonable intervals using an image analysis software, the evolutions of microstructural features were obtained such as the orientations of the long axes of particles, the orientations of contact normals between particles and the average contact number of the interesting group of particles. The results showed that the evolutions of the micro-features were consistent with those of the macro-measurements such as excess pore pressures and accelerations, which help illuminate the mechanism of sand liquefaction.     

Shaking table tests on the lateral response of a pile buried in liquefied sand

This paper presents an experimental study on the lateral resistance of a pile subjected to liquefaction-induced lateral flow. To observe the soil surrounding the pile during liquefaction, it was modeled as a buried cylinder that corresponded to a sectional model of the prototype pile at a certain depth in the subsoil. In order to create a realistic stress condition in the model ground, the model was prepared in a sealed container and the overburden pressure was applied to the ground surface by a rubber pressure bag. The model pile was actuated back and forth through rods attached on each side by an electro-hydraulic actuator.This paper focuses on observing the deformation of the liquefied soil surrounding the pile when a large relative displacement between the pile and the soil is induced. The loading rate effect on the lateral resistance of the pile in the liquefied sand and the influence of the relative density are also investigated.Test results show that a larger resistance is mobilized as the loading rate becomes higher. When the loading rate is higher, the cylinder displacement required for the lateral resistance becomes smaller. It has been also observed that as the relative density of the soil increases, dilatancy of the soil in front of the pile also increases.     

Influence of colloidal silica grout on liquefaction potential and cyclic undrained behavior of loose sand

Cyclic triaxial tests were performed to investigate the influence of colloidal silica grout on the deformation properties of saturated loose sand. Distinctly different deformation properties were observed between grouted and ungrouted samples. Untreated samples developed very little axial strain prior to the onset of liquefaction. However, once liquefaction was triggered, large strains occurred rapidly and the samples collapsed within a few additional loading cycles. In contrast, grouted sand samples experienced very little strain during cyclic loading. Additionally, the strain accumulated uniformly throughout loading rather than rapidly prior to collapse and the samples never collapsed. Cyclic triaxial tests were done on samples stabilized with colloidal silica at concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20%. In general, samples stabilized with higher concentrations of colloidal silica experienced very little strain during cyclic loading. Sands stabilized with lower concentrations tolerated cyclic loading well, but experienced slightly more strain. Thus, treatment with colloidal silica grout significantly increased the deformation resistance of loose sand to cyclic loading.     

复杂应力条件下饱和松砂单调与循环剪切特性的比较研究

本文利用大连理工大学新引进与开发的“土工静力-动力液压-三轴扭转多功能剪切仪”,针对福建标准砂,在不排水条件下同时进行了单调剪切试验与循环剪切试验,进而对其进行了对比分析。通过比较表明,应力-应变关系的应变软化和硬化特性与流滑变形和循环流动特性密切相关,当循环剪切应力水平高于单调剪切过程中应变软化阶段最小强度时将会发生流滑变形。无论在单调剪切中,还是在循环剪切中,稳定状态时的有效偏应力比随着大主应力方向与竖向之间夹角的增大而减小,在中主应力系数相同的条件下,循环剪切中呈现显著剪胀时的有效偏应力比和最终稳定状态时的有效偏应力比峰值分别与单调剪切中达到相变状态时的有效偏应力比和最终稳定有效偏应力比基本上一致。然而不排水条件下单调与循环剪切过程中孔隙水压力的增长特性却并不相同,循环剪切中的最大孔隙水压力随着初始主应力方向角的增大而减小,单调剪切中的最大孔隙水压力却随着主应力方向角的增大而增大。     

子结构地震模拟振动台混合试验原理与实现

为了解决地震模拟振动台承载能力及台面尺寸对大型结构试验的限制,扩展振动台的功能,本文提出了子结构地震模拟振动台混合试验方法、试验过程及实时数值积分方法,并给出了试验子结构边界条件的两种模拟形式.通过一个简单框架结构的地震模拟振动台试验和子结构混合加载试验验证了该方法的可行性,并指出了该试验方法的主要技术问题.混合试验方法通过子结构技术和振动台试验相结合,解决了目前的地震模拟振动台试验和拟动力试验在设备规模和加载速度上的局限性.     

Influence of a cyclic and dynamic loading history on dynamic properties of dry sand, part II: cyclic axial preloading

Initial fabric of a soil induced by its cyclic strain history is an important parameter among others like void ratio, state of stress and amplitude concerning the further accumulation of deformations under cyclic loading. It is of high importance to determine methods in order to estimate the initial fabric of the grain skeleton or the cyclic loading history of the soil. An attempt is made in this paper to correlate small strain stiffness of non-cohesive soil with its cyclic loading history. For this purpose several cyclic triaxial tests with specimens subjected to cyclic axial loading were performed and changes of small strain soil properties due to this cyclic loading were studied. All these tests showed only moderate changes of small strain stiffnesses independently of the different boundary conditions. Thus, a correlation between fabric or strain history and small strain stiffnesses seems not to be possible.     

基于随机子空间的结构参数识别及振动台试验验证

本文依照实际工程的背景,提出一种改进的随机子空间参数识别方法;考虑了实际的结构振动测试,提出一种基于参考点的随机子空间系统识别方法。本文最后对此方法在五层钢框架结构模型上进行了振动台试验验证,试验结果表明,该方法具有良好的识别效果。     

Influence of a cyclic and dynamic loading history on dynamic properties of dry sand, part I: cyclic and dynamic torsional prestraining

Initial fabric of a soil induced by its cyclic strain history is an important parameter together with the void ratio, state of stress and amplitude in respect to further accumulation of deformations under drained cyclic loading. It is of importance for the further deformation prediction to determine the initial fabric of the grain skeleton or the cyclic loading history of the soil. An attempt is made within this paper to correlate small strain stiffness of non-cohesive soil with its cyclic loading history. The results of performed cyclic and dynamic torsional tests show that small strain shear modulus is only moderately affected by cyclic prestraining even if high amplitudes are applied. A signature of prestraining history is observed in the tests since the sand memorizes its prestraining amplitude and the number of applied cycles.     

Shaking-table tests and numerical simulations on a subway structure in soft soil

Shaking table tests were performed to investigate the damage mechanisms of a subway structure in soft soil while experiencing strong ground motions. The seismic responses of the structure and soil were found to be more sensitive to input motions with richer low-frequency components. The excess pore pressure ratio of soil increased slightly, and the distribution of the excess pore pressure surrounding the structure showed clear spatial effects. The frequency spectrum characteristics of input ground motions clearly influenced the lateral displacement of the structure. In addition, the structure was most severely damaged at the top or the bottom of the interior columns. Finite element analyses were conducted by using the modified Martin–Seed–Davidenkov viscoelastic and the rate-independent plastic-damage constitutive models for soil and concrete, respectively. Satisfactory agreement was observed between the simulation and test results, the difference between these results was discussed in detail. The results provide insight into how the characteristics of strong ground motion might influence and present a simplified analysis method to quantitatively evaluate the damage of subway structures in soft soil.     

Experimental quantification of the seismoelectric transfer function and its dependence on conductivity and saturation in loose sand

Under certain circumstances, seismic propagation within porous media may be associated to the conversion of mechanical energy to electromagnetic energy, which is known as a seismo‐electromagnetic phenomenon. The propagation of fast compressional P‐waves is more specifically associated to the manifestations of a seismoelectric field linked to the fluid flows within the pores. The analysis of seismoelectric phenomena, which requires the combination of the theory of electrokinetics and Biot's theory of poroelasticity, provides us with transfer function that links the coseismic seismoelectric field E to the seismic acceleration . To measure the transfer function, we have developed an experimental setup enabling seismoelectric laboratory observation in unconsolidated quartz sand within the kilohertz range. The investigation focused on the impact of fluid conductivity and water saturation over the coseismic seismoelectric field. During the experiment, special attention was given to the accuracy of electric field measurements. We concluded that, to obtain a reliable estimate of the electric field amplitude, the dipole from which the potential differences are measured should be of much smaller length than the wavelength of the propagating seismic field. Time‐lapse monitoring of the seismic velocities and seismoelectric transfer functions were performed during imbibition and drainage experiments. In all cases, the quantitative analysis of the seismoelectric transfer function was in good agreement with theoretical predictions. While investigating saturation variations from full to residual water saturation, we showed that the ratio undergoes a switch in polarity at a particular saturation , which also implies a sign change of the filtration, traducing a reversal of the relative fluid displacement with respect to the frame. This sign change at critical saturation stresses a particular behaviour of the poroelastic medium: the dropping of the coseismic electric field to zero traduces the absence of relative pore/fluid displacements representative of a Biot dynamically compatible medium. We concluded from our experimental study in loose sand that the measurements of the coseismic seismoelectric coupling may provide information on fluid distribution within the pores and that the reversal of the seismoelectric field may be used as an indicator of the dynamically compatible state of the medium.     

Testing the influence of topography and material properties on catchment‐scale soil moisture patterns using remotely sensed vegetation patterns in a humid temperate catchment,northern Britain

In order to evaluate the relationship between the apparent complexity of hillslope soil moisture and the emergent patterns of catchment hydrological behaviour and water quality, we need fine‐resolution catchment‐wide data on soil moisture characteristics. This study proposes a methodology whereby vegetation patterns obtained from high‐resolution orthorectified aerial photographs are used as an indicator of soil moisture characteristics. This enables us to examine a set of hypotheses regarding what drives the spatial patterns of soil moisture at the catchment scale (material properties or topography). We find that the pattern of Juncus effusus vegetation is controlled largely by topography and mediated by the catchment's material properties. Characterizing topography using the topographic index adds value to the soil moisture predictions relative to slope or upslope contributing area (UCA). However, these predictions depart from the observed soil moisture patterns at very steep slopes or low UCAs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of soil and water conservation measures on catchment hydrological response—a case in north Ethiopia

Impact studies of catchment management in the developing world rarely include detailed hydrological components. Here, changes in the hydrological response of a 200‐ha catchment in north Ethiopia are investigated. The management included various soil and water conservation measures such as the construction of dry masonry stone bunds and check dams, the abandonment of post‐harvest grazing, and the establishment of woody vegetation. Measurements at the catchment outlet indicated a runoff depth of 5 mm or a runoff coefficient (RC) of 1·6% in the rainy season of 2006. Combined with runoff measurements at plot scale, this allowed calculating the runoff curve number (CN) for various land uses and land management techniques. The pre‐implementation runoff depth was then predicted using the CN values and a ponding adjustment factor, representing the abstraction of runoff induced by the 242 check dams in gullies. Using the 2006 rainfall depths, the runoff depth for the 2000 land management situation was predicted to be 26·5 mm (RC = 8%), in line with current RCs of nearby catchments. Monitoring of the ground water level indicated a rise after catchment management. The yearly rise in water table after the onset of the rains (ΔT) relative to the water surplus (WS) over the same period increased between 2002–2003 (ΔT/WS = 3·4) and 2006 (ΔT/WS >11·1). Emerging wells and irrigation are other indicators for improved water supply in the managed catchment. Cropped fields in the gullies indicate that farmers are less frightened for the destructive effects of flash floods. Due to increased soil water content, the crop growing period is prolonged. It can be concluded that this catchment management has resulted in a higher infiltration rate and a reduction of direct runoff volume by 81% which has had a positive influence on the catchment water balance. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of geometrical properties on permeability and fluid phase distribution in porous media

To predict fluid phase distribution in porous media, the effect of geometric properties on flow processes must be understood. In this study, we analyze the effect of volume, surface, curvature and connectivity (the four Minkowski functionals) on the hydraulic conductivity and the water retention curve. For that purpose, we generated 12 artificial structures with 800³ voxels (the units of a 3D image) and compared them with a scanned sand sample of the same size. The structures were generated with a Boolean model based on a random distribution of overlapping ellipsoids whose size and shape were chosen to fulfill the criteria of the measured functionals. The pore structure of sand material was mapped with X-rays from synchrotrons.     

Impact of tree planting configuration and grazing restriction on canopy interception and soil hydrological properties: implications for flood mitigation in silvopastoral systems

Compaction of upper soil layers by intensive sheep grazing has been connected with increased local flood risk in silvopastoral systems. A 12‐week field study was conducted at the Henfaes Research Station near Bangor, Wales to compare canopy interception, soil water infiltration, and bulk density between a control pasture and two silvopastoral tree planting configurations: trees clumped in fenced‐off ungrazed plots and trees planted evenly and grazed. The study's aim was to characterize the potential of these tree planting configurations to reduce local flood risk. Automated throughfall gauges were installed in each silvopastoral treatment along with a similarly designed control gauge located in the grazed control pasture. Soil water infiltration and bulk density were measured 20 times in a stratified random design for each treatment and control. Results showed that the mean soil infiltration capacity in clumped configuration was 504% greater than the control pasture and 454% greater than the even spaced configuration. Average canopy interception was higher in the clumped configuration (34%) than in the even spaced configuration (28%). Soil bulk density was lower in the clumped configuration (0.87 Mg/m³) than in the control pasture (0.93 Mg/m³) and even spaced configuration (1 Mg/m³). Results suggest that silvopastoral systems are more likely to benefit from clumped and ungrazed tree configurations than from evenly‐spaced and grazed tree configurations because of enhanced infiltration, lower soil compaction, and increased canopy interception. Our findings support the growing evidence base that fenced‐off tree areas in silvopastoral settings can increase infiltration and thus reduce local flood risk. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of lithology and soil properties on abandoned dryland terraces during the early stages of soil erosion by water in south‐east Spain

Soil erosion by water in abandoned dry terraces is one of the most important environmental problems in semiarid areas, enhancing biological degradation and reducing possible resources that can be obtained. However, little is known about the effects of the types of lithology and soil properties on the early stages of soil erosion. Therefore, the main aim of this research was to assess the effect of different lithologies (marls, limestones, and metamorphic—phyllites, schists, and greywackes—materials) and soil properties on the early stages of soil erosion by water in abandoned dry terraces, compared with similar terraces still in agricultural use. Soil analyses (texture, aggregate stability, and bulk density) and 22 rainfall simulations were carried out under dry conditions. During the experiments, local inclination, vegetation and stone cover, total organic matter, and antecedent soil moisture were also quantified. The results showed that the highest soil loss (41.41 g/m² in cultivated plots and 17.05 g/m² in the abandoned plots) and runoff (3.79 L/m² in the abandoned plot) occurred on marl substrata. Marls also showed the shallowest infiltration front (9 cm) and lowest infiltration rate (4.3 cm/min). Limestones and, especially, metamorphic areas, showed a lower degree of soil erosion, higher infiltration rates, and deeper infiltration fronts.