Influence of Relative Density on Static Soil–Structure Frictional Resistance of Dry and Saturated Sand

Soil–structure frictional resistance is required while designing foundation systems and retaining walls. Although much more attention has been paid in recent years regarding soil–structure interaction for dynamic loading, highly conservative values of the static frictional resistance between soil and structure are used in design. Not much emphasis has been given lately to evaluate static frictional resistance between soil and structure. In this study, a well graded sand, as per USCS classification system, was prepared in the laboratory at different relative densities and moisture contents i.e. dry and saturated, and frictional resistances of those soils were measured. Those soil samples were also sheared against wood, concrete, and steel blocks and corresponding soil–structure frictional resistances were measured. Moreover, similar experiments were performed for saturated and loose poorly graded sand (SP), silty sand (SM) and poorly graded sand with silt (SP–SM). The study result shows that the difference between frictional resistance of soil and skin friction depends on the type of soil, relative density and the moisture content. Interestingly, shear envelopes for soil–soil and soil–structure shearing resistance exhibited curvature. The traditionally adopted soil–structure frictional resistance values adopted by various geotechnical manuals were found to be highly conservative.     

Laboratory Investigation of the Influence of Geotextile on the Stress–Strain and Volumetric Change Behavior of Sand

This paper presents the results of triaxial tests conducted for the investigation of the influence of geotextile on both the stress–strain and volumetric change behavior of reinforced sands. Tests were carried out on loose sand. The experimental program includes drained compression tests on samples reinforced with different values of both geotextile layers (1 ≤ Ng ≤ 3) and confining pressure (\(\upsigma_{\text{c}}^{\prime }\)) varying from 50 to 200 kPa. Tests show that the contribution of geotextile is negligible until an axial strain threshold that range between 2.5% for a confining pressure of 50 kPa to lower than 1% for 100 and 200 kPa confining pressure. At higher values of ε_a, geotextile induces a quasi-linear increase in the stress deviator (q) and volume contraction in the reinforced sand. Tests show a negligible influence of the number of geotextile layers (Ng) on the contribution of geotextile to both stress–strain and volumetric change, when normalized with Ng. Tests also show that the contribution of geotextile to the stress–strain mobilization augments with the increase in the confining pressure, while its contribution to the volume contraction decreases with the increase in the confining pressure. The reinforced soil becomes contracting in the case of 2 and 3 geotextile layers.     

Bearing Capacity of Eccentrically–Obliquely Loaded Footings Resting on Fiber-Reinforced Sand

This paper presents the method proposed to calculate the bearing capacity of a square footing under oblique and eccentric oblique loading condition (satisfying both shear failure and settlement criteria) resting on fiber reinforced sand layer underlain by sand with geosynthetic/fabric sheet at the interface. Large direct shear tests were carried out to investigate the shear strength parameters of sand and randomly distributed fiber reinforced sand (RDFS) and soil-plastic fabric sheet bond. The ultimate bearing capacity of RDFS was determined using direct shear results. Non-dimensional charts proposed by Kumar (Behaviour of eccentrically–obliquely loaded footing on reinforced earth slab. Ph.D. thesis, University of Roorkee, Roorkee, India, 2002) were used to consider the contribution of plastic fabric sheet in increasing the bearing capacity. Also, for calculating the settlement, horizontal deformation and tilt at a given pressure the regression analysis of plate load test data have been carried out. The predicted values of ultimate bearing capacity, settlement, horizontal deformation and tilt are compared with the experimental values which are in good agreement with each other. There appeared to be an increase in the residual shear strength and angle of internal friction of RDFS.     

Direct Shear Tests on Waste Tires–Sand Mixtures

Waste tires are used in some engineering applications and thereby reduce the potential impact on the environment, for example, as lightweight materials in geotechnical engineering projects. This paper presents a brief literature review on geotechnical applications of processed waste tires, and a laboratory study on the effect of tire shreds on the physical properties of two different sands (fine angular sand and coarse rotund sand). Each type of sand was mixed four different percentages of rubber particles; 5, 10, 20 and 50% by dry weight. Direct shear tests were employed to investigate the effect of rubber particles on the shear strength of sands and internal friction angle. The addition of shredded waste rubber particles slightly decreased both the internal angle of friction and the shear strengths of the sands within the tested stress and strain levels. Additionally, a prediction model using stepwise regression (SR) method is proposed to calculate the shear strength of sands with the increasing rubber content. The performance of accuracies of proposed SR models are quite satisfactory. The proposed SR models are presented as relatively simple explicit mathematical functions for further use by researchers.     

Cyclic Swell–Shrink Behaviour of a Compacted Expansive Soil

Laboratory cyclic swell–shrink tests were carried out on compacted expansive soil specimens to study in detail the effect of changes in shrinkage pattern on the swell–shrink behaviour of compacted expansive soils. Compacted soil specimens were allowed to swell and either shrank fully or partially shrank to several predetermined heights in each cycle. The tests were carried out at a surcharge pressure of 50 kPa. The test results revealed that shrinkage of compacted saturated soil specimens to predetermined height in each shrinkage cycle provides similar conditions as that of the controlled suction tests with an increasing number of swell–shrink cycles. The water content of soil specimens and hence soil suction was found to remain nearly constant for each pattern of shrinkage. For soil specimens equilibrated to a given swell–shrink pattern, suction at the end of shrinkage cycles was changed from a higher suction to a lower suction, and also from a lower to a higher suction. The experimental results showed that there may be an immediate equilibrium state attained by the soil in terms of swell–shrink potential if suction at the shrinkage cycles was less than the past suction; otherwise, the equilibrium state was accompanied by fatigue of swelling. The volumetric deformation of the soil specimen subjected greater shrinkage was found to be much larger than the corresponding vertical deformation. The compressibility index of microstructure, κ_m, was determined for several shrinkage patterns. It is shown that κ_m is heavily influenced by suction at the end of shrinkage cycles.     

Stress and Deformation Analysis of Concrete-Facing Sand–Gravel Dam Based on Inversion Parameters

With the long-term operation of the project, the material parameters of concrete-facing sand–gravel dam will change, which brings great difficulty to the scientific and effective stress and deformation analysis. Combining with the measured displacement data, the finite element analysis model of the concrete-facing sand–gravel dam of Heiquan reservoir was established, and the modulus of elasticity and internal friction angle of the dam body were inverted by the measured displacement of the dam, then the simulation analysis of the filling construction process and the reservoir storage process of dam was carried out, and the stress and deformation values of the dam during the construction period and the impoundment period were calculated. The results showed that the parameters obtained from the inversion are smaller than the original parameters, but there is little difference between them. The displacement calculated by finite element inversion was close to the measured displacement value, the overall displacement and stress distribution of the dam body and panel were in line with the general law, and the calculated displacement and stress values were at the normal level. This study provides a reference for parameter inversion and stress and deformation analysis of concrete slab dam through monitoring data analysis.

     

Sand Massifs as Objects of Ecological–Geological Research

In the ecological and geological respect the sand soil stratum is considered as a component of ecological–geological systems or biogeocenoses. The characteristic ecological–geological features of sand massifs are studied. Types of sand ecological–geological systems are distinguished and their structure is described.     

Experimental Study of the Solubility of Natural Tantalite and Pyrochlore and Tantalum and Niobium Oxides in Hydrothermal Fluoride–Chloride Solutions

Doklady Earth Sciences - The concentration and temperature dependences of the solubility of tantalite, pyrochlore, and tantalum and niobium oxides in fluoride–chloride aqueous (mHF + mHCl)...     

Influence of different transition zones on the dynamic response of track–subgrade systems

A railway track–subgrade system is modeled using the finite element method (FEM). Two different transition zones between a bridge and an ordinary subgrade, usually used for high speed passenger lines in China, are investigated. Both the calculated vertical displacement and acceleration of the rail and the slab and the calculated vertical displacement and the stress of the subgrade surface of the two transition zones are compared. The dynamic response of the two-part transition section is better than that of the inverted trapezoid transition section, and a 30-m length of both transition sections is recommended. The dynamic response of the track–subgrade system changes abruptly after the first 3 m of the transition section, measured from the bridge abutment. Special attention should be given to this critical zone during construction.     

Influence of pH on properties of Mn–Zn ferrites synthesized from low-grade manganese ore

Acta Geochimica - Mn–Zn ferrite powders were produced from low-grade manganese ore (LMO) via the chemical co-precipitation method combined with the ceramic method, after the LMO was leached...     

Interaction of Ribbed-Metal-Strip Reinforcement with Tire Shred–Sand Mixtures

There is a pressing need of finding innovative and beneficial ways of using scrap tires in the construction of various geotechnical structures because a large number of waste tires are generated and discarded every year throughout the world. One example of such geotechnical application is the use of tire shreds mixed with soil as a backfill material for mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. In this paper, we report the results of laboratory pullout tests performed to study the interaction between ribbed-metal-strip reinforcement and tire shred–sand mixtures prepared with various tire shred sizes (9.5 mm in nominal size, 50–100 mm in length, and 100–200 mm in length) and tire shred-to-sand mixing ratios (tire shred contents of 0, 12, 25, 100% by weight). The pullout capacities of ribbed metal strips embedded in tire shred–sand mixtures were obtained for three confining pressures (40, 65, and 90 kPa). The test results showed that the pullout capacity of ribbed metal strips embedded in tire shred–sand mixtures is much higher than that of ribbed metal strips embedded in samples prepared with only tire shreds. Based on the laboratory pullout test results, an equation was developed that can be used to estimate the pullout capacity of ribbed metal strips embedded in tire shred–sand mixtures if the tire shred size, compacted unit weight of the mixture, mean particle size of sand, and vertical effective stress acting at the interface are known.     

Cyclic and Dynamic Behavior of Sand–Rubber and Clay–Rubber Mixtures

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - In this paper, the possibility of using fine scrap tyre rubber to improve the mechanical properties of soil subjected to cyclic loading is...     

Influence of freeze–thaw dynamics on internal geochemical evolution of low sulfide waste rock

Continuous monitoring of a 15 m high heavily instrumented experimental waste rock pile (0.053 wt.% S) since 2006 at the Diavik diamond mine in northern Canada provided a unique opportunity to study the evolution of fresh run-of-mine waste rock as it evolved over annual freeze–thaw cycles. Samples were collected from soil water solution samplers to measure pore water properties, from twelve 4 to 16 m² basal collection lysimeters to measure basal leachate properties in the region underlying the crest of the pile (the core), and from basal drains to measure aggregate total pile leachate properties. By 2012, monitoring of pore water geochemistry within the core structure of the test pile revealed an apparent steady state with respect to weathering geochemistry, represented by (i) a flush of pre-existing blasting residuals and applied tracers, (ii) declining pH, (iii) a stepwise progression and subsequent equilibrium with acid-neutralizing phases (depletion of available carbonates; equilibrium with respect to aluminum hydroxide phases and subsequent iron (III) hydroxide phases), and (iv) concordant release of SO₄, major cations (Ca, Mg, K, Na, Si), and trace metals (Al, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn). Distinct, high concentration ‘spring flushes’, characteristic of drainage in northern environments and primarily explained by a combination of fluid residence time and the build-up of oxidation products over the winter, were released from core drainage each season. Following the initial flush, the concentration of all dissolved constituents steadily declined, with distinct minimums prior to freeze-up. The opposite trend was observed in the cumulative pile drainage, in which early season leachate dominated by snowmelt and batter flow had low concentrations and late season leachate dominated by contributions from the core of the pile (indicated by season end merging of core and cumulative drainage geochemistry) had higher concentrations. Northern waste rock pile drainage geochemistry is strongly influenced by freeze–thaw cycling and varying core and batter subsystem contributions to total drainage. A comprehensive understanding of thermal cycling in waste rock piles is an important component of temporal predictions of drainage water composition based on up-scaling or reactive transport modeling.     

Numerical Analysis of Infiltration in One-Dimensional Unsaturated Soil–Geotextile Column

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - Numerical modelling development for capillary barrier investigation considering unsaturated soil–geotextile interface has been studied and evaluated...     

Effect of Initial Principal Stress Direction on the Dynamic Characteristics of Carbonate Sand

INTRODUCTION Theexploitationofoffshorenaturalresourcesin thetropichaspresentedgeotechnicalengineerswith theproblemofdealingwithinsitucarbonatesedi mentsinharshconditionsforwhichfewengineering dataareavailable.Thecarbonatesedimentsaresub jectedtolargestaticstressesduetotheweightof foundationstructuresaswellascyclicstressesdueto waveaction,andinsomecases,earthquakeloading.Ithasbeenprovedthatthenatureofcyclicstresschangesoccurringintheseabeddepositduetowave loadinginvolvesacontinuousrotationo…     

Evaluation of Engineering and Cement–Stabilization Parameters of Clayey–Sand Mixtures under Soaked Conditions

Clay soils, especially clay soils of high or very high swelling potential often present difficulties in construction operations. However, the engineering properties of these clay soils can be enhanced by the addition of cement, thereby producing an improved construction material. Higher strength loss of cement stabilized clay soils after soaking in water is attributed to water absorbing capacity of the clay fraction (e.g. montmorillonite). Kaolinite and illitic soils are largely inert and resist to water penetration. These clays generally develop satisfactory strengths resulting to low strength reduction [Croft, 1967]. The swelling clays such as bentonite soaked in water, due to environmental conditions, result to volume increase causing macro and micro-fracturing in engineering structures. These fractures accelerate water penetration and consequently cause greater strength loss [Sällfors and Öberg-Högsta, 2002]. The water intrusion during soaking creates swelling and disrupts the cement bonds. The development of internal and external force systems in soil mass, due to soaking conditions, establish the initiation of slaking. Internal force system of a stabilized clayey soil consists of the resultant stresses established by the bonding potential of a cementing agent and the swelling potential of a clay fraction. In an effort to study this influence of soaking conditions and final absorbed water content on the stabilization parameters (cement, compaction, curing time), both unconfined compressive strength and slaking (durability) tests were carried out on two different cement stabilized clayey mixtures consisted of active bentonite, kaolin and sand.     

Erratum to: Experimental Study of the Solubility of Natural Tantalite and Pyrochlore and Tantalum and Niobium Oxides in Hydrothermal Fluoride–Chloride Solutions

Doklady Earth Sciences - An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1028334X22340025     

Pullout Response of Uniaxial Geogrid in Tire Shred–Sand Mixtures

Use of tire shred–soil mixtures as backfill materials in mechanically stabilized earth walls has several advantages over other backfill materials: (1) good drainage, (2) high shear strength, and (3) low compacted unit weight. This paper presents the results of laboratory pullout tests performed on uniaxial geogrid embedded in tire shred–sand mixtures. The effects of tire shred size, tire shred–sand mixing ratio and confining pressure on the interaction between the geogrid and tire shred–sand mixtures are evaluated. Three sizes of tire shreds are considered: tire chips (with 9.5 mm nominal size), tire shreds 50-to-100 mm long and tire shreds 100-to-200 mm in length, with mixing ratios of 0, 12, 25 and 100 % of tire shreds in the mixtures (by weight). Based on compaction testing of a number of mixtures, the optimal mixing proportion of tire shreds and sand was found to lie between 25/75 and 30/70 (by weight of tire shred and sand); this is equivalent to approximately 40/60 and 50/50, respectively, by volume of tire shreds and sand. The pullout resistance of a geogrid embedded in tire shred–sand mixtures is significantly higher than that of the same geogrid embedded in tire shreds only. The size of the tire shreds has negligible effect on the pullout resistance of a geogrid embedded in mixtures prepared with either low (12/88 mix) or high (100/0 mix) tire shred content. However, when the 25/75 mixture is used, greater geogrid pullout resistance was obtained for the geogrid embedded in tire chip–sand mixtures than in tire shred–sand mixtures.