Hybrid foundation for offshore wind turbines: Environmental and seismic loading

A hybrid foundation for offshore wind turbines (OWT) is studied, combining a monopile of diameter d and length L with a lightweight circular footing of diameter D. The footing is composed of steel plates and stiffeners forming compartments, backfilled to increase the vertical load. A special pile–footing connection is outlined, allowing transfer of lateral loads and moments, but not of vertical loads. The efficiency of the hybrid foundation is explored through 3D finite element modelling. Hybrid foundations of L=15 m are comparatively assessed to an L=30 m reference monopile. A detailed comparison is performed focusing on a 3.5 MW OWT. While the moment capacity of the monopile is larger, the hybrid foundation exhibits stiffer response, outperforming the monopile in the operational loading range. Under cyclic loading, the hybrid foundation experiences less stiffness degradation and rotation accumulation. Besides installation, the cost savings depend on the design of the footing and buckling can be crucial. The rubble fill is shown to provide lateral restraint to the stiffeners, being beneficial for buckling prevention. Although seismic shaking is not critical in terms of capacity, it may lead to substantial accumulation of rotation and settlement. Combined with cyclic environmental loading, the latter may challenge the serviceability of the OWT, potentially leading to a reduction of its service life. To derive insights on the effect of seismic loading, two scenarios are investigated: (a) seismic loading; and (b) combined environmental and seismic loading. In the first case, even a D=15 m hybrid foundation may outperform the reference monopile. This is not the case for combined environmental and seismic loading, where a D=20 m hybrid system would be required to outperform the reference monopile.     

Mitigation of reverse faulting deformation using a soil bentonite wall: Dimensional analysis,parametric study,design implications

Recent major seismic events, such as the Chi-Chi (1999) and the Wenchuan (2008) earthquakes occurred in Taiwan and China, have offered a variety of case histories on the performance of structures subjected to reverse faulting–induced deformation. A novel faulting mitigation method has recently been proposed, introducing a soft deformable wall barrier in order to divert the fault rupture away from the structure. This can be materialized by constructing a thick diaphragm-type soil bentonite wall (SBW) between the structure and the fault rupture path. The paper investigates the key parameters in designing such a SBW, aiming to mitigate the fault rupture hazard on shallow foundations. The paper employs a thoroughly validated finite element analysis methodology to explore the efficiency of a weak SBW barrier in protecting slab foundations from large tectonic deformation due to reverse faulting. A dimensional analysis is conducted in order to generalize the validity of the derived conclusions. The dimensionless formulation is then used to conduct a detailed parametric study, exploring the effect of SBW thickness w/H, depth H_SBWl/H, and shear strength τ_soil/τ_SBW, as well as the bedrock fault offset h/H, foundation surcharge load q/ρgB, and fault outcrop location s/B. It is shown that the wall thickness, depth, and shear strength should be designed on the basis of the magnitude of the bedrock fault offset, the location of the fault relative to the structure, and the shear strength of the soil. The efficiency of the weak barrier is improved using lower strength and stiffness material compared to the alluvium. A simplified preliminary design methodology is proposed, and presented in the form of a flowchart.     

Qualification of residential land from the viewpoint of liquefaction vulnerability

While the assessment of liquefaction potential by using borehole data has a long history since 1970s, its target users are still limited to professional engineers and experts. This situation is not favored by ordinary people who are seriously concerned with the reliability and preservation of their real estates during strong earthquakes. The demand of the people is that the liquefaction vulnerability of their residential land is precisely and clearly but concisely demonstrated so that people without engineering background can understand the real extent of risk. In this regard, the authors, under the governmental support, proposed a simple manifestation of the extent of liquefaction vulnerability of private houses in terms of the thickness of the surface unliquefiable crust and the vertical weighted average of the factor of safety or its equivalence. This achievement was made possible by introducing the ageing effects of soil on liquefaction resistance in addition to using geotechnical data base of subsoil conditions. During the work, it was found that existing borehole data may not be fully reliable and that experts who have sufficient knowledge of the local subsoil should assess the vulnerability. This requirement is satisfied by the qualification of special engineers that has been initiated by the Japanese Geotechnical Society in conjunction with several other institutions. The proposed method of subsoil qualification is used not only for individual residential land but also for regional hazard assessment.     

深埋隧洞开挖数值模拟分析的纵向模型范围研究

模型范围是影响数值分析计算精度与效率的重要因素,针对深埋隧洞开挖数值模拟分析问题,采用有限差分软件FLAC3D和复合失稳准则,对计算模型的纵向范围取值问题展开研究。首先分析了深埋隧洞开挖过程中围岩纵向变形以及未开挖岩塞对围岩变形的约束作用,然后研究了近端边界和远端边界对监测断面位置处围岩变形的影响,最后采用最小二乘法对多组计算结果进行了位移误差分析,并给出了纵向模型范围的取值建议。研究结果表明,当监测断面距掌子面大于10倍洞径时,未开挖岩塞的约束作用基本消失;远端边界以及近端边界与监测断面的最大位移误差值之间均基本满足幂函数关系,且远端边界对监测点位移误差的影响要大于近端边界;深埋隧洞开挖数值模拟中,纵向模型范围取7.5倍洞径即可满足一般数值分析的精度要求。     

基于Copula函数的CFG桩复合地基载荷-变形曲线的概率分析

CFG桩(cement-fly ash-gravel pile)复合地基是一种重要的地基处理形式,在日益增加的大面积住宅和商业开发中作用越来越突出,然而该种桩型的加卸荷-沉降变形特性仍然需深入研究,尤其在概率评估方面。根据北京星光影视股份有限公司生产科研基地项目工地中的21根CFG桩单桩静载试验和32个复合地基静载试验的原位加卸载测试成果,采用两参数的双曲线或幂曲线回归拟合了每一条加荷-变形曲线。由于土体的内在各向异性和其强度的变异性,评估整个场地的加荷-变形曲线时,其回归参数表现出了较大的离散性。将一个场地的多组回归参数组成一个随机向量,其加载-位移曲线的不确定性可由简单的两变量随机向量体现,引入双变量联结函数（Copula）描述随机回归参数间的相依性。最后,考虑正常使用极限状态,采用基于Copula函数的模拟模型计算了CFG桩复合地基的可靠度指标。研究结果有助于改进CFG桩复合地基的概率设计与评估。     

粉质黏土中沉箱-桩复合基础水平向承载性能试验研究

为进一步研究沉箱-桩复合基础的水平向承载性能,开展粉质黏土中单桩、沉箱-桩复合基础在水平向荷载和竖向及水平向组合荷载作用下的系列试验,对沉箱-桩复合基础的水平荷载与位移关系、桩身弯矩、位移及土抗力分布规律及群桩效应等进行了研究。结果表明,在水平荷载作用下沉箱对桩顶的约束使桩身弯矩分布较桩顶自由情况要更均匀,并能有效地降低桩身弯矩、位移及土抗力,提高了基础水平承载能力;在同时作用有竖向和水平向组合荷载时,沉箱底摩擦力参与抵抗水平力作用、桩顶竖向力也有利于进一步提高基础水平承载力;试验获得了不同桩数、桩顶约束、荷载作用条件下的沉箱-桩复合基础群桩效应系数,对于桩距为6倍桩径的情况,桩与桩之间的相互影响很小。     

扩径率与入岩深度对岩基挖孔基础抗拔承载特性影响的试验研究

扩径率和入岩深度是影响岩基挖孔基础抗拔承载特性的两个重要因素。通过开展8个不同扩径率、不同入岩深度挖孔基础的现场真型上拔静载试验,从荷载位移变化规律、抗拔承载力和地基岩体破坏模式三方面分析了扩径率与入岩深度对基础抗拔承载特性的影响,结果表明扩径率对荷载位移曲线初始线性阶段影响显著。采用图解法分别获得代表基础低、中、高3种承载能力的抗拔承载力QL1、QDLI、QL2,分析表明,随着扩径率与入岩深度的增加,基础抗拔承载力均有不同程度提高,但两种因素对基础承载力影响机制不同,扩径率可明显提高初始弹性阶段的承载力QL1,而入岩深度可明显提高塑性阶段的承载力QDLI和QL2。通过分析地基破坏时地表岩体裂缝的分布特征,得出岩基中上拔岩体的破坏模式与基础结构型式无关,均是从基底开始出现裂缝,沿着一定角度的开口延伸至地面,直至地基发生破坏,并且破坏范围随着入岩深度的增加而减小。综合考虑基础施工安全性、经济性和机械化程度,建议优先选择加深入岩深度的措施来提高基础抗拔承载力。     

深部大变形回采巷道围岩拉压分区变形破坏的模拟研究

为研究深部回采巷道围岩大变形破坏规律,在地质力学评估及矿压显现特征实测的基础上,采用真三轴相似模拟方法,模拟了不同加载梯度下巷道围岩应变特征。结果显示,在浅埋静水压力条件下,巷道围岩呈现“浅部拉应变、深部零应变”的特征;深埋静水压力及初掘采动应力下巷道围岩出现“径向应变拉压交替分布”现象;当采动应力集中系数大于2时,深埋巷道围岩应变进入非线性大应变状态。采用FLAC3D的应变软化模型与摩尔-库仑模型,对比研究了深部回采巷道围岩位移、塑性区分布规律。结果表明,应变软化条件下,巷道围岩产生拉、压分区破坏且软化后的围岩位移与实测结果更吻合。综合研究结果,揭示了深部回采巷道围岩拉、压分区的产生机制,初步提出了注浆、喷层等措施,防止过度应变软化引起深部回采巷道围岩大变形,为类似巷道稳定性控制提供了一定的参考。     

基桩低应变法三维干扰最小点位置的影响因素及确定方法

通过工程实测信号和数值模拟分析,证明了瞬态集中荷载敲击下,桩顶三维干扰速度信号的强度沿径向先递减后递增,存在干扰最小点,并对比了不同学者提出的干扰最小点位置处的信号。参数分析表明,三维干扰最小点的位置与桩径、桩长、荷载脉宽、桩身混凝土弹性模量、土层剪切波速及土层泊松比等桩、土参数几乎无关,但与桩身混凝土泊松比密切相关,且泊松比越大,干扰最小点的位置越靠近桩中心。给出了干扰最小点位置与桩身混凝土泊松比之间的函数表达式,可方便应用于实际工程。     

破坏包络面理论在多基础系统中的应用研究

由多个分离基础组成的多基础系统是常用的海洋结构基础型式。基于破坏包络面理论,分析了砂土地基多基础系统的失效模式,建立了相应的承载力计算方法,并验证了计算方法的可行性。对比分析了单一基础和多基础系统不同荷载路径下的荷载安全系数,探讨了破坏包络面理论与分项系数法相结合的基础承载力计算方法。失效模式的分析表明,由于水平荷载的增大,四腿平台结构迎浪侧基础首先到达破坏包络线,其失效模式属于滑动失稳,但由于基础间的运动约束,其并不会出现真正的滑移破坏。随着水平荷载进一步地增大,迎浪侧基础承担的水平和竖向荷载不断减小,导致背浪侧基础受到不断增大的荷载。最终,背浪侧基础也到达破坏包络线,多基础系统失效。分析表明,荷载路径对基础的荷载安全系数有决定性的影响,计算基础的荷载安全系数需指明相应的荷载路径。鉴于破坏包络面的大小和形状取决于众多因素,基础设计时需采用特定工况下的破坏包络面进行承载力计算。