Modelling the behaviour of a retaining wall in residual soils for a cut and cover construction of a deep station in Metro do Porto

This paper presents a re-appreciation of the ground characterisation and the criteria to select the most representative geomechanical parameters to consider in a numerical model to predict the behaviour of a retaining wall of a deep excavation in highly weathered granite rock masses and residual soils. This study was focused in the construction of a deep station of Metro do Porto, which involved a cut and cover solution, with unusual proportions (in plant and in depth), built in the typical Oporto's granite weathered profiles, being the excavation conducted with retaining walls consisting of multi-anchored concrete piles. Specific sections were carefully instrumented, due to the presence of historic buildings in the vicinity. The definition of representative model parameters was based on precise laboratory tests over high quality soil samples, including oedometer and high-precision triaxial tests. Geotechnical and geological characterisation of all the area for the original design, was initially based on in situ tests, such as SPT and rock masses classification, and on the local experience on this type of ground. After this construction, the assumptions of parameterisation, using a constitutive modelling based on new laboratory tests over high quality block samples, allowed a reanalysis of the assumptions on the design phase. A back-analysis of monitored displacements and forces during the construction was made, assuming the designed structural solutions, which were in fact implemented in construction, but considering the new approaches on the definition of the geomechanical parameters for the prevailing weathered rock masses, necessary for the numerical simulation based on the commercial software Plaxis®, using the Mohr-Coulomb and “Hardening-Soil” models. Some specific changes of the constructive sequence during the excavation and activation of supporting system were attained, by looking at the information found during the construction. The results of this parametrical re-approach and analysis of the singularities of highly weathered granite and corresponding residual soils masses for modelling of retaining walls of large excavations are discussed.     

Passive earth pressure of overconsolidated collapsible soil subjected to inundation

ABSTRACT

Backfills behind retaining walls are often made of collapsible soils, which are subjected to wetting by surface running water or by rising the groundwater table. Collapsible soil shows considerable strength when it is dry or at a relatively low degree of saturation and experiences excessive and sudden settlement when it is inundated. This paper presents an experimental investigation on walls retaining overconsolidated collapsible soil subjected to passive earth pressure. A prototype model of a vertical wall, retaining horizontal backfill was developed. Collapsible soil was prepared in the laboratory by mixing kaolin clay with fine sand. The model was instrumented to measure the total passive earth force on the wall, the passive earth pressure at strategic locations on the wall, and the overconsolidation ratio of the soil in the testing tank. The state of passive pressure was developed by pushing the wall horizontally toward the backfill without any rotation. Tests were conducted on walls retaining overconsolidated collapsible soil at the dry and at full saturation conditions. Results showed that for the dry state, the passive earth pressure increases with the increase of the collapse potential and overconsolidation ratio, and was significantly dropped at full saturation.     

System reliability-based analysis of cantilever retaining walls embedded in granular soils

Reliability-based analysis of cantilever retaining walls requires consideration of different failure mechanisms. In this paper, the reliability of soil-wall system is assessed considering two failure modes: rotational and structural stability, and the system reliability is assumed as a series system. The methodology is based on Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS), and it deals with the variability of the design parameters in the limit equilibrium analysis of a wall embedded in granular soil. Results of the MCS indicate that the reliability of the failure components increases exponentially by increasing the variability of design parameters. The results of the system reliability indicate how the system reliability is different from the component reliabilities. The strength of the weakest component influences the reliability of the system. The system reliability index increases with the wall section gradually. However it remains constant for the rotational failure mode.     

Experimental study on bubble pulse features under the combined action of horizontal and vertical walls

The pulse features of a bubble have a close connection with the boundary condition. When a bubble moves near a rigid wall, it will be attracted by the Bjerknes force of the wall, and a jet pointing at the wall will be generated. In real application, the bubble may move under the combined action of walls in different directions when it forms at the corner of a pipe or at the bottom of a dam. The motion of the bubble shows complex and nonlinear characteristics under these conditions. In order to investigate the bubble pulse features near complex walls, a horizontal wall and a vertical wall are put into the experimental water tank synchronously, and an electric circuit with 200 voltages is designed to generate discharge bubbles, and then experimental study on the bubble pulse features under the combined action of horizontal and vertical walls is carried out. The influences of the combined action of two walls on the bubble shape, pulse period, moving trace and inside jet are obtained by changing the distances from bubble center to the two walls. It aims at providing references for the relevant theoretical and numerical research.     

Fragility functions of blockwork wharves using artificial neural networks

The use of artificial neural networks in the general framework of a performance-based seismic vulnerability evaluation for earth retaining structures is presented. A blockwork wharf-foundation-backfill complex is modeled with advanced nonlinear 2D finite difference software, wherein liquefaction occurrence is explicitly accounted for. A simulation algorithm is adopted to sample geotechnical input parameters according to their statistical distribution, and extensive time histories analyses are then performed for several earthquake intensity levels. In the process, the seismic input is also considered as a random variable. A large dataset of virtual realizations of the behavior of different configurations under recorded ground motions is thus obtained, and an artificial neural network is implemented in order to find the unknown nonlinear relationships between seismic and geotechnical input data versus the expected performance of the facility. After this process, fragility curves are systematically derived by applying Monte Carlo simulation on the obtained correlations. The novel fragility functions herein proposed for blockwork wharves take into account different geometries, liquefaction occurrence and type of failure mechanism. Results confirm that the detrimental effects of liquefaction increase the probability of failure at all damage states. Moreover, it is also demonstrated that increasing the base width/height ratio results in higher failure probabilities for the horizontal sliding than for the tilting towards the sea.     

Acceptance limits for performance‐based seismic design of RC walls for low‐rise housing

Acceptance limits of the structural response of walls for low‐rise concrete housing were developed. Proposed values are applicable within a performance‐based seismic design framework. Acceptance limits are based on performance indicators of structural response–allowable story drift ratios, width of residual cracks and residual damage index, and expected damage of walls. Cracking limits were defined from parameters obtained at the unloading stage of walls (i.e., residual cracking stage). The residual cracking stage may be used for structural damage evaluation and cost estimation of structural rehabilitation after an earthquake has occurred. The performance indicators proposed herein were derived from test observations and measured response of 39 RC walls' specimens during shaking table and quasistatic testing, as well as from limiting values and results of previous studies. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seismic response of multi-tiered reinforced soil retaining walls

In this study, a validated Finite Element procedure was used to investigate the similarities and differences of seismic performances between single- and multi-tiered reinforced soil walls. Three-tiered walls at a total height of 9 m were analyzed together with vertical walls at the same height. It was found from the Finite Element analyses that the resonant frequency of reinforced soil walls might increase with an increase in the tier-offset. The multi-tiered configuration could considerably reduce the residual lateral facing displacement and the average reinforcement load, and the reinforcement load distribution with height was different from that in vertical walls. With the same reinforcement length and spacing, the multi-tiered walls resulted in smaller reinforcement connection loads with the facing blocks. The study filled the gap of seismic behavior of multi-tiered reinforced soil retaining walls and revealed a few unique dynamic properties of this type of earth structures.     

Analytical solution of seismic pseudo-static active thrust acting on fascia retaining walls

This paper presents a limit equilibrium method, based on the approach of Mononobe and Okabe, for calculating the active thrust on fascia retaining walls, where common methods cannot be used owing to the narrowness of the backfill which does not permit the development of the thrust wedge in the shape and sizes predicted by these methods. The proposed method examines three distinct failure mechanisms, called Mechanism 1, Mechanism 2 and Mechanism 3, where the thrust wedge is formed by one, two or three blocks, respectively; separated by plane slip surfaces. The seismic forces have been simulated with the pseudo-static method. For all three mechanisms, the active thrust is obtained in closed form: in particular, with a cubic equation for Mechanism 2, and with a system of two equations, one cubic and the other quartic, for Mechanism 3. Mechanisms with more than three blocks cannot have analytical solutions. The study is completed by an examination of some significant cases from which the higher attenuation of the seismic thrust, with respect to the static, emerges as the backfill width reduces.     

土钉墙地基承载力问题探讨

土钉墙墙底地基土的承载力验算是土钉墙支护设计的一项重要内容。国内的工程实践中,通常将土钉墙地基承载力与坑底土抗隆起验算合并考虑。针对具体案例,通过Plaxis3D有限元数值模拟,分析研究了土钉墙底部土体发生地基承载力失稳的破坏模式、破坏荷载以及土钉墙墙底应力分布特点等,探讨了依据我国相关规程进行土钉墙坑底隆起或地基承载力计算可能存在的问题。借鉴国外加筋土挡墙地基承载力计算的一般方法,将土钉墙作为荷载倾斜、偏心的刚性基础对待,利用荷载倾斜、偏心条件下传统刚性浅基础的地基承载力的Meyerhof解和Vesic解,对土钉墙地基承载力进行了计算和对比,通过对比发现,Meyerhof解更接近实际,据此,提出了土钉墙地基承载力计算的合理模式。     

Steel slit shear walls with double‐tapered links capable of condition assessment

The concept of using a hysteretic damper as a condition assessment device that functions immediately after a damaging earthquake is realized by making use of the residual out‐of‐plane deformation of links that are arranged in slit shear walls. According to the proposed inspection procedure, the maximum drift ratio experienced by the slit wall is estimated based on the number of torsionally deformed links whose dimensions are determined so that the links would exhibit notable torsional deformation at the target deformations. The adoption of a double‐tapered shape for the links enables us to significantly increase the amount of out‐of‐plane deformation. The relationship between the dimensions and the torsional deformation of the links is established using numerical simulations. The effectiveness of the proposed condition assessment scenario is verified by using a series of cyclic loading tests for individual links and groups of links. As a hysteretic damper, the strength and stiffness of the links predicted by design equations matched well with test results. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.