Structural and geotechnical impacts of surface rupture on highway structures during recent earthquakes in Turkey

The most significant damage on highway bridges during the recent earthquakes in Turkey (Kocaeli and Duzce earthquakes) and Taiwan (Chi–Chi earthquake) was the result of fault ruptures traversing transportation infrastructure. This phenomenon and its consequences accentuate the need to examine surface rupture hazards and to identify those areas at risk. This understanding can help to develop remedial measures for both structural and geotechnical engineering. For that purpose, damage to highway bridges during the recent events was reviewed. The total collapse of the highway overpass in Arifiye, during the Kocaeli earthquake, was investigated. The major problems under consideration (in Arifiye) were: (i) dislodging of the bridge spans, and consequently, the total separation of the reinforced concrete girders from the piers; and (ii) the stability of a mechanically stabilized earth wall (MSEW) system under extreme loading conditions. The results of the structural and geotechnical investigations presented herein can be taken in consideration to improve transportation infrastructure against surface rupture hazards.     

Green''''s functions for uniformly distributed loads acting on an inclined line in a poroelastic layered site

Based on one type of practical Biot's equation and the dynamic-stiffness matrices of a poroelastic soil layer and half-space, Green's functions were derived for uniformly distributed loads acting on an inclined line in a poroelastic layered site. This analysis overcomes significant problems in wave scattering due to local soil conditions and dynamic soil-structure interaction. The Green's functions can be reduced to the case of an elastic layered site developed by Wolf in 1985. Parametric studies are then carried out through two example problems.     

A practical method for estimating dynamic soil stiffness on surface of multi‐layered soil

It is important to estimate the influence of layered soil in soil–structure interaction analyses. Although a great number of investigations have been carried out on this subject, there are very few practical methods that do not require complex calculations. In this paper, a simple and practical method for estimating the horizontal dynamic stiffness of a rigid foundation on the surface of multi‐layered soil is proposed. In this method, waves propagating in the soil are traced using the conception of the cone model, and the impulse response function can be calculated directly and easily in the time domain with a good degree of accuracy. The characteristics of the impedance, that is the transformed value to the frequency domain of the obtained impulse response, are studied using two‐ to four‐layered soil models. The cause of the fluctuation of impedance is expressed clearly from its relation to reflected waves from the lower layer boundary in the model. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three-dimensional active earth pressure from cohesive backfills with tensile strength cutoff

Most of previous analyses on the active earth pressure were performed in two-dimensional cases using the Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) failure function to describe the soil strength. However, all failures of retained slopes indicate a somewhat three-dimensional (3D) feature, and the M-C function is found to overestimate the tensile strength of cohesive soil. In this work, a kinematic limit analysis–based approach is developed for computing the 3D active earth pressure resulting from cohesive backfills. The concept of tensile strength cutoff is adopted to implement the reduction or elimination of tensile strength from the strength envelope. An extended 3D horn failure mechanism that is associated with the modified strength envelope is developed to characterize the collapse of retained slopes. The resultant of active earth pressure is evaluated from the work rate balance equation and expressed as an unfactored coefficient. The obtained results indicate that less support provided by the wall is required when allowing the existence of soil cohesion and 3D effects and that eliminating the tensile strength can observably increase the active earth pressure, especially for the backfill with a great level of cohesion.     

Experimental determination of REE partition coefficients between zircon,garnet and melt: a key to understanding high‐T crustal processes

The partitioning of rare earth elements (REE) between zircon, garnet and silicate melt was determined using synthetic compositions designed to represent partial melts formed in the lower crust during anatexis. The experiments, performed using internally heated gas pressure vessels at 7 kbar and 900–1000 °C, represent equilibrium partitioning of the middle to heavy REE between zircon and garnet during high‐grade metamorphism in the mid to lower crust. The D_REE (zircon/garnet) values show a clear partitioning signature close to unity from Gd to Lu. Because the light REE have low concentrations in both minerals, values are calculated from strain modelling of the middle to heavy REE experimental data; these results show that zircon is favoured over garnet by up to two orders of magnitude. The resulting general concave‐up shape to the partitioning pattern across the REE reflects the preferential incorporation of middle REE into garnet, with D_Gd (zircon/garnet) ranging from 0.7 to 1.1, D_Ho (zircon/garnet) from 0.4 to 0.7 and D_Lu (zircon/garnet) from 0.6 to 1.3. There is no significant temperature dependence in the zircon–garnet REE partitioning at 7 kbar and 900–1000 °C, suggesting that these values can be applied to the interpretation of zircon–garnet equilibrium and timing relationships in the ultrahigh‐T metamorphism of low‐Ca pelitic and aluminous granulites.     

Numerical simulation of the response of a reinforced wall to a high speed train passage

The dynamic response of a mechanically stabilized earth wall to the passing of a high‐speed train is modelled using the finite element method. A three‐dimensional analysis is carried out, using a specific framework that allows performing the analysis with a moderate computational effort. In the first place, a so‐called multiphase approach is used to take into account the reinforcing strips. The moving load is taken into account by performing the calculation in a mobile referential using the properties of symmetry of the train cars and a simplifying assumption of periodicity for the whole train. We also assume a steady state. A partial validation of the approach is obtained by means of a comparison with an analytical solution. The quick increase in displacements induced by the train passing when the speed comes close to the celerity of Rayleigh waves clearly appears in the results. The vertical displacements, vertical stresses in the backfill, tensile forces in the strips and the influence of the stiffness of the soil are discussed. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Elastic lateral dynamic impedance functions for a rigid cylindrical shell type foundation

Elastic lateral dynamic impedance functions are defined as the ratio of the lateral dynamic force/moment to the corresponding lateral displacement/rotation at the top ending of a foundation at very small strains. Elastic lateral dynamic impedance functions have a defining influence on the natural frequencies of offshore wind turbines supported on cylindrical shell type foundations, such as suction caissons, bucket foundations, and monopiles. This paper considers the coupled horizontal and rocking vibration of a cylindrical shell type foundation embedded in a fully saturated poroelastic seabed in contact with a seawater half‐space. The formulation of the coupled seawater–shell–seabed vibration problem is simplified by treating the shell as a rigid one. The rigid shell vibration problem is approached by the integral equation method using ring‐load Green's functions for a layered seawater‐seabed half‐space. By considering the boundary conditions at the shell–soil interface, the shell vibration problem is reduced to Fredholm integral equations. Through an analysis of the corresponding Cauchy singular equations, the intrinsic singular characteristics of the problem are rendered explicit. With the singularities incorporated into the solution representation, an effective numerical method involving Gauss–Chebyshev method is developed for the governing Fredholm equations. Selected numerical results for the dynamic contact load distributions, displacements of the shell, and lateral dynamic impedance functions are examined for different shell length–radius ratio, poroelastic materials, and frequencies of excitation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tensionless–frictionless interaction of flexible annular foundation with a transversely isotropic multi‐layered half‐space

A transversely isotropic multi‐layered half‐space, with axis of material symmetry perpendicular to the free surface, supports a flexible either annular or solid circle foundation. The contact area of the foundation and the half‐space is considered to be both frictionless and tensionless. The foundation is assumed to be affected by a vertical static axisymmetric load. Detailed analysis of the interaction of these two systems with different thickness of layers is the target of this paper. With the use of ring load Green's functions for both the foundation and the continuum half‐space, an integral equation accompanied with some inequalities is introduced to model the complex BVP. With the incorporation of ring‐shape FEM, we are capable of capturing both regular and singular solution smoothly. The validity of the combination of the analytical and numerical method is proved with comparing the results of this paper with a number of benchmark cases of both linear and nonlinear interaction of circular and annular foundation with half‐space. Some new illustrations are presented to portray the aspect of the anisotropy and layering of the half‐space. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical and theoretical research on stress distribution in the loosening zone of the trapdoor problem

The traditional theory of soil arching effect was developed on the assumption that stress distribution in the loosening zone is uniform. However, because of the deflection of principal stress' direction, the stress distribution in the loosening zone is actually ununiform. For the evaluation of principal stress axis deflection and stress redistribution, a discrete element method numerical model of trapdoor problem is established for the simulation of soil arching effect. Based on the numerical results, an arc shape of major principal stress trajectory and uniform horizontal stress distribution at the same depth of the loosening zone are adopted. An analytical model is raised to estimate the average loosening earth pressure acting on the trapdoor and stress distribution in the loosening zone at a limit state. In addition, comparison studies are carried out between the predictions of the proposed solutions and discrete element method numerical results as well as available model test results, thereby validating the accuracy of the proposed theoretical model. Both numerical and theoretical results indicate that the vertical stress distribution in the loosening zone is obviously ununiform. The load acting in the middle of loosening zone is transferred toward two sides so that the vertical stress distribution in loosening zone is concave.