Assessment of soil–pile–structure interaction influencing seismic response of mid-rise buildings sitting on floating pile foundations

The role of the seismic soil–pile–structure interaction (SSPSI) is usually considered beneficial to the structural system under seismic loading since it lengthens the lateral fundamental period and leads to higher damping of the system in comparison with the fixed-base assumption. Lessons learned from recent earthquakes show that fixed-base assumption could be misleading, and neglecting the influence of SSPSI could lead to unsafe design particularly for structures founded on soft soils. In this study, in order to better understand the SSPSI phenomena, a series of shaking table tests have been conducted for three different cases, namely: (i) fixed-base structure representing the situation excluding the soil–structure interaction; (ii) structure supported by shallow foundation on soft soil; and (iii) structure supported by floating (frictional) pile foundation in soft soil. A laminar soil container has been designed and constructed to simulate the free field soil response by minimising boundary effects during shaking table tests. In addition, a fully nonlinear three dimensional numerical model employing FLAC3D has been adopted to perform time-history analysis on the mentioned three cases. The numerical model adopts hysteretic damping algorithm representing the variation of the shear modulus and damping ratio of the soil with the cyclic shear strain capturing the energy absorbing characteristics of the soil. Results are presented in terms of the structural response parameters most significant for the damage such as foundation rocking, base shear, floor deformation, and inter-storey drifts. Comparison of the numerical predictions and the experimental data shows a good agreement confirming the reliability of the numerical model. Both experimental and numerical results indicate that soil–structure interaction amplifies the lateral deflections and inter-storey drifts of the structures supported by floating pile foundations in comparison to the fixed base structures. However, the floating pile foundations contribute to the reduction in the lateral displacements in comparison to the shallow foundation case, due to the reduced rocking components.     

Slip line theory applied to a retaining wall–unsaturated soil interaction problem

An extension of slip line theory to unsaturated soils is presented and applied to the problem of a rigid retaining wall rotating about its toe into unsaturated soils. Suction is introduced using the effective stress concept. Soil–wall interface friction is defined carefully. The influence of suction on limiting passive earth pressures is analysed for two soils under steady state evaporation and infiltration. Suction increases the limiting passive stress at the soil–wall interface, with a dependence on the steady state flow type. The displacement of the retained soil is studied assuming the wall undergoes a rotation increment. The results show a clear difference in the displacement for evaporation and infiltration.     

Semi-analytical solution to one-dimensional consolidation for viscoelastic unsaturated soils

This paper presents a semi-analytical solution to one-dimensional consolidation of viscoelastic unsaturated soils with a finite thickness under oedometric conditions and subjected to a sudden loading. The solution is obtained by using Lee’s correspondence principle based on the semi-analytical solution to one-dimensional consolidation of elastic unsaturated soils. The boundary contains the top surface permeable to water and air and the bottom impermeable to water and air. A typical example is given to show the evolution of excess pore-air and pore-water pressures as well as the total degree of consolidation of the soil layer with time for different ratios of air–water permeability coefficient, elastic modulus and viscoelastic coefficient. The one-dimensional consolidation behavior of viscoelastic unsaturated soil is discussed according to the semi-analytical solution. These results contribute to a better understanding of the consolidation behavior of viscoelastic unsaturated soils.     

Assessment of the dynamic behaviour of saturated soil subjected to cyclic loading from offshore monopile wind turbine foundations

The fatigue life of offshore wind turbines strongly depends on the dynamic behaviour of the structures including the underlying soil. To diminish dynamic amplification and avoid resonance, the eigenfrequency related to the lowest eigenmode of the wind turbine should not coalesce with excitation frequencies related to strong wind, wave and ice loading. Typically, lateral response of monopile foundations is analysed using a beam on a nonlinear Winkler foundation model with soil–pile interaction recommended by the design regulations. However, as it will be shown in this paper, the guideline approaches consequently underestimate the eigenfrequency compared to full-scale measurements. This discrepancy leads the authors to investigate the influence of pore water pressure by utilising a numerical approach and consider the soil medium as a two-phase system consisting of a solid skeleton and a single pore fluid. In the paper, free vibration tests are analysed to evaluate the eigenfrequencies of offshore monopile wind turbine foundations. Since the stiffness of foundation and subsoil strongly affects the modal parameters, the stiffness of saturated soil due to pore water flow generated by cyclic motion of monopiles is investigated using the concept of a Kelvin model. It is found that the permeability of the subsoil has strong influence on the stiffness of the wind turbine that may to some extent explain deviations between experimental and computational eigenfrequencies.     

松嫩平原耕层土壤固碳潜力估算

提高土壤碳收集能力对减缓全球温室效应具有重要意义。利用松嫩平原南部第二次土壤普查及多目标区域地球化学调查获取的两期表层土壤有机碳数据,根据近20年来各土壤类型不同土地利用方式土壤有机碳量变化趋势,估算了松嫩平原南部各土壤类型、各用地方式下土壤碳源、汇潜力。由估算得出,如果目前的土地利用方式、气候条件、耕作方式、种植技术不变,松嫩平原耕地土壤0~20 cm土层的固碳潜力为-1.229Tg碳,各土壤类型的林地土壤固碳潜力绝大多数为正值,说明林业用地为碳汇区,固碳潜力合计为3.169Tg碳,而天然牧草地绝大多数的固碳潜力为负值,固碳潜力合计为-2.235Tg碳,为碳源区,本次研究估算得出,松嫩平原总体的固碳潜力为-0.917Tg碳。     

桩基优化设计经济效益分析

分析岩土工程勘察报告中所揭示的地基土层特性,根据所掌握的大量桩基工程检测试验数据、沉降观测实测数据,对桩周（端）地基土的受荷性能以及基桩工作性状进行研究,通过静载荷试验的实际桩基承载能力,分析推导出优化地基土桩基设计参数。据此优化带来了一定的经济效益。     

基于试验的模拟月壤表层取样理论修正及其应用

月球探测对于我国各方面综合实力的提升均具有巨大的推动作用。当前我国各研发机构对月球采样的研发重点集中于采样机具的设计制造上,对采样机具和月壤之间相互作用却研究较少。与地球土壤相比,月壤的形成环境与条件完全不同,从而造就了其较为特殊的物理力学性质。在利用与真实月壤类似的模拟月壤进行的薄壁圆筒贯入试验中,发现存在月壤滞留和月壤附壁现象,从而分析得出在采样机具表面与月壤相互作用的理论分析中,除了传统的摩擦力理论外,还可通过最大抗剪强度进行分析。通过对试验现象和数据对比摩擦力理论和最大抗剪强度理论发现,最大抗剪强度理论更加符合实际情况。故将最大抗剪强度理论引入已有的月球螺旋钻进采样的理论模型中,通过计算得出基于最大抗剪强度理论计算的螺旋临界转速低于基于摩擦力理论计算的临界转速,在一定程度上能够降低采样机具的能耗。     

土壤地球化学测量在博茨瓦纳中部地区的应用

通过在博茨瓦纳中部区Tonota-Foley一带的找矿勘查,探讨土壤地球化学测量方法在博茨瓦纳热带干旱草原景观区的应用效果。利用该方法,在Tonota-Foley一带圈定出化探综合异常17处,通过对典型异常的查证工作,运用槽探工程,查明了异常源为方解石蛇纹岩体,说明土壤地球化学测量方法适用于博茨瓦纳中部地区的景观条件,圈定的异常准确、有效,该方法可在博茨瓦纳同类地区推广使用。     

综合物化探方法在地质找矿“攻深找盲”中的应用

物化探找矿方法面临着新形势下复杂地质条件中找矿的新挑战,单一物化探分析方法很难具有说服力,综合各种地质信息和勘探方法显得尤为重要。笔者结合河南省某矿床的找矿实践,介绍了高精度磁测、X荧光土壤分析和EH4测深等物化探综合分析方法,在工作区内发现了与成矿有关的物化探异常,经查证与地表地质现象吻合较好,说明该综合物化探评价技术方法在该矿床的应用是成功的,显示了其快速、高效和精准的特点。     

Determination of trace and rare-earth elements in Chinese soil and clay reference materials by ICP-MS

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS) has become a powerful tool for providing reliable analytical results in many laboratories around the word. In this study, the mixture of HF and HNO3 acids in high-temperature and high-pressure closed-vessel digestion technique were used to decompose some Chinese reference materials, and thirty seven elements were determined by ICP-MS. Most of the results for Chinese soil reference materials were found to be in reasonable agreement with the reference values, except Cs, Ta, Li, Ge, Zn, Nd, Tb and Ta whose values need to be revised. Their precisions were typically lower than 5% RSD. However, the Precisions of Chinese clay reference materials, especially for GBW03102 and GBW03102a, were significantly different with reference values, probably reflecting the existence of a coarser-grained fraction(70 μm) in samples, and the formation of fluorides in Al-rich samples during sample decomposition by using the mixture of HF and HNO3 acids. Moreover, thirty-seven trace elements covering the mass range from Li to U in four Chinese clay reference materials were firstly provided with good precision and accuracy in this study.