bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Methods for Reliability Calibration of Partial Resistance Factors for Pile Foundations
Authors: Dithinde Mahongo  , Retief Johan
Published: February 2025

Uncertainties are a hall mark of engineering design leading to the development of risk and reliability informed basis for decision making. Accordingly three different but related levels of approach, namely a risk based, a reliability based and a semi-probabilistic approach have been proposed in ISO 2394. However, for code development the semi-probabilistic approach has been internationally embraced. The approach constitutes verification method in which allowance is made for the uncertainties and variability assigned to the basic variables by means of partial factors. A number of methods for reliability calibration of partial resistance factors have been reported in the literature. These include: Advanced First-Order Second Moment Approach (A-FOSM), Mean Value First-Order Second Moment Approach (MV-FOSM), Approximate First-Order Second Moment Approach and the Design Value method. These four methods are used to derive partial resistance factors. Published resistance statistics based on a comprehensive pile load tests from the geologic region of Southern Africa are used as input in the reliability calibration process. Comparison of results shows that resistance partial factors from a full scale reliability method are comparable to those obtained from approximate methods.
Evaluation and Application of Characteristic Values Based on Eurocode 7 Design Methodology
Authors: Kádár István  , Nagy László
Published: February 2025

With the prescence of Eurocode 7 standards the reliability-based design appeared and it is still spreading in geotechnics. In geotechnical design it is essential that we know the physical parameters of the soils as accurately and safely as possible. Therefore experiments and series of experiments are carried out and characteristic values are determined with the tools of statistics. Characteristic parameters are defined as cautious estimates of the soil parameters affecting the limit state. This paper aims to show the basic idea of the determination of characteritic values and describe the different definiton methods for laboratory testing and based on samples collected from larger area. In addition this paper is a contribution to show the application of Eurocode 7 design methodology, based on the limit state design.
Application of Fragility Curves in Operational Flood Risk Assessment
Authors: Wojciechowska K.  , Pleijter G.  , Zethof M.  , Havinga F.J.  , Van Haaren D.H.  , Ter Horst W.L.A.
Published: February 2025

The aim of this article is to present and discuss fragility curves that were derived for numerous dikes in the Netherlands within the Dike Data Service Centre (DDSC) initiative. A fragility curve of a dike is a mapping from the set of loads, acting on the dike, to the set of conditional dike failure probabilities. The DDSC is a platform around a database for measurements related to water defences in the Netherlands. The measurements include real-time and historical data such as height measurements, pore water pressures, temperature etc. Besides the database functionality, the DDSC can be applied to interpret the information and issue warnings. The fragility curves were derived for failure mechanisms overtopping, piping and macro-stability as well as for combination of these mechanisms. Also, application of the fragility curves is addressed. The application includes: (i) insight into the effect of reducing uncertainties in subsoil-related parameters on the dike's reliability, (ii) derivation of the actual flooding probability and the actual local mortality risk, and (iii) prioritization of emergency flood measures. The derived fragility curves are conform findings of past studies: for water levels lower than the dike height, piping and macro-stability play an important role. Furthermore, the fragility curves prove to have an added value in operational flood risk assessment.
Risk Analysis on Cascade Breaching of the Tangjiashan Landslide Dam and Two Smaller Downstream Landslide Dams
Authors: Zhu Yan  , Peng Ming  , Shi Zhenming  , Zhang Limin
Published: February 2025

The 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake triggered at least 257 landslide dams, most of which formed in series along rivers. The failure of an upstream dam could cause the failure of dams downstream one after another. The cascade dam breaching may result in sharp increase of flood and more serious damage downstream. This paper aims to analyze the risks on cascade breaching of the Tangjiashan landslide dam and two smaller downstream landslide dams, which were triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake. The paper first simulates the cascade breaching of these three landslide dams. A modified DABA model is applied for this purpose, in which the water-soil interactions are simulated with erosion and shallow water flow theory. A human risk analysis model, named HURAM, is applied to analyze the cascade breach risks of these three dams. Two scenarios, namely, the simulated real case and the case with the highest flood with overlapping effect, will be considered to show the characteristics of the cascade dam breaching risks. It is found that cascading dam breaching is very likely to form multiple-peak floods which may cause multi-round impact to the people downstream. The overlapping effect of cascading dam breaching would amplify the breach flood risk to the people downstream.
Geotechnical Monitoring of a Trial Pit Excavation Toward the Boom Clay in Antwerp (Belgium)
Authors: de Nijs Richard  , Kaalberg Frank  , Osselaer Gert  , Couck Jan  , Van Royen Kristof
Published: February 2025

In order to relieve the busy traffic arteries of Antwerp (Belgium), the closing of the ring around Antwerp was put to study by BAM (Beheersmaatschappij Antwerpen Mobiel). The design of this construction requires detailed insight in the behaviour of the overconsolidated Boom clay layer during and after dewatering and removal of the covering soil layers. For this purpose a fully monitored excavation test was performed in order to assess the soil behaviour and specific techniques to be used in anticipated projects in the Antwerp area. This paper will specially present and evaluate the results regarding swell and pore pressures recorded in the Boom clay. From the monitoring results it can be derived that the Boom clay shows a quick response to a fluctuation in water level in the overlaying aquifer. The Boom clay also shows a severe pore pressure reduction as a result from loss on effective stress during excavation. These two effects should be considered separately. The underpressure is caused by swell hindered by a very low permeability of the Boom clay. Up to 50% of the effective stress reduction can be transferred into a pore pressure reduction. This condition results in a long term dissipation and swell process towards a gradient of approximately 25 kPa pressure increase per m depth. The pore pressure converges towards the original hydraustatic pressure in the Boom clay.
Quantitative Geotechnical Risk Management for Tunneling Projects in China
Authors: Huang Hongwei  , Zhang Dongming
Published: February 2025

To date, the tunneling in China is experiencing an age of fast development for decades. The potential risks behind the huge amount of construction and operation works in China was first formally realized and managed after 2002. The transition of risk assessment from a qualitative manner to a quantitative manner is on the way from the research gradually to the practice. This paper tries to share some experiences in the quantitative risk management for tunneling in China by introducing novel techniques and associated practical applications. The fuzzy fault tree analysis is used for hazard identification, the conditional Markov chain for probability analysis of soil spatial uncertainty, the quantitative vulnerability analysis for consequence evaluation and the field data based statistics for environmental impact risk analysis. All these novel methods have been validated successfully by applying into real cases shown in the paper. The dynamic feature of risk management is appreciated due to the different stages and scenarios of a tunnel project. The real-time monitoring technique developed using the LEDs and MEMS coupled with WSN could visualize the risk to the worker on site timely. The resilience analysis model to incorporate the high-impact low-chance risk for tunnel lining structure is introduced in the end of paper, which could assist the engineers to make the decision on performance recovery strategies once the tunnel goes through a significant disruption.
Long Term Monitoring Test Embankments Bloemendalerpolder – Geo-Impuls Program
Authors: Hoefsloot F.J.M.
Published: February 2025

In the Bloemendalerpolder two test embankments were constructed, starting October 2010, to study the long term behaviour of embankments on very soft soils with respect to settlement and lateral pile loading resulting from horizontal soil deformations. A 4 to 6 m thick very soft peat layer underlies the existing grasslands at the Bloemendalerpolder with a groundwater at 0.2 m below ground level. Urban development requires 0.5 to 1.0 m clearance of the ground level above the groundwater table. Two test embankments consisting of sandfill were designed with a height of 3.0 m and a ground area 26 × 36 m2with slopes 1:2. The Geo-Impuls programme aimed to provide a well-described field test with long time monitoring results. In this paper a detailed description of the test embankments is given as well as detailed descriptions of soil investigation, laboratory tests and instrumentation for monitoring. Finally the monitoring data will be presented which form a basis for further analyses for interested researchers. Analyses of the tests regarding the validation of settlement models and the lateral behaviour of the piles due to horizontal soil displacement are presented in two accompanying papers.
Three Dimensional Discrete Failures in Long Heterogeneous Slopes
Authors: Li Yajun  , Hicks Michael A.  , Vardon Philip J.
Published: February 2025

Long slopes with variable material properties have a variety of different failure modes that are affected by the correlation distances of the material properties and the geometry and total length of the slope. This work follows previous research examining the consequences of increasing slope length, in which analyses were limited by the computational capacity. In this work a long slope (500 m) in a clay, characterised by a spatially varying undrained shear strength, was analysed using the random finite element method (RFEM). Random fields, to simulate the spatial distribution of the strength parameters, were generated and mapped onto finite element meshes, that were used in subsequent strength reduction analyses, as part of a Monte Carlo simulation. This involved different, but equally likely, random fields to gain a probabilistic description of the distribution of safety factors and failure mechanisms. A hypothetical study of a slope cut in clay, with an intermediate horizontal correlation distance of the strength parameter, was carried out to investigate how the slope failure develops in a heterogeneous soil. In contrast to previous work, this paper emphasises the quantification of discrete failures. Hence a simple procedure has been developed to quantify the number of discrete failures in a long soil slope. It was found that, although multiple failures are possible for very long soil slopes, a single localised failure still has the greatest likelihood, as is more generally observed in practice. Due to the high computational requirements for a probabilistic analysis of such a physically large problem, Grid computing technologies were used to conduct the investigation, meaning that 1 year of computational analysis could be undertaken in a single day.
Would Risk Management Have Helped? – A Case Study
Authors: Spross Johan  , Olsson Lars  , Hintze Staffan  , Stille Håkan
Published: February 2025

To reduce the costs of unexpected geotechnical events in construction projects in Sweden, the Swedish Geotechnical Society has adopted a general methodology for risk management. In this paper, we exemplify how the proposed risk management philosophy could have been applied on a sheet-pile wall, which failed in 1992 in Stockholm because the design did not consider the complex site conditions. Focusing on the design phase, we discuss how geotechnical risks may be managed effectively as a natural part of the engineer's everyday work.
About the Implementation of Geotechnical Risk Management (Geo-RM) in Construction Projects
Authors: Van Der Schrier Joost  , Hoeber Hans
Published: February 2025

One of the key recommendations of the Geo-Impuls program, which investigated possibilities to complete more construction projects within time and budget, is to anchor geotechnical risk management in an explicit way within the project (risk) management structure. Geo-Impuls acknowledges that this puts specific demands on the project management structure. Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) might provide this structure. The paper discusses the possibilities offered by Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) to anchor geotechnical risk management explicitly within the project management structure.
Effect of Laboratory Repeatability of Direct Shear Test on Slope Stability
Authors: Di Matteo Lucio  , Valigi Daniela  , Ricco Remo  , Romeo Saverio
Published: February 2025

The present work quantified the laboratory geotechnical variability by repeatability direct shear test (DS) on alluvial fine-grained soils. The effect of laboratory variability of geotechnical parameters (cohesion c' and friction angle ϕ′) on slope stability was investigated. A mixture of compacted fine sand (40%) and clayey silt (60%) taken from a quarry fines stockpile was used: these soils are commonly used to backfill exhausted quarries located in the River Paglia alluvial plain (Central Italy). As knew in the literature, the dry density achieved by a given degree of compaction controls the shear strength parameters affecting the performance of compacted soil. Four direct shear tests were conducted following the ASTM D 3080-72 procedure on samples having a dry density of about 16.5 kN/m3, corresponding to 95 % of maximum dry density. Combining four DS tests yielded 256 pairs of shear strength parameters in terms of effective stresses, ϕ′ and c' parameters show normal distribbution with ϕ′=27.0±0.8° and c′=19.22±4.08 kPa, for the stress range 100÷250 kPa. In most of the 256 combinations, the friction angle decreased as the cohesion increased. It is generally accepted that the strength parameters (c' and ϕ′) have a negative correlation, although it is appreciated this is not always the case and different cohesion values can be obtained for the same friction angle (i.e., for the same slope of Coulomb failure envelope). The effect of the uncontrolled experimental variability of shear strength parameters on the long-term stability of a single homogeneous slope whose geometry can vary was investigated. Analyzing the factor of safety obtained using all the 256 combinations of shear strength parameters, the probability of having safety factors lower than 1.30 for the different slope heights was calculated. Such analyses demonstrate not only that direct shear testing is reliable, but also that the stability of a slope can be assessed with greater accuracy.
Effect of Spatial Variability on Buried Footings
Authors: Li Jinhui  , Tian Yinghui  , Cassidy Mark
Published: February 2025

Natural soil is one of the most variable materials as a result of physical and chemical changes. The variation in soil properties significantly affects the failure mechanism and bearing capacity of a footing. This effect is further complicated by considering the spatial correlation of the soil properties. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the spatial variability of a clay on the bearing capacity of a buried footing. The spatial variation of undrained shear strength of a clay is modelled by random fields. The random fields are generated and mapped into a non-linear finite element analysis. The failure mechanism and bearing capacity of a footing in a spatially random soil can then be revealed. Finally a Monte Carlo simulation is employed to investigate the effect of spatial variability on the buried footing. The random fields with different scales of fluctuation are modelled to reveal the effects of spatial variability. It is found that the mean values of bearing capacity of the foundation are the smallest when the scale of fluctuation is 0.1-1 times of foundation width. The coefficient of variation of the bearing capacity increases with increasing scale of fluctuation. When the scale of fluctuation is on the order of the foundation width the variation in bearing capacity is mainly due to the different shear paths developed in the random soil. When the scale of fluctuation is much larger than the foundation width, the variation in bearing capacity is mainly due to the distinct soil strength in different realizations.
Scale of Fluctuation for Geotechnical Probabilistic Analysis
Authors: Nie Xinyao  , Zhang Jie  , Huang Hongwei  , Liu Zhongqiang  , Lacasse Suzanne
Published: February 2025

In the past few years, random field theory has been increasingly used to model the inherent soil variability. The scale of fluctuation is one of the important parameters describing a stationary random field. In this study, the factors affecting an accurate estimation of the scale of fluctuation were studied with numerical experiments to show how a proper sampling strategy can help improve the estimate of scale of fluctuation. Hypothetical data sets were generated from random field theory. Data were then sampled for different sampling strategies. The scale of fluctuation estimated from the sampling programs were compared with the predefined scale of fluctuation. The accuracy with which one can estimate scale of fluctuation depends on both the sampling intensity and extent of the sampling range. For the numerical example in this study, the sampling interval should be close enough such that 10 samples are measured within one scale of fluctuation, and the distance covered by the sampling should cover at least 100 scales of fluctuation.
Uncertainties Analysis and Life Cycle Costs of Piping Mitigation Measures
Authors: Miranda Carlos  , Teixeira Ana  , Huber Maximilian  , Schweckendiek Timo
Published: February 2025

The traditional Dutch way to deal with piping failure in river dikes is the implementation of piping berms. The disadvantage of such a measure is the required inland space. Relief wells, on the other hand, require less or no inland space representing an attractive alternative solution. The aims of this paper are first, to show how reliability analysis of relief wells systems can be carried out, and second to examine the costs required to achieve a reliability target for piping failure, as set in the Netherlands. The outcomes of the analyses will help comparing relief wells with piping berms in economic terms. Subsequently, a life cycle cost analysis is performed. A comparison of the net present value of the two mitigation measures is made. Finally, analyses of two case studies are performed to show the possible economic advantages of installing relief wells, resulting in relief wells as a cost-effective mitigation measure, outperforming piping berms.
Mapping Geotechnical Risks for Infrastructural Works in Deltaic Areas
Authors: Venmans Arjan  , Schokker Jeroen  , Dambrink Roula  , Maljers Denise  , Heerema Jan Jaap
Published: February 2025

This paper presents method and first results of a study to quantify and communicate geotechnical risk for highway construction on soft soil and large building pits associated with infrastructural works in the Netherlands. A set of easy-to-read maps will inform the end users, geotechnical consultants at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, in the early stage of projects of the most important subsoil-related geotechnical risks and their spatial distribution. The method involves risk identification, risk assessment, identification of critical geological features contributing to this risk, and development of maps reflecting the magnitude of the geotechnical risk. Geological information is derived from the detailed 3D geological model GeoTOP. GeoTOP allows quick data assessment and creation of maps on a regional to nationwide scale. Close cooperation between geologists, geotechnical engineers and end users is the key success factor in application of the method. Geotechnical consultants will use the maps to identify risks, determine early risk mitigation measures and design site-investigation schemes.
The Observational Method in a Real Time Multi-Stakeholder Environment
Authors: Pot R.  , Roelse F.P.  , van der Meer M.T.  , Nushi B.R.I.  , Nelemans J.P.
Published: February 2025

The application of the Observational Method can contribute to an economic construction process and effective geotechnical risk management. Current project management practices and control of construction works lead to unfavourable conditions of its application. Throughout the realization of infrastructure, understanding of project risks and effective risk communication are relevant stakeholder responsibilities. In complex or high-risk projects, quick and informed decision-making is critical to prevent failure costs and disruption. A real-time overview of information is a key condition for decision-makers; supports risk communication and helps geotechnical engineers to identify geotechnical risks.
Real-Time Insight in Geotechnical Risks; Monitoring During the Observational Method
Authors: Galenkamp H.F.
Published: February 2025

Designing challenges engineers to develop both economically attractive and safe designs. This might seem a paradox, but with the application of the observational method, wherein safety is checked by real-time monitoring, economic design and safety are united. The observational method is recently successfully applied in the Netherlands during the excavation works of the double layered tunnel across densely populated central Maastricht. The uncertainties in the limestone conditions and possible karst holes, combined with a length 2.5 km of tunnel, made the observational method very applicable. This paper outlines the application of state of the art real-time monitoring techniques as vital part of the observational methods' success. The individual components of the monitoring network will be discussed with an emphasis on reliability and availability of data. Actual data is presented and attention is paid to the essential relation of the monitoring team with the geotechnical engineers and excavation crew.
Estudo Numérico da Influência da Execução de uma Laje Vinculada no Topo de uma Estrutura de Contenção
Authors: Oliveira Leonardo  , Costa Yuri  , Costa Carina
Published: February 2025

Estudou-se a influência da execução de uma laje vinculada no topo de uma contenção na cidade de Natal/RN/Brasil através de uma modelagem numérica tridimensional em elementos finitos. A contenção é assente em areia e composta por estacas espaçadas e tirantes. A simulação numérica da estrutura em estudo foi calibrada através de uma instrumentação de uma estrutura real, cujas leituras foram realizadas em um período total de 322 dias. Após a execução da laje, os resultados obtidos a partir da instrumentação mostraram que os deslocamentos horizontais aumentaram com a execução da laje. Tal comportamento não era esperado na abordagem teórica e somente a simulação numérica foi capaz de explicar o aumento de tais deslocamentos.
Simulations of Vertical Flow Through a MSW Landfill Using a One-Dimensional Approach
Authors: Ottoni V.  , Mahler C.F.  , Van Genuchten M.Th.  , Pontedeiro E.M.B.D.
Published: February 2025

Water flow and its dynamics in space and time within a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill is known to significantly affect biogeochemical processes, including the generation of landfill leachate and its dissolved contaminants. Since water plays a key role in the generation of leachate, models to simulate fluid flow into and through the waste are needed to predict leachate discharge rates. In this study we focused on flow processes within an existing landfill located in Nova Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, using simulations carried out with the HYDRUS-1D computer software package. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of the landfill cover was characterized experimentally after its closure. Some of the unsaturated hydraulic parameters were estimated from soil texture using pedotransfer functions. Simulated leachate rates compared well with observed discharge data. Results indicate that the flow regime within a landfill body is strongly influenced by local weather conditions (especially pluviometry), as well as by the makeup, permeability and thickness of the final landfill cover. The HYDRUS-1D code as used in this study, even if applicable only to one-dimensional flow, was found to be a very useful tool for studying water flow and leaching processes in the landfill.
Behavior of Buried Pipes: Numerical Simulation vs Experimental Test
Authors: do N. Santos Stephane  , Gerscovich Denise M.S.  , Danziger Bernadete R.
Published: February 2025

Analytical and experimental methods have some theoretical and practical limitations. On the other hand, numerical methods are capable to simulate staged constructions and to analyze together materials with different constitutive models, supplying practical necessities of geotechnical projects complementing analytical and experimental models. In this article comparisons between experimental and numerical results have been made. The numerical modeling was performed on PLAXIS 3D software, based on Finite Elements Method. The experimental test was made by Costa [1] at São Carlos Engineering School/USP and involved buried pipes undergoing loss of support or elevation in a localized region along its length. Tests have been performed with physical models comprising dry and pure dry sand and a tube resting on a rigid trapdoor base located at the center of its length. The models were equipped with devices for measuring deflections and strains in the pipe, and total stresses in soil mass and in the lower boundary of the model.
A Comparison between Results of the MSD Method and Finite Element Modeling for Prediction of Undrained Settlement of Circular Shallow Foundations
Authors: Mahvelati Shams Abadi Siavash  , Hosseini Arash M.  , Shahrabi Mohammad Mahdi
Published: February 2025

Most of the methods used for estimation of undrained settlements of shallow foundations are based on the assumption of linear elastic behavior of the soil. In other words, only elastic analysis is conducted to predict displacements with the soil treated as a linear elastic material; however, real soil does not lend itself to an elastic-based analysis. Considering this fact, a new design approach was developed named Mobilisable Strength Design (MSD) which is claimed to be a better representative of the actual soil behavior. We have attempted to represent this method and its assumptions, and to investigate its validity by comparing it to the results obtained from Finite Element numerical models. Results indicate that there is a good agreement between predictions of the MSD approach and the results of FE method. Nonetheless, the MSD has some inadequacies due to its inability for addressing a variety of real conditions which have limited its use in practical problems.
Evaluation of bearing capacity calculation methods of geocell-reinforced soil
Authors: Avesani Neto J.O.  , Bueno B.S.  , Futai M.M.
Published: February 2025

Despite of the geocell application in several areas of geotechnical engineering, such as a retaining wall, slope protection against erosion and channel lining, this geosynthetic was initially designed to improve soil bearing capacity to allow heavy vehicles traffic on the desert sand for the Golf War. As reinforcement, geocell satisfactorily increases the bearing capacity of the soil, enabling its use. In this regard, this paper presents a comparison and evaluation of bearing capacity calculation methods for soil reinforced with a geocell using the results of laboratory experiments by several authors, analyzing its accuracy and applica-bility and pointing out the advantages and limitations of each model. The results show that the calculated bearing capacity obtained by Avesani Neto (2013) method showed a better fit to the experimental results than other methods.
Fluência em geotêxtil não tecido de poliéster utilizando o método SIM
Authors: do Nascimento Lucas Deroide  , Barbosa Thiago Rocioli  , da Silva Jefferson Lins  , Valentin Clever Aparecido
Published: February 2025

A obtenção da curva de fluência de um geossintético requer ensaios com tempos muito prolongados, os chamados ensaios convencionais. Para reduzir este tempo pode ser utilizado o ensaio SIM (Stepped Isothermal Method) conhecido como ensaio acelerado. Este trabalho apresenta resultados de ensaios convencionais e acelerados, para avaliar a fluência de um geotêxtil não tecido de poliéster de fibra curta. Em comparação com dados da literatura, os resultados demonstraram que houve menor variabilidade do alcance temporal das curvas de fluência acelerada.
Soft soil geotechnical properties in a case study of a large alluvial soft soil improvement in Latin America
Authors: Yanez Diego G.  , Massad Faiçal  , Correa Mario R.B.
Published: February 2025

The need for urban growth and development has been driving man to occupy areas once considered improper or of low interest, due to the presence of low-resistance and highly compressive soft soil. Nowadays it is possible to improve soil by installing prefabricated vertical drains (PVD) with geosynthetics. These drains can also be assisted by applying vacuum, equivalent to the pressure of an embankment up to 4m high, but with less need for earth movement to mobilize and demobilize the temporary overload. This technology is being applied in a highway construction in an alluvial soft soil deposit extending for over 100 km, currently in progress in Latin America. Several undisturbed samples were extracted and tested in laboratory to determine soil compressibility and consolidation time. To assess the efficiency of the methods employed for sampling and molding specimens, quality indexes of consolidation tests carried out in the highway construction site are presented. Given the variable nature of this soil formation, back analyses were carried out to assess the compressibility and consolidation time of the alluvial soft soil.
Geographic Information System: Methodological Proposal for the Development of Foundation Maps Based on SPT Investigation
Authors: Santos Juliana Vieira dos  , Thiesen Stephanie  , dos Reis Higashi Rafael
Published: February 2025

The increasingly more decisive possibility of enabling spatial analysis involving georeferenced data provides a solid basis for planning in numerous instances. The potential of a Geographic Information System (GIS) is in processing and integrating data of the physical environment as well as in the generation of information and its capacity to perform analysis operations involving both spatial and descriptive attributes. The combination of information and data processing, electronic computing, and spatial analysis techniques suggests that GIS systems are consolidating space as auxiliary tools for supporting decision-making processes. Thus, the tool becomes a strong ally also for city planning within geotechnical background. Using GIS, this paper proposes a method for the preparation of georeferenced foundation maps. The method uses as input the results obtained with a test-site type Standard Penetration Test (SPT), the most popular, routinely used, and economic soil investigation tool. The method proposal consists of three basic steps: data treatment, database composition and organization and, finally, use of the database in GIS tools. As a result, thematic maps were generated in a geotechnical context, illustrating the use of this potential tool. In order to illustrate the method, the foundation maps generated enable envisioning the various applications in manipulating and modeling database in a GIS environment.
Diseño Geotécnico y Estructural de Sistemas de Fundación Para Estructuras Industriales Ubicadas en la Cuenca del Lago de Valencia, Venezuela
Authors: Guanchez Edinson
Published: February 2025

La Cuenca del Lago de Valencia en Venezuela alberga la zona industrial municipal más importante del país. Esta zona ha sido catalogada como de elevado riesgo geotécnico y geológico debido a la presencia de abundantes suelos sedimentarios combinados con materia orgánica, y en algunos casos presencia de arcillas con cierto grado de expansividad; destaca la presencia de un material orgánico denominado “caracolillo” (planorbis) que condiciona la presencia de suelos de muy baja capacidad portante y propicia la aparición de fenómenos de licuación, por estar la zona bajo la influencia de diferentes fallas geológicas activas. Este sector se caracteriza por manifestar importantes deformaciones verticales tanto de levantamiento como de hundimiento, y grandes desplazamientos horizontales del terreno que se producen de forma cuasi-estática. Con la finalidad de mitigar los efectos de la amenaza geotécnica y geológica existente sobre las estructuras, se propone una metodología de diseño de los sistemas de fundación considerando la interacción suelo-fundación e incorporando el efecto de los movimientos registrados en el terreno mediante el uso de un sistema de losa de fundación deslizante para el caso de estructuras livianas y losas rígidas para edificaciones de gran peso.
Comportamiento Geotécnico en Laboratorio de Suelos Blandos Reforzados con Maderos Horizontales
Authors: Cáceres Cárdenas Luis Alberto  , Piracoca Ávila Walter  , Galvis Hernández Eriben
Published: February 2025

Las posibilidades consideradas en el ámbito de estabilización de suelos blandos son cada vez mayores. El presente trabajo propone un modelo matemático que pretende aportar al amplio campo investigativo de la estabilización mecánica de suelos blandos mediante la colocacion de maderos, los cuales se han dispuesto de manera horizontal y bajo la aplicación de carga (placa, oruga, neumático). Los resultados ofrecen una comprobación desde el punto de vista racional y experimental del incremento de resistencia al que se somete un suelo conforme aumenta el refuerzo con maderos. Finalmente se propone la incorporación de otros factores influyentes para continuar su desarrollo y validar su utilización práctica.
Construcción del Dique de Abrigo del Nuevo Puerto de Açu, Brasil Cimentación de Cajones
Authors: Rodríguez Ballesteros Fernando  , Rodríguez de Segovia Ma. Fátima  , Esteban Lefler Francisco
Published: February 2025

Dentro de las obras del “Superpuerto” de Açu en São João de Barra (Brasil), la terminal TX1 comprende obras de abrigo y de atraque de 2 kms de longitud, resueltas con cajones de hasta 26 metros de calado. El terreno de cimentación, perteneciente a los depósitos deltaicos del río Paraiba do Sul, fue investigado en una campaña de sondeos a percusión y rotación con profundidades de 25 ap 55m y 49 CPTU de hasta 57m de profundidad. También se dispuso de perfiles sísmicos de reflexión con perfilador de ondas Chirp de alta frecuencia. En la presente comunicación se incluye la caracterización geomecánica de los suelos adoptada en Proyecto, las singularidades del diseño y se analizan los resultados de la auscultación de las cimentaciones de los cajones empleados.
Effect of Curing Temperature on Tensile Strength of Sand - Coal Fly Ash - Lime Blends
Authors: Silvani Carina  , Braun Eduardo  , Borges Masuero Guilherme  , Consoli Nilo Cesar
Published: February 2025

Soil is the base of most civil engineering constructions, and when it cannot support the construction loads, such problem can be solved through the use of soil stabilization technique. Lime stabilization is a classical technique, but there are still no dosage methods of these mixtures based on more rational criteria. This situation has been changing with researches using the porosity/lime ratio to dose soil-lime. The present research aims to quantify the influence of curing temperature (T), amount of lime (L), porosity (η) and porosity/lime ratio (η/Liv) on the assessment of splitting tensile strength (qt) of sand - coal fly ash - lime blends. For this research splitting tensile tests were carried out with cylindrical specimens with diameter and height equal to 50 and 100mm, respectively, with lime contents varying from 3% to 7%, dry unit weight ranging from 14kN/m3to 16kN/m3, curing temperature 20°, 27°, 35° and 50°C, time curing period of 28 days and fly ash content of 25%. The results show the splitting tensile strength increasing linearly with the increase amount of lime and exponentially with the reduction of porosity. It was also shown that the porosity/lime ratio (η/Liv) is a good parameter in the evaluation of qt of the studied blends for the whole range of lime, porosities and temperature studied. The volumetric cementitious material content (Liv) is adjusted by an exponent (0.30 for all curing temperatures blends) to end in unique correlations for each temperature. For the sand, coal fly ash, lime, moisture content, curing time period and curing temperatures, a unique relationship was achieved linking qtto η, Livand T. For a given curing time period (28 days), the relations qt - η/Livversus T are shown to vary linearly up to a threshold, when become asymptotes.
Effect of compressive load on uplift of pile group in clay: Theoretical analysis
Authors: Mishra Anumita  , Patra Nihar Ranjan
Published: February 2025

In this paper, analytical methods based on the concept of interaction factor have been proposed for line pile groups (2 × 1 and 3 × 1) under pure uplift and uplift subjected to 25% static compressive load. The parameters considered in this analysis are L/d ratios, spacing of pile groups, group size and shape. Theoretical results in the form of the interaction factor ‘α’ for group of piles are presented for different L/d ratios and Poisson's ratios. Results obtained are compared with the reported experimental results of single pile. For any L/d ratio, the interaction factor ‘α’ of line pile groups under uplift subjected to 25% compressive load decreases with increase in spacing between the piles. The interaction factors proposed for 2 × 1 and 3 × 1 pile groups can be used to determine the settlement of pile groups under uplift subjected to 25% of static compressive load.
Behavior of a Compacted Residual Soil at a Quasi-Saturated State
Authors: Carnero Guzmán Genaro Gonzalo  , Marinho Fernando A.M.
Published: February 2025

Compaction control in the field is strict regarding the degree of compaction and compaction water content. The control of the placement water content presents some difficulties in regions where the meteorological conditions are such that the soil is frequently above the specified water content. This can be at the compaction site or even at the borrow pit area. Traditionally, a positive pore water pressure is expected for compacted sedimentary soils. The case of compacted residual soil requires some further investigation. In some cases, the construction of wet embankments may be the only alternative. Theoretically, when the soil is compacted in the wet branch, although it is still unsaturated, the value of suction is below the air entry value and/or its degree of saturation is above 80%. In this case, its mechanical behavior is controlled by the effective stress principle and the soil is said to be at a quasi-saturated state. An experimental study in a compacted residual soil of the city of São Paulo was performed with water content above the optimum. All the specimens are at a quasi-saturated state. The analysis was performed by interpreting the soil water retention curve together with triaxial tests. CW and CIU tests were performed in order to obtain the shear envelope. The use of a high capacity tensiometer allowed measuring the suction during the tests. The results show that the residual soil compacted at optimum water content and above presents a suction that is below the suction at the air entry value. The results of shear strength tests indicate that the value of φbis similar to φ', which supports the hypothesis of treating the soil according to the effective stress principle. The analysis of the data allowed concluding that the soil tested could be compacted above the optimum water content provided specific care is taken.
Influência da distribuição granulométrica nos parâmetros da equação de van Genuchten
Authors: Bicalho Kátia V.  , Gonçalves Fernanda V.
Published: February 2025

Uma das equações mais utilizadas na literatura para representar analiticamente a curva de retenção de água no solo foi proposta por [1], VG, e, existem vários bancos de dados publicados com valores dos quatro parâmetros independentes de ajuste da equação para diferentes tipos de solos e regiões. A equação de VG possibilita a determinação de uma expressão analítica para a função de condutividade hidráulica de solos não saturados a partir dos modelos propostos por [2] ou [3]. O objetivo deste trabalho é estudar curvas de retenção e condutividades hidráulicas obtidas a partir de banco de dados publicados na literatura para diferentes tipos de solos e quantificar a variação dos parâmetros de VG com a distribuição granulométrica desses solos. Quando o percentual de finos (< 0.075 mm) é tal que preenche todos os vazios das partículas mais grossas a classificação exclusivamente por textura não pode ser usada para estimar os parâmetros VG. A variação da permeabilidade com o teor de finos define o teor de finos que isto acontece.
Shear modulus G
Authors: Motta M.F.B.  , de Campos T.M.P.  , Bernardes G.P.  , da Fonseca A. Viana
Published: February 2025

Several studies have been developed aiming to understand the behavior of saturated natural soils under small strains. A few studies have considered unsaturated soils, in most cases compacted soils and, eventually, disregarding the influence of suction in the analyses. Particularly in the case of unsaturated, natural residual soils, fairly few experimental data is available in the current literature regarding its behavior under small strains. In this context, this paper presents an experimental study to evaluate the influence of matric suction on the small-strain shear modulus G0, unconfined compression strength and tensile strength of an undisturbed residual micaceous soil from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For this purpose, bender elements were employed to evaluate soil stiffness through the transmission of shear waves. The curve “G0versus suction” was related to the soil-water retention curve, determined by the filter paper and Haines' funnel techniques. Unconfined compression and Brazilian tests were carried out in order to obtain the relationship between unconfined compression strength and tensile strength and suction. The results show that, with the increase of matric suction the shear modulus initially increases, reaching a peak at a given suction, and then decreases continually. By comparing this curve with the soil-water retention curve, it is observed that the maximum soil stiffness corresponds to the second air-entry value of the double structured tested material. Furthermore, the effect of suction on the tensile strength shows the same trend: the maximum strength is attained at the second air-entry value. However, the unconfined compression strength behavior is different: there is a continuous increase in strength with increasing suction.
Shear and compression wave velocities of an unsaturated sandy soil
Authors: Georgetti Giovana B.  , Vilar Orencio M.  , Hoyos Laureano R.
Published: February 2025

This paper presents and discusses results of isotropic compression tests in which piezoelectric transducers generated shear and compression waves that traveled through unsaturated specimens of a clayey sandy soil. The tests were carried out in a Bishop-Wesley type triaxial apparatus that was instrumented with local Hall-effect transducers and a pair of bender-extender elements. Results showed the very small-strain response of the compacted and undisturbed soil samples to shear and compression waves. The waveforms clearly showed the arrival of the compression waves, however, near-field effects were observed in the shear waves. The travel times of both shear and compression waves decreased with suction and confining stress. Simple power correlations nicely fitted the experimental velocity data as a function of net confining stress. The compacted specimens showed larger shear and compression wave velocities in comparison to the undisturbed specimens, due to the larger void ratio of the undisturbed soil.
Numerical Simulations of a Landslide Triggering Experiment
Authors: Siemens G.A.  , Beddoe R.A.  , Take W.A.
Published: February 2025

The catastrophic consequences associated with landslides necessitate predictions of these hazards to be made with as much certainty as possible. However, the often complex nature of these events make predictions highly challenging. From a modeling perspective, accurate assessments of the water retention curve and unsaturated conductivity curves are essential for the realistic prediction of the subsurface pore pressure regime. In this paper, a well-controlled hydraulically-induced landslide triggering experiment is simulated using a finite element program. In the experiments the slope geometry, initial moisture regime, rainfall, pore pressure and soil properties are well defined and serve as inputs into the model. The effect of a rising groundwater flow within the landslide triggering experiments was back analyzed, with these modeled pore pressures subsequently used to assess the transient safety factor prior to failure within a limit equilibrium framework. The model results illustrate that relationship between groundwater flow rate and factor of safety can be highly non-linear leading up to landslide triggering; in particular, in scenarios where failure begins at the toe of a slope.
Correlations Between Results of the Diametrical Compression Test (Brazilian Test), Direct Shear Test, Unconfined Compression Test for a Compacted Residual Soil
Authors: de Souza Villar Lúcio Flávio  , Queiroga Fortes Ribeiro Vinícius  , de Araújo Carneiro Daniel  , de Faria Silva William
Published: February 2025

This paper presents the results of diametrical compression tests (the so-called Brazilian Test), direct shear tests and unconfined compression tests on saturated and unsaturated samples of a compacted soil. The objective was to verify the relationship between the values of tensile strength σtobtained from diametric compression tests, undrained shear strength Su obtained from unconfined compression tests and strength parameters c' and φ' obtained by the direct shear tests for the studied soil. The results of each test are discussed and evaluated and some empirical correlations between them are suggested. These correlations show that the results of typical laboratory tests to determinate the shear strength of soils can be inferred from the diametric compression test results. This test is easier to perform than traditional tests like the unconfined compression test and the direct shear test and requires a sample of lesser volume. These results can be used during the earlier stages of design and also to predict the saturated and non-saturated soil behavior on a qualitative basis. Three empirical equations are presented for this soil, correlating: c' versus tensile strength σt; φ' versus tensile strength σtand undrained shear strength Su versus tensile strength.