Ferhat Ozcep

SoilEngineering: A Microsoft Excel ® spreadsheet © program for geotechnical and geophysical analysis of soils

SoilEngineering is a user-friendly, interactive Microsoft Excel spreadsheet program for the geotechnical and geophysical analysis of soils. The influence of soil behavior on earthquake characteristics and/or structural design is one of the major elements in investigating earthquake forces, and thus the structural response with static and dynamic loads. With its interactive nature, the program provides the user with an opportunity to undertake soil static and dynamic load analysis. The program is formed by three main options: (1) Data Preparation, (2) Derived Parameters and (3) Analysis of Soil Problems (with Static and Dynamic Loads). The Data Preparation option is divided into four modules: Seismic Refraction Data, Geoelectrical Data, Borehole and SPT (N) Data and Laboratory Data. The Derived Parameters option is divided into two modules: Geotechnical Parameters Derived from Geophysical Data and Relationships between Vs and SPT (N) Values. The Analysis of Soil Problems (with Static and Dynamic Loads) option is divided into nine modules: Bearing Capacity for Shallow and Deep Foundations, Settlement Analysis (Static and Dynamic Loads), Estimation of Subgrade Reaction Coefficient, Slope Stability Analysis, Seismic Hazard Analysis, Strong Motion Attenuation Relationships, Acceleration/Velocity/Displacement Spectra, Soil Amplification Analysis and Soil Liquefaction Analysis. Soil engineering also permits plotting geophysical and geotechnical data with analysis. & 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Liquefaction-induced settlement, site effects and damage in the vicinity of Yalova City during the 1999 Izmit earthquake, Turkey

Yalova City (Turkey) is in a tectonically active location that is particularly affected by the northern branch of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. Magnitudes 7.4 and 7.2 earthquakes in 1999 caused great destruction in Yalova. The heavy damage to buildings and other civil engineering structures was mainly due to liquefaction-induced settlement and site effects such as resonance and amplification. In the first phase of this study, the soil liquefaction potential index (PL) and the induced soil settlement were estimated. In the second phase, the effects on sites in Yalova soil were investigated using microtremor and earthquake data. The fundamental periods and amplification in soft soil were compared with microtremor data and strong ground motion records obtained by a local array of eight accelerograph stations deployed in Yalova. Thirty-seven ‘single site’ ambient noise measurements were taken in a dense grid of points covering the centre of the city. A comparison between fundamental periods obtained from strong ground motion records and from microtremor measurements showed similarities, in the 0.1–5 Hz range. Finally, soil liquefaction and amplification (or resonance) were divided into regions according to the extent of damage and the geotechnical/geophysical results.

Geotechnical and Geophysical Studies for Wind Farms in Earhquake-Prone Areas

As Redlinger et al (2002) point out, since antiquity; people have used technology to transform the power of the wind into useful mechanical energy. Wind energy is accepted one of the world’s oldest forms of mechanic energy. The re-emergence of the wind as a significant source of the world’s energy must rank as one of the significant developments of the late 20th century (Manwell et al, 2009). Across the Earth’s surface, wind is in horizontal motion. Wind power is produced by differences in air pressure between two regions. Wind is a product of solar energy like most other forms of energy in use today. Wind is a clean, abundant, and renewable energy resource that can be tapped to produce electricity. Wind site assessments include: (1) high electricity rates, (2) rebates or tax credits from utilities or governments, (3) a good wind resource, and (4) a long-term perspective (Chiras, 2010). Procurement costs for critical components and subsystems are given in Table 1. The critical components of Wind Turbines include blades, rotor shaft, nacelle, gear box, generator, and pitch control unit. The tower, site foundation, and miscellaneous electrical and mechanical accessories are characterized as subsystem elements. As you can see in Table 1, medium percent cost of site and foundation is 17.3. For this reason, soil investigation should carefully be carried out for the wind energy systems.

DETERMINATION OF GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL (ELECTRICAL-VESMETHOD) FEATURES OF THE KARST CAVITY IN THE ESENTEPE REGION OF BATMAN PROVINCE

Within the scope of this study; in order to reveal physical features of the ground pit which is considered to be the karst cavity in the Esentepe region of Batman Province, geological and geophysical researches were conducted. Within the framework of the geological studies carried out in the examination area, 4 exploratory drillings in total of 75 meters depth were performed at the locations determined with the purpose of identification of the changes in lateral and vertical directions of the geological and lithological status, the groundwater level and the engineering parameters of the ground pit which is thought to be in the karst cavity structure in Esentepe region. With the intent of detection of the physical features of the ground layers that were passed during borehole drilling, Standard Penetration Test (SPT) was carried out. Moreover, ground’s natural unit bulk density, water content, sieve analysis and Atterberg limits were determined on the disturbed (SPT) andundisturbed (UD) specimens taken from the boreholes, and consolidation & Tri-axial Compression Tests were performed. Geophysical researches conducted in the examination area consist of Vertical Electrical Sounding. As geophysical study; vertical electrical sounding was performed at 2 points. Visible resistivity distance curves & ground electric sections of the Vertical Electrical Soundings and the lithology of the underground structure were evaluated by using Ipı2win program. Furthermore, in the examination area, with the multi-electrode resistivity method, resistivity area data obtained via AGI R8 device capable to measure 8-channel 84-electrode resistivity and IP were evaluated in the Earthimager 2D program which is a computer based evaluation program. Vol 7, Number 1, 2017 European Journal of Technic EJT 9 Comments were made by correlating the evaluations and the regional geology. Within the scope of the study, mechanism of the pit formations in karst cavity structure causing problems such as subsidence in the structures, construction of which is thought and as ground failure on the grounds on where these structures will be constructed, occurring at the city center of Batman Province was examined.

A Review on Artificial Intelligence Based Parameter Forecasting for Soil-Water Content

The purpose of this study, by using an artificial intelligent approaches, is to compare a correlation between geophysical and geotechnical parameters. The input variables for this system are the electrical resistivity reading, the water content laboratory measurements. The output variable is water content of soils. In this study, our data sets are clustered into 120 training sets and 28 testing sets for constructing the fuzzy system and validating the ability of system prediction, respectively. Relationships between soil water content and electrical parameters were obtained by curvilinear models. The ranges of our samples are changed between 1 - 50 ohm.m (for resistivity) and 20 - 60 (%, for water content). An artificial intelligent system (artificial neural networks, Fuzzy logic applications, Mamdani and Sugeno approaches) are based on some comparisons about correlation between electrical resistivity and soil-water content, for Istanbul and Golcuk Soils in Turkey.