Sk Haigh

Applications of wavelet analysis to the investigation of the dynamic behaviour of geotechnical structures

Abstract Harmonic wavelet analysis is a tool that has been developed over the past 15 years for the analysis of non-stationary signals in the time–frequency domain. This paper discusses the use of this technique and its application to the problems of soil dynamics and earthquake engineering. Specific reference is made to the use of this technique in investigating the performance of liquefiable slopes in centrifuge model earthquakes and the investigation of earthquake accelerograms. Harmonic wavelet analysis will be shown to be a versatile tool that can reveal information unavailable traditional time or frequency domain analysis.

Mobilization Distance for Upheaval Buckling of Shallowly Buried Pipelines

AbstractBuried pipelines may be subject to upheaval buckling because of thermally induced compressive stresses. As the buckling load of a strut decreases with increasing out of straightness, not only the maximum available resistance from the soil cover, but also the movement of the pipeline required to mobilize this are important factors in design. This paper will describe the results of 15 full-scale laboratory tests that have been carried out on pipeline uplift in both sandy and rocky backfills. The cover to diameter ratio ranged from 0.1 to 6. The results show that mobilization distance exhibits a linear relationship with H/D ratio and that the postpeak uplift force-displacement response can be accurately modeled using existing models. A tentative design approach is suggested; the maximum available uplift resistance may be reliably predicted from the postpeak response, and the mobilization distance may be predicted using the relationships described in this paper.

The effects of pile flexibility on pile-loading in laterally spreading slopes

Piles passing through laterally spreading slopes can be subjected to considerable loads by the soil flowing past them. Many case histories have been documented of piles which suffered failure as a result of horizontal loads exerted by the flowing soil. This paper details the results of a series of dynamic centrifuge tests carried out at Cambridge University Engineering Department, to investigate the transfer of load from the spreading soil to the piles passing through it, with particular emphasis on the effective stress state of soil elements immediately upslope and downslope of the pile. This soil stress state can be calculated by virtue of instrumentation measuring both horizontal total stress and pore pressures at locations close to the upslope and downslope faces of the piles. By comparison of results obtained for both rigid and flexible piles, conclusions will be drawn as to the effects of pile flexibility on modifying the behavior of the soil-pile system.

Accuracy of Distributed Optical Fiber Temperature Sensing for Use in Leak Detection of Subsea Pipelines

AbstractAccurate and rapid detection of leaks is important for subsea oil pipelines to minimize environmental risks and operational/repair costs. Temperature-sensing optical fiber cables can provide economic, near real-time sensing of leaks in subsea oil pipeline networks. By employing optical time domain reflectometry and detecting the Brillouin scattered components from a laser source, the temperature gradients can be detected at any location along an optical fiber cable attached to the oil pipeline. The feasibility of such technology has been established in the literature along with a case study on a land-based pipeline. In this paper the accuracy of an optical fiber-based temperature sensing system is investigated. A mathematical model that simulates the process of temperature sensing is developed and the results are presented. An experimental investigation is carried out with two different laboratory setups to establish the spatial resolution and accuracy of the optical fiber cable detection system, ...

Consistency of the Casagrande Liquid Limit Test

The liquid limit test is one of the most widely used tests in soil mechanics, with the value obtained being correlated against a variety of soil properties such as soil strength. The percussion test for liquid limit originally described by Casagrande [Casagrande, A., 1932, “Research on the Atterberg Limits of Soils,” Public Roads, Vol. 13, pp. 121−136] is the standard test for liquid limit in much of the world. The apparatus to be used is described in many design codes including ASTM D4318-10e1 [Standard Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit and Plasticity Index of Soils, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA]. While it is well known that two classes of these devices exist, those with hard and soft bases, the true picture is more complex; international design codes contain a great variety of specifications for the devices, some much more prescriptive than others. This paper uses the analysis described by Haigh (2012) to investigate the effects of base hardness and resilience on specific strength at liquid limit. A survey of devices in use worldwide was also carried out, indicating that both the variability in national design standards and potential degradation of bases over time leads to a large variability in the specific strength observed at liquid limit when different devices are used. The paper demonstrates that both base hardness and resilience must be regularly monitored in order to achieve consistency of liquid limit test results and that international standards should be more closely aligned if measured values are to be used within regressions based on liquid limit tests carried out with apparatus based on a different standard.

Seismic behaviour of anchored quay walls with dry backfill

Abstract The seismic behaviour of anchored sheet pile walls is a complex soil-structure interaction problem. Damaged sheet pile walls are very expensive to repair and their seismic behaviour needs to be investigated in order to understand their possible mechanisms of failure. The research described in this paper involves both centrifuge testing and Finite Element (FE) analyses aimed at investigating the seismic behaviour of an anchored sheet pile wall in dry sand. The model wall is tied to the backfill with two tie rods connected to an anchor beam. The accelerations of the sheet pile wall, the anchor beam and the soil around the wall were measured using miniature piezoelectric accelerometers. The displacement at the tip of the wall was also measured. Stain gauges at five different locations on the wall were used to measure the bending moments induced in the the wall. The anchor forces in the tie rods were also measured using load cells. The results from the centrifuge tests were compared with 2-D, plane strain FE analyses conducted using DIANA-SWANDYNE II and the observed seismic behaviour was explained in the light of these findings.

Uplift Resistance of Buried Pipelines at Low Cover-Diameter Ratios

Reliable estimates for the maximum available uplift resistance from the backfill soil are essential to prevent upheaval buckling of buried pipelines. The current design code DNV RP F110 does not offer guidance on how to predict the uplift resistance when the cover:pipe diameter (H/D) ratio is less than 2. Hence the current industry practice is to discount the shear contribution from uplift resitance for design scenarios with H/D ratios less than 1. The necessity of this extra conservatism is assessed through a series of full-scale and centrifuge tests, 21 in total, at the Schofield Centre, University of Cambridge. Backfill types include saturated loose sand, saturated dense sand and dry gravel. Data revealed that the Vertical Slip Surface Model remains applicable for design scenarios in loose sand, dense sand and gravel with H/D ratios less than 1, and that there is no evidence that the contribution from shear should be ignored at these low H/D ratios. For uplift events in gravel, the shear component seems reliable if the cover is more than 1-2 times the average particle size (D50), and more research effort is currenty being carried out to verify this conclusion. Strain analysis from the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique proves that the Vertical Slip Surface Model is a good representation of the true uplift deformation mechanism in loose sand at H/D ratios between 0.5 and 3.5. At very low H/D ratios (H/D < 0.5), the deformation mechanism is more wedge-like, but the increased contribution from soil weight is likely to be compensated by the reduced shear contributions. Hence the design equation based on the Vertical Slip Surface Model still produces good estimates for the maximum available uplift resistance. The evolution of shear strain field from PIV analysis provides useful insight into how uplift resistance is mobilized as the uplift event progresses. Copyright 2010, Offshore Technology Conference.

The Behavior of a Single Pile under Cyclic Axial Loads

Many piled foundations have been destroyed under significant cyclic loads in earthquakes. Centrifuge modelling of a single pile subjected to cyclic loads has been conducted to investigate the influence of cyclic loads on the axial performance of the single pile. Different pile installation procedures were applied to compare the axial behaviour of different piles under cyclic loads. Pile head permanent settlements accumulated due to cyclic axial loads, and these increased with the increasing load amplitude. Also the pile head axial secant stiffness decreased with the increasing number of axial load cycles, and with increasing amplitude. Furthermore, the axial pile performance is influenced significantly by different installation methods.

Centrifuge Modeling of Liquefaction Effects on Shallow Foundations

Earthquake-induced liquefaction is a major concern for structures built on saturated cohesionless soils in seismically active regions, as it often causes failure of critical structures such as bridges and quay walls, which severely restricts post-earthquake emergency response and economic recovery. The destructive consequences of this phenomenon have remarkably increased since it was firstly identified in US and Japan in 1964. This paper describes an investigation on the performance of shallow foundations susceptible to seismic liquefaction, considering the particular vulnerability that this type of foundation has shown in the field during past earthquakes. The research program included three dynamic centrifuge experiments, conducted at the Schofield Centre, University of Cambridge, UK, as part of a SERIES’ TNA Use Agreement focusing on the magnitude of liquefaction effects on shallow foundations, under different conditions, including interaction effects between adjacent structures, and on the assessment of the performance of innovative mitigation techniques, particularly narrow densified zones combined with selectively positioned high-capacity vertical drains.

Susceptibility of shallow foundation to rocking and sliding movements during seismic loading

Current design codes prevent the rocking and sliding of shallow foundations during seismic loading despite much research indicating the beneficial nature of allowing such movements. The primary benefit is the partial isolation of the structure from the soil beneath and subsequently the reduced ductility demands on the superstructure, saving money and reducing the risk of collapse. However, further research is required in order to be able to fully model and predict the behaviour of the soil-foundation interface when sliding and rocking is permitted. The results presented in this chapter examine how several different parameters including structural stiffness, aspect ratio, soil relative density and earthquake magnitude affect the level of rotation and sliding experienced by the foundation. Six centrifuge tests were performed to examine how these parameters affected the response of the structure and high speed photography was used to track the movements of the foundation precisely. It was found that structures with a high centre of gravity slid more than structures with a low centre of gravity. Also, stiff structures were found to rotate more than flexible structures and structures located on dense sand rotate more than those located on loose sand.