• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.19-28
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• 2014

PURPOSES : This paper evaluates, using LS/DYNA-3D software, the vehicle impact performance of flexible barriers made of steel W-Beam supported by four different types of post configurations. These types include circular post, H-shape post, C-shape post, and square post. METHODS : The post-soil interaction has been investigated according to different impact angles. For this purpose, energy absorption, maximum displacements of post and rail, and occupant risk index of THIV have been compared each other. The three dimensional soil material model, instead of the conventional spring model based on Winkler and p-y curve, has been used to increase the correctness of computational model. RESULTS : It is noted the crash energy absorption has been increased with respect to the increase of impact angle. CONCLUSIONS : In particular, a post with open section(H-shape, C-shape) shows the greater crash energy absorption capability as compared with a post with closed section under the same level of impact conditions.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.1101-1111
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• 2018

This study aims to present accurate soil modeling and validation of a single roadside guardrail post as well as a single concrete pile installed near cut slopes or compacted sloping embankment. The conventional Winkler's elastic spring model and p-y curve approach for horizontal ground cannot directly be applied to sloping ground where ultimate soil resistance is significantly dependent on ground inclination. In this study, both grid-based 3-D FE model and particle-based SPH (smoothed particle hydrodynamics) model available in LS-DYNA have been adopted to predict the static behavior of a laterally loaded guardrail post. The SPH model has potential to eliminate any artificial soil stiffness due to the deterioration of the node-connected Lagrangian soil mesh. For this purpose, this study comprises two parts. Firstly, only 3-D FE modeling has been tested to show the numerical validity for a single concrete pile in sloping ground using Mohr-Coulomb material. However, this material option cannot be implemented for SPH elements. Nevertheless, Mohr-Coulomb model has been used since this material model requires six input soil data that can be obtained from the comparative papers in literatures. Secondly, this work is extended to compute the lateral resistance of a guardrail post located near the slope using the hybrid approach that combines Lagrange FE elements and SPH elements by the suitable node-merging option provided by LS-DYNA. For this analysis, the FHWA soil material developed for application to road-base soils has been used and also allows the application of SPH element.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.67 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 2018

A numerical study of soil-foundation system under monotonic and cyclic pushover loading is conducted, taking into account both material and geometric nonlinearities. A complete and refined 3D finite element (FE) model, using contact condition and allowing separation between soil and foundation, is implemented and used in order to evaluate the nonlinear relationship between applied vertical forces and induced settlements. Based on the obtained curve, a simplified model is proposed, in which the soil inelasticity is satisfactorily represented by two vertical springs with trilinear behavior law, and the foundation uplifting is insured by gap elements. Results from modeling soil-foundation system supporting a bridge pier have shown that the simplified model is able to capture irreversible settlements induced by cyclic rocking, due to soil inelasticity and vertical loading, as well as large rotations due to foundation uplifting.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.1021-1046
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• 2017

The assessment of slope stability is an essential task in geotechnical engineering. In this paper, a three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA) was employed to investigate the performance of different shear pin arrangements to increase the stability of a soil block resting on an inclined plane with a low-interface friction plane. In the numerical models, the soil block was modeled by volume elements with linear elastic perfectly plastic material in a drained condition, while the shear pins were modeled by volume elements with linear elastic material. Interface elements were used along the bedding plane (bedding interface element) and around the shear pins (shear pin interface element) to simulate the soil-structure interaction. Bedding interface elements were used to capture the shear sliding of the soil on the low-interface friction plane while shear pin interface elements were used to model the shear bonding of the soil around the pins. A failure analysis was performed by means of the gravity loading method. The results of the 3D FEA with the numerical models were compared to those with the physical models for all cases. The effects of the number of shear pins, the shear pin locations, the different shear pin arrangements, the thickness and the width of the soil block and the associated failure mechanisms were discussed.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2017

PURPOSES : This paper presents a finite element model to accurately represent the soil-post interaction of single guardrail posts in sloping ground. In this study, the maximum lateral resistance of a guardrail post has been investigated under static and dynamic loadings, with respect given to several parameters including post shape, embedment depth, ground inclination, and embedment location of the steel post. METHODS : Because current analytical methods applied to horizontal ground, including Winkler's elastic spring model and the p-y curve method, cannot be directly applied to sloping ground, it is necessary to seek an alternative 3-D finite element model. For this purpose, a 3D FHWA soil model for road-base soils, as constructed using LS-DYNA, has been adopted to estimate the dynamic behavior of single guardrail posts using the pendulum drop test. RESULTS : For a laterally loaded guardrail post near slopes under static and dynamic loadings, the maximum lateral resistance of a guardrail post has been found to be reduced by approximately 12% and 13% relative to the static analysis and pendulum testing, respectively, due to the effects of ground inclination. CONCLUSIONS : It is expected that the proposed soil material model can be applied to guardrail systems installed near slopes.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2015

This study investigated the embedded depth of guardrail posts through 3-D soil material model and carried out evaluation of the dynamic performance of guard rail. In order to calculate for embedded depth of sloping ground, displacement of guardrail posts is analyzed according to the embedded depth of experiment variables. Through the static test of guardrail posts, the maximum deflection was found to decrease the interval. By performing the dynamic test using the Bogie Car, that is confirmed the elastic modulus of the soil occuring the maximum deflection. Guardrail posts is considered to need for further reinforcement in the larger slope than the plains. This study researched about maximum displacement and deviation velocity through dynamic performance of guardrail system and conducted analysis about protection performance evaluation of passenger.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.51-61
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• 2013

This paper describes earthquake response of the Arhavi Highway Tunnel its geometrical properties, 3D finite element model and the linear time history analyses under a huge ground motion considering soil-structure interaction. The Arhavi Highway Tunnel is one of the tallest tunnels constructed in the Black Sea region of Turkey as part of the Coast Road Project. The tunnel has two tubes and each of them is about 1000 m tall. In the study, lineartime history analyses of the tunnel are performed applying north-south, east-west and up accelerations components of 1992 Erzincan, Turkey ground motion. In the time history analyses, Rayleigh damping coefficients are calculated using main natural frequency obtained from modal analysis. Element matrices are computed using the Gauss numerical integration technique. The Newmark method is used in the solution of the equation of motion. Because of needed too much memory for the analyses, the first 10 second of the ground motions, which is the most effective duration, is taken into account in calculations. The results obtained 3D finite element model are presented. In addition, the displacement and stress results are observed to be allowable level of the concrete material during the earthquakes.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.479-489
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• 2018

In this paper, a comparative study of the effects of soil modelling on the interaction between tunnelling in soft soil and adjacent piled structure is presented. Several three-dimensional finite element analyses are performed to study the deformation of pile caps and piles as well as tunnel internal forces during the construction of an underground tunnel. The soil is modelled by two material models: the simple, yet approximate Mohr Coulomb (MC) yield criterion; and the complex, but reasonable hardening soil (HS) model with hyperbolic relation between stress and strain. For the former model, two different values of the soil stiffness modulus ($E_{50}$ or $E_{ur}$) as well as two profiles of stiffness variation with depth (constant and linearly increasing) were used in attempts to improve its prediction. As these four attempts did not succeed, a hybrid representation in which the hardening soil is used for soil located at the highly-strained zones while the Mohr Coulomb model is utilized elsewhere was investigated. This hybrid representation, which is a compromise between rigorous and simple solutions yielded results that compare well with those of the hardening soil model. The compared results include pile cap movements, pile deformation, and tunnel internal forces. Problem symmetry is utilized and, therefore, one symmetric half of the soil medium, the tunnel boring machine, the face pressure, the final tunnel lining, the pile caps, and the piles are modelled in several construction phases.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.162-163
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• 2016

This paper presents a mathematical model for optimizing earthwork allocation plan that minimizes earthwork cost. The model takes into account operational constraints in the real-world earthwork such as material-type (i.e., quality level of material) and quantities excavated from cut-sections, required quality of material and quantities for each embankment layer, top-down cutting and bottom-up filling constraints, and allocation orders. These constraints are successfully handled by assuming the rock-earth material as the three dimensional (3D) blocks. The study is of value to project scheduler because the model identifies the optimal earth allocation plan (i.e., haul direction (cut and fill pairs), quantities of soil, type of material, and order of allocations) expeditiously and is developed as an automated system for usability. It is also relevant to estimator in that it computes more realistic earthworks costs estimation. The economic impact and validity of the mathematical model was confirmed by performing test cases.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2010.09b
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• pp.3-12
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• 2010

Vertical drains have been commonly used to increase the rate of the consolidation of dredged material. The installation of vertical drains additionally provides a radial flow path in the dredged foundation. The objective of this study develops a numerical model for 2-D axisymmetric non-linear finite strain consolidation considering self-weight consolidation to predict the effect of vertical drain in dredged foundation which is in process of self-weight consolidation. The non-linear relationship between the void ratio and effective stress and permeability during consolidation are taken into account in the numerical model. The results of the numerical analysis are compared with that of the self-weight consolidation test in which an artificial vertical drain is installed. In addition, the numerical model developed in this paper is the simplified analytical method proposed by Ahn et, al (2010). The comparisons show that the developed numerical model can properly simulate the consolidation of the dredged material with the vertical drains installed.