• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.689-707
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• 2015

Progressive increase in population causing land scarcity, which is forcing construction industry to build multistory buildings having underground basements. Normally, basements are constructed for parking facility. This research work evaluates important factors which have caused the collapse of pile-anchor system at under construction five star hotel. 21 m deep excavation is carried out, to have five basements, after installation of 600 mm diameter cast in-situ contiguous concrete piles at plot periphery. To retain piles and backfill, soil anchors are installed as pit excavation is proceeded. Before collapse, anchors are designed by federal highway administration procedure and four anchor rows are installed with three strands per anchor in first row and four in remaining. However, after collapse, system is modeled and analyzed in plaxis using mohr-coulomb method. It is investigated that in-appropriate evaluation of soil properties, additional surcharge loads, lesser number of strands per anchor, shorter grouted body length and shorter pile embedment depth caused large deformations to occur which governed the collapse of east side pile wall. To resume work, old anchors are assumed to be standing at one factor of safety and then system is analyzed using finite element approach. Finally, it is concluded to use four strands per anchor in first new row and five strands in remaining three with increase in grouted and un-grouted body lengths.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.99-109
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• 2021

Tunnel provide faster, safer and convenient way of transportation for different objects. The region where it is construction and surrounding medium has significant influence on the overall stability and performance of tunnel. The present simulation has been carried out in order to understand the behaviour of rock tunnel under static loading condition. The present numerical model has been validated with the laboratory scaled model and field data of underground tunnels. Both lined and unlined tunnels have been considered in this paper. Finite element technique has been considered for the simulation of static loading effect on tunnel through Abaqus/Standard. The Mohr-Coulomb material model has been considered to simulate elastoplastic nonlinear behaviour of different rock types, i.e., Basalt, Granite and Quartzite. The four different stages of rock weathering are classified as fresh, slightly, moderately, and highly weathered in case of each rock type. Moreover, extremely weathered stage has been considered in case of Quartzite rock. It has been concluded that weathering of rock and overburden depth has great influence on the tunnel stability. However, by considering a particular weathering stage of rock for each rock type shows varying patterns of deformations in tunnel.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.225-234
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• 2019

A numerical stepwise approach for cavity expansion problem in strain-softening rock or soil mass is investigated, which is compatible with Mohr-Coulomb and generalized Hoek-Brown failure criteria. Based on finite difference method, plastic region is divided into a finite number of concentric rings whose thicknesses are determined internally to satisfy the equilibrium and compatibility equations, the material parameters of the rock or soil mass are assumed to be the same in each ring. For the strain-softening behavior, the strength parameters are assumed to be a linear function of deviatoric plastic strain (${\gamma}p^*$) for each ring. Increments of stress and strain for each ring are calculated with the finite difference method. Assumptions of large-strain for soil mass and small-strain for rock mass are adopted, respectively. A new numerical stepwise approach for limited pressure and plastic radius are obtained. Comparisons are conducted to validate the correctness of the proposed approach with Vesic's solution (1972). The results show that the perfectly elasto-plastic model may underestimate the displacement and stresses in cavity expansion than strain-softening coefficient considered. The results of limit expansion pressure based on the generalised H-B failure criterion are less than those obtained based on the M-C failure criterion.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.217-227
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• 2019

This study focuses on an improved prediction model to determine the limiting grouting pressure of compaction grouting considering the ground surface upheaval, which is caused by the three-dimensional conical shearing failure. The 2D-dimensional failure curve in Zou and Xia (2016) was improved to a three-dimensional conical shearing failure for compaction grouting through coordinate rotation. The process of compaction grouting was considered as the cavity expansion in infinite Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) soil mass. The prediction model of limiting grouting pressure of compaction grouting was proposed with limit equilibrium principle, which was validated by comparing the results in El-Kelesh et al. (2001) and numerical method. Furthermore, using the proposed prediction model, the vertical and horizontal grouting tube techniques were adopted to deal with the subgrade settlement in Shao-huai highway at Hunan Provence of China. The engineering applicability and effectiveness of the proposed model were verified by the field test. The research on the prediction model for the limiting grouting pressure of compaction grouting provides practical example to the rapid treatment technology of subgrade settlement.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2019

Rockburst disasters pose serious threat to mining safety and underground excavation, especially in China, resulting in massive life-wealth loss and even compulsive closed-down of some coal mines. To investigate the mechanism of rockbursts that occur under a state of static forces, a stress model with sidewall as prototype was developed and verified by a group of laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. In this model, roadway sidewall was simplified as a square plate with axial compression and end (horizontal) restraints. The stress field was solved via the Airy stress function. To track the "closeness degree" of the stress state approaching the yield limit, an unbalanced force F was defined based on the Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion. The distribution of the unbalanced force in the plane model indicated that only the friction angle above a critical value could cause the first failure on the coal in the deeper of the sidewall, inducing the occurrence of rockbursts. The laboratory tests reproduced the rockburst process, which was similar to the prediction from the theoretical model, numerical simulation and some disaster scenes.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.429-438
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• 2019

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is an innovative soil improvement approach utilizing metabolic activity of microbes to hydrolyze urea. In this paper, the shear response and the erodibility of MICP-treated sand under axial compression and submerged impinging jet were evaluated at a low confining stress range. Loose, poorly graded silica sand was used in testing. Specimens were cemented at low confining stresses until target shear wave velocities were achieved. Results indicated that the erodibility parameters of cemented specimens showed an increase in the critical shear stress by up to three orders of magnitude, while the erodibility coefficient decreased by up to four orders of magnitude. Such a trend was observed to be dependent on the level of cementation. The treated sand showed dilative behavior while the untreated sands showed contractive behavior. The shear modulus as a function of strain level, based on monitored shear wave velocity, indicated mineral debonding may commence at 0.05% axial strain. The peak strength was enhanced in terms of emerging cohesion parameter based on utilizing the Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2021

A suite of 3D large deformation finite element (FE) analyses was performed to investigate the load transfer mechanism and penetration resistance of spudcan foundations in heterogeneous soil profile consisting of sand and clay. The Elasto-Plastic models following Mohr-Coulomb and Tresca failure criteria were adopted for sand and clay, respectively. The accuracy of the numerical model was validated against centrifuge test measurements. The dense sand behavior with dilation is modeled using the non-associated flow rule. An investigation study consisting of key parameters, which includes variation in soil stratigraphy (sand-clay, sand-clay-sand), strength parameters of sand and clay (��' and su) and normalized height ratio of the sand layer (Hs/D) was conducted to assess the penetration behavior of spudcan. Based on calculated outputs, it was demonstrated that these parameters have a significant influence on the penetration resistance of spudcan. The calculated penetration resistance profiles are compared with the published (sand overlying clay) analytical model. It is confirmed that for the case of two-layer soil, the available theoretical model provides an accurate estimate of peak penetration resistance (qpeak). In the case of three-layer soil, the presence of a third stiff layer affects the penetration resistance profile due to the squeezing of the soil.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.505-518
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• 2021

The present paper has been carried out to understand the effects of impact loading on the rock tunnels, constructed in different region corresponding to varying unconfined compressive strength (UCS), through finite element method. The UCS of rockmass has substantial role in the stability of rock tunnels under impact loading condition due to falling rocks or other objects. In the present study, Dolomite, Shale, Sandstone, Granite, Basalt, and Quartzite rocks have been taken into consideration for understanding of the effect of UCS that vary from 2.85 MPa to 207.03 MPa. The Mohr-Coulomb constitutive model has been considered in the present study for the nonlinear elastoplastic analysis for all the rocks surrounding the tunnel opening. The geometry and boundary conditions of the model remains constant throughout the analysis and missile has 100 kg of weight. The general hard contact has been assigned to incorporate the interaction between different parts of the model. The present study focuses on studying the deformations in the rock tunnel caused by impacting load due to missile for tunnels having different concrete grade, and steel grade. The broader range of rock strength depicts the strong relationship between the UCS of rock and the extent of damage produced under different impact loading conditions. The energy released during an impact loading simulation shows the variation of safety and serviceability of the rock tunnel.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.293-312
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• 2022

Cantilever sheet pile walls having section thinner than masonry walls are generally adopted to retain moderate height of excavation. In practice, a surcharge in the form of strip load of finite width is generally present on the backfill. So, in the present study, influence of strip load on cantilever sheet pile walls is analyzed by varying the width of the strip load and distance from the cantilever sheet pile walls using finite difference based computer program in cohesionless soil modelled as Mohr-Coulomb model. The results of bending moment, earth pressure, deflection and settlement are presented in non-dimensional terms. A parametric study has been conducted for different friction angle of soil, embedded depth of sheet pile walls, different magnitudes and width of the strip load acting on the ground surface and at a depth below ground level. The result of present study is also validated with the available literature. From the results presented in this study, it can be inferred that optimum behavior of cantilever sheet pile walls is observed for strip load having width 2 m to 3 m on the ground surface. Further as the depth of strip load below the ground surface increases below the ground level to 0.75 times excavation height, the bending moment, settlement, net earth pressure and deflection decreases and then remains constant.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2022

Tunneling in rocks having the time-dependent behavior, causes some difficulties like tunnel convergence and, as a result, pressure on concrete lining; and so instability on this structure. In this paper the time-dependent behaviour of squeezing phenomenon in a large cross section tunnel was investigated as a case study: Alborz tunnel. Then, time-dependent behaviour of Alborz tunnel was evaluated using FLAC2D based on the finite difference numerical method. A Burger-creep viscoelastic model was used in numerical analysis. Using numerical analysis, the long-time effect of squeezing on lining stability was simulated.This study is done for primary lining (for 2 years) and permanent lining (for 100 years), under squeezing situations. The response of lining is discussed base on Thrust Force-Bending Moment and Thrust Force-Shear Force diagrams analysing. The results determined the importance of consideration of time-dependent behaviour of tunnel that structural forces in concrete lining will grow in consider with time pass and after 70 years can cause instability in creepy rock masses section of tunnel. To show the importance of time-dependent behavior consideration of rocks, elastic and Mohr-Coulomb models are evaluated at the end.