• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제52권3호
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• pp.507-523
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• 2014

Shell foundations have been employed as an alternative for the conventional flat shallow foundations and have proven to provide economical advantage. They have shown considerably improved performance in terms of ultimate capacity and settlement characteristics. However, despite conical shell foundations are frequently used in industry, the theoretical solutions for bearing capacity of these footings are available for only triangular shell strip foundations. The benefits in design aspects can be achieved through theoretical solutions considering shell geometry. The engineering behavior of a conical shell foundation on mixed soils was investigated experimentally and theoretically in this study. The failure mechanism was obtained by conducting laboratory model tests. Based on that, the theoretical solution of bearing capacity was developed and validated with experimental results, in terms of the internal angle of the cone. In comparison to the circular flat foundation, the results show 15% increase of ultimate load and 51% decrease of settlement at an angle of intersection of $120^{\circ}$. Based on the results, the design chart of modified bearing capacity coefficients for conical shell foundation is proposed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제67권5호
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• pp.493-504
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• 2018

In this paper, the tensile failure behaviour of transversally bedding layers was numerically simulated by using particle flow code in two dimensions. Firstly, numerical model was calibrated by uniaxial, Brazilian and triaxial experimental results to ensure the conformity of the simulated numerical model's response. Secondly, 21 circular models with diameter of 54 mm were built. Each model contains two transversely bedding layers. The first bedding layer has low mechanical properties, less than mechanical properties of intact material, and second bedding layer has high mechanical properties, more than mechanical properties of intact material. The angle of first bedding layer, with weak mechanical properties, related to loading direction was $0^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $75^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$ while the angle of second layer, with high mechanical properties, related to loading direction was $90^{\circ}$, $105^{\circ}$, $120^{\circ}$, $135^{\circ}$, $150^{\circ}$, $160^{\circ}$ and $180^{\circ}$. Is to be note that the angle between bedding layer was $90^{\circ}$ in all bedding configurations. Also, three different pairs of the thickness was chosen in models; i.e., 5 mm/10 mm, 10 mm/10 mm and 20 mm/10 mm. The result shows that In all configurations, shear cracks develop between the weaker bedding layers. Shear cracks angel related to normal load change from $0^{\circ}$ to $90^{\circ}$ with increment of $15^{\circ}$. Numbers of shear cracks are constant by increasing the bedding thickness. It's to be note that in some configuration, tensile cracks develop through the intact area of material model. There is not any failure in direction of bedding plane interface with higher strength.