Tsunami loading can cause sediment instability, which can compromise the structural integrity of coastal buildings and infrastructure. To understand the process by which a tsunami can cause sediment instability, it is necessary to understand how the pore water pressure in the soil changes during tsunami loading. Tsunami run-up causes the...
This study presents the theoretical background necessary to model the bearing capacity of shallow and deep foundations in partially saturated soils. The conventional bearing capacity equations for shallow and deep foundations and the 𝛽-method for deep foundation side resistance have been modified to include the effects of matric suction and...
Nearly all soils are comprised of mixtures of coarse and fine particles. Behavior under mechanical and thermal loading of soil is strongly influenced (and in some cases, governed) by the ratio of coarse to fine particles. A better understanding of the fundamental behavior of soil mixtures will provide insight to...
Model testing has proven to be an effective tool in the study of
soil-structure systems. While primarily used in research work, this
method of evaluation is also applicable to the solution of many types
of complex design problems. Because of its workability and relatively
simple characteristics, sand is the most...
During construction of the embankment at Blue River Dam
placement difficulties were occasionally experienced with the filter
zone sands. In the extreme condition construction equipment became
mired and part of the fill had to be removed and wasted. A
laboratory investigation was conducted on materials from the above
project to...
Combinations of cohesive and cohesionless soils are often encountered
when evaluating the engineering properties of soils. The
stress-volume characteristics of the mixed soil are found to vary according
to the proportion of each component. If the cohesive soil
composes more than a certain fraction of the material, the magnitude
of...
Nonlinear large deflection finite element analyses of a fabric
reinforced embankment on muskeg were performed to predict fabric
tension and the effect of fabric stiffness on embankment deflections.
The predicted fabric tensions were compared with the results of a
sliding block analysis, and show this simple analysis requires further
correlation...
In many geotechnical design situations involving tight right-of-way constraints, Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls are often the most cost-effective and reliable earth retention technology among available alternatives. However, few well-documented case histories with detailed material testing, instrumentation programs and construction observation of performance are available in the literature. Despite the...
The cyclic resistance of predominantly fine-grained soils has received considerable attention following ground and foundation failures at sites underlain by silt-rich soils during recent earthquakes. In several cases substantial ground deformation and reduced bearing capacity of silt soils has been attributed to excess pore pressure generation during cyclic loading. These...