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...
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...
Mass soil movements of four types; debris avalanche, debris torrent, debris slide and bank slough, were field inventoried in the Oregon Coast Range. A total of 104 mass movements were located in 21 undisturbed watersheds and 13 clearcuts harvested in the last six years. Failures associated with roads and landings...
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...
One of many important physical properties that must be known
to understand transport phenomena in soils is pore size distribution.
Presently the pore size distributions of soils are most commonly
obtained from soil water characteristic curves. The soil water characteristic
curves are usually obtained by the pressure plate technique.
It...
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...