Investigation of Soil Arching Effect and Accumulative Deformation in Pile-Supported Embankments Subjected to Traffic Loading Using Numerical Modeling
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24, Issue 7
Abstract
Pile-supported embankments, with advantages of high bearing capacity and effectiveness, have been widely used for constructing embankments on soft ground. The long-term load transfer and cumulative deformation mechanism caused by traffic loading are crucial to pile-supported embankment design and maintenance. A three-dimensional (3D) finite-element model of a pile-supported embankment to investigate its long-term load transfer and cumulative deformation mechanism under traffic loading is presented in this paper. The dynamic nonlinear behavior of the soft ground is considered by a simplified dynamic constitutive model that that has been effectively incorporated into the Abaqus program. In comparison with the results of published literatures, the applicability and accuracy of the proposed finite-element model are well verified at first. Then, the long-term load transfer and deformation mechanism are revealed by investing the soil arching and the cumulative deformation with a series of 3D numerical modeling. Furthermore, the influences of traffic loading type, speed of the vehicle, pile spacing, and total number of layers of grid on the long-term load transfer and deformation mechanism of the pile-supported embankment are investigated.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
This work is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52008286, 52078336, 42277133) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2022M721000).
References
Aqoub, K., M. Mohamed, and T. Sheehan. 2020. “Quantitative analysis of shallow unreinforced and reinforced piled embankments with different heights subject to cyclic loads: Experimental study.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng. 138: 106277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2020.106277.
Ariyarathne, P., and D. S. Liyanapathirana. 2015. “Review of existing design methods for geosynthetic-reinforced pile-supported embankments.” Soils Found. 55 (1): 17–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2014.12.002.
Badakhshan, E., A. Noorzad, A. Bouazza, Y. F. Dafalias, S. Zameni, and L. King. 2020. “Load recovery mechanism of arching within piled embankments using discrete element method and small scale tests.” Powder Technol. 359: 59–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2019.10.025.
Bhasi, A., and K. Rajagopal. 2015a. “Geosynthetic-reinforced piled embankments: Comparison of numerical and analytical methods.” Int. J. Geomech. 15 (5): 04014074. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000414.
Bhasi, A., and K. Rajagopal. 2015b. “Numerical study of basal reinforced embankments supported on floating/end bearing piles considering pile–soil interaction.” Geotext. Geomembr. 43 (6): 524–536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2015.05.003.
Bian, X., H. Jiang, and Y. Chen. 2010. “Accumulative deformation in railway track induced by high-speed traffic loading of the trains.” Earthquake Eng. Eng. Vibr. 9 (3): 319–326. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11803-010-0016-2.
Chen, R., Y. Wang, J. Chen, and X. Bian. 2015. “Experimental study on soil arching effect in pile-supported-supported reinforced embankment under dynamic train loads with large number of vibration cycles.” [In Chinese.] J. China Railway Soc. 37 (9): 107–113.
Chen, R. P., Z. Z. Xu, Y. M. Chen, D. S. Ling, and B. Zhu. 2010. “Field tests on pile-supported embankments over soft ground.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 136 (6): 777–785. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000295.
Cheng, X., X. Du, D. Lu, C. Ma, and P. Wang. 2020. “A simple single bounding surface model for undrained cyclic behaviours of saturated clays and its numerical implementation.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng. 139: 106389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2020.106389.
Cheng, X., J. Wang, and Z. Wang. 2016. “Incremental elastoplastic FEM for simulating the deformation process of suction caissons subjected to cyclic loads in soft clays.” Appl. Ocean Res. 59: 274–285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apor.2016.05.015.
Dafalias, Y. F., and E. P. Popov. 1975. “A model of nonlinearly hardening materials for complex loading.” Acta Mech. 21 (3): 173–192. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01181053.
Gao, G.-y., J.-w. Bi, Q.-s. Chen, and R.-m. Chen. 2020. “Analysis of ground vibrations induced by high-speed train moving on pile-supported subgrade using three-dimensional fem.” J. Cent. South Univ. 27 (8): 2455–2464. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-020-4461-4.
Guo, W., W. Chen, C. He, L. Jiang, Y. Wang, Z. Guo, Q. Yan, L. Zhao, and Y. Lin. 2022. “Shaking table test research on shear behavior of cross-fault geosynthetics reinforced and pile-supported embankment.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng. 155: 107197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2022.107197.
Han, G.-x., Q.-m. Gong, and S.-h. Zhou. 2015. “Soil arching in a piled embankment under dynamic load.” Int. J. Geomech. 15 (6): 04014094. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000443.
Huang, J., and J. Han. 2009. “3D coupled mechanical and hydraulic modeling of a geosynthetic-reinforced deep mixed column-supported embankment.” Geotext. Geomembr. 27 (4): 272–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2009.01.001.
Huang, M., and Y. Liu. 2014. “Numerical analysis of axial cyclic degradation of a single pile in saturated soft soil based on nonlinear kinematic hardening constitutive model.” [In Chinese.] Chin. J. Geotech. Eng. 36 (12): 2170–2178.
Lai, F., S. Chen, J. Xue, and F. Chen. 2020. “New analytical solutions for shallow cohesive soils overlying trench voids under various slip surfaces.” Transp. Geotech. 25: 100411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2020.100411.
Lee, T., S. H. Lee, I.-W. Lee, and Y.-H. Jung. 2020. “Quantitative performance evaluation of GRPE: A full-scale modeling approach.” Geosynthetics Int. 27 (3): 342–347. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgein.19.00017.
Meena, N. K., S. Nimbalkar, B. Fatahi, and G. Yang. 2020. “Effects of soil arching on behavior of pile-supported railway embankment: 2D FEM approach.” Comput. Geotech. 123: 103601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2020.103601.
Ng, C. W. W., J. Shi, D. Mašín, H. Sun, and G. H. Lei. 2015. “Influence of sand density and retaining wall stiffness on three-dimensional responses of tunnel to basement excavation.” Can. Geotech. J. 52 (11): 1811–1829. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2014-0150.
Pham, H. V., and D. Dias. 2019. “3D numerical modeling of a piled embankment under cyclic loading.” Int. J. Geomech. 19 (4): 04019010. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0001354.
Pham, T. A., and D. Dias. 2021. “Comparison and evaluation of analytical models for the design of geosynthetic-reinforced and pile-supported embankments.” Geotext. Geomembr. 49 (3): 528–549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2020.11.001.
Pham, V. H. 2018. “3D modelling of soft soil improvement by rigid inclusions—complex and cyclic loading.” Ph.D. thesis, Infrastructure Engineering, Hanoi University of Mining and Geology.
Roscoe, K. H., and J. B. Burland. 1968. “On the generalized stress–strain behavior of wet clays.” In Engineering plasticity, edited by J. Heyman, and F. Leckie, 535–609. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Rui, R., F. van Tol, X.-L. Xia, S. van Eekelen, G. Hu, and Y.-y. Xia. 2016. “Evolution of soil arching; 2D DEM simulations.” Comput. Geotech. 73: 199–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2015.12.006.
Sangrey, D. A., D. J. Henkel, and M. I. Esrig. 1969. “The effective stress response of a saturated clay soil to repeated loading.” Can. Geotech. J. 6 (3): 241–252. https://doi.org/10.1139/t69-027.
Spangler, M. G., and I. Handy. 1973. Soil engineering. New York: Intext Educational Publishers.
Terzaghi, K. 1943. Theoretical soil mechanics. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Tran, Q. A., P. Villard, and D. Dias. 2021. “Geosynthetic reinforced piled embankment modeling using discrete and continuum approaches.” Geotext. Geomembr. 49 (1): 243–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2020.10.026.
van Eekelen, S. J. M., A. Bezuijen, H. J. Lodder, and E. A. van Tol. 2012. “Model experiments on piled embankments. part I.” Geotext. Geomembr. 32: 69–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2011.11.002.
van Eekelen, S. J. M., A. Bezuijen, and A. F. van Tol. 2015. “An analytical model for arching in pile-supported embankments.” Geotext. Geomembr. 39 (4): 78–102.
Wang, H.-L., R.-P. Chen, Q.-W. Liu, and X. Kang. 2019. “Investigation on geogrid reinforcement and pile efficacy in geosynthetic-reinforced pile-supported track-bed.” Geotext. Geomembr. 47 (6): 755–766. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2019.103489.
Wei, P. 2018. Study on macroscopic and microcosmic soil arching effect of pile-net composite foundation in low embankment under dynamic load. [In Chinese.] Beijing: Beijing Jiaotong Univ.
Wijerathna, M., and D. S. Liyanapathirana. 2021. “Simplified modelling approaches for DCM column-supported embankments.” Int. J. Geotech. Eng. 15: 553–562. https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2018.1462023.
Wood, D. M. 1991. Soil behavior and critical state soil mechanics. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Wu, L., G. Jiang, X. Liu, H. Xiao, and D. Sheng. 2018. “Performance of geogrid-reinforced pile-supported embankments over decomposed granite soil.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. Geotech. Eng. 171 (1): 37–51.
Zhuang, Y., X. Cui, S. Zhang, G. Dai, and X. Zhao. 2022. “The load transfer mechanism in reinforced piled embankment under cyclic loading and unloading.” Eur. J. Environ. Civ. Eng. 26: 1364–1378. https://doi.org/10.1080/19648189.2020.1713217.
Zhuang, Y., and E. A. Ellis. 2016. “Finite-element analysis of a piled embankment with reinforcement and subsoil.” Géotechnique 66 (7): 596–601. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.15.P.139.
Zhuang, Y., and K. Y. Wang. 2018a. “Finite-element analysis of arching in highway piled embankments subjected to moving vehicle loads.” Géotechnique 68 (10): 857–868. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.16.P.266.
Zhuang, Y., and K. Wang. 2018b. “Finite element analysis on the dynamic behavior of soil arching effect in piled embankment.” Transp. Geotech. 14: 8–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2017.09.001.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 9, 2023
Accepted: Jan 26, 2024
Published online: May 8, 2024
Published in print: Jul 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Oct 8, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Continuum mechanics
- Deformation (mechanics)
- Design (by type)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Foundations
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Load factors
- Load transfer
- Models (by type)
- Numerical models
- Pile foundations
- Piles
- Soft soils
- Soil deformation
- Soil mechanics
- Soils (by type)
- Solid mechanics
- Structural design
- Structural mechanics
- Traffic models
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.