Uplift Performance of Transmission Tower Foundations Embedded in Clay
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 134, Issue 4
Abstract
The contribution to the uplift stiffness and capacity provided by the clay beneath the base of shallow footings typical in configuration to those employed to support high voltage electricity transmission towers is examined. Pore pressures developed at the base of appropriately scaled footings founded on clay were measured over a wide range of uplift rates in a geotechnical centrifuge. These measurements, coupled with data from tests on identical footings founded on sand, are used to provide insights into the influence of uplift rate on the failure mechanism and footing capacity. Data from a series of undrained triaxial extension tests, conducted over a range of strain rates, are presented and these data combined with finite element back-analyses of the centrifuge uplift tests are used to provide designers with a means of assessing the capacity and load–displacement response of footings on clay subjected to high rates of uplift in service.
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Acknowledgments
The financial support provided by National Grid Plc, U.K. is gratefully acknowledged. The writers would like to thank Dr. Christophe Gaudin, Mr. Bart Thompson, Mr. Tuarn Brown, and Mr. John Breen of the School of Civil & Resource Engineering, University of Western Australia for their technical advice and assistance. The writers are particularly indebted to Mr. Hardev Sidhu of Surrey Geotechnical Consulting, U.K. for his advice and assistance with the triaxial extension tests.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 134 • Issue 4 • April 2008
Pages: 531 - 540
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Jan 15, 2007
Accepted: Aug 7, 2007
Published online: Apr 1, 2008
Published in print: Apr 2008
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