Three-Dimensional Finite-Element Analysis of Pressure–Settlement Response of Sand Compaction Pile-Treated Cohesionless Deposits
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 21, Issue 4
Abstract
Strength characteristics of loose to medium dense sand deposits improved by sand compaction piles (SCPs) are assessed by performing three-dimensional (3D) finite-element analysis using PLAXIS 3D. The Mohr–Coulomb model is employed to model the behavior of both sand and SCP. A laboratory test is performed on the SCP-treated sand deposit to validate the finite-element (FE) result and they are in good agreement. A parametric study is conducted on field-scale SCP FE models considering variations in the properties of sand deposit and geometrical parameters of the SCP on the pressure–settlement response. Based on the FE results, it is found that a nearly 21% increment in the ultimate bearing capacity of the SCP-treated sand deposit can be obtained when the diameter of the SCP is increased by 100 mm. Settlement improvement factors are estimated for the treated sand deposits at selected bearing pressures to understand the extent of improvement achieved.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Dr. B. R. Madhusudhan for his valuable suggestions during the preparation of the manuscript. Help rendered by the Head, Department of Ocean Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai with using PLAXIS 3D software is deeply acknowledged.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- D
- diameter of the SCP;
- d
- diameter of the footing;
- E
- Young's modulus;
- L
- length of the SCP;
- Rinter
- interface reduction factor;
- re
- relative element size factor;
- S/D
- ratio of spacing between the SCP/diameter of the SCP;
- St
- settlement of the footing;
- St/d
- settlement ratio;
- Ux
- displacement in the x-direction;
- Uy
- displacement in the y-direction;
- Uz
- displacement in the z-direction;
- β
- settlement reduction factor;
- γ
- unit weight;
- η
- settlement improvement factor;
- υ
- Poisson's ratio;
- ϕ
- internal angle of friction; and
- ψ
- dilatancy angle.
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 21 • Issue 4 • April 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 21, 2020
Accepted: Oct 23, 2020
Published online: Jan 20, 2021
Published in print: Apr 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Jun 20, 2021
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