Numerical and Physical Modeling of the Effect of the Cone Apex Angle on the Penetration Resistance in Coarse-Grained Soils
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23, Issue 2
Abstract
The tip shape of penetrometers and piles has an important influence on the soil resistance mobilized during penetration. Blunt or flat tips typically generate greater penetration resistances, which can lead to refusal during in-situ testing and pile driving in the field. Results are presented from numerical and experimental investigations on probes with conical tips of varying apex angles to quantify the effect of the apex angle on the mobilized penetration resistance and associated failure mechanisms. Discrete element modeling (DEM) simulations were performed in unconfined and confined (i.e., stress-controlled) specimens to model shallow and deep penetration conditions, respectively. Centrifuge penetration tests were performed by quasi-statically advancing an instrumented probe to a depth-to-probe-diameter ratio of 16.7. The numerical and experimental results indicate that at shallow depths, the sharper tips mobilize smaller penetration resistances. In deep penetration conditions, the changes in penetration resistance with tip apex angle are less pronounced. Based on the results of the two investigations and values reported in the literature, a relationship characterizing the functional form between tip apex angle and normalized penetration resistance is proposed. A mesoscale analysis of the DEM simulation shows differences in the failure mechanisms induced by sharp and blunt tips: the zone where large particle displacements and stress changes occur is large and located below the tip for penetration with blunt tips, whereas the zone is smaller and located both laterally and below the tip for sharp tips.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Award No. 1942369 and by the Engineering Research Center Program of the NSF under Cooperative Agreement No. EEC-1449501. The centrifuge tests were conducted at the UC Davis CGM, which is supported under Grant No. CMMI-1520581. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the NSF.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23 • Issue 2 • February 2023
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 30, 2022
Accepted: Aug 7, 2022
Published online: Nov 18, 2022
Published in print: Feb 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Apr 18, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Analysis (by type)
- Coarse-grained soils
- Design (by type)
- Discrete element method
- Engineering fundamentals
- Failure analysis
- Field tests
- Foundations
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Geotechnical investigation
- Load and resistance factor design
- Load factors
- Methodology (by type)
- Models (by type)
- Numerical methods
- Numerical models
- Penetration tests
- Pile foundations
- Pile tests
- Soil mechanics
- Soils (by type)
- Structural design
- Tests (by type)
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