Arching and Deformation in a Piled Embankment: Centrifuge Tests Compared to Analytical Calculations
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142, Issue 12
Abstract
Measured loads in centrifuge tests on piled embankments were compared with values calculated by three analytical arching models. The Zaeske and Van Eekelen models use sets of arches that give the direction of the load transfer, and result in an increasing load on the soft soil with increasing embankment thickness or surcharge load, which matches the measurements. The Svanø model, however, assumes that the load on the soft soil remains constant with increasing embankment thickness or surcharge load, thereby being transferred directly to the piles. Therefore, the Zaeske and Van Eekelen models match the measurements better than the Svanø model. The Van Eekelen model slightly overestimates the pile efficiency for relatively thin embankments, but matches the measurements better than the Zaeske model for increasing embankment thickness or surcharge load.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Almeida, M. S. S., and Marques, M. E. S. (2013). Design and performance of embankments on very soft soils, CRC Press, London.
Blanc, M., Rault, G., Thorel, L., and Almeida, M. S. S. (2013). “Centrifuge investigation of load transfer mechanisms in a granular mattress above a rigid inclusions network.” Geotext. Geomembr., 36, 92–105.
Blanc, M., Thorel, L., Girout, R., and Almeida, M. S. S. (2014). “Geosynthetic reinforcement of a granular load transfer platform above rigid inclusions: Comparison between centrifuge testing and analytical modelling.” Geosynth. Int., 21(1), 37–52.
Briançon, L., and Simon, B. (2012). “Performance of pile-supported embankment over soft soil: Full-scale experiment.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 551–561.
Chen, R., Xu, Z., Chen, Y., Ling, D., and Zhu, B. (2010). “Field test on a piled embankment over soft ground.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 777–785.
Chen, Y. M., Wei-Ping, C., and Ren-Peng, C. (2008). “An experimental investigation of soil arching within basal reinforced and unreinforced piled embankments.” Geotext. Geomembr., 26(2), 164–174.
Chevalier, B., Villard, P., and Combe, G. (2011). “Investigation of load-transfer mechanisms in geotechnical Earth structures with thin fill platforms reinforced by rigid inclusions.” Int. J. Geomech., 239–250.
CUR. (2015). “Ontwerprichtlijn paalmatrassystemen (design guideline piled embankments).”, Netherlands (in Dutch).
de Freitas Fagundes, D., de Almeida, M. S. S., Girout, R., Blanc, M., and Thorel, L. (2015). “Behaviour of piled embankment without reinforcement.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng.– Geotech. Eng., 168(6), 514–525.
EBGEO. (2011). Recommendations for design and analysis of earth structures using geosynthetic reinforcements, Wiley, Berlin.
Ellis,E., and Aslam, R. (2009). “Arching in piled embankments: Comparison of centrifuge tests and predictive methods. Part 1 of 2.” Ground Eng., 42(6), 34–38.
Filz, G., Sloan, J., McGuire, M. P., Collin, J., and Smith, M. (2012). “Column-supported embankments: Settlement and load transfer.” Proc., Geotechnical Engineering State of the Art and Practice, ASCE, Reston, VA, 54–77.
Garnier, J., et al. (2007). “Catalogue of scaling laws and similitude questions in geotechnical centrifuge modelling.” Int. J. Phys. Modell. Geotech., 7(3), 1–23.
Girout, R., Blanc, M., Dias, D., and Thorel, L. (2014). “Numerical analysis of a geosynthetic-reinforced piled load transfer platform—Validation on centrifuge test.” Geotext. Geomembr., 42(5), 525–539.
Hewlett, W., and Randolph, M. A. (1988). “Analysis of piled embankments.” Ground Eng., 21(3), 12–18.
Jenck, O., Dias, D., and Kastner, R. (2007). “Two-dimensional physical and numerical modeling of a pile-supported earth platform over soft soil.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 295–305.
Le Hello, B., and Villard, P. (2009). “Embankments reinforced by piles and geosynthetics—Numerical and experimental studies dealing with the transfer of load on the soil embankment.” Eng. Geol., 106(1-2), 78–91.
Nordic. (2003). “Nordic guideline for reinforced soils and fills.” Nordic Geosynthetic Group, Sweden.
Oiseth, E., Svanø, G., Watn, A., and Emdal, A. (2002). “A computer program for designing reinforced embankment.” Proc., 7th Int. Conf. on Geotextiles: State of Art, Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 201–204.
Okyay, U., Dias, D., Thorel, L., and Rault, G. (2014). “Centrifuge modeling of a pile-supported granular earth-platform.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 04013015.
Rault, G., et al. (2010). “Mobile tray for simulation of 3D load transfer in pile-supported earth platforms.” Proc., 7th Int. Conf. on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, Springman, Zurich, Switzerland, 261–266.
Rogbeck, Y., Gustavsson, S., Södergren, I., and Lindquist, D. (1998). “Reinforced piled embankments in Sweden—Design aspects.” 6th Int. Conf. on Geosynthetics, Industrial Fabrics Association International, Roseville, CA, 755–762.
Svanø, G., Ilstad, T., Eiksund, G., and Watn, A. A. (2000). “Alternative calculation principle for design of piled embankments with base reinforcement.” Proc., 4th Int. Conf. Ground Improvement Geosystem, Finnish Geotechnical Society, Helsinki, Finland.
Van Eekelen, S. J., Bezuijen, A., Lodder, H. J., and Van Tol, A. F. (2012a). “Model experiments on piled embankments. Part I.” Geotext. Geomembr., 32(1), 69–81.
Van Eekelen, S. J., Bezuijen, A., Lodder, H. J., and Van Tol, A. F. (2012b). “Model experiments on piled embankments. Part II.” Geotext. Geomembr., 32(1), 82–94.
Van Eekelen, S. J. M., Bezuijen, A., and van Tol, A. F. (2013). “An analytical model for arching in piled embankments.” Geotext. Geomembr., 39(1), 78–102.
Van Eekelen, S. J. M., Bezuijen, A., and van Tol, A. F. (2015). “Validation of analytical models for the design of basal reinforced piled embankments.” Geotext. Geomembr., 43(1), 56–81.
Xing, H., Zhang, Z., Liu, H., and Wei, H. (2014). “Large-scale tests of pile-supported earth platform with and without geogrid.” Geotext. Geomembr., 42(6), 586–598.
Zaeske, D. (2001). “To see the effect of non-reinforced and proven mineral base courses over pale like Gründungselemnte [Zur Wirkungsweise von unbewehrten und bewehrten mineralischen Tragschichten über pfahlartigen Gründungselementen].” Univ. of Kassel, Kassel, Germany (in German).
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142 • Issue 12 • December 2016
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 5, 2015
Accepted: Apr 12, 2016
Published online: Jul 14, 2016
Published in print: Dec 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Dec 14, 2016
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.