Behavior of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Piled Embankments with Defective Piles
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 145, Issue 11
Abstract
This paper describes a series of centrifuge model tests undertaken to investigate the load transfer and settlements that develop around a defective pile within geosynthetic-reinforced piled embankments. Models of an embankment supported using both floating and end-bearing piles were constructed with the subsoil consolidated and piles installed in-flight to ensure the load-settlement responses of the piles were accurately modeled. In each model, a defective pile was installed to a shallower depth than the surrounding nondefective piles, and as a result, exhibited a relatively softer load-settlement response. The results show that for the floating pile case, the defective pile underwent uniform settlement with the surrounding nondefective piles, and therefore no differential settlement was experienced at the embankment surface. In contrast, for the end-bearing pile case, the defective pile underwent additional settlement compared with the surrounding nondefective piles, which resulted in a localized depression forming at the embankment surface. It is shown that the area influenced by the defective pile was limited to the confines of the surrounding pile unit cell. This was confirmed by penetrometer testing and the observation that piles adjacent to the defective pile carried no additional loads and underwent no additional settlement because of their close proximity to the defective pile.
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Acknowledgments
The first author would like to thank Golder Associates, Monash University, and the Australian Government for the financial support provided, which enabled him to pursue his PhD study. This research was also supported by the Golder Associates Innovation to Excellence (i2X) fund. The authors would like to thank the staff at the NGCF; their effort and expertise is greatly appreciated. In addition, testing of the LLDPE geomembrane, performed by Warren Hornsey at TRI Australasia’s geosynthetics laboratory, is greatly appreciated.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 145 • Issue 11 • November 2019
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©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 29, 2018
Accepted: Apr 17, 2019
Published online: Aug 19, 2019
Published in print: Nov 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Jan 19, 2020
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