Centrifuge Modeling Investigation of Geosynthetic-Reinforced and Pile-Supported Embankments
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24, Issue 8
Abstract
Geosynthetic-reinforced and pile-supported embankments (GRPSEs) encompass two core components of the aforementioned reinforced embankment and the underlying composite foundation. Previous centrifuge modeling of GRPSEs generally simplified or omitted the key aspects related to the core components, which can weaken the similarity of working performance between models and prototypes. In the current study, to accurately investigate the effects of the change of pile arrangement on the overall working mechanism of GRPSEs, two groups of centrifuge model tests on GRPSEs (Groups A and B with different pile cap sizes and pile spacings) were conducted by taking into account the similarity in design of materials, geometry, and pile‒soil friction. Without simplifications and omissions of the core aspects of the composite foundation, the test models involve the embankment slope, geotechnical reinforcement, large-diameter cast-in-situ concrete pipe (PCC) piles, and soft soil foundation. It has been verified that increasing the area replacement ratio by expanding the pile-cap area and enlarging the pile spacing is an economical way to reduce the final settlement and postsettlement, allowing for more loading to be concentrated on the PCC piles with a lower pile-soil stress ratio. Additionally, the influences of the 1g model preparation and g-ring loading method were analyzed and discussed. The subsurface settlements during the embankment loading stage, as well as the total rebound deformation, were recorded, and it was found that, based on the four-stage global settlement characteristics investigation, the settlement in the embankment construction stage and the final settlement are both overestimated. This study provides essential insights into the influence of modeling stress history on the deformation in centrifuge testing and serves as a reference for the pile arrangement design of GRPSEs.
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Data Availability Statement
The data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
Financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 52208346), the Natural Science Foundation of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China (Grant 22KJB560017), the Open Research Fund of the Key Laboratory of Reservoir and Dam Safety, Ministry of Water Resources (Grant YK323008), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (Grant BK20210006), and the scientific research funding project of Jinling Institute of Technology (Grants jit-b-202130 and jit-fhxm-202106) is acknowledged.
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24 • Issue 8 • August 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 24, 2023
Accepted: Dec 2, 2023
Published online: May 21, 2024
Published in print: Aug 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Oct 21, 2024
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