Behavior of an Atypical Embankment on Soft Soil: Field Observations and Numerical Simulation
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper compares the behavior of an embankment with nonsymmetric geometry built on soft soil with that predicted numerically using four elastoplastic soil models. Two of these models are based on isotropic conditions (Modified Cam-Clay on its own or in association with Von Mises) and two other are derived from anisotropic conditions (Melanie on its own or conjugated with Mohr Coulomb). The performance of the models, whose parameters are derived from experimental data, is checked against triaxial tests results. For the embankment, the measured and computed displacements and excess pore pressure are compared, with the isotropic models performing best. The maximum horizontal displacements versus settlements, the change in excess pore pressure versus vertical stress, the extent of the yield domain and the contours of the effective vertical and horizontal stress increments are also examined. The numerical results are explained based on the characteristics of the numerical models, namely the size and shape of the yield surface. The embankment, despite its nonsymmetric geometry, exhibits some similarities with typical behavior.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to express their gratitude to the institutions that financially supported the research UNSPECIFIEDCIEC and FCT (PRODEP ).
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 1 • January 2010
Pages: 35 - 47
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 20, 2007
Accepted: Jun 20, 2009
Published online: Jun 26, 2009
Published in print: Jan 2010
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