Force Equilibrium–Based Model for Predicting Stresses in Soil-Bentonite Cutoff Walls
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 2
Abstract
Hydraulic conductivity of soil-bentonite (SB) slurry-trench cutoff walls is highly influenced by the stress state. A model based on force equilibrium is proposed to predict the stresses in SB cutoff walls, considering not only the arching and lateral squeezing effects but also the interaction between SB backfill and surrounding soil by assuming a sliding wedge under limit equilibrium conditions based on Coulomb’s theory. This model is applied to a well-documented SB cutoff wall case, and good agreements are found between the predicted horizontal effective stress and those evaluated from cone penetration test data. The decrease in stresses within the deep portion of SB cutoff walls is successfully simulated. A parametric study shows the horizontal effective stress is sensitive to the properties of the surrounding soil, but insensitive to those of the backfill. General estimation of horizontal stress can be made in practice according to the geometry similarity in stress profiles.
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Acknowledgments
The financial support received from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), by way of Grant Nos. 41672284 and 51578503, and the Science Technology Department of Zhejiang Province by Grant No. 2016C31G2010015 is gratefully acknowledged. The authors thank Dr. Peter John Cleall, Cardiff University, U.K., for his comments to this paper.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 144 • Issue 2 • February 2018
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 20, 2015
Accepted: Aug 2, 2017
Published online: Dec 6, 2017
Published in print: Feb 1, 2018
Discussion open until: May 6, 2018
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