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Assessing foundation response to cyclic loading is vital when designing transport infrastructure, such as road pavements and rail tracks, as well as offshore, port, and tall tower structures. While detailed guidance is available on characterizing many soil types' cyclic behavior, relatively few studies have been reported on stiff, geologically aged, plastic clays. This paper addresses this gap in knowledge by reporting cyclic loading experiments on three natural stiff UK clays that were deposited and buried between the Jurassic Age and Eocene Epoch before geological unloading to their currently heavily over-consolidated states. High-quality samples taken at relatively shallow depths were reconsolidated to nominally in situ K0 stresses in triaxial and hollow cylinder apparatus before imposing cyclic loading. The completely stable, metastable, or unstable outcomes invoked by different levels of undrained cyclic loading are interpreted within a kinematic yielding framework that is compatible with monotonic control experiments' outcomes. The cyclic limits marking the onset of significant changes in permanent strain accumulation, pore pressure development, and stress–strain hysteresis demonstrate that the weathered Gault clay offers the lowest cyclic resistance. The experiments show that energy considerations provide a promising way of evaluating undrained pore pressure generation and stiffness degradation. They also provide a basis for developing cyclic constitutive models and analysis procedures for cyclic foundation design in stiff, high-OCR, plastic clay strata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note presents the application of the mobilisable strength design (MSD) method to the monitoring results of the multi-propped excavation in the south area of the British Library Euston, constructed in a highly overconsolidated stiff clay deposit. The MSD method is an energy-based approach (a nonlinear finite-element method for a single-degree-of-freedom soil-wall system) introduced to develop a simplified design methodology that satisfies both ultimate and serviceability limit states. Wall displacement predictions based on the MSD method are compared with considerable field monitoring data. The sensitivity of the method to reasonable variations in input parameters is considered. A spreadsheet and python code demonstrating the MSD analysis from this paper are provided in the online supplement alongside details of the mathematical formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a unified critical state parameter model for evaluating sand and overconsolidated clay, which is named as CASM-S. The model is formulated in terms of the modification of the clay and sand model, i.e., CASM, by incorporating the subloading surface theory with an overconsolidation state parameter R. Although the standard CASM proves to be useful in modelling overconsolidated clay and sand, the model (1) requires the rate of overconsolidated ratio to be constant which is in contrast to the observed behaviour of soils and (2) only allows elastic deformation to develop at the overconsolidated state that may underestimate the deformation corresponding to the peak stress or be unable to predict the actual stress path. By introducing a new material parameter u to those material properties of the standard CASM, the rate relationship of stress–strain for the CASM-S model is developed. The standard CASM can be either recovered or approximated as a special case of the overconsolidation state assumed in the CASM-S. The numerical integration of the newly proposed model is performed by the modified forward Euler method. Validation with undrained and drained overconsolidated clay and sand have demonstrated the capability of the CASM-S model to well predict the observed soil behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plate anchors are an attractive technology for mooring floating facilities; as relative to piles, suction caissons, and drag anchors, they provide a much higher capacity relative to their mass. Plate anchors may experience an extreme loading event that will cause geotechnical failure, although they will still retain a residual capacity. The displacement associated with bringing the anchor to failure will induce excess pore pressures that initially reduce soil strength but will dissipate over time, leading to regains in soil strength and hence anchor capacity. This paper considers the time scales and magnitude of this anchor capacity regain through a series of model scale experiments conducted in a geotechnical centrifuge. The experiments involved vertical loading of pre-embedded horizontally orientated circular anchors in normally consolidated kaolin clay. The results show that anchor capacity regain is a function of consolidation time and the level of resistance maintained on the anchor, with the longest consolidation time and highest maintained resistance leading to a capacity regain of approximately 60%. These capacity increases are described here using a simple hyperbolic function, which provides a basis for estimating the time needed for the residual anchor capacity to regain sufficient capacity following a movement event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The p–y method as a simplified analysis tool has been widely used to analyze the behavior of laterally loaded piles. This paper develops a novel cyclic p–y elastoplastic model within the framework of the single-surface bounding surface theory. The model can capture the soil stiffness degradation during cyclic loading by incorporating the cumulative plastic displacement to an interpolation function of the elastoplastic resistance coefficient. The model is relatively simple with only four parameters that can be determined from standard soil properties and stress–strain responses measured in direct simple shear tests. The performance of developed model is validated by predicting the cyclic lateral response of piles installed in soft clay during field and centrifuge tests published in the literature. The model can reliably simulate monotonic and cyclic responses of piles under different lateral loading patterns, and capture main characteristics of the pile-head load–displacement curve, such as nonlinearity, hysteresis, displacement accumulation, and stiffness degradation. It can also predict the evolution of the lateral deflection and sectional bending moment along the pile during cyclic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a series of cyclic nonsymmetrical thermally loaded model-scale tests conducted on floating pile groups, with and without a rigid cap in saturated clay. The energy pile in each group was subjected to 10 two-way (heating–cooling) thermal cycles with an amplitude of 15 °C to investigate the potential effects of a rigid cap on the thermomechanical behavior of energy pile groups. It was found that the rigid cap restrained the expansion/contraction of the energy pile in response to temperature change and reduced its irreversible settlement, resulting in a lower differential settlement between the energy and nonenergy piles. Consequently, a lower tilting was observed in the pile group with a rigid cap. In addition, the thermally induced axial load was significantly increased (especially in cooling mode) due to the restriction of a rigid cap. The thermomechanical load transfer profile of the energy pile was also affected by it, resulting in the downward transmission of shaft resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is investigation of clayey soil setup effects on axial "resistance" and "stiffness" of small-scale piles with special attention on "overconsolidation ratio" (OCR) and "installation method". A consolidation chamber is developed and an instrumented model pile is either driven or jacked-in through saturated consolidated Kaolinite clay at different OCRs of 1.2 (normally consolidated, NC) and 4.8 (over consolidated, OC). The pile was static load tested at different time intervals of 1 h through 90 days. Higher pore pressures are induced during pile installation in NC compared to OC clay. The frictional resistance of OC soil is higher than NC at end of drive as well as end of setup in both driven and jacked-in piles. The frictional resistance of jacked-in piles is greater than driven piles at end of drive, but due to higher rate of setup, the long-term frictional resistance of driven piles is shown to be greater, attributed to more disturbance of the soil during installation of driven piles. Attempts are made to differentiate between the contributions of dissipation of excess pore pressure and non-pore pressure components for each consolidation condition and pile installation method. A relation is proposed to quantify the pile stiffness variations over time due to soil setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suffusion of particles classified as coarse-grained soils in the Unified Soil Classification System has been relatively well investigated in previous studies, whereas suffusion of clay particles has not been thoroughly explored. For clay particles, the surface interaction energy between clay and sand can be a critical factor in conjunction with hydraulic gradient. Therefore, this paper presented a series of designed soil-column experiments for assessing the reduction of ionic strength on suffusion of clay particles in the sand–clay mixture. The three most typical clay particles (kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite) were selected and the ionic strength was decreased during the injection. The results indicate that the sequence of decreasing ionic strength induced substantial suffusion of clay particles, mainly attributed to the decreased attraction between sand grains and clay particles. In addition, among three types of clay particles, the high swelling potential of montmorillonite particles led to the most substantial increase in relative hydraulic conductivity caused by suffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind turbines are typically designed based on fatigue and serviceability limit states, but still require an accurate assessment of bearing capacity. Overconsolidated clay deposits in Canada often have a thin layer of crust with a relatively high undrained shear strength developed from weathering, desiccation, and geochemical processes. However, existing design methods only assess the bearing capacity using effective area and inclination factor without consideration of surficial crusts. This paper studies the undrained VHMT (vertical, horizontal, moment, and torsional) failure envelope of circular foundations founded on a surficial crust underlain by a uniform soil with a zero-tension interface condition using finite element analysis. An analytical expression for the VHMT failure envelope is derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore infrastructure often interacts cyclically with the seabed over the operational life of a project. Previous research on the evolution of soil's undrained strength under long-term, large-amplitude cyclic loading has focused on contractile clays and demonstrated that this cyclic interaction can lead to the initial generation and later dissipation of positive excess pore pressure in the soil. This process generally leads to an initial strength reduction, with subsequent densification and soil strength gains that can have consequences on the performance of seabed infrastructure during its design life. In this paper, new experimental data from T-bar penetrometer testing in kaolin and reconstituted Gulf of Mexico clays is presented. The data illustrate how the stress history, quantified via the overconsolidation ratio, affects soil strength changes during large-amplitude cyclic loading. The experiments explore both long-term continuous loading cycles and episodic loading with packets of undrained cycles followed by quiescent consolidation periods. A critical state-based framework is used to interpret the experimental data and provide predictions of the long-term steady-state strength of both soils as a function of the initial in situ state of the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suction caissons supporting offshore wind turbines are exposed to great horizontal loading above the soil surface, which may lead to overturning failure of the caisson. This paper presents a modified three-dimensional failure mechanism to analyze the anti-overturning bearing capacity of suction caissons. The modified failure mechanism is composed of a meniscus-conical wedge with a meniscus shape at the soil surface and a scooped shape. The analytical solution to the anti-overturning bearing capacity of the suction caisson is deduced in terms of the limit equilibrium method, followed by a parametric study of the wedge depth ratio (c) to optimize the critical failure mechanism that satisfies both the force and moment equilibriums. Thus, the methodologies are relatively easy to implement in traditional spreadsheets, and the analyses tend to perform very quickly. The effects of gap formation at the rear side of the caisson, loading eccentricity, and adhesion factor at the caisson–soil interface on the anti-overturning bearing capacity are also investigated. Compared with the finite element limit analysis results, experimental data, and existing theoretical solutions, it is proved that the presented limit equilibrium analysis can satisfactorily predict the anti-overturning bearing capacity of suction caissons with low aspect ratios for offshore wind turbines in uniform and linearly increasing strength clays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the possible use of a bio-cementation process to reduce excessive bulging that occurs during the loading of granular columns in soft clays. A 12-phase percolation bio-chemical treatment technique was used to bio-cement part of the columns targeting the columns upper section, where bulging usually occurs. Upon application of unit cell surface loads up to 350 kPa, placement of a bio-cemented granular column substantially reduced the vertical strains by 43% to 48% compared with an un-cemented granular column and 56% to 60% compared with unreinforced kaolin clay for just a low replacement ratio of 11%. Bulging was reduced by 62% to 75% following bio-cementation and mostly occurred where bio-cementation was less evident. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy validated the existence of calcium carbonate. This study presents a relatively new alternative to reducing bulging in granular columns using a promising approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new experimental series on the highly plastic (plasticity index, IP = 34%) Lower Rhine clay (LRC) is presented. The study comprises tests on normally as well as overconsolidated samples under monotonic and cyclic loading. The loading velocity has been varied to evaluate the strain rate dependency of the LRC behaviour, testifying the well-known reduction of undrained shear strength with decreasing displacement rate. Isotropic consolidation followed by a cyclic loading with constant deviatoric stress amplitude leads to a failure due to large strain amplitudes with eight-shaped effective stress paths in the final phase of the tests. The inherent anisotropy has been additionally evaluated using samples cut out in either the vertical or the horizontal direction. Furthermore, the behaviour of LRC is compared with the behaviour of low plastic kaolin silt (IP = 12.2%). A new visco-hypoplastic-type constitutive model with a historiotropic yield surface has been used to simulate some of the experiments with cyclic loading. Even the eight-shaped stress loops at cyclic mobility are reproduced well with this model. The data of this paper can be also used by other researchers for the examination, calibration, improvement, or development of constitutive models dedicated to fine-grained soils under monotonic and cyclic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the result of five pressuremeter tests conducted in deep three clay shale formations at a thermal operation site. Pressuremeter loading was imposed parallel to the bedding plane under an approximately undrained condition. Test data are analyzed using the axisymmetric cavity expansion theory. In parallel with triaxial test results, the analyses reveal several constitutive characteristics of the Westgate clay shale, in particular, the limited nonlinearity and the stress−strain-path dependency of shear modulus. A procedure is proposed to correct the data including multi-azimuth radial displacement measurements in the caliper plane and the anisotropic response of the borehole is studied. Two aspects of azimuthal anisotropy are assessed — (i) in-plane anisotropy of borehole stiffness and (ii) the anisotropy in expansion after borehole plastic yielding. The latter provides the implication of anisotropic in situ horizontal stresses, demonstrated by both experimental and numerical evidence. The influence of the radial and azimuthal variations of the elastic stiffness around borehole on the interpreted orientation of in situ horizontal stresses is discussed. An agreement is shown between the interpreted azimuth of major or minor in situ horizontal stress and the reported crustal stress orientation for the test least affected by such stiffness variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]