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The behaviour of a test embankment constructed on a soft clayey deposit in Saga, Japan, was simulated by both three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) finite element analyses (FEA). Floating soil–cement columns had been installed in the clay prior to construction of the embankment. Comparing the results of 3D and 2D FEA indicates that 2D analysis predicts incorrect results in terms of the lateral displacement and bending moment in the columns under the toe of the embankment. In the 2D analysis, the rows of columns were modelled by continuous walls, which partially block the interaction between the soil layers and the columns and influence the simulated lateral displacement and bending moment in the column. It has been postulated that compaction of fill material during the construction process has a significant influence on both the magnitude and pattern of the lateral displacement of the column under the toe of the embankment. Pragmatically, this influence can be indirectly simulated by reducing the stiffness and increasing Poisson’s ratio of the embankment fill material. Finally, both the measured and FEA results indicate that the columns not only reduced the total settlement but also accelerated the settlement rate of the deposit under the embankment loading, due to the much higher stiffness of the column material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The construction of sheet pile walls may involve either excavation of soils in front or backfilling of soils behind the wall. These construction procedures generate different loading conditions in the soil and therefore different wall behavior should also be expected. The conventional methods, which are based on limit equilibrium approach, commonly used in the design of anchored sheet pile walls do not consider the method of construction. However, continuum mechanics numerical methods, such as finite element method, make it possible to incorporate the construction method during the analyses and design of sheet pile walls. The effect of wall construction type for varying soil conditions and wall heights were investigated using finite element modeling and analysis. The influence of construction method on soil behavior, wall deformations, wall bending moments, and anchor forces were investigated. The study results indicate that walls constructed by backfill method yield significantly higher bending moments and wall deformations. This paper presents the results of the numerical parametric study performed and comparative analyses of the anchored sheet pile walls constructed by different construction methods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A numerical method that takes into account the coupling between the rigidities of the piles, the cap, and the column has been developed for analyzing the response of pile group supported columns. Special attention is given to consideration of pile cap flexibility. A load transfer approach using t–z/q–z and p–y curves is used for the analysis of single piles. The finite element technique is used to combine the pile stiffness with the stiffness of the cap and column. The numerical method developed has been verified by comparing the results with other numerical methods for pile groups. Through comparative studies, it has been found that the maximum load on the individual piles in a group is highly influenced by pile cap flexibility. The prediction of the lateral loads and bending moments in the pile cap is much more conservative in the present analysis than in FBPier 3.0 and shows a definitely larger lateral load and bending moment for various cap thicknesses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]