1. Large-scale passive earth pressure load-displacement tests and numerical simulation
- Author
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Wilson, Patrick and Elgamal, Ahmed
- Subjects
Computer-generated environments -- Methods ,Computer simulation -- Methods ,Numerical analysis -- Research ,Geotechnology -- Research ,Pressure -- Measurement ,Pressure -- Methods ,Pressure -- Technology application ,Technology application ,Earth sciences ,Engineering and manufacturing industries ,Science and technology - Abstract
Passive earth pressure is recorded in two different tests, using a 6.7-m long, 2.9-m wide soil container. In these tests, sand with 7% silt content is densely compacted behind a moveable test wall to a supported height of 1.68 m (5.5 ft). Lateral load is applied to the vertical reinforced concrete wall section, which displaces freely along with the adjacent backfill in the horizontal and vertical directions. The recorded passive resistance is found to increase until a peak is reached at a horizontal displacement of 2.7-3% of the supported backfill height, decreasing thereafter to a residual level. In this test configuration, a triangular failure wedge shape is observed, due to the low mobilized wall-soil friction. Backfill strength parameters are estimated based on this observed failure mechanism. From these estimates, along with triaxial and direct shear test data, theoretical predictions are compared with the measured passive resistance. Using the test data, a calibrated finite-element model is employed to produce additional load-displacement curves for a wider range of practical applications (e.g., potential bridge deck displacement during a strong earthquake). Hyperbolic model approximations of the load-displacement curves are also provided. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000386 CE Database subject headings: Passive pressure; Earth pressure; Retaining walls; Full-scale tests; Soil-structure interactions; Load factors; Simulation; Displacement. Author keywords: Passive pressure; Retaining wall: Large-scale tests; Soil-structure interaction.
- Published
- 2010