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We used three-dimensional finite element analysis to simulate an X-shaped cast-in-situ concrete (XCC) pile-supported embankment with asphalt pavement under the load of moving vehicles. We investigated the dynamic stress transfer mechanism, the trapping effect of the embankment and XCC piles, and the asymmetric distribution of dynamic stress around an XCC pile. The results show that the embankment and XCC piles play an important role in spreading the radiated energy as a waveguide. The ground in the center is subjected to the majority of dynamic stress owing to the trapping effect of the embankment and XCC piles. There is also a significant difference between the dynamic stress in the flat and concave areas within up to two times the outsourcing diameter of the XCC pile.

This paper introduces a simplified method to investigate the influence of thermal loads on the shaft friction and tip resistance of energy piles. The method is based on the influence factors (λ and η) which are back-calculated drawing on a large number of field and model tests. Values for λ and η during heating and cooling are suggested. Moreover, a new equation is proposed to calculate total shaft friction. The equations concerning the relationship between η and temperature difference are recommended to investigate the impacts of the thermal load on the pile tip resistance. The slope of the linear equation of an end-bearing pile is 2.14 times that of a floating pile indicating that the pile tip resistance of an end-bearing pile is much more affected by the same thermal load.

In this paper, a predictive model for simulating temporal behaviors of clayey sand during seepage-induced erosion has been developed by coupling discrete element method (DEM) with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). In this model, the particle–fluid coupling simulation is solved by a “fixed coarse-grid” scheme in 3D particle flow code (PFC3D), and the suffusion of clay matrix in the initiation of erosion is converted to a degradation process of bonding strength between particles according to a degradation law. The law is derived from the well-known shear stress threshold law dealing with soil internal erosion, which is based on two erosion parameters—the critical shear stress and the erosion coefficient. Then the degradation law is implemented in the CFD–DEM model via developing customized code using the Python language. The ability of the model to predict the interfacial erosion of soils is confirmed by two numerical tests. The results are seen to match the empirical criteria, such as revealing a clearly defined critical tangential shear stress, beyond which erosion occurs, and a positive correlation between the rate of erosion and the pressure gradient. It is believed that the numerical model is able to reproduce the time-dependent evolution process of seepage-induced erosion in clayey sand.

The Micropile-Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall, specially designed for mountain roads, is proposed to improve the MSE wall local stability, global stability and impact resistance of roadside barriers. Model tests and the corresponding numerical modeling were conducted to validate the serviceability of the Micropile-MSE wall and the reliability of the numerical method. Then, a parametric study of the stress and deformation of Micropile-MSE wall based on the backfill strength and interfacial friction angle between backfill and backslope is conducted to evaluate its performance. The test results indicate that the surcharge-induced horizontal earth pressure, base pressure and lateral displacement of the wall panel of Micropile-MSE wall decrease. The corresponding numerical results are nearly equal to the measured values. The basic failure mode of MSE wall in steep terrain is the sliding of backfill along the backslope, while A-frame style micropiles are capable of preventing the sliding trend. The maximum resultant displacement can be decreased by 6.25% to 46.9% based on different interfacial friction angles, and the displacement can be reduced by 6% ~ 56.1% based on different backfill strengths. Furthermore, the reduction increases when the interfacial friction angle and internal friction angle of backfill decrease. In addition, the lateral displacement of wall panel, the deformation of backfill decrease and the tension strain of geogrid obviously, which guarantees the MSE wall functions and provides good conditions for mountain roads.

Soil behavior can reflect the characteristics of principal stress rotation under dynamic wave and traffic loads. Unequal amplitudes of tensile and compressive stresses applied to soils have complex effects on foundation soils in comparison with the pure principal stress rotation path. A series of undrained cyclic hollow torsional shear tests were performed on typical remolded soft clay from the Ilexi area of Nanjing, China. The main control parameters were the tensile and compressive stress amplitude ratio (α) and the cyclic dynamic stress ratio (η). It was found that the critical η tended to remain constant at 0.13, when the value of the compressive stress amplitude was higher than the tensile stress amplitude. However, the influence of the tensile stress was limited by the dynamic stress level when α= 1. For obvious structural change in the soil, the corresponding numbers of cyclic vibration cycles were found to be independent of α at low stress levels and were only related to η. Finally, a new method for evaluating the failure of remolded soft clay was presented. It considers the influence of the tensile and compressive stresses which caused by complex paths of the principal stress rotation. This criterion can distinguish stable, critical, and destructive states based on the pore-water-pressure-strain coupling curve while also providing a range of failure strain and vibration cycles. These results provide the theoretical support for systematic studies of principal stress rotation using constitu tive models.

A closed-form solution for the limit pressure of undrained cylindrical cavity expansion in anisotropic clay is provided. The solution considers the effect of anisotropic strength and initial in-situ stress. The cavity-wall limit pressure under an isotropic initial stress (K = 1) was larger than the anisotropic initial stress (K ≠ 1) and holds true for all anisotropic strength ratios. The cavity-wall limit pressure increased linearly with increasing anisotropic strength ratio. The cavity-wall limit pressure was a minimum for a polar angle θ = π/2.

A three-dimensional dynamic finite element model of track-ballast-embankment and piled raft foundation system is established. Dynamic response of a railway embankment to a high-speed train is simulated for two cases: soft ground improved by piled raft foundation, and untreated soft ground. The obtained results are compared both in time domain and frequency domain to evaluate the effectiveness of the ground improvement in mitigating the embankment vibrations induced by high-speed trains. The results show that ground improving methods can significantly reduce the embankment vibrations at all considered train speeds (36- 432 km/h). The ground response to a moving load is dictated largely by the relationship between load speed and characteristic value of wave velocities of the ground medium. At low speeds, the ground response from a moving load is essentially quasi-static. That is, the displacements fields are essential the static fields under the load simply moving with it. For the soft ground, the displacement on the ballast surface is large at all observed train speeds. For the model case where the ground is improved by piled raft foundation, the peak displacement is reduced at all considered train speeds compared with the case without ground improvement. Based on the effect of energy-dissipating of ballast-embankment-ground system with damping, the train-induced vibration waves moving in ballast and embankment are trapped and dissipated, and thus the vibration amplitudes of dynamic displacement outside the embankment are significantly reduced. But for the vibration amplitude of dynamic velocity, the vibration waves in embankment are absorbed or reflected back, and the velocity amplitudes at the ballast and embankment surface are enhanced. For the change of the vibration character of embankment and ballast, the bearing capacity and dynamic character are improved. Therefore, both of the static and dynamic displacements are reduced by ground improvement; the dynamic velocity of ballast and embankment increases with the increase of train speed and its vibration noise is another issue of concern that should be carefully evaluated because it is associated with the running safety and comfort of high-speed trains.

Based on Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) criterion, the parameters of Druker-Prager (D-P) criterion for geomaterial were determined under non-associated flow rule, and thus a new D-P type criterion was presented. Two assumptions were employed during the derivation: 1) principal strains by M-C model and D-P model are equal, and 2) the material is under plane strain condition. Based on the analysis of the surface on π plane, it is found that the proposed D-P type criterion is better than the D-P criterion with M-C circumscribed circle or M-C inscribed circle, and is applicable for stress Lode angle less than zero. By comparing the predicted results with the test data of sand under plane strain condition and other D-P criteria, the proposed criterion is verified and agrees well with the test data, which is further proved to be better than other D-P type criteria in certain range of Lode angle. The criterion was compiled into a finite difference package FLAC3D by user-subroutine, and was used to analyze the stability of a slope by strength reduction method. The predicted slope safety factor from the proposed criterion agrees well with that by Spencer method, and it is more accurate than that from classic D-P criteria.

The multi-spring shear mechanism plastic model in this paper is defined in strain space to simulate pore pressure generation and development in sands under cyclic loading and undrained conditions, and the rotation of principal stresses can also be simulated by the model with cyclic behavior of anisotropic consolidated sands. Seismic residual deformations of typical caisson quay walls under different engineering situations are analyzed in detail by the plastic model, and then an index of liquefaction extent is applied to describe the regularity of seismic residual deformation of caisson quay wall top under different engineering situations. Some correlated prediction formulas are derived from the results of regression analysis between seismic residual deformation of quay wall top and extent of liquefaction in the relative safety backfill sand site. Finally, the rationality and the reliability of the prediction methods are validated by test results of a 120 g-centrifuge shaking table, and the comparisons show that some reliable seismic residual deformation of caisson quay can be predicted by appropriate prediction formulas and appropriate index of liquefaction extent.