Application of tangent modulus method in nonlinear settlement calculation of foundation

Abstract

Foundation settlement calculation has been a difficult and hot problem in geotechnical engineering study. The problems lies in the large differences between the geotechnical parameters of field and indoor test. The using of the tangent modulus method based on the field loading test to determine the calculation parameters can overcome this shortcoming, and reflect the non-linear of foundation settlement, which is a new progress of foundation settlement calculation. However, compared with other tests, the in situ plate loading test has higher difficulty, and it is also difficult to reflect the characteristics of deep soil. In this paper, by making use of systematic geotechnical test data by Riverside Campus, Texas A & M University, United States, it first examines the feasibility of the tangent modulus method used in sand foundation nonlinear settlement calculation, and then studies on the tangent modulus calculation methods of adopting lateral pressure test, The CTP test and other field tests to determine the different soil layers and lastly tests the results of loading tests for different plate sizes. The results show that the calculated parameters needed in the tangent modulus method determined by the lateral pressure test, The CTP test and other field tests are feasible. In addition, when the parameters thus determined are used in the tangent modulus method to calculate the load experimental curves of different plate sizes, the calculated nonlinear curve has good consistency with and experimental curves.