Physical modelling of piles under lateral loading in unsaturated soils

Lalicata, Leonardo Maria; Rotisciani, G. M.; Desideri, Augusto; Casini, Francesca; Thorel, Luc

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202019501021

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 17 publications

(20 reference statements)

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“…The simulations are compared with the gathered data (surface movements, pore pressures, and volume water absorbed) with satisfying results. For the sake of brevity, the comparisons will not be shown here but they are thoroughly discussed elsewhere [19,37]. Figure 4 shows the profiles of the stresses and state variables during the analysis.…”

Section: Stress History Of the Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Numerical Model to Study the Response of Piles under Lateral Loading in Unsaturated Soils

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The interaction between a laterally loaded pile and the surrounding soil is typically limited to the shallower soil layer. Often, this zone is above the water table and therefore the interaction takes place under unsaturated conditions. The available evidence is scarce but suggests that unsaturated conditions play a major role on the pile’s response. The actual mechanisms governing the soil–pile interaction under unsaturated soil conditions are not understood entirely, and this paper provides a useful insight on this topic. The analysis is carried out with a fully coupled three-dimensional numerical model, the soil behaviour is simulated with a Modified Cam Clay Model extended to unsaturated conditions. The model accounts for the increase in stiffness and strength of unsaturated soils as well as the volumetric collapse upon wetting. The constitutive model is calibrated on the laboratory data and validated against centrifuge data with satisfying agreement. The results highlight the substantial differences in the soil reaction against the pile depending on different water saturation profiles. The study also shows that the influence of unsaturated conditions on the pile response increases as the pile’s flexibility increases. Comparing the findings with currently available design methods such as the p–y curves, it is found that these do not adequately describe the unsaturated soil reaction against the pile, which opens the door for new research in the field. The proposed numerical model is a promising tool to further investigate the mechanisms underlying the soil–pile interaction under unsaturated soils.

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Section: Stress History Of the Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main features of the tests are summarised in Table 2. Further details can be found in Lalicata et al [11,18,19].…”

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A Numerical Model to Study the Response of Piles under Lateral Loading in Unsaturated Soils

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“…a slenderness ratio 𝐿/𝑑 = 15. The retention parameters of three real soils are considered, namely a fine silt (B-grade kaolin clay [17]), a silty sand (Jossigny Silt [18]) and a sand with clay (Rudlingen sand [19]). To simplify comparison, the bulk unit weight of the soil and the friction angle have been assumed identical in all cases and equal to 𝛾 = 18 kN/m 3 and 𝜑 = 28°, respectively (i.e.…”

Section: Influence Of Partial Saturation On the Lateral Pile Capacitymentioning

confidence: 99%

An analytical method to evaluate the capacity of laterally loaded piles in unsaturated soils

2023

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The growing pressures of climate change, increased usage and unprecedented geo-hazards impose a modification in the way civil engineering structures are designed and constructed. This isparticularly true for geotechnical works, which are very sensitive to changes of environmental conditions. For instance, the response of a pile under lateral loading is strongly influenced by the stiffness and strength of the first few metres of soil below the surface, which are often partly saturated. To consider this effect, the present paper describes an analytical method, which extends the well-known Broms approach to predict thelateral capacity of piles in unsaturated soils. More specifically, the proposed method considers the combined effects of the position of the ground water table and the extra strength of the partially saturated soil above it. Compared to Broms approach, the solution introduces four additional non-dimensional parameters that relate the soil-water retention behaviour to the geometry of the pile. The method provides a direct evaluation of the lateral pile capacity in partly saturated soils, which can be used as a basis for more accurate design.

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“…The results showed greater drifts when the structure was constructed on relatively dry soil. Lalicata et al [65] explored the effects of partial saturation of soil on the response of a single pile subjected to a combination of lateral force and bending moment under drained conditions. The results showed a marked influence of soil partial saturation on the pile response, under both working loads and ultimate loads.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seismic Analysis of Historical Urban Walls: Application to the Volterra Case Study

2023

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Several Italian cities are characterized by the presence of centuries-old historic walls, which have a cultural heritage value and, due to their structural role as a retaining wall, often influence the safety of adjacent buildings and infrastructure. Ancient urban walls are increasingly subject to instability and collapse phenomena, because the greater frequency of extreme meteoric events aggravates the static condition of the walls and of the wall–soil system. Since the seismic risk in the contexts in which the historical urban walls are located is often medium-high, it is advisable to evaluate the influence of soil moisture on the seismic response of the soil–structure system. In this paper, the seismic vulnerability of historical urban walls was examined through considering scenarios of both dry and wet soil, in order to evaluate the seismic response of the structure as a function of soil imbibition. Seismic vulnerability analyses were carried out on the case study of the historical urban masonry walls of Volterra (Italy), which have been affected by two major collapses in the last ten years. Seismic vulnerability was assessed by means of the limit equilibrium method and the finite element method, and through adopting proper soil imbibition models. The results highlight which sections of the walls are at greater seismic risk due to the presence of soil moisture, as well as the influence of soil imbibition on the structural safety and failure mechanism.

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Physical modelling of piles under lateral loading in unsaturated soils

Cited by 8 publications

References 17 publications

A Numerical Model to Study the Response of Piles under Lateral Loading in Unsaturated Soils

A Numerical Model to Study the Response of Piles under Lateral Loading in Unsaturated Soils

An analytical method to evaluate the capacity of laterally loaded piles in unsaturated soils

Seismic Analysis of Historical Urban Walls: Application to the Volterra Case Study

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