• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.117-138
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• 2014

The main focus of the current study is to evaluate the dynamic behavior of a cantilever retaining wall considering backfill and soil/foundation interaction effects. For this purpose, a three-dimensional finite element model (FEM) with viscous boundary is developed to investigate the seismic response of the cantilever wall. To demonstrate the validity of the FEM, analytical examinations are carried out by using modal analysis technique. The model verification is accomplished by comparing its predictions to results from analytical method with satisfactory agreement. The method is then employed to further investigate parametrically the effects of not only backfill but also soil/foundation interactions. By means of changing the soil properties, some comparisons are made on lateral displacements and stress responses. It is concluded that the lateral displacements and stresses in the wall are remarkably affected by backfill and subsoil interactions, and the dynamic behavior of the cantilever retaining wall is highly sensitive to mechanical properties of the soil material.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.601-619
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• 2017

Cantilever retaining wall movements generally depend on the intensity and duration of ground motion, the response of the soil underlying the wall, the response of the backfill, the structural rigidity, and soil-structure interaction (SSI). This paper investigates the effect of material properties on seismic response of backfill-cantilever retaining wall-soil/foundation interaction system considering SSI. The material properties varied include the modulus of elasticity, Poisson's ratio, and mass density of the wall material. A series of nonlinear time history analyses with variation of material properties of the cantilever retaining wall are carried out by using the suggested finite element model (FEM). The backfill and foundation soil are modelled as an elastoplastic medium obeying the Drucker-Prager yield criterion, and the backfill-wall interface behavior is taken into consideration by using interface elements between the wall and soil to allow for de-bonding. The viscous boundary model is used in three dimensions to consider radiational effect of the seismic waves through the soil medium. In the seismic analyses, North-South component of the ground motion recorded during August 17, 1999 Kocaeli Earthquake in Yarimca station is used. Dynamic equations of motions are solved by using Newmark's direct step-by-step integration method. The response quantities incorporate the lateral displacements of the wall relative to the moving base and the stresses in the wall in all directions. The results show that while the modulus of elasticity has a considerable effect on seismic behavior of cantilever retaining wall, the Poisson's ratio and mass density of the wall material have negligible effects on seismic response.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.165-185
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• 2013

In the present study, the numerical and experimental investigations were performed on the backfill- exterior wall-fluid interaction systems in case of empty and full tanks. For this, firstly, the non-linear three dimensional (3D) finite element models were developed considering both backfill-wall and fluid-wall interactions, and modal analyses for these systems were carried out in order to acquire modal frequencies and mode shapes by means of ANSYS finite element structural analysis program. Secondly, a series of field tests were fulfilled to define their modal characteristics and to compare the results from proposed approximation in the selected structures. Finally, comparing the theoretical predictions from the finite element models to results from experimental measurements, a close agreement was found between theory and experiment. Thus, it can be easily stated that experimental verifications provide strong support for the finite element models and the proposed procedures themselves are the meritorious approximations to the real problem, and this makes the models appealing for use in further investigations.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.309-320
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• 2018

In this paper, a numerical study using finite element method with considering soil-structure interaction was conducted to investigate the stress and deformation behavior of a sheet pile wall structure. In numerical model, one of the nonlinear elastic material constitutive models, Duncan-Chang E-v model, is used for describing soil behavior. The hard contact constitutive model is used for simulating the behavior of interface between the sheet pile wall and soil. The construction process of excavation and backfill is simulated by the way of step loading. We also compare the present numerical method with the in-situ test results for verifying the numerical methods. The numerical analysis showed that the soil excavation in the lock chamber has a huge effect on the wall deflection and stress, pile deflection, and anchor force. With the increase of distance between anchored bars, the maximum wall deflection and anchor force increase, while the maximum wall stress decreases. At a low elevation of anchored bar, the maximum wall bending moment decreases, but the maximum wall deflection, pile deflection, and anchor force both increase. The construction procedure with first excavation and then backfill is quite favorable for decreasing pile deflection, wall deflection and stress, and anchor forces.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2014

A seismic evaluation is made of the response to horizontal ground shaking of cantilever retaining walls using the finite element model in three dimensional space whose verification is provided analytically through the modal analysis technique in case of the assumptions of fixed base, complete bonding behavior at the wall-soil interface, and elastic behavior of soil. Thanks to the versatility of the finite element model, the retained medium is then idealized as a uniform, elastoplastic stratum of constant thickness and semi-infinite extent in the horizontal direction considering debonding behavior at the interface in order to perform comprehensive soil-structure interaction (SSI) analyses. The parameters varied include the flexibility of the wall, the properties of the soil medium, and the characteristics of the ground motion. Two different finite element models corresponding with flexible and rigid wall configurations are studied for six different soil types under the effects of two different ground motions. The response quantities examined incorporate the lateral displacements of the wall relative to the moving base and the stresses in the wall in all directions. The results show that the wall flexibility and soil properties have a major effect on seismic behavior of cantilever retaining walls and should be considered in design criteria of cantilever walls. Furthermore, the results of the numerical investigations are expected to be useful for the better understanding and the optimization of seismic design of this particular type of retaining structure.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.755-767
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• 2018

This paper uses a finite element based approach to provide a comprehensive understanding to the behaviour and the design performance of buried uPVC pipes with different diameters. It also investigates pipes with good and poor haunch support and proposes minimum safe wall thicknesses for these pipes. The results for pipes with good haunch support showed that the maximum pipe wall stress and deformation increase as the diameter increased. The results for pipes with poor haunch support showed an increase in the dependency of the developed vertical displacement on the haunch support as the diameter or the backfill height increased. Additionally, poor haunch support was found to increase the soil pressure, with the effect increasing as the diameter increased. The design of uPVC pipes for both poor and good haunch support was found to be governed by critical buckling. A key outcome is a new design chart for the minimum wall thickness, which enables the robust and economic design of buried uPVC pipes. Importantly, the methodology adopted in this study can also be applied to the design of flexible pipes manufactured from other materials, buried under different conditions and subjected to different loading arrangements.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 2003

Marston (1913) and Spangler's (1982) theory was widely used in the analysis of the earth pressure of the narrow and long excavated ditch type backfield ground. Their theory was more clearly explained by expressing the minor principle stress arch connecting the minor principle stress link induced by interaction between the excavated wall surface and the backfilled earth. which was done by R.L. Handy(1985). Later C.G. Kellogg(1993) extended the study from vertical symmetric to incline symmetric in the backfill space type research. In the C.G. Kellogg's study, it is assumed that the resistance of wall friction on the sloping wall could be replaced by the internal friction angle in the sloping section bottom. In the study, the resistance of wall friction in the sloping section bottom, which was applied by C.G. Kellogg, would be different in magnitude with the resistance of wall friction in sloping section. The magnitude is expected to affect in the earth pressure calculation and verified by the soil test box, the C.G. Kellogg's theory, the numerical analysis and the modified C.G. Kellogg's theory considering the friction resistance to influence the incline wall.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.15-26
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• 2019

The stability of the gravity quay wall against earthquakes is evaluated on the basis of the allowable displacement of the wall. To estimate the displacement caused by external forces, empirical equations based on the Newmark sliding block method or numerical analysis are widely used. In numerical analysis, it is possible to analyze precisely a complicated site and structure, but difficult to set the appropriate parameters and environments; there are limitations in obtaining reliable results, depending on one's level of expertise. The Newmark method, with only seismic motions, is widely used because it is simpler than numerical simulations when estimating permanent displacement. However, the empirical equations do not have any parameters for the response characteristics and sliding block of the structure, and sliding blocks being assumed as rigid bodies does not consider the nonlinear behavior of the soil and interaction with the structure. Therefore, in order to evaluate the seismic stability of the gravity quay wall, a newly-developed empirical equation is needed to overcome the above-mentioned limitations. In this study, numerical simulations are performed to analyze the response characteristics of the backfill of the structure, and to propose an optimal method of calculating the active area. For this purpose, finite element analyses were performed to analyze the response characteristics, and stress-strain relationships for various seismic motions. As a result, the response characteristics, sliding block, and failure surface of the backfill vary depending on the input seismic motions.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.171-191
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• 1999

The final aim of this research is to systematize the reinforced-earth wall system using the geosynthetic composite reinforcement in the weathered granite backfill soils having relatively large amount of fines. As a staged endeavour to accomplish this purpose, laboratory pull-out tests and finite element modeling are carried out in the present study focusing on the analyses of friction characteristics associated with interaction behaviors of the geosynthetic composite reinforcement composed of geogrid with a superior function in tensile resistance and geotextile with sufficient drainage effects. In addition, drainage effects of the geotextile below geogrid are examined based on the analysis of finite difference numerical modeling. From the present investigation, it is concluded that the geosynthetic composite reinforcement in the weathered granite backfills may possibly be used to achieve effects on both a reduction of deformations and an increase of the tensile resistance, together with drainage effects resulting from the geotextile.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.43-51
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• 2014

In this study, a series of pullout experiments were conducted on geogrid with attached passive reinforcement with respect to silt containments. Experiments were performed on man-made sand ground containing different silt of 0 %, 17 %, 35 % under various normal stresses 30 kPa, 60 kPa, 120 kPa respectively. The pullout test results showed that passive reinforcement increased the pullout strength over all silt contained condition and showed up to 20 % increases for same soil condition. The test results converted to the coefficient of interaction of pullout test to investigate the effect of reinforcement and the case of passive reinforcement showed 0.7~1.6 distribution depend on a silt contents. Therefore it is concluded that the overall length of geogrid can be reduced under the low vertical stress conditions.