Abstract This technical article presents the influence of sample quality on the compressibility parameters and undrained shear strength (c u) of soft soils from the Vistula Marshlands. The analysis covers: (1) quality of soft soil according to three criteria: void ratio (Δe/e 0 index), volumetric strain (Δɛ v) and C r/C c ratio; (2) influence of storage time on quality; (3) influence of sample quality on undrained shear strength (c u), and (4) reliability of compression and undrained shear strength parameters estimation. The sample quality of three different soft soils (peat, organic clays, and organic silts) was investigated using dataset of geotechnical investigations from the Vistula Marshlands. The reliability of oedometer tests and compressibility parameters determination was shown. Different undrained shear strength estimates (from lab and field tests) were juxtaposed with sample quality. In situ estimates of undrained shear strength were compared with results of triaxial tests and direct simple shear test on reconstituted samples as well as SHANSEP estimates. The results of research are grouped in seven lessons. The most important outcomes are: (1) the quality of samples is at best moderate or poor and there is no significant influence of storage time on sample quality, (2) regardless of testing method, the undrained shear strength natural variability of the Vistula Marshlands soft soils is between 20% and 50% depending on deposit depth and soil type, (3) the most accurate estimation of undrained shear strength can be obtained from field vane test (FVT) while unconsolidated, undrained compression (UUC) triaxial tests should be avoided, (4) SHANSEP approach can be considered as a valuable estimate of c u (next to the FVTs), which additionally allows in relatively easy way to establish lower and upper bounds of c u.
This technical report presents the probabilistic analysis which integrates the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) with random field theory to model the load–displacement behavior of Controlled Modulus Columns (CMCs) in overconsolidated Poznań clay. Presented study focuses on the practical aspects of statistical analysis of geotechnical data, numerical model development, and results evaluation. Variability and spatial distribution of geotechnical parameters are based directly on field and lab testing. The inherent variability of soil parameters obtained from geotechnical investigation at the site is similar to the values reported in worldwide datasets for clays. The extensive discussion about incorporation of installation effects into numerical modelling is made. It was found that proper incorporation of installation effects is governed by correct estimation of initial stress level and interface shear strength parameters. The Anisotropic Undrained Shear Strength (AUS) model which captures nonlinear behavior and anisotropy of soil (Krabbenhøft et al., 2019) is a good choice to model overconsolidated clay in intact and interface zones. The application of total stress approach, the AUS model, installation effects, and natural (inherent) variability of soil and interface parameters is sufficient to explain differences in CMC load – displacement behavior observed in the field.
The paper deals with laboratory investigations of the interface between sand and sinusoidal corrugated surface in the direct shear apparatus under constant normal load. The 3D printing technology was used to provide a custom-built direct shear box and to construct different topographies of corrugated surfaces. A series of interface shearing experiments with different sinusoidal corrugated surfaces were analyzed using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique. The micro-behavior of the shear zone was evaluated. It has been shown that the increase of the corrugation coefficient d/l induces the increase of the forces exerted on the surface and the volumetric changes. Direct sliding of the material on the surface was observed for smooth surfaces. In contrast, the shear plane was observed above the corrugation valleys, inside the material and at the corrugation peaks for rough surfaces. The critical value of the corrugation coefficient, ranging between 0.053 and 0.147, was found to be the boundary between rough and smooth interfaces. The grain-on-surface friction component was between 19% and 32%, and the grain-on-grain component was between 68 and 81% for rough interfaces with the shear zone thickness ranging from 4×d50 to 5×d50. The presented research provides unique insights into the micro-behavior of the interface between the granular material and the sinusoidal corrugated surface.
This paper provides statistical evaluation of physical and index parameters of the Vistula Marshlands deltaic soft soils using three datasets. Soft soils from the Vistula Marshlands are grouped into the four categories: (1) silty/sandy loams, (2) organic clays, (3) organic silts and (4) peats. Variability of basic and derivative physical properties as well as Atterberg’s limits and plasticity index is studied. It is found that index properties for all soil groups are characterized by large scatter (COV about 50%). The most reliable parameters for silty loams, organic clays and silts are soil density (COV<10%) and specific gravity (COV about 2%). Physical/index parameters of peats are characterized by large scatter, which indicates very local properties and individual formation process. Most of the data points for physical/index quantity are within ±1SD range regardless normality of data distribution. In the main body of this paper, the quantitative physical/index properties variability is evaluated and some practical design guidelines concerning variability of deltaic soil in the Vistula Marshlands are given.
This paper examines the stiffness degradation and interface failure load on soft soil–concrete interface. The friction behavior and its variability is investigated. The direct shear tests under constant normal load were used to establish parameters to hyperbolic interface model which provided a good approximation of the data from instrumented piles. Four instrumented piles were used to obtain reference soil–concrete interface behavior. It was found that the variability of the friction characteristics is the highest for organic clays and the lowest for organic silts. The intact samples exhibit lower shear strength than reconstituted ones. The adhesion varies significantly depending on interface and soil type, which can result in high scatter of the skin friction prediction. The analysis of parameters variability can be used to determine the upper and lower bound of friction behavior on the interface at constant normal load condition. The backward shearing results in decrease in shear strength up to 40% of the precedent forward phase but higher initial stiffness by a factor of between 2 and 3. Presented research provides basic shear and stiffness parameters for four soft soils (organic clay, organic silt, peat, and silty loam) and gives information about variability of interface characteristics.
Excess pore water pressure (EPWP) development and decay due to the installation and static loading tests of controlled modulus columns (CMC) in soft soil was measured with piezometers equipped with low air entry (LAE) filters and a piezocone (CPTU) equipped with a high air entry (HAE) filter. The HAE filter allows for detailed detection of EPWP in short time intervals during construction of CMC. The influence zone due to the installation of the CMC group extends up to 40D (D = column diameter) with significant installation effects and high EPWP within the zone of 7D. The influence zone during the static loading test is much narrower and does not exceed 2D. The presented research shows the applicability of using a CPTU in EPWP monitoring during CMC construction and clarifies some effects of CMC group installation.
The article presents preliminary attempt to create tri-linear transfer curves for describing pile behaviour under axial loading. Transfer curves would use the parameter measured in dilatometer test, particularly a constrained modulus MDMT. The proposed method is based on concrete rough and smooth interface tests performed in a direct shear apparatus. Based on the obtained mobilization curves, relationships were created between the parameters describing the slope of individual transfer curves and the MDMT modulus. The obtained correlations were used to estimate the capacity of the concrete screw pile subjected to the static load test in tension.
This article presents the results of laboratory tests on soft, normally consolidated soils from the Vistula Marshlands. Samples of high-plasticity organic soils (muds) taken from 3.2–4.0 m and 9.5–10.0 m depth, as well as peat deposit at 14.0 m, are analysed. Presented case study confirms the applicability of the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH) method based on Cone Penetration Tests (CPTU) and allows for a conservative estimation of effective friction angle for muds. The plastification angle equal to 14.5° for organic silt, applied in the modified NTH method, fits well the triaxial test (TX) results. Moreover, the dilative-contractive behaviour according to the CPTU soil classification based on the Robertson’s proposal from 2016 corresponds well with volumetric changes observed in the consolidated drained triaxial compression tests. The internal friction angles of the Vistula Marshlands’ muds and peats are lower in comparison with the database of similar soft soils.
This paper presents the ‘CPT 2012’ model incorporated into the AFNOR NF P94-262:2012-07, French standard for pile design fully compatible with Eurocode 7, to the wider Polish audience. The bearing capacity of three reference columns for Vistula Marshlands have been calculated according to ‘CPT 2012’ model and AFNOR recommendations. Then, the design resistances have been compared with ultimate column bearing capacity measured during static load tests conducted on reference columns. The results of comparison are discussed and the discrepancies between measured and calculated bearing capacities are shortly commented.
This paper presents a geotechnical characterization of deltaic soft soil deposits in the Vistula Marshlands, northern Poland. It shows the limited applicability of organic soil classifications based on Cone Penetration Tests (CPTU) and Dilatometer Tests (DMT). None of the in-situ-based classifications correctly identifies peat. Analysis of the behaviour of contractive/dilative soil layers according to Robertson's updated classification (2016) is shown to be in agreement with volumetric changes observed during triaxial compression tests. The coefficient of primary compression Cc is found to decrease exponentially with the initial bulk density (ρd0) and to increase linearly with the in-situ water content (wc). The presented geotechnical characterization and reference data can be used for foundation design and soil improvement in the soft organic soils of northern Poland.
This paper presents the results of finite element modelling with Updated Lagrangian formulation of the Cone Penetration Test in soft soil deposit located in Jazowa, Poland. The numerical calculations are carried out for homogenous, normally consolidated, organic soil layer. The Modified Cam Clay constitutive model for soft soil and Coulomb model for interface are used. The study compares the registered pore water pressure distributions for type-2 piezocone observed during in-situ penetration and corresponding numerical model. The numerical dissipation test is carried out and the results are confronted with in-situ registered data. The influence of orthotropic soil hydraulic conductivity on pore water pressure development at shoulder filter element during dissipation tests is examined. Finally, the distribution of pore water pressures around the piezocone obtained from numerical simulations is compared with high quality literature database.
This paper presents the results of soil investigation in soft, normally consolidated organic soil in the estuary of Vistula river. The analysis concerns clayey mud and peat layers interbedded with loose to medium-dense sands. Several Cone Penetration Tests with pore water measurement (CPTU), Dilatometer Tests (DMT) and Field Vane Tests (FVT) were performed on the testing site. The cone factor N-kt was estimated using the results of FVT and peak values of undrained shear strength. The proposition of N-kt change due to normalized Friction ratio (F-r) has been given. The possible value of cone factor N-Delta u for organic soils was also suggested. The undrained shear strength of Jazowa clayey mud and peat have been compared with DMT estimates proposed by various researchers. Finally, the structural soil sensitivity of Jazowa deltaic soils was determined on the basis of residual shear strength obtained from FVT and the measurements of sleeve friction.
In this paper the results of the cone penetration test (CPT) modeling with the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) formulation provided by Abaqus software package have been presented. The study compares the cone resistance and sleeve friction obtained in numerical analysis with values measured in soundings performed in the uniform layer of clayey soil in the Koszalin area. The clay layer was found to be slightly overconsolidated with OCR ranging from 3.5 to 4.5. The subsoil parameters used in the numerical model are based on laboratory tests data and the complementary CPT estimation. Evaluation of the most important factors influencing the numerical solution such as friction on the probe-soil interface and the undrained shear strength of the clay have been discussed. The possibilities of ALE method for soil parameters calibration are introduced and future challenges in large deformation problems modeling due to penetration issues are described.
In this paper, the whole process of pile construction and performance during loading is modelled via large deformation finite element methods such as Coupled Eulerian Lagrangian (CEL) and Updated Lagrangian (UL). Numerical study consists of installation process, consolidation phase and following pile static load test (SLT). The Poznań site is chosen as the reference location for the numerical analysis, where series of pile SLTs have been performed in highly overconsolidated clay (OCR ≈ 12). The results of numerical analysis are compared with corresponding field tests and with so-called “wish-in-place” numerical model of pile, where no installation effects are taken into account. The advantages of using large deformation numerical analysis are presented and its application to the pile designing is shown.
In this paper, a numerical undrained analysis of pile jacking into the subsoil using Abaqus software suit has been presented. Two different approaches, including traditional Finite Element Method (FEM) and Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) formulation, were tested. In the first method, the soil was modelled as a two-phase medium and effective stress analysis was performed. In the second one (ALE), a single-phase medium was assumed and total stress analysis was carried out. The fitting between effective stress parameters and total stress parameters has been presented and both solutions have been compared. The results, discussion and verification of numerical analyzes have been introduced. Possible applications and limitations of large deformation modelling techniques have been explained.
Numerical simulations of a pile jacking were carried out. A Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) formulation was used to treat with large deformation problems. An Abaqus, a commercial Finite Element Method software suit, was used as a computing environment. The Mohr-Coulomb constitutive model was applied and the Coulomb model of friction was used to describe pile-soil interaction. Calculations were made for three different pile diameters. Toe and shaft unit resistances versus depth for each pile were investigated and plotted. CPT-based solutions were compared with the results of numerical simulations.
