Modeling of Ground Improvement by Prefabricated Vertical Drains in Highly Variable Soils

The geotechnical community is well aware of the fact that soils are highly variable in the ground due to the uneven soil micro fabric, geological deposition and stress history. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest worldwide to consider the inherent spatial variability of soil prope...

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Main Authors: Shahin, Mohamed, Bari, Wasiul
Other Authors: Buddhima Indraratna
Format: Conference Paper
Published: Research Publishing 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14198
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author Shahin, Mohamed
Bari, Wasiul
author2 Buddhima Indraratna
author_facet Buddhima Indraratna
Shahin, Mohamed
Bari, Wasiul
author_sort Shahin, Mohamed
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The geotechnical community is well aware of the fact that soils are highly variable in the ground due to the uneven soil micro fabric, geological deposition and stress history. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest worldwide to consider the inherent spatial variability of soil properties in design of many geotechnical engineering applications. However, owing to the complexity of the problem,soil spatial variability has never been taken into consideration in any available design method of ground improvement by prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs). Current design methods of ground improvement by PVDs are typically carried out by assuming a single best estimate of the degree of consolidation based on “average” soil properties that are used to define an “equivalent” homogeneous soil. In reality, however, soil is rarely homogeneous and the assumption of soil homogeneity usually results in unsatisfactory agreement between the desired (predicted) and actual (observed) consolidation values, leading to unreliable and uneconomical design. This paper describes a rigorous stochastic modelling approach that allows the nature of soil spatial variability to be considered in a quantifiable and economically viable manner in design using statistical methods. The approach involves development of advanced 3D models that merge the random field theory and finite element method into a Monte-Carlo frame work. The results highlight the significant role of soil spatial variability in ground improvement by PVDs, and elucidate the importance of proper modelling of this role in design.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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publishDate 2012
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-141982023-02-02T07:57:38Z Modeling of Ground Improvement by Prefabricated Vertical Drains in Highly Variable Soils Shahin, Mohamed Bari, Wasiul Buddhima Indraratna Cholachat Rujikiatkamjorn Jayan Vinod Finite element method Prefabricated vertical drains Stochastic analyses Soil consolidation Monte Carlo technique Spatial variability The geotechnical community is well aware of the fact that soils are highly variable in the ground due to the uneven soil micro fabric, geological deposition and stress history. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest worldwide to consider the inherent spatial variability of soil properties in design of many geotechnical engineering applications. However, owing to the complexity of the problem,soil spatial variability has never been taken into consideration in any available design method of ground improvement by prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs). Current design methods of ground improvement by PVDs are typically carried out by assuming a single best estimate of the degree of consolidation based on “average” soil properties that are used to define an “equivalent” homogeneous soil. In reality, however, soil is rarely homogeneous and the assumption of soil homogeneity usually results in unsatisfactory agreement between the desired (predicted) and actual (observed) consolidation values, leading to unreliable and uneconomical design. This paper describes a rigorous stochastic modelling approach that allows the nature of soil spatial variability to be considered in a quantifiable and economically viable manner in design using statistical methods. The approach involves development of advanced 3D models that merge the random field theory and finite element method into a Monte-Carlo frame work. The results highlight the significant role of soil spatial variability in ground improvement by PVDs, and elucidate the importance of proper modelling of this role in design. 2012 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14198 10.3850/978-981-07-3559-3_01-0013 Research Publishing restricted
spellingShingle Finite element method
Prefabricated vertical drains
Stochastic analyses
Soil consolidation
Monte Carlo technique
Spatial variability
Shahin, Mohamed
Bari, Wasiul
Modeling of Ground Improvement by Prefabricated Vertical Drains in Highly Variable Soils
title Modeling of Ground Improvement by Prefabricated Vertical Drains in Highly Variable Soils
title_full Modeling of Ground Improvement by Prefabricated Vertical Drains in Highly Variable Soils
title_fullStr Modeling of Ground Improvement by Prefabricated Vertical Drains in Highly Variable Soils
title_full_unstemmed Modeling of Ground Improvement by Prefabricated Vertical Drains in Highly Variable Soils
title_short Modeling of Ground Improvement by Prefabricated Vertical Drains in Highly Variable Soils
title_sort modeling of ground improvement by prefabricated vertical drains in highly variable soils
topic Finite element method
Prefabricated vertical drains
Stochastic analyses
Soil consolidation
Monte Carlo technique
Spatial variability
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14198