Geosynthetic landfill cap stability: comparison of limit equilibrium, computational limit analysis and finite-element analyses

The stability of the veneer cover soil (landfill cap) is an important issue in landfill design. Incorrect design of the landfill cap can lead to failure, which may result in the veneer cover soil sliding on an underlying geosynthetic layer, or in tension failure of the geosynthetic itself. Previous limit equilibrium (LE) analyses of veneer cover layer stability presented in the literature have generally considered whole-slope failure. In this paper, modified LE equations are proposed that (a) encompass more critical cases of localised slope failure for specific cases, and (b) are calibrated against two other methods: 2-D computational limit analysis (CLA) using LimitState:GEO and 2-D elasto-plastic finite-element (FE) analysis using PLAXIS. The scenarios examined encompass a cover of uniform thickness, a buttressed cover, a cover of tapered thickness, the effects of seepage forces, and the effects of construction equipment. It is shown that the LE method provides a reasonable estimate of veneer cover layer stability for most cases examined, although it is in general non-conservative, relative to the CLA and FE analyses. Local failure was found to be critical in the case of the construction equipment, buttress and horizontal seepage scenarios. In the latter case the LE equations previously presented in the literature significantly overestimate stability compared with the LE, CLA and FE analyses considered in this paper

Effect of anisotropy and destructuration on behavior of Haarajoki test embankment

This paper investigates the influence of anisotropy and destructuration on the behavior of Haarajoki test embankment, which was built by the Finnish National Road Administration as a noise barrier in 1997 on a soft clay deposit. Half of the embankment is constructed on an area improved with prefabricated vertical drains, while the other half is constructed on the natural deposit without any ground improvement. The construction and consolidation of the embankment is analyzed with the finite-element method using three different constitutive models to represent the soft clay. Two recently proposed constitutive models, namely S-CLAY1 which accounts for initial and plastic strain induced anisotropy, and its extension, called S-CLAY1S which accounts, additionally, for interparticle bonding and degradation of bonds, were used in the analysis. For comparison, the problem is also analyzed with the isotropic modified cam clay model. The results of the numerical analyses are compared with the field measurements. The simulations reveal the influence that anisotropy and destructuration have on the behavior of an embankment on soft clay

A 3D shear material damping model for man-made vibrations of the ground

Man-made vibrations from different types of sources are usually measured on the surface of the ground or building. The measured signal is always the superposition of all travelling basic waves. For a homogeneous half space there are three basic waves – the Compressional (P-wave), Shear (S-wave) and Rayleigh wave (R-wave). Depending on the measuring equipment, only the accelerations or velocities in time of the superposed wave can be measured, but not the distribution of the individual basic waves. Additional problems are that each of the basic waves has its own velocity, besides the body and surface waves have different attenuation laws. By using the rules of superposition of harmonic waves and also the propagation laws of the P-, S- and R-waves, it should be theoretically possible to split the measured superposed signal into the basic waves, because mathematically a system of equations can be assembled which describes the displacements at multiple measuring points in time. In this paper this problem has been solved for a homogenous, elastic and isotropic soil, which is disturbed by a harmonically oscillating disc on the surface. A numerical simulation was performed using a finite element method. The displacements in time were recorded in 10 points on the surface and a system of superposed equations was assembled and solved. The findings prove that each of the three basic waves has its own phase shift with the source, something which was not known before

Improved embedded beam elements for the modelling of piles

The embedded pile model is developed in Plaxis 3D Foundation Beta Version, to describe the pile-soil interaction in a foundation and to provide a numerical model for describing non-linear behaviour of the pile-soil interaction. In the present approach, the pile is considered as a beam element which can cross the soil at any place with any arbitrary orientation. The interaction between the pile and the surrounding soil at the pile shaft is described by means of embedded interface elements. At the pile tip, the soil resistance against compression is represented by means of embedded non-linear spring elements. Modelling the pile with embedded beam elements facilitates the analysis; however it brings out a kind of "mesh dependent" behaviour. In this paper, firstly the investigation of the mesh dependent behaviour, then the improvement of the model and finally verification/validation testing of "embedded pile" elements are presented. The mesh dependency is investigated and verified by using different mesh sizes for a unique model. Then, the model is improved by introducing an "elastic region" around and also at the tip of the pile element. Finally, two pile load tests are simulated by using the improved embedded pile elements for the validation