Ground Vibration Isolation Using Gas Cushions

A new ground vibration isolation method is described, which uses inflated, flexible cushions. The isolation cushions have therefore a low impedance and act as vibration reflectors in the ground. Practical aspects, such as the production of the gas cushions screen, the installation method and the gas-tightness of the gas cushions are discussed. The screen can be installed to great depth, using the well-proven slurry trench technique. After installation, the trench is filled with a self-hardening cement-bentonite grout, which creates a plastic, water-tight protection layer around the cushions and assures the long term stability of the screen. The gas cushion screen can thus be used for permanent installations in the ground. The paper describes the theoretical concept of the gas cushion screen. The isolation efficiency is analyzed, using the boundary element method. The theoretically predicted isolation effect is compared with field tests and data published in the literature. The test results suggest that the isolation efficiency of the gas cushion screen is comparable to that of an open trenches

Man-Made Vibrations and Solutions

The generation and propagation of man-made vibrations in the ground is discussed. Emphasis is placed a simplified approach which is used to assess the most important factors, such as wave attenuation, refraction focusing and vibration amplification as a result of resonance. Practical guidelines are presented which can be used to predict vibrations and settlements in the ground. A semi-empirical relationship for the assessment of permissible vibration levels for buildings is proposed. Finally, a new ground vibration isolation method, the gas cushion screen is presented

Ground Vibrations Induced by Impact Pile Driving

The importance of vibration problems induced by pile driving is addressed and guidelines for establishing limiting vibration levels with respect to buildings with different foundation conditions are presented. Basic concepts of pile dynamics and stress-wave measurements, which were developed for the determination of driving resistance and bearing capacity of impact-driven piles, provide important information about ground vibration induced by pile penetration. Dynamic hammer properties and geometry as well as the driving process are important for ground vibration emission from the pile. It is shown that the energy-based, empirical approach, which is still widely used by practicing engineers, is too crude for reliable analysis of ground vibrations and can even be misleading. The main limitations of the energy approach are the assumption that driving energy governs ground vibrations, the omission of geotechnical conditions and soil resistance, and the uncertainty with regard to input values. Three types of ground waves are considered when analyzing pile driving: spherical waves emitted from the pile toe, cylindrical waves propagating laterally from the pile shaft, and surface waves, which are generated by wave refraction at the ground surface at a critical distance from the pile. These three wave types depend on the velocity-dependent soil resistance at the pile-soil interface. The most important factor for analyzing ground vibrations is the impedance of each system component, i.e., the pile hammer, the pile, and the soil along the shaft and at the pile toe. Guidance based on geotechnical conditions is given as to the selection of appropriate impedance values for different soil types. A theoretical concept is presented, based on a simplified model that considers the strain-softening effect on wave velocity in the soil, making it possible to calculate the attenuation of spherical and surface waves and of cylindrical waves generated at the pile toe and the pile shaft, respectively. The concept is applied to define k-values, which have been used in empirically developed models and correlated to type of wave and soil properties. An important aspect of the proposed prediction model is the introduction of vibration transmission efficacy, a factor which limits the amount of vibration force that can be transmitted along the pile-soil interface (toe and shaft). Results from detailed vibration measurements are compared to values calculated from the proposed model. The agreement is very good and suggests that the new model captures the important aspects of ground vibration during penetration of the pile into different soil layers. Finally, based on the presented model, factors influencing the emission of ground vibrations during impact pile driving are discussed

Damage Criteria for Small Amplitude Ground Vibrations

European codes and recommendations have been reviewed with respect to critical vibration levels, causing damage to buildings. It was found that the variation of the vibration threshold levels was large between the different codes. A rational approach to assess the damage caused by ground vibrations is proposed, based on wave propagation theory. The wave length appears to be the most important parameter. The damage potential was found to be greatest when the length of the propagating wave is equal to or shorter than the length of the building. The wave length can be determined from the frequency and wave propagation velocity. The critical dynamic ground distortion has been back-calculated from the requirements in the different codes and from published recommendations. The critical vertical particle velocity, causing damage, can be calculated if the wave propagation velocity is known. Also other factors such as the source of the vibrations, the building conditions and the degree of damage have been considered. A comparison of the proposed relationship with existing vibration criteria shows surprisingly good agreement

Stability of Shannon Embankments

During the operating life of the Shannon Embankments, stability and seepage problems have occurred which caused concern regarding long term safety. The geology was studied, a comprehensive scheme of field and laboratory investigation was undertaken and the stability was analyzed and back calculated under failure conditions. The relative significance of various parameters was studied and provided the basis for the design of remedial measures. This paper deals in detail with the study of the stability of one embankment section (Fort Henry) and the recommendations on remedial measures

Determination of Constrained Modulus of Granular Soil from In Situ Tests—Part 2 Application

The paper demonstrates how the concepts presented in the companion paper: “Determination of Constrained Modulus of Granular Soil from In Situ Tests—Part 1 Analyses” can be applied in practice. A settlement design based on the tangent modulus method is described. Extensive in situ tests were performed on a well-documented test site consisting of sand with silt and clay layers. The field tests comprised different types of penetration tests, such as the cone penetration test, the flat dilatometer, and the seismic down-hole test. The modulus number and the constrained tangent modulus were derived from the cone penetration test with pore water pressure measurement and the flat dilatometer test. In addition, the shear wave speed was determined from two seismic down-hole tests, from which the small-strain shear modulus could be evaluated. The constrained modulus obtained from the cone penetration test with pore water pressure measurement (CPTU) and the flat dilatometer (DMT) was compared with that from the seismic down-hole tests. The importance of the stress history on the constrained modulus was demonstrated. The range of modulus numbers, derived from different in situ tests, compares favorably with empirical values reported in the literature

Determination of Constrained Modulus of Granular Soil from In Situ Tests—Part 1 Analyses

Assessing the constrained modulus is a critical step in calculating settlements in granular soils. This paper describes a novel concept of how the constrained modulus can be derived from seismic tests. The advantages and limitations of seismic laboratory and field tests are addressed. Based on a comprehensive review of laboratory resonant column and torsional shear tests, the most important parameters affecting the shear modulus, such as shear strain and confining stress, are defined quantitatively. Also, Poisson’s ratio, which is needed to convert shear modulus to constrained modulus, is strain-dependent. An empirical relationship is presented from which the variation in the secant shear modulus with shear strain can be defined numerically within a broad strain range (10−4–10−0.5%). The tangent shear modulus was obtained by differentiating the secant shear modulus. According to the tangent modulus concept, the tangent constrained modulus is governed by the modulus number, m, and the stress exponent, j. Laboratory test results on granular soils are reviewed, based on which it is possible to estimate the modulus number during virgin loading and unloading/reloading. A correlation is proposed between the small-strain shear modulus, G0, and the modulus number, m. The modulus number can also be derived from static cone penetration tests, provided that the cone resistance is adjusted with respect to the mean effective stress. In a companion paper, the concepts presented in this paper are applied to data from an experimental site, where different types of seismic tests and cone penetration tests were performed

Heavy vibratory plate compaction of silty sand: A field study

Heavy vibratory plate compaction is an efficient technique for improvement of granular soils. However, its practical application is limited by insufficient knowledge about the compaction process and the optimum procedure of execution. In this study, compaction tests were conducted in the field with a 40.5-ton heavy vibratory plate compactor. The site consisted of partially saturated, overconsolidated medium-dense silty sand and sandy silt. Such conditions can generally be characterized as difficult for vibratory compaction. The objective of the tests was to study the compaction depth and the influence of treatment layout, duration of compaction, and vibration frequency. In-situ measurements conducted before, during and after treatment included static cone penetration tests, flat dilatometer, and heavy dynamic probing. The in-situ tests showed a statistically significant compaction after treatment. The main conclusions highlight the importance of a sufficient centrifugal force of the vibratory hammer to cause disconnection between the plate and the soil. Other important parameters are the vibration frequency and the duration of treatment, which can be optimized by field monitoring. Full coverage of the ground surface is required for compaction of the entire soil volume. It was also found that the compaction depth corresponds to the side length of the plate, in line with previous studies.QC 20230208</p