Analysing ground deformation data to predict characteristics of smear zone induced by vertical drain installation for soft soil improvement

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.The use of prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) assisted preloading has been recognised over the last two decades as a very efficient method of ground improvement for sites with deposits of deep soft soil. One of the major parameters influencing the PVD assisted consolidation process, and consequently the required preloading time, is the formation of a smear zone around the vertical drains, and the corresponding soil properties. In this research a systematic procedure integrated with a developed numerical code is proposed to accurately back calculate the properties of the smear zone based on the consolidation data collected in the laboratory and in the field. Furthermore, an expanded back calculation method is developed to determine the minimum required degree of consolidation and corresponding time after the construction of the trial embankment that would result in accurately predicted smear zone characteristics. The explicit finite difference program FLAC 2D was used to develop the numerical code, simulate the laboratory testing and PVD assisted preloading case histories. Furthermore a comprehensive parametric study was conducted to investigate the effect of smear zone properties variations on the preloading process, and back calculated characteristics of the smear zone. A large and fully instrumented Rowe cell apparatus was used to investigate the effect of the smear zone on the consolidation process and verify the developed numerical code. The Rowe cell was filled with the intact zone, smear zone, and vertical drain materials to evaluate the permeability and extent ratios of kh/ks=4 and rs/rm=3, respectively. The back calculation procedure was used to conduct the parametric study and predict the properties of the smear zone. According to the results, the predicted properties of the smear zone were similar to the properties of the applied soil, proving that the proposed back calculation procedure integrated with the developed numerical simulation can successfully predict these properties. The developed numerical code was used to simulate five PVD assisted preloading case studies, including four trial embankments and a large scale consolidometer, while the back calculation procedure was used to conduct a parametric study to determine the extent and permeability of the smear zone. According to the results, integration of the back calculation procedure in the numerical code can be used as a reliable tool to make an accurate prediction of the smear zone characteristics in PVD and vacuum assisted preloading projects. The developed method in this research can be considered as a practical, accurate and cost effective tool, due to its capability in precise estimation of the extent and permeability of the smear zone in the early stages of constructing the trial embankment. In this study, the proposed systematic back calculation procedure was extended to determine the minimum degree of consolidation (i.e. the minimum waiting time after constructing the trial embankment), and accurately predict the properties of the smear zone. The numerical results of the simulated case studies were used to conduct the analyses. Accordingly, it is found that the extent and permeability of the smear zone can be predicted very well with the proposed calculation procedure when at least 33% of predicted final settlement has been reached (i.e. 33% of the degree of consolidation)

Lost in translation? Culture, language and the role of the translator in international business

Purpose: Issues of language in international business have been the focus of a growing body of theoretical and empirical work. This paper aims to contribute to this literature, focusing specifically on issues of translation. The role of translator will vary depending on the language strategy adopted, with strategies linked to differing perspectives on language in international business – mechanical, cultural and political. The paper examines these perspectives through the lens of a specific problem for transnational communication – “untranslatable” words and concepts. Design/methodology/approach: Interviews were conducted with professional linguists (translators and interpreters) to explore how they dealt with issues of untranslatable but cultural salient words in their day‐to‐day work with international businesses, using the problems of translating the Farsi word tarouf into English as a case in point. Findings: The linguists agreed that tarouf was an untranslatable word, and described their strategies to deal with this problem. The commonest strategy was avoidance, stemming from linguists' concern to maintain their professional standing with clients, a finding which reflects an emerging emphasis on the importance of context and relationships for understanding inter‐cultural communication. Practical implications: The study highlights the crucial role of the translator in international business, and draws attention to the potential for cross‐cultural communication problems arising from mutual lack of awareness of culturally‐salient but inherently untranslatable words or phrases. Social implications: Effective inter‐cultural communication is an issue of great importance to wider society, and business has historically been the commonest site of such communication. The study highlights an issue of considerable importance for improving inter‐cultural communications, contributing to a growing inter‐disciplinary literature in this area. Originality/value: Much of the research on language in international business has focused on the emergence of English as a lingua franca, but the present study focuses on specific issues of translation and does so in an under‐researched location, Iran. It draws attention to a problem of translation not widely discussed, and shows how important this issue can be for international business