Inertial loading of soil reinforced by rigid inclusions associated to a flexible upper layer

Le renforcement des sols en zone sismique par des colonnes ballastées et/ou des inclusions rigides représente une alternative prometteuse et de plus en plus répandue par rapport aux solutions lourdes de fondations sur pieux. On sait que les pieux subissent, du fait de leur rigidité, des moments très importants au niveau de la liaison chevêtre-pieu. Les inclusions rigides surmontées d'un matelas granulaire permettent de mieux dissiper les efforts inertiels transmis par la superstructure, mais peuvent nécessiter des armatures si ce matelas n'est pas suffisamment épais. On peut penser que la colonne à module mixte (CMM) offre une solution combinant l'effet matelas à travers sa partie supérieure en colonne ballastée plus flexible et l'effet stabilisateur de la colonne inférieure. Cette thèse présente dans une première partie l'étude expérimentale réalisée au Laboratoire 3S-R (Grenoble) sur des modèles réduits à l'échelle 1/10 afin d'analyser la réponse de ces systèmes sous différentes charges statiques et dynamiques. Le modèle physique se compose d'une semelle carrée reposant directement sur l'argile renforcée. Le chargement vertical et horizontal, statique et dynamique est appliqué par l'intermédiaire de la fondation. Une instrumentation a été placée au niveau de la semelle pour obtenir la réponse globale du système, ainsi que dans la partie rigide inférieure du modèle pour évaluer la répartition des efforts entre inclusion et partie flexible supérieure. Une attention toute particulière a été donnée à la simulation de l'effet inertiel d'un séisme. Les profils de moments, d'efforts tranchants et de déplacements en fonction de la profondeur déterminés à partir de 20 extensomètres répartis régulièrement sur toute la hauteur de la partie rigide ont permis d'étudier l'influence de la hauteur de la colonne ou du matelas. La comparaison entre les déplacements dynamiques de la semelle et les courbes P-y (pression latérale P fonction du déplacement latéral y de la tête de pieu), permet de quantifier la dissipation de l'énergie dans les différentes parties du système. Les résultats expérimentaux montrent que la partie supérieure souple absorbe l'essentiel de l'énergie inertielle sismique. Une modélisation numérique 3D confirme les tendances observées expérimentalement et souligne l'importance du rôle de la zone de transition entre partie souple et partie rigide.Along with the increasing need of construction land, numerous soil reinforcement technologies are proposed in order to improve the soil mechanical properties on one hand and overall site response on the other hand. The presented study is carried out in the context of seismic soil reinforcement and its interaction with a shallow footing which undergoes inertial loading. The system is studied mainly through physical modelling when reduced scale models are constructed in order to simulate clay reinforcement, which is composed of a rigid lower part associated to a flexible upper part. The soft upper part offers shear and moment capacity and the rigid lower part gives bearing capacity. In order to design the reinforcement elements, the response of this combined system to different static and dynamic loads must be understood. This thesis presents results from a primarily experimental study performed in Laboratoire 3S-R (Grenoble). Two reduced (1/10) physical models consisting of a group of four rigid inclusions associated to an upper flexible part are studied in clay. Combined vertical and horizontal static and dynamic loading is applied with a shallow foundation model. A parametric study is done, varying the height of the flexible part of the models in order to define its effect on the settlements of the foundation and lateral performance of the rigid inclusion. A special emphasis was given to the study of the inertial effects of seismic type loading. For this purpose, one of the rigid inclusions was instrumented with 20 levels strain gauges measuring flexural strain, used to calculate the bending moment along the pile. This gives pile deflection (y) by double integration and soil reaction (P) by double derivation. P-y curves are thus obtained. The analysis of the dynamic deflection of the rigid inclusion compared to the movement of the foundation allowed an estimation of the energy dissipated. The results indicate that a large amount of the seismic energy is dissipated within the upper flexible part of the models. Even though the scaling laws are not strictly respected, the main objective of the physical modelling was to perform a qualitative study of the soil reinforcement, studying its behaviour under inertial loading and pointing out important mechanisms, which should be taken into account by the current practice.SAVOIE-SCD - Bib.électronique (730659901) / SudocGRENOBLE1/INP-Bib.électronique (384210012) / SudocGRENOBLE2/3-Bib.électronique (384219901) / SudocSudocFranceF

Cotton-Grass and Blueberry have Opposite Effect on Peat Characteristics and Nutrient Transformation in Peatland

Peatlands are large repositories of carbon (C). Sphagnum mosses play a key role in C sequestration, whereas the presence of vascular plants is generally thought to stimulate peat decomposition. Recent studies stress the importance of plant species for peat quality and soil microbial activity. Thus, learning about specific plant-microbe-soil relations and their potential feedbacks for C and nutrient cycling are important for a correct understanding of C sequestration in peatlands and its potential shift associated with vegetation change. We studied how the long-term presence of blueberry and cotton-grass, the main vascular dominants of spruce swamp forests, is reflected in the peat characteristics, soil microbial biomass and activities, and the possible implications of their spread for nutrient cycling and C storage in these systems. We showed that the potential effect of vascular plants on ecosystem functioning is species specific and need not necessarily result in increased organic matter decomposition. Although the presence of blueberry enhanced phosphorus availability, soil microbial biomass and the activities of C-acquiring enzymes, cotton-grass strongly depleted phosphorus and nitrogen from the peat. The harsh conditions and prevailing anoxia retarded the decomposition of cotton-grass litter and caused no significant enhancement in microbial biomass and exoenzymatic activity. Therefore, the spread of blueberry in peatlands may stimulate organic matter decomposition and negatively affect the C sequestration process, whereas the potential spread of cotton-grass would not likely change the functioning of peatlands as C sinks.Peer reviewe

Isotopic evidences for microbiologically mediated and direct C input to soil compounds from three different leaf litters during their decomposition

We show the potentiality of coupling together different compound-specific isotopic analyses in a laboratory experiment, where 13C-depleted leaf litter was incubated on a 13C-enriched soil. The aim of our study was to identify the soil compounds where the C derived from three different litter species is retained. Three 13C-depleted leaf litter (Liquidambar styraciflua L., Cercis canadensis L. and Pinus taeda L., δ13CvsPDB ≈ −43‰), differing in their degradability, were incubated on a C4 soil (δ13CvsPDB ≈ −18‰) under laboratory-controlled conditions for 8 months. At harvest, compound-specific isotope analyses were performed on different classes of soil compounds [i.e. phospholipids fatty acids (PLFAs), n-alkanes and soil pyrolysis products]. Linoleic acid (PLFA 18:2ω6,9) was found to be very depleted in 13C (δ13CvsPDB ≈ from −38 to −42‰) compared to all other PLFAs (δ13CvsPDB ≈ from −14 to −35‰). Because of this, fungi were identified as the first among microbes to use the litter as source of C. Among n-alkanes, long-chain (C27–C31) n-alkanes were the only to have a depleted δ13C. This is an indication that not all of the C derived from litter in the soil was transformed by microbes. The depletion in 13C was also found in different classes of pyrolysis products, suggesting that the litter-derived C is incorporated in less or more chemically stable compounds, even only after 8 months decomposition

SOM and microbes - what is left from microbial life in soils

Soil organic matter (SOM) is the basis for many soil functions and plays an important role for soil fertility and mitigation of global change. Recently, novel analytical tools have been adopted and significant progress has been made in the field of SOM characterisation and elucidation of SOM processes. The results obtained led to the perception of SOM as a continuum of plant and microbial residues at different stages of decay rather than newly synthesised macromolecules. There is increasing evidence that microbial residues make a large contribution to SOM. Here, we review processes involved in SOM formation and turnover. Plant-derived material is processed by microorganisms and transformed into microbial biomass and finally necromass. The latter is persistent in soil, mainly by its spatial organisation and by interactions with soil minerals. SOM formation therefore is embedded in the triangular relationship between soil, plants and microorganisms. Critical flux controlling factors in this process chain are the energy content and the availability of plant-derived carbon to the microorganisms, their carbon use efficiency, which determines the yield of biomass produced per substrate consumed, and the effectivity of stabilisation of the necromass. These factors depend on microbial abundance and metabolism as well as on environmental factors. Microbes and microbial communities are thus both drivers and substantial contributors to SOM dynamics in soil. This improved understanding offers various options to assign properties and processes in soils to processes of living organisms, which was previously not possible. Mechanistic insight into the carbon flow from plant material input through the microbial foodweb to microbial necromass stabilisation and finally to SOM will be the basis for future improvements of SOM models. These improved models will be the basis of knowledge-based land management options for sustainable soil use

Inertial loading of soil reinforced by rigid inclusions associated to a flexible layer

Le renforcement des sols en zone sismique par des colonnes ballastées et/ou des inclusions rigides représente une alternative prometteuse et de plus en plus répandue par rapport aux solutions lourdes de fondations sur pieux. On sait que les pieux subissent, du fait de leur rigidité, des moments très importants au niveau de la liaison chevêtre-pieu. Les inclusions rigides surmontées d'un matelas granulaire permettent de mieux dissiper les efforts inertiels transmis par la superstructure, mais peuvent nécessiter des armatures si ce matelas n'est pas suffisamment épais. On peut penser que la colonne à module mixte (CMM) offre une solution combinant l'effet « matelas » à travers sa partie supérieure en colonne ballastée plus flexible et l'effet stabilisateur de la colonne inférieure. Cette thèse présente dans une première partie l'étude expérimentale réalisée au Laboratoire 3S-R (Grenoble) sur des modèles réduits à l'échelle 1/10 afin d'analyser la réponse de ces systèmes sous différentes charges statiques et dynamiques. Le modèle physique se compose d'une semelle carrée reposant directement sur l'argile renforcée. Le chargement vertical et horizontal, statique et dynamique est appliqué par l'intermédiaire de la fondation. Une instrumentation a été placée au niveau de la semelle pour obtenir la réponse globale du système, ainsi que dans la partie rigide inférieure du modèle pour évaluer la répartition des efforts entre inclusion et partie flexible supérieure. Une attention toute particulière a été donnée à la simulation de l'effet inertiel d'un séisme. Les profils de moments, d'efforts tranchants et de déplacements en fonction de la profondeur déterminés à partir de 20 extensomètres répartis régulièrement sur toute la hauteur de la partie rigide ont permis d'étudier l'influence de la hauteur de la colonne ou du matelas. La comparaison entre les déplacements dynamiques de la semelle et les courbes P-y (pression latérale P fonction du déplacement latéral y de la tête de pieu), permet de quantifier la dissipation de l'énergie dans les différentes parties du système. Les résultats expérimentaux montrent que la partie supérieure souple absorbe l'essentiel de l'énergie inertielle sismique. Une modélisation numérique 3D confirme les tendances observées expérimentalement et souligne l'importance du rôle de la zone de transition entre partie souple et partie rigide.Along with the increasing need of construction land, numerous soil reinforcement technologies are proposed in order to improve the soil mechanical properties on one hand and overall site response on the other hand. The presented study is carried out in the context of seismic soil reinforcement and its interaction with a shallow footing which undergoes inertial loading. The system is studied mainly through physical modelling when reduced scale models are constructed in order to simulate clay reinforcement, which is composed of a rigid lower part associated to a flexible upper part. The soft upper part offers shear and moment capacity and the rigid lower part gives bearing capacity. In order to design the reinforcement elements, the response of this combined system to different static and dynamic loads must be understood. This thesis presents results from a primarily experimental study performed in Laboratoire 3S-R (Grenoble). Two reduced (1/10) physical models consisting of a group of four rigid inclusions associated to an upper flexible part are studied in clay. Combined vertical and horizontal static and dynamic loading is applied with a shallow foundation model. A parametric study is done, varying the height of the flexible part of the models in order to define its effect on the settlements of the foundation and lateral performance of the rigid inclusion. A special emphasis was given to the study of the inertial effects of seismic type loading. For this purpose, one of the rigid inclusions was instrumented with 20 levels strain gauges measuring flexural strain, used to calculate the bending moment along the pile. This gives pile deflection (y) by double integration and soil reaction (P) by double derivation. P-y curves are thus obtained. The analysis of the dynamic deflection of the rigid inclusion compared to the movement of the foundation allowed an estimation of the energy dissipated. The results indicate that a large amount of the seismic energy is dissipated within the upper flexible part of the models. Even though the scaling laws are not strictly respected, the main objective of the physical modelling was to perform a qualitative study of the soil reinforcement, studying its behaviour under inertial loading and pointing out important mechanisms, which should be taken into account by the current practice

Quantifying microbial metabolism in soils using calorespirometry - A bioenergetics perspective

Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) measures the partitioning between anabolic and catabolic processes. While most work on CUE has been based on carbon (C) mass flows, the roles of organic C energy contents and microbial energy demand on CUE have been rarely considered. Thus, a bioenergetics perspective could provide new insights on how microorganisms utilize C and ultimately allow evaluating their role in C stabilization in soils. Recently, the calorespirometric ratio (CR)-the ratio of heat dissipation and respiration-has been used to characterize the efficiency of microbial growth in soils. Here, we formulate a coupled mass and energy balance model for microbial growth and provide a generalized relationship between CUE and CR. In the model, we consider two types of organic C in soils: an added substrate (e.g., glucose) and the native soil organic matter (SOM), to also account for priming effects. Furthermore, we consider both aerobic and fermentation metabolic pathways. We use this model as a framework to generalize previous formulations and generate hypotheses on the expected variations in CR as a function of substrate quality, metabolic pathways, and microbial traits (specifically CUE). In turn, the same equations can be used to estimate CUE from measured CR.Our results confirm previous findings on CR and show that without microbial growth, CR depends only on the rates of the different metabolic pathways, while CR is also a function of the growth yields for these metabolic pathways when microbial growth occurs. Under strictly aerobic conditions, CUE increases with increasing CR for substrates with a higher degree of reduction than that of the microbial biomass, while CUE decreases with increasing CR for substrates with a lower degree of reduction than the microbial biomass. When aerobic reactions and fermentation occur simultaneously, the relation between CUE and CR is mediated by (i) the degree of reduction of the substrates, (ii) the rates and growth yields of all metabolic pathways, and (iii) the contribution of SOM priming to microbial growth. Using the proposed framework, calorespirometry can be used to evaluate CUE and the role of different metabolic pathways in soil systems

Inertial loading of soil reinforced by rigid inclusions associated to a flexible upper layer

Along with the increasing need of construction land, numerous soil reinforcement technologies are proposed in order to improve the soil mechanical properties on one hand and overall site response on the other hand. The presented study is carried out in the context of seismic soil reinforcement and its interaction with a shallow footing which undergoes inertial loading. The system is studied mainly through physical modelling when reduced scale models are constructed in order to simulate clay reinforcement, which is composed of a rigid lower part associated to a flexible upper part. The soft upper part offers shear and moment capacity and the rigid lower part gives bearing capacity. In order to design the reinforcement elements, the response of this combined system to different static and dynamic loads must be understood. This thesis presents results from a primarily experimental study performed in Laboratoire 3S-R (Grenoble). Two reduced (1/10) physical models consisting of a group of four rigid inclusions associated to an upper flexible part are studied in clay. Combined vertical and horizontal static and dynamic loading is applied with a shallow foundation model. A parametric study is done, varying the height of the flexible part of the models in order to define its effect on the settlements of the foundation and lateral performance of the rigid inclusion. A special emphasis was given to the study of the inertial effects of seismic type loading. For this purpose, one of the rigid inclusions was instrumented with 20 levels strain gauges measuring flexural strain, used to calculate the bending moment along the pile. This gives pile deflection (y) by double integration and soil reaction (P) by double derivation. P-y curves are thus obtained. The analysis of the dynamic deflection of the rigid inclusion compared to the movement of the foundation allowed an estimation of the energy dissipated. The results indicate that a large amount of the seismic energy is dissipated within the upper flexible part of the models. Even though the scaling laws are not strictly respected, the main objective of the physical modelling was to perform a qualitative study of the soil reinforcement, studying its behaviour under inertial loading and pointing out important mechanisms, which should be taken into account by the current practice.Le renforcement des sols en zone sismique par des colonnes ballastées et/ou des inclusions rigides représente une alternative prometteuse et de plus en plus répandue par rapport aux solutions lourdes de fondations sur pieux. On sait que les pieux subissent, du fait de leur rigidité, des moments très importants au niveau de la liaison chevêtre-pieu. Les inclusions rigides surmontées d'un matelas granulaire permettent de mieux dissiper les efforts inertiels transmis par la superstructure, mais peuvent nécessiter des armatures si ce matelas n'est pas suffisamment épais. On peut penser que la colonne à module mixte (CMM) offre une solution combinant l'effet « matelas » à travers sa partie supérieure en colonne ballastée plus flexible et l'effet stabilisateur de la colonne inférieure. Cette thèse présente dans une première partie l'étude expérimentale réalisée au Laboratoire 3S-R (Grenoble) sur des modèles réduits à l'échelle 1/10 afin d'analyser la réponse de ces systèmes sous différentes charges statiques et dynamiques. Le modèle physique se compose d'une semelle carrée reposant directement sur l'argile renforcée. Le chargement vertical et horizontal, statique et dynamique est appliqué par l'intermédiaire de la fondation. Une instrumentation a été placée au niveau de la semelle pour obtenir la réponse globale du système, ainsi que dans la partie rigide inférieure du modèle pour évaluer la répartition des efforts entre inclusion et partie flexible supérieure. Une attention toute particulière a été donnée à la simulation de l'effet inertiel d'un séisme. Les profils de moments, d'efforts tranchants et de déplacements en fonction de la profondeur déterminés à partir de 20 extensomètres répartis régulièrement sur toute la hauteur de la partie rigide ont permis d'étudier l'influence de la hauteur de la colonne ou du matelas. La comparaison entre les déplacements dynamiques de la semelle et les courbes P-y (pression latérale P fonction du déplacement latéral y de la tête de pieu), permet de quantifier la dissipation de l'énergie dans les différentes parties du système. Les résultats expérimentaux montrent que la partie supérieure souple absorbe l'essentiel de l'énergie inertielle sismique. Une modélisation numérique 3D confirme les tendances observées expérimentalement et souligne l'importance du rôle de la zone de transition entre partie souple et partie rigide