Skip to main content
Log in

Effect of Sample Preparation on the Reliability of Large-Scale Physical Modeling in Geotechnical Systems: ACase Study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Preparing uniform soil samples is essential for obtaining reliable results in the physical modeling of geotechnical structures, such as retaining walls and piles. The air pluviation method is a common approach adopted by researchers and engineers to reconstitute large-scale sand beds with high degrees of homogeneity and uniformity. This paper investigates the uniformity of sand beds prepared using the conventional manual sand pouring method, its potential impact on test results, and how creating a more uniform sand bed can enhance the reliability of the results. To achieve this goal, a novel portable sand pluviator capable of reconstituting sand beds inside a frustum confining vessel (FCV) apparatus at a high level of uniformity is adopted. The pluviator is utilised to prepare sand beds inside the FCV, and the uniformity of the resulting sand bed is assessed and compared with those prepared using the manual pouring method. Next, in order to investigate the influence of uniformity of sand beds on the outcomes of a large-scale test, a large-scale experiment involving the determination of the bearing capacity of a open-ended single-helix helical pile within the FCV is considered. Numerical analysis investigates how sand bed uniformity affects bearing capacity without extensive testing. It uses data from initial research and employs Latin Hypercube Sampling to determine the required simulations for accurate measurement of the impact of sand bed uniformity on bearing capacity. The results of this set of numerical simulations are then thoroughly analysed to assess the impact of the sand pouring method on the reliability of the experimental outcomes. Analysis of the results show that preparation of uniform sand beds at the desired relative density is one of the key elements in obtaining accurate and reliable experimental results in geotechnical physical modelling problems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The data used to support the findings of the research are included in this article.

References

  • Al-Baghdadi T (2018) Screw piles as offshore foundations: numerical and physical modelling. Dissertation, University of Dundee Dundee

  • Al-Defae AH, Caucis K, Knappett JA (2013) Aftershocks and the whole-life seismic performance of granular slopes. Géotechnique 63(14):1230–1244. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.12.P.149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ASTM. (2013). ASTM D1143/D1143M-07e1, 2013: Testing piles under static compressive load. In. West Conshohocken, USA: ASTM International.

  • Bak HM, Halabian AM, Hashemolhosseini H, Rowshanzamir M (2021a) Axial response and material efficiency of tapered helical piles. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 13(1):176–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bak HM, Kariminia T, Shahbodagh B, Rowshanzamir MA, Khoshghalb AJC (2021b) Application of bio-cementation to enhance shear strength parameters of soil-steel interface. Constr Build Mater 294:123470

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bellotti R, Ghionna VN, Morabito P (1991) Uniformity tests in calibration chamber samples by the thermal probe method. Geotech Test J 14(2):195–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Broding WC, Diederich F, PARKER P S, (1964) Structural optimization and design based on a reliability design criterion. J Spacecr Rocket 1(1):56–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butterfield R, Andrawes K (1970) An air activated sand spreader for forming uniform sand beds. Geotechnique 20(1):97–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cerfontaine B, Knappett JA, Brown MJ, Bradshaw AS (2019) Effect of soil deformability on the failure mechanism of shallow plate or screw anchors in sand. Comput Geotech 109:34–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choi S-K, Lee M-J, Choo H, Tumay MT, Lee W (2010) Preparation of a large size granular specimen using a rainer system with a porous plate. Geotech Test J 33(1):45–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clayton C, Bica A, Moore S (1994) A resin impregnation technique for the determination of the density variations in completed specimens of dry cohesionless soil. Geotechnique 44(1):165–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dave TN, Dasaka S (2012) Assessment of portable traveling pluviator to prepare reconstituted sand specimens. Geomech Eng 4(2):79–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Esmailzade M, Eslami A, Nabizadeh A, Aflaki EJIJoCE (2022) Effect of cone diameter on determination of penetration resistance using a FCV. 1–14.

  • Fatolahzadeh S, Mehdizadeh R (2021) Reliability assessment of shallow foundation stability under eccentric load using Monte Carlo and first order second moment method. Geotech Geol Eng 39(8):5651–5664

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fretti C, Presti DL, Pedroni S (1995) A pluvial deposition method to reconstitute well-graded sand specimens. Geotech Test J 18(2):292–298

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gade VK, Dasaka S (2016) Development of a mechanized traveling pluviator to prepare reconstituted uniform sand specimens. J Mater Civ Eng 28(2):04015117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gemperline M (1984) Centrifugal model tests for ultimate bearing capacity of footings on steep slopes in cohesionless soil. Paper presented at the application of centrifuge modelling to geotechnical design, Manchester, U.K.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hariprasad C, Rajashekhar M, Umashankar B (2016) Preparation of uniform sand specimens using stationary pluviation and vibratory methods. Geotech Geol Eng 34(6):1909–1922

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hossain MZ, Ansary MA (2018) Development of a portable traveling pluviator device and its performance to prepare uniform sand specimens. Innov Infrastruct Solut 3(1):1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Izadi A, Chenari RJ (2023) Combined load bearing capacity of rigid piles embedded in a cross-anisotropic clay deposit using 3D finite element lower bound. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 15(3):717–737

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Izadi A, Foroutan Kalourazi A, Jamshidi Chenari R (2021) Effect of roughness on seismic bearing capacity of shallow foundations near slopes using the lower bound finite element method. Int J Geomech 21(3):06020043

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jamshidi Chenari R, Kamyab Farahbakhsh H, Izadi AJSI (2020) Continuous Slip Surface method for stability analysis of heterogeneous vertical trenches. Scientia Iranica 27(6):2657–2668

    Google Scholar 

  • Jamshidi Chenari R, Izadi AJBoEG, Environment t (2019) Discussion of “an analytical probabilistic analysis of slopes based on limit equilibrium methods by Johari A, Mousavi S. November 2018, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-018-1408-1. 78: 5511–5515.

  • Jassim A, Ganjian N, Eslami AJJoS, Engineering C (2023) Investigation of load-displacement behavior of helical pile in wet and saturated sand with FCV apparatus. 10(5).

  • Khari M, Kassim KA, Adnan A (2014) Sand samples’ preparation using mobile pluviator. Arab J Sci Eng 39(10):6825–6834

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolbuszewski J (1948) An experimental study of the maximum and minimum porosities of sands. Paper presented at the proceedings of the second international conference on soil mechanics and foundation engineering.

  • Kong D, Luo Q, Zhang W, Jiang L, Zhang L (2022) Reliability analysis approach for railway embankment slopes using response surface method based Monte Carlo simulation. Geotech Geol Eng 40(9):4529–4538

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miura S, Toki S (1982) A sample preparation method and its effect on static and cyclic deformation-strength properties of sand. Soils Found 22(1):61–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moayedi H, Mosallanezhad M (2017) Uplift resistance of belled and multi-belled piles in loose sand. Measurement 109:346–353

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mortazavi Bak H, Halabian AM, Hashemolhosseini SH (2021a) Optimisation of frustum confining vessels using various boundary and interface conditions. Int J Phys Model Geotech 21(4):168–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Mortazavi Bak H, Noorbakhsh M, Halabian AM, Rowshanzamir M, Hashemolhosseini H (2021b) Application of the taguchi method to enhance bearing capacity in geotechnical engineering: case studies. Int J Geomech 21(9):04021167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mortazavibak H, Halabian A, Hashemalhosseini H, Roshanzamir M, Jafari A, Shabadagh B (2019), Design optimisation of the size and geometry of frustum confining vessel. Paper presented at the 13th international conference on the mechanical behaviour of materials.

  • Mostafaei H, Behnamfar F, Alembagheri M (2022) Reliability and sensitivity analysis of wedge stability in the abutments of an arch dam using artificial neural network. Earthq Eng Eng Vib 21(4):1019–1033

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mostafaei H, Mousavi H, Barmchi MA (2023d) Finite element analysis of structures by ABAQUS: for civil engineers. Simay-e-Danesh Publication, Tehran, Iran

    Google Scholar 

  • Mostafaei H, Keshavarz Z, Rostampour M A, Mostofinejad D, Wu C (2023). Sustainability evaluation of a concrete gravity dam: life cycle assessment, Carbon Footprint Analysis, and Life Cycle Costing.

  • Mostafaei H, Mostofinejad D, Ghamami M, Wu C (2023). Fully automated operational modal identification of regular and irregular buildings with ensemble learning.

  • Mostafaei H, Mostofinejad D, Ghamami M, Wu C (2023), A new approach of ensemble learning in fully automated identification of structural modal parameters of concrete gravity dams: a case study of the Koyna dam.

  • Mujtaba H, Farooq K, Sivakugan N, Das BM (2018) Evaluation of relative density and friction angle based on SPT-N values. KSCE J Civ Eng 22(2):572–581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Najjar SS, Sadek S, Farah Z (2020) Importance of lower-bound shear strengths in the reliability of spatially random clayey slopes. Geotech Geol Eng 38:6623–6639

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Presti DL, Berardi R, Pedroni S, Crippa V (1993) A new traveling sand pluviator to reconstitute specimens of well-graded silty sands. Geotech Test J 16(1):18–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rad NS, Tumay MT (1987) Factors affecting sand specimen preparation by raining. Geotech Test J 10(1):31–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider H, Chameau JL, Leonards G (1989) Chemical impregnation of cohesionless soils. Geotech Test J 12(3):204–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh G, Ergatoudis J, Siah B (1979) A laboratory method of measuring in-situ density distribution in dry sand. Geotech Test J 2(3):129–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srinivasan V, Srivastava S, Ghosh P (2016) Optimization and parametrical investigation to assess the reconstitution of different types of Indian sand using portable travelling pluviator. Geotech Geol Eng 34(1):59–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutterer KG, Frost JD, Chameau J-LA (1996) Polymer impregnation to assist undisturbed sampling of cohesionless soils. J Geotech Eng 122(3):209–215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tabaroei A, Abrishami S, Hosseininia ES (2017) Comparison between two different pluviation setups of sand specimens. J Mater Civ Eng 29(10):04017157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker B, Whitaker T (1967) An apparatus for forming uniform beds of sand for model foundation tests. Geotechnique 17(2):161–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winkelmann K, Żyliński K, Korzec A, Górski J (2022) Effectiveness of random field approach in serviceability limit state analysis of strip foundation. Geotech Geol Eng 40(9):4705–4720

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The authors have not disclosed any funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hasan Mostafaei.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mortazavi Bak, H., Mostafaei, H., Shahbodagh, B. et al. Effect of Sample Preparation on the Reliability of Large-Scale Physical Modeling in Geotechnical Systems: ACase Study. Geotech Geol Eng 42, 2693–2707 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-023-02699-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-023-02699-9

Keywords

Navigation