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Influence of features of natural soft clay on behaviour of embankment

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Abstract

The influence of different features of natural soft clays, namely anisotropy, destructuration and viscosity, on modelling the time-dependent behaviour of Murro embankment was investigated. The newly developed elasto-viscoplastic models were enhanced for determining viscosity parameters in a straightforward way and adopted for the finite element analysis. The same set of common parameters determined from conventional triaxial and oedometer tests was employed for all models, with additional parameters required for representing different soil features. The finite element predictions by using models coupled with BIOT’s consolidation theory were compared with each other and with field data for settlement, horizontal displacement and excess pore pressures. In addition, the stress paths under the embankment loading were also compared with each other to improve the understanding of the effect of different soil features. All simulations demonstrate that all three features significantly influence the predictions. As a consequence, accounting for soil features needs to be carefully considered when they are applied to a construction site.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Marine Geotechnics Research, Department of Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Zhen-yu Yin  (尹振宇) & Jian-hua Wang  (王建华)

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Strathclyde, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK

    M. Karstunen

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China

    Chuang Yu  (余闯)

Authors
  1. Zhen-yu Yin  (尹振宇)
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  2. M. Karstunen
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  3. Jian-hua Wang  (王建华)
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  4. Chuang Yu  (余闯)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhen-yu Yin  (尹振宇).

Additional information

Foundation item: Project(11PJ1405700) supported by Pujiang Talent Plan of Shanghai, China; Project(41002091) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Project(PIAP-GA-2009-230638) supported by the European Community through the Program “People”

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Yin, Zy., Karstunen, M., Wang, Jh. et al. Influence of features of natural soft clay on behaviour of embankment. J. Cent. South Univ. Technol. 18, 1667–1676 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-011-0887-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-011-0887-z

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