A geosynthetic reinforcement solution to prevent the formation of localized sinkholes

2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 987-999 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Villard ◽  
J P Gourc ◽  
H Giraud

To prevent the appearance of localized sinkholes under roads and railway lines in areas at risk, a research program testing a geosynthetic reinforcement solution was carried out by a group of laboratories. The aim of the reinforcement is to limit surface deformation after the appearance of a sinkhole by making the surface settlement as compatible as possible with the geometrical safety criteria of the road or railway line until earth filling and repair works can be scheduled. Full-scale tests were carried out on reinforced, instrumented road and railway structures subjected to localized collapse. At the same time, a numerical study was carried out to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved (arch effect, membrane effect, and collapse mechanisms). The experimental results of the full-scale tests were analyzed and compared with the results of three-dimensional finite element modeling.Key words: localized sinkhole, karstic cavity, reinforcement, geosynthetic.

2013 ◽  
Vol 387 ◽  
pp. 159-163
Author(s):  
Yi Chern Hsieh ◽  
Minh Hai Doan ◽  
Chen Tai Chang

We present the analyses of dynamics behaviors on a stroller wheel by three dimensional finite element method. The vibration of the wheel system causes by two different type barriers on the road as an experiment design to mimic the real road conditions. In addition to experiment analysis, we use two different packages to numerically simulate the wheel system dynamics activities. Some of the simulation results have good agreement with the experimental data in this research. Other interesting data will be measured and analyzed by us for future study and we will investigate them by using adaptive finite element method for increasing the precision of the computation results.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Stewart ◽  
Sam Kwok Lun Lee

Abstract Wellhead connectors form a critical part of subsea tree production systems. Their location in the riser load path means that they are subjected to high levels of bending and tension loading in addition to internal pressure and cyclic loading. As more fields continue to be discovered and developed that are defined as High Pressure and/or High Temperature (HPHT) these loading conditions become even more arduous. In order to ensure the integrity of HPHT components, industry requirements for components are setout in API 17TR8. This technical report provides a design verification methodology for HPHT products and some requirements for validation testing. The methodology provides detail on the assessment of static structural and cyclic capacities but less detail on how to assess the functional and serviceability criteria for wellhead connectors. Similarly, API 17TR8 does not include prescriptive validation requirements for wellhead connectors and refers back to historical methods. This paper describes a practical application of the API 17TR8 methodology to the development of a 20k HPHT connector and how it was implemented to verify and validate the connector design through full scale tests to failure. A methodology was developed to meet the requirements of the relevant industry standards and applied to the connector to develop capacity charts for static combined loading. Verification was carried out on three dimensional 180° FEA models to ensure all non axi-symmetric loading is accurately captured. Connector capacities are defined based on API 17TR8 criteria with elastic plastic analysis (i.e. collapse load, local failure and ratcheting), functionality/serviceability criteria defined through a FMECA review and also including API STD 17G criteria including failure modes such as lock/unlock functionality, fracture based failure, mechanical disengagement, leakage and preload exceedance. These capacities are validated through full scale testing based on the requirements of API 17TR7 and API STD 17G with combined loading applied to the Normal, Extreme and Survival capacity curves (as defined by "as-built" FEA using actual material properties). Various test parameters such as strain gauge data, hub separation data, displacements, etc. were recorded and correlated to FEA prediction to prove the validity of the methodology. Further validation was carried out by applying a combined load up to the FEA predicted failure to confirm the design margins of the connector. Post-test review was carried out to review the suitability of the requirements set out in API 17TR8 and API STD 17G for the verification and validation of subsea connectors. The results build on previous test results to validate the effectiveness of the API 17TR8 code for verification and validation of connectors. The results show that real margins between failure of the connector and rated loads are higher than those defined in API 17TR8 and show that the methodology can be conservative.


2018 ◽  
Vol 219 ◽  
pp. 02012
Author(s):  
Dawid Bruski ◽  
Stanisław Burzyński ◽  
Jacek Chróścielewski ◽  
Łukasz Pachocki ◽  
Krzysztof Wilde ◽  
...  

Road safety barriers are used to increase safety in potentially dangerous places on the roads. They are designed and installed on the roads to prevent any vehicle from getting outside the travelled way or from entering the opposite lane of the road. Barriers, which are used on European roads, have to undergo full scale crash tests according to the EN 1317 standards. Nowadays as a supplement to real crash tests, numerical simulations are commonly used. The work concerns the influence of position of the post or its absence on the crashworthiness of the cable barrier based on numerical study results.


2011 ◽  
Vol 219-220 ◽  
pp. 1211-1214
Author(s):  
Wei Jiang

Finite element simulation is an efficient method for studying factors affecting weld-induced residual stress distributions. In this paper, a validated three-dimensional finite element model consisting of sequentially coupled thermal and structural analyses was developed. Three possible symmetrical welding sequences, i.e. one-welder, two-welder and four-welder sequence, which were perceived to generate the least distortion in actual welding circumstances, were proposed and their influences on the residual stress fields in a thick-walled tee joint were investigated. Appropriate conclusions and recommendations regarding welding sequences are presented.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 896-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Nasiri ◽  
Yi Liu

A numerical study using a three-dimensional finite element model was conducted to investigate the arching behaviour and strength of concrete masonry infills bounded by reinforced concrete frames subjected to out-of-plane loading. Physical specimens were concurrently tested to provide results for validation of the model as well as evidence of directional characteristics of arching behaviour of masonry infills. A subsequent parametric study using the model included a wide range of infilled frame geometric properties. The results showed in detail the difference in one-way and two-way arching in terms of both strength and failure mechanism, and the contributing factors to this difference. Evaluation of the two main design equations for out-of-plane strength of masonry infills led to proposal of modifications to provide a more rational consideration of directional behaviour of concrete masonry infills. A comparison study using the available test results showed a marked improvement of strength prediction based on the proposed modification.


2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 2041-2054 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kerry Rowe ◽  
K.-W. Liu

The performance of four sections of a full-scale embankment constructed on soft soil is examined using a fully coupled and fully three-dimensional finite element analysis. The four sections had similar embankment loadings but different improvement options (one unimproved, one with pile-support only, one with a single layer geotextile-reinforced platform and pile-support, and one with two layers of geogrid-reinforced platform and pile-support). Like the field data, the numerical results show that the inclusion of piles decreases the settlement at the subsoil surface to 52% of that for the unimproved section, and the addition of a single layer of geotextile reinforcement (J = 800 kN/m) further reduced settlement to only 31% of that of the unimproved section. The effects of geosynthetic reinforcement and multiple layers of reinforcement on the performance of the pile-supported embankment are discussed. The relative load transfer is calculated using eight existing methods and they are compared with the field measurements and numerical results.


2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nam-Su Huh ◽  
Yun-Jae Kim ◽  
Jae-Boong Choi ◽  
Young-Jin Kim ◽  
Chang-Ryul Pyo

One important element of the Leak-Before-Break analysis of nuclear piping is how to determine relevant fracture toughness (or the J-resistance curve) for nonlinear fracture mechanics analysis. The practice to use fracture toughness from a standard C(T) specimen is known to often give conservative estimates of toughness. To improve the accuracy of predicting piping failure, this paper proposes a new method to determine fracture toughness using a nonstandard testing specimen, curved wide-plate in tension. To show validity of the proposed curved wide-plate test, the J-resistance curve from the full-scale pipe test is compared with that from the curved wide-plate test and that from C(T) specimen. It is shown that the J-resistance curve from the curved wide-plate tension test is similar to, but that from the C(T) specimen is lower than, the J-resistance curve from the full-scale pipe test. Further validation is performed by investigating crack-tip constraint conditions via detailed three-dimensional finite element analyses, which shows that the crack-tip constraint condition in the curved wide-plate tension specimen is indeed similar to that in the full-scale pipe under bending.


2012 ◽  
Vol 170-173 ◽  
pp. 1491-1496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Wang ◽  
De Shen Zhao ◽  
Meng Lin Xu

Based on Dalian subway line 2 from Chun-guang street station to Xiang-gong street station,the three dimensional finite element model was established using FLAC3D software , the shield excavated surface against the pressure, the stress release, the shield tail escape and grouting. The numerical result indicated that the pipeline displacement increases gradually with the advance of the tunnel excavation. When one-sided tunnel excavation is carried out, the largest displacement is located at the tunnel axis, the settling curve basically conforms to the normal distribution curve with the unimodal characteristic. The excavation of right-side tunnel is disadvantageous to the left-side tunnel. The analysis indicated that the pipeline is in a secure state. The work in this paper provided theoretical basis and the practical guidance to this project.


2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1047-1054 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Hamed Mousavi ◽  
Mohammed A. Gabr ◽  
Roy H. Borden

This study evaluated the optimum location of a reinforcement layer to maximize the efficiency of the reinforcement inclusion in an unpaved road section. The analyses are used to investigate the optimum location of the reinforcement layer within the aggregate base course (ABC) layer, and provide a possible reason for the improvement in performance. A series of three-dimensional finite element method analyses was performed, and the strain and stress response of a reinforced unpaved road section with two different ABC thicknesses was evaluated. The analyses were conducted under cyclic loading with three different radii of the circular loaded area. The embedded depth of reinforcement was varied within the ABC layer. Results indicate that regardless of ABC layer thickness, the surface deformation is minimized when the reinforcement is embedded at a depth equal to half of the radius of the loaded area (D = 0.5r). A higher tension force is mobilized in the reinforcement element when it is placed at D = 0.5r. It is also shown that the required thickness of ABC is reduced when the reinforcement layer is implemented at the depth at which the maximum vertical strain occurs. Depending on the thickness of the ABC layer, the finite element analysis results indicate that the reinforcement layer could be ineffectual if it is placed at the interface between the ABC and the subgrade layer as is traditionally the case.


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