Civil and Environmental Engineering | Open Access Articles

Settlements In A Masonry Villa Caused By Trees, Filippo Ciuffi

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Cracks in the masonry walls of a one storeyed villa due to foundation deformations are investigated in this paper. Particular attention is given to the analysis of the unusual causes of settlement.

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Some Case Histories In Urban And Rural Geotechnical Engineering, S. I. Tsien

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

This paper presents several aspects of engineering performances including satisfactory, unsatisfactory but later remedied, and failure experiences in the fields of building foundation, underground construction, and slope stability problems. These projects were completed in China in the past decade. Five case records of performance are used as illustrative examples. Further research work are finally suggested.

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Stiffening Cast-In-Place Piling By Bottom Grouting, J. G. Zeitlen

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Inspection of the execution of cast-in-place piles indicated that the pile borings had not been deep enough to reach an underlying adequate bearing layer of rock. Hence, the piles would transmit their end bearing loadings through intermediate soil layers of variable thickness, which could result in differential settlement and damage to the structure. As a remedial measure, the piles were drilled with an air hammer, and thick cement grout injected below the pile tips. Monitoring of the execution of the grouting program indicated that it was both necessary and beneficial. As a final check, a test shaft was excavated alongside …

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Stress Analysis Of Gravity Dam Founded On Rock Mass Having Horizontal Seam (A Case Study Of Bargi Dam In Madhya Pradesh, India), J. K. Jain, R. K. Khare

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Under certain situations where horizontal seams of weaker material are detected below a depth of relatively competent rock and if it is decided to found the base of the dam on the rock below weak seam, the current practice of extending the triangular profile right down to base proves to be uneconomical both in terms of cost of excavation and quantity of concrete. In such situations for realistic assessments it becomes imperative to study the effect of foundation block having seam, on the behaviour of entire dam structure. With a view to assist the design of such dams, results of …

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The Influence Of Thin Clay Layers On The Design And Performance Of A Flexible Cantilever Retaining Wall, R. Cameron, C. A. Carr

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

This case study presents the methods that were used successfully to redesign and monitor the performance of a flexible cantilever retaining wall, incorporating an in situ support berm, at a site where thin, weak clay layers were detected in the foundation during construction. A potential mode of failure termed "berm-block sliding", where the retaining wall pushes out the entire support berm as a block along the clay layers, governed the design analysis. Evidence of presheared planes within the clay layers required that the design shear strength parameters be based on residual values. The clay had a significant cohesion component which …

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Past Proceedings: Second International Conference On Case Histories In Geotechnical Engineering, St. Louis (1988), Multiple Authors

International Conferences on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics

No abstract provided.

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Failure Of Flood Banks Due To Under Seepage, Arthur Marsland

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Several failures of floodbanks caused by increases in water pressure and seepage in foundation soils during abnormal high floodwater conditions have been investigated. The particular type of failure which occurred depended upon the sequences of the foundation strata, the overall bank profile, and the height and duration of the floodwater. Both rotational and translational slides occurred in banks built on sands, peats and clays with underlaying sandy gravels. Breaches occurred when the cress was sufficiently lowered to allow substantial overtopping or where gaps developed at the ends of the translational slides. Development of erosion pipes in multi-layered soils led to …

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History Of Tehri Rockfill Dam Design, Bhagwat V. K. Lavania

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

A 260.5 m high rockfill dam is one of the main components of Tehri Dam Project which is under construction for the last over seventeen years. During this period detailed site investigations have been carried out and design of the dam is kept under constant review. A number of studies are conducted to provide feasible solutions to anticipated problems. The paper describes main design features of the dam mentioning the changes necessitated time to time with regard to these.

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Construction Of Road Embankments Over Very Soft Soil Using Band Drains And Preloading, John D. Nelson, Brian P. Wrench

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

As part of a new national road being constructed in South Africa an embankment was built over a deep deposit of very soft soil. To enhance stability the embankment was built in several stages and in order to reduce the time required for consolidation between stages, band drains were installed in the foundation soils. The soils were instrumented to monitor pore water pressure and settlement. The results of the monitoring phase showed that the band drains were effective and operated as designed. This paper presents the results of the monitoring and discusses the prediction of degree of consolidation from settlement …

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Control Of Surficial Slides By Different Erosion Control Techniques, T. K. Natarajan, A. V. S. R. Murty, Deep Chandra

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Many natural and embankment slopes fall due to the erosion of the top surficial soil mantle. Denudation of vegetation from soil slopes combined with the further steepening of slopes due to natural and man-made causes such as cuts result in such a type of failure. Essentially, the corrective measures appropriate for stabilizing these slopes comprise erosion control by establishing vegetation on the slope. The methods of vegetative turfing include asphalt mulch, coir/jute netting, geogrids and stone apron techniques. The paper sets forth the case history giving details of some of the relatively new techniques for erosion control on a hill …

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Cracking Studies At Sand H Basin By The Finite Element Method, Trevor Smith, Clifton E. Deal

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

An existing 30 feet high debris basin embankment has been found to be severely cracked longitudinally. Few investigations or analysis of longitudinal cracking are reported. This paper presents the results of a finite element analysis using in situ properties of the soils and gives recommendations for future use of the FEM for cracking studies at existing dams.

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Design And Performance Of Arena Dam, James R. Schneider, Roger W. Lindquist, George K. Sammy

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Arena Dam is located in north-central Trinidad, West Indies. The dam forms a 35,000-acre-foot reservoir, which serves as the main raw water storage facility for Trinidad. The 1.6-million-cubic-yard earthfill embankment has a crest elevation 80 feet above the original streambed. The upstream-sloping core is composed of dispersive clay. The shells are composed of compacted fine sand and silty fine sand. The dam is founded on deep, stiff, fissured clay deposits interbedded with sand. The project is located approximately 12 miles from the El Pilar Fault, a major Caribbean fault with seismic activity comparable to that of the San Andreas Fault …

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Evaluation Of The Failure Of An Important Dike In The Netherlands, J. Dekker

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Flood embankments are extensively used in the lower Meuse-Rhine delta to contain the rivers & to protect the towns & the polders below mean sea level. Stability of these embankments is by their nature crucially important & has to be considered under a variety of conditions, from their staged construction or strengthening to their long term behaviour. ln 1984 the landside slope of such a recently heightened & enlarged embankments constructed on a weak post-glacial peat & clay deposit, failed over a length of about 100 m causing the demolition of 4 houses & necessitating extensive stabilization works. A precise …

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Excessive Seepage Losses At Westwood Lake Dam, B. Bailey, E. Bloom, T. R. West, J. A. Mundell

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Excessive seepage losses at Westwood Lake Darn in east-central Indiana were apparent in 1974 during first filling of the lake when seepage areas developed downstream of the dam and abutments. Several remedial studies were performed which included additional test borings, field and laboratory tests, installation of observation wells, and a review of the site geology and hydrology. Data and observations from these studies were used to develop semi-quantitative assessments of seepage loss rates as related to lake levels. These analyses served as a basis for design of a major repair which consisted of blanketing a significant portion of the lake …

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Differential Settlement Of Nuclear Power Plant Foundations, M. R. Lewis, J. R. Davie, C. L. Weaver

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

A rational approach is presented for evaluating differential settlement of structures at nuclear power plants where settlement monitoring and the associated documentation are important. In nuclear plants, allowable differential settlement is governed by the necessity to prevent architectural and structural damage, equipment malfunction, touching of adjacent buildings during an earthquake, and damage to buried utilities. Measurements of actual settlement of the plant should be taken on a regular basis from start of construction and compared with the allowable values. A description is given of methods for calculating allowable values for differential settlements, and a comprehensive program for obtaining actual settlement …

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A Geotextile Reinforced Embankment For A Four Lane Divided Highway – U.S. Hwy. 45, West Bend, Wisconsin, B. R. Christopher, A. B. Wagner

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Geotextile reinforcement was used to construct an embankment for a four lane divided highway over up to 22 feet of low strength peat. The embankment had heights up to 7 feet. Special field testing and conventional laboratory tests were performed to measure the shear strength and compressibility. Stability analysis indicated that geotextile reinforcement could be used to construct a stable embankment on the peat deposit, provided the geotextile had sufficient strength to prevent rotational shear failure and to limit lateral deformation of the embankment. Construction of the embankment was begun in late summer of 1984. The highway opened for traffic …

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Case Histories Of Foundations With Stone Columns, K. R. Dayte, M. R. Madhav

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The paper presents case histories of performance of foundations where stone columns were provided, along with relevant data regarding structural systems, soil conditions, construction methods and field control criteria. A wide range of applications are included comprising stone columns for area treatment and stone column in small and large groups for isolated footings, pipe pedestals and bridge abutments. In some of the cases design load exceeded the estimated yield load over a part of the stone column length yet collapse did not occur because the soil stress around the stone column increased as more load was passed on to the …

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Design And Monitoring Of Earth Embankments Over Permafrost, S. Dufour, A. S. Judge, P. Lafleche

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

As the northern regions of Canada are developed, there is an increasing need to protect the fragile ecology as well as to maximize usage of local construction materials. The construction of earth dykes to retain liquid wastes is a common requirement in municipal and industrial developments. Frozen core earthfill dykes provide an effective technique to cut off seepage in cold permafrost areas (Sayles, 1984). The seepage of water through an unfrozen overburden or fractured bedrock foundation can occur and accelerate the thermal deterioration of an earth embankment. The development of the active layer during the summer reduces the dam's ability …

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Evaluation Of The Effect Of Saturated Silty And Fine Sand Foundation Improved By Vibro-Flotation In Seismic Area, Wang Yuqing, Zhang Weiquan, Qiao Taiping

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The improvement of liquefaction foundations in seismic region has been concerning many engineers. The authors had carried out experimental studies on the improvement of saturated silty and fine sand foundations at the suburbs of Beijing by vibroflotation method. The test results are described and the improvement effects are evaluated in this paper.

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Case History Of Seismic Base Isolation Of A Building –The Foothill Communities Law And Justice Center, Marshall Lew, John C. Bowman Jr.

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The Foothill Communities Law and Justice Center, located in seismically active Southern California, is the first building in the United States to be base isolated for seismic resistance. Natural rubber isolators with layers of steel plates were used to make the fundamental period of vibration of the base isolated building about twice as long as that for a comparable conventional fixed base building. Most earthquake energy is present in the shorter period ranges, and at longer periods, a building should be subjected to less earthquake input; this will allow buildings to be designed more economically and increase the likelihood of …

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Dynamic Cross Interaction Effect Piles, Surendra Kumar

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Performance study of a machine foundation for 11,000 cpm, high speed, synthesis gas compressor has been carried out to verify the maximum amplitudes of vibrations determined from the dynamic analysis. The frame type concrete foundation rests on a group of concrete piles. The concrete piles are of 0.45 m dia, 17 m long, driven cast-in-situ. The paper reports the difference in the observed and computed amplitudes which may be due to the interaction of the neighbouring foundation on which the another compressor is running simultaneously.

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In-Situ Determination Of Dynamic Properties Of Soil For Foundation Of A Turbo-Generator, V. D. Miglani

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The paper presents a case history of performance and analysis of results of vertical & horizontal resonance tests on a standard concrete block in a well, for in-situ determination of dynamic properties of soil required for design of a turbo-generator, under unusual conditions of high water table. Pumping from the two wells constructed for lowering the water level was not enough and pumping from within the main well had to be resorted to bring down the water level to a little below the top surface of the model block. As expected, amplitude versus frequency curves for vertical resonance test showed …

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Landslides In Rock Slopes During January 19, 1975, Kinnaur Earthquake In Himachal Pradesh, India, Lakshman Saran Srivastava

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Ground failures in rugged terrain with more than 10,000 ft (3000m) elevation above mean sea level in the epicentral tract of 19 January 1975 Kinnaur earthquake in Himachal Pradesh, India, indicate that most of the earthquake generated landslides occur in surficial cover. The collapse of such material on steep slopes often result in cascading rock avalanches obliterating roads and other constructions lying on its way. The accumulated debris during this earthquake dammed Parachu river creating a reservoir behind it. The dislodging, overturning and uplift of boulders on hill tops and scabing and slabing of rocks along joints and other weak …

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Observed Natural Frequency Pile, Vijay K. Puri

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Vertical and horizontal vibration tests were conducted on a 45 cm. diameter concrete driven pile. The pile length was 17 m. The response of the pile was computed following the commonly used approach of Novak (1974, 1977) and Novak and El-Sharnouby (1983). A comparison was made of the predicted and observed response, the results of which are discussed in the paper.

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On Propagation Of Elastic Surface Wave In Soils, Wang Xikang, Duan Shiwei, Yang Xianjinan

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

It has been proved that the propagation law of elastic surface wave emanating from machinery foundations has bearing not only on distances from vibration source but also on frequencies and depth of vibration source and external pressure acting on soil surface of wave receivers. Based on plenty of tests the calculation formulas for elastic surface wave are put forward and the computation precision of which is satisfactory.

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Seismic Assessment Of Syncrude Tailings Dyke, R. C. Lo, W. G. Milne, Earle J. Klohn, G. T. Handford

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

This paper describes the assessment of seismic risk at the Syncrude Site. It reviews the site physiographic and geologic setting and considers the site position relative to observed seismic events, strain release patterns, and main tectonic features in western Canada. Both deterministic and probabilistic approaches were employed in the seismic risk assessment. Data on seismic events that occurred between 1899 and 1985 were included in the evaluation. Of particular importance was determination of the impact on the site of a series of large earthquakes which occurred in the Nahanni area of the Northwest Territories during 1985. Hasegawa et al. (1981) …

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Soil Liquefaction Potential Of A Highway Bridge Foundation, Pedro S. Sêco E Pinto

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Dynamic properties of a highway bridge foundation were determined through extensive field and laboratory tests. The liquefaction potential of alluvia materials consisting of sand material with 10 m depth was evaluated by using field data obtained from standard penetration and cone penetration tests, as well as seismic tests by measuring longitudinal and shear waves velocities. In addition the laboratory testing program has included classification tests, cyclic triaxial and cyclic simple shear test. The analyses have showed that comparable factors of safety may be obtained from both field and laboratory tests.

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Theory And Experiment Of Hammer Foundation Vibration, Pan Fulan

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The foundation of 1~16t hammer have been calculated with five calculation models and compared with the test data of the foundation and anvil for the hammer 1t, 2t, 3t, 5t, 10t and 16t built on the loess clayey loam stratum. The results show: (1) In the design of hammer foundation, calculation with model of two-degree-freedom and damped agrees rather better with the actual measurement. (2) The coefficient of subgrade compression rigidity increases with the increase of the depth of soil stratum. Both accurate calculations of the coefficient of subgrade compression rigidity and effected depth under the hammer foundation are most …

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Actual And Predicted Behavior Of Large Metal Culverts, David C. Cowherd, Stephen M. Thrasher, Vlad G. Perlea, John O. Hurd

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The stability of large metal culverts depends on the performance of the backfill around the pipe, which must be considered as a part of the structure when evaluating its safety. A simplified method to evaluate the current stability of such a structure on the basis of the structure's shape is derived. Useful when limited amount of information is available, this method provides an economical procedure for: (1) evaluating the condition of the existing backfill and its capability to provide a safe support for the structure; (2) predicting final movements and determining if additional investigations are necessary to establish the safety …

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Anchored Bulkhead Failure On The Arabian Gulf, Jonathan J. Grosch, Khalifa S. Al-Yahyai

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

A 1500-m long anchored bulkhead with a height of 20m exhibited a localized failure in the form of broken and overstressed anchors several months after construction. The wall had not yet been subjected to its full design loadings. The soil conditions in the failure area differ from those occurring along the rest of the quay wall by the presence of a very soft silt/clay layer, and during construction the wall had been strengthened in this area. Post-failure analysis of the anchored bulkhead indicated that the primary cause of the failure was overly optimistic design assumptions for the strength of the …

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Full-Text Articles in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Settlements In A Masonry Villa Caused By Trees, Filippo Ciuffi

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Some Case Histories In Urban And Rural Geotechnical Engineering, S. I. Tsien

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Stiffening Cast-In-Place Piling By Bottom Grouting, J. G. Zeitlen

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Stress Analysis Of Gravity Dam Founded On Rock Mass Having Horizontal Seam (A Case Study Of Bargi Dam In Madhya Pradesh, India), J. K. Jain, R. K. Khare

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The Influence Of Thin Clay Layers On The Design And Performance Of A Flexible Cantilever Retaining Wall, R. Cameron, C. A. Carr

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Past Proceedings: Second International Conference On Case Histories In Geotechnical Engineering, St. Louis (1988), Multiple Authors

International Conferences on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics

Failure Of Flood Banks Due To Under Seepage, Arthur Marsland

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

History Of Tehri Rockfill Dam Design, Bhagwat V. K. Lavania

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Construction Of Road Embankments Over Very Soft Soil Using Band Drains And Preloading, John D. Nelson, Brian P. Wrench

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Control Of Surficial Slides By Different Erosion Control Techniques, T. K. Natarajan, A. V. S. R. Murty, Deep Chandra

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Cracking Studies At Sand H Basin By The Finite Element Method, Trevor Smith, Clifton E. Deal

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Design And Performance Of Arena Dam, James R. Schneider, Roger W. Lindquist, George K. Sammy

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Evaluation Of The Failure Of An Important Dike In The Netherlands, J. Dekker

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Excessive Seepage Losses At Westwood Lake Dam, B. Bailey, E. Bloom, T. R. West, J. A. Mundell

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Differential Settlement Of Nuclear Power Plant Foundations, M. R. Lewis, J. R. Davie, C. L. Weaver

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

A Geotextile Reinforced Embankment For A Four Lane Divided Highway – U.S. Hwy. 45, West Bend, Wisconsin, B. R. Christopher, A. B. Wagner

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Case Histories Of Foundations With Stone Columns, K. R. Dayte, M. R. Madhav

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Design And Monitoring Of Earth Embankments Over Permafrost, S. Dufour, A. S. Judge, P. Lafleche

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Evaluation Of The Effect Of Saturated Silty And Fine Sand Foundation Improved By Vibro-Flotation In Seismic Area, Wang Yuqing, Zhang Weiquan, Qiao Taiping

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Case History Of Seismic Base Isolation Of A Building –The Foothill Communities Law And Justice Center, Marshall Lew, John C. Bowman Jr.

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Dynamic Cross Interaction Effect Piles, Surendra Kumar

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

In-Situ Determination Of Dynamic Properties Of Soil For Foundation Of A Turbo-Generator, V. D. Miglani

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Landslides In Rock Slopes During January 19, 1975, Kinnaur Earthquake In Himachal Pradesh, India, Lakshman Saran Srivastava

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Observed Natural Frequency Pile, Vijay K. Puri

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

On Propagation Of Elastic Surface Wave In Soils, Wang Xikang, Duan Shiwei, Yang Xianjinan

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Seismic Assessment Of Syncrude Tailings Dyke, R. C. Lo, W. G. Milne, Earle J. Klohn, G. T. Handford

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Soil Liquefaction Potential Of A Highway Bridge Foundation, Pedro S. Sêco E Pinto

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Theory And Experiment Of Hammer Foundation Vibration, Pan Fulan

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Actual And Predicted Behavior Of Large Metal Culverts, David C. Cowherd, Stephen M. Thrasher, Vlad G. Perlea, John O. Hurd

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Anchored Bulkhead Failure On The Arabian Gulf, Jonathan J. Grosch, Khalifa S. Al-Yahyai

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering