Data drawn from a global compilation of studies quantitatively confirm the long-articulated contention that erosion rates from conventionally plowed agricultural fields average 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than rates of soil production, erosion under native vegetation, and long-term geological erosion. The general equivalence of the latter indicates that, considered globally, hillslope soil ...

In this paper, pile behavior embedded in layered soil deposits subjected to seismic loadings is analyzed using a nonlinear fiber element for simulation of soil – pile interactions. In the created model, both pile and surrounding soil are modeled using fiber elements in a practical Beam on Nonlinear Winkler Foundation (BNWF) concept. Herein, the features of DRAIN–3DX finite element software are ...

Evaluation of soil-foundation-structure interaction (SFSI) effects on structural response is a challenging task because of the involved impact of uncertainties in system’s parameters and randomness in the input earthquake motion. In this paper, a rational method is utilized to elucidate these effects through the use of a rheological soil-foundation-structure model in a robust probabilistic simu...

Information on the influence of impregnation of cementitious slurry at the soil-structure interface of bored cast in-situ foundation is inadequate in available literatures. Moreover, influence of such impregnation on negating the detrimental effects of smear zone, formed by construction tools, surrounding the borehole is also unknown. In classical foundation engineering, influences of smear and...

The response of a bridge tower-pier system resting on elastic soil, with a sliding foundation obeying Coulomb's friction law, is studied. The stiffness and damping of the supporting soil is fully taken into account. The action of the suspension bridge cables is equivalent to a horizontal elastic restraint at the top of the tower. The differential equations of motion of the pier are formulated f...

The stiffness and damping of pile foundations are proposed, which vary with the ratio of shear modulus Gi / Go to indicate the nonlinear properties of soil. The range of Gi / Go is defined with different vibration intensities for applications, and a computer program DYNAN is available based on the boundary zone model with non-reflective interface. Two engineering cases are studied to illustrate...

W-beam systems utilize end-terminal anchorages to develop tension upstream and downstream of an impact event. However, the capacities of the anchorage components under impact loading are not well known. One such W-beam end anchorage system, the Midwest guardrail system (MGS) trailing-end anchorage, was evaluated using three dynamic component tests _ a soil foundation tube pull test, a breakaway...

Values of site factors in numerical simulation can have profound effects on the calculation accuracy. In order to fully understand the performance of rigid-pile composite foundation in tall buildings, this article set up an overall FEA model of a 25-storey frame-tube structure by considering the interaction of superstructure, foundation and ground. Thereafter, a detailed parametric study was pe...

Offshore wind turbines (OWTs) are dynamically loaded structures and therefore the estimation of the natural frequency is an important design calculation to avoid resonance and resonance related effects (such as fatigue). Monopiles are currently the most used foundation type and are also being considered in deeper waters (430 m) where a stiff transition piece will join the monopile and the taper...