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This paper aims to investigate the responses of single piles and pile groups due to tunneling-induced ground movements in a two-layered soil system. The analyses mainly focus on the additional single pile responses in terms of bending moment, lateral deflection, axial force, shaft resistance and pile settlement. Subsequently, a series of parametric studies were carried out to better understand the responses of single piles induced by tunneling. To give further understanding regarding the pile groups, a 2 × 2 pile group with two different pile head conditions, namely, free and capped, was considered.

Using the PLAXIS three-dimensional (3D) software, a full 3D numerical modeling is performed to investigate the effects of ground movements caused by tunneling on adjacent pile foundations. The numerical model was validated using centrifuge test data found in the literature. The relevance of the 3D model is also judged by comparison with the 2D plane strain model using the PLAXIS 2D code.

The numerical test results reveal that tunneling induces significant displacements and internal forces in nearby piles. The magnitude and distribution of internal forces depend mainly on the position of the pile toe relative to the tunnel depth and the distance between the pile and the vertical axis of the tunnel. As the volume loss increases from 1% to 3%, the apparent loss of pile capacity increases from 11% to 20%. By increasing the pile length from 0.5 to 1.5 times, the tunnel depth, the maximum pile settlement and lateral deflection decrease by about 63% and 18%, respectively. On the other hand, the maximum bending moment and axial load increase by about 7 and 13 times, respectively. When the pile is located at a distance of 2.5 times the tunnel diameter (Dt), the additional pile responses become insignificant. It was found that an increase in tunnel depth from 1.5Dt to 2.5Dt (with a pile length of 3Dt) increases the maximum lateral deflection by about 420%. Regarding the interaction between tunneling and group of piles, a positive group effect was observed with a significant reduction of the internal forces in rear piles. The maximum bending moment of the front piles was found to be higher than that of the rear piles by about 47%.

Soil is a complex material that shows differently in primary loading, unloading and reloading with stress-dependent stiffness. This general behavior was not possibly being accounted for in simple elastic perfectly plastic Mohr–Coulomb model which is often used to predict the behavior of soils. Thus, in the present study, the more advanced hardening soil model with small-strain stiffness (HSsmall) is used to model the non-linear stress–strain soil behavior. Moreover, unlike previous studies THAT are usually based on the assumption that the soil is homogeneous and using numerical methods by decoupled loadings under plane strain conditions; in this study, the pile responses have been exhaustively investigated in a two-layered soil system using a fully coupled 3D numerical analysis that takes into account the real interactions between tunneling and pile foundations. The paper presents a distinctive set of findings and insights that provide valuable guidance for the design and construction of shield tunnels passing through pile foundations.

This paper aims to investigate single pile and pile group responses due to deep braced excavation-induced soil movement in soft clay overlying dense sand. The analysis focuses first on the response of vertical single pile in terms of induced bending moment, lateral deflection, induced axial force, skin resistance distribution and pile settlement. To better understand the single pile behaviour, a parametric study was carried out. To provide further insights about the response of pile group system, different pile group configurations were considered.

Using the explicit finite element code PLAXIS 3 D, a full three-dimensional numerical analysis is carried out to investigate pile responses when performing an adjacent deep braced excavation. The numerical model was validated based on the results of a centrifuge test. The relevance of the 3 D model is also judged by comparison with the 2 D plane strain model using the PLAXIS 2 D code.

The results obtained allowed a thorough understanding of the pile response and the soil–pile–structure interactions phenomenon. The findings reveal that the deep excavation may cause appreciable bending moments, lateral deflections and axial forces in nearby piles. The parametric study showed that the pile responses are strongly influenced by the excavation depth, relative pile location, sand density, excavation support system and pile length. It also showed that the response of a pile within a group depends on its location in relation to the other piles of the pile group, its distance from the retaining wall and the number of piles in the group.

Unlike previous studies which investigated the problem in homogeneous geological context (sand or clay), in this paper, the pile response was thoroughly studied in a multi-layered soil using 3 D numerical simulation. To take into account the small-strain nonlinear behaviour of the soil, the Hardening soil model with small-strain stiffness was used in this analysis. For a preliminary design, this numerical study can serve as a practical basis for similar projects.

The purpose of this work is to determine dependence of the separative power of the Iguassu gas centrifuge (GC) on the velocity of the rotor.

The dependence is determined by means of computer simulation of the gas flow in the GC and numerical solution of the diffusion equation for the light component of the binary mixture of uranium isotopes. 2D axisymmetric model with the sources/sinks of the mass, angular momentum and energy reproducing the scoops was explored for the computer simulation. Parameters of the model correspond to the parameters of the so-called Iguassu centrifuge. The separative power has been optimised in relation to the pressure of the gas, temperature of the gas, the temperature drop along the rotor, power of the source of angular momentum and energy, feed flow and geometry of the lower baffle.

In the result, the optimised separative power depends only on the velocity, length and diameter of the rotor. The dependence on the velocity is described by the power law function with the power law index 2.6 which demonstrate stronger dependence on the velocity than it follows from experimental data. However, the separative power obtained with limitation on the pressure growth with the velocity depends on the velocity on the power ∼ 2 which well agree with the experiments.

For the first time, the optimised separative power of the GCs have been calculated via numerical simulation of the gas flow and diffusion of the binary mixture of isotope.

Centrifugal model tests can accelerate the characterization of landslides and demonstrate the form of slope failure, which is an important measure to research its instability mechanisms. Simply observing the slope landslide before and after a centrifugal model test cannot reveal the processes involved in real-time deformation. Electromagnetic sensors have severed as an existing method for real-time measurement, however, this approach has significant challenges, including poor signal quality, interference, and complex implementation and wiring schemes. This paper aims to overcome the shortcomings of the existing measurement methods.

This work uses the advantages of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors with their small form-factor and potential for series multiplexing in a single fiber to demonstrate a monitoring strategy for model centrifugal tests. A slope surface deformation displacement sensor, FBG anchor sensor and FBG anti-slide piling sensor have been designed. These sensors are installed in the slope models, while centrifugal acceleration tests under 100 g are carried out.

FBG sensors obtain three types of deformation information, demonstrating the feasibility and validity of this measurement strategy.

The experimental results provide important details about instability mechanisms of a slope, which has great significance in research on slope model monitoring techniques and slope stability.

This study aims to investigate the behavior of different types of stone columns, including the short and floating columns, as well as the ordinary and the geosynthetic encased stone columns (OSC and GESC). The effectiveness of the geosynthetic encasement and the impact of the installation using the lateral expansion method on the column performance is evaluated through a three-dimensional (3D) unit cell numerical analysis.

A full 3D numerical analysis is carried out using the explicit finite element code PLAXIS 3D to examine the installation influence on settlement reduction (ß), lateral displacement (U_x) and vertical displacement (U_z) relative to different values of lateral expansion of the column (0% to 15%).

The findings demonstrate the superior performance of GESC, particularly short columns outperforming floating counterparts. This enhanced performance is attributed to the combined effects of geosynthetic encasement and increased lateral expansion. Notably, these strategies contribute significantly to decreasing lateral displacement (U_x) at the column’s edge and reducing vertical displacement (U_z) under the rigid footing.

In contrast to previous studies that examined the installation effect of OSC contexts, this paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the effect of geosynthetic encasement and the installation effects using the lateral expansion method in very soft soil, using 3D numerical simulation. The study emphasizes the significance of the consideration of geosynthetic encasement and lateral expansion of the column during the design process to enhance column performance.

Elasto‐plastic models based on critical state formulations have been successful in describing many of the most important features of the mechanical behaviour of soils. This review paper deals with the applications of this class of models to the numerical analysis of geotechnical problems. After a brief overview of the development of the models, the basic critical state formulation is presented together with the main modifications which have actually been used in computational applications. The problems associated with the numerical implementation of this type of models are then discussed. Finally, a summary of reported computational applications and some specific examples of analyses of geotechnical problems using critical state models are presented.

The purpose of this paper is to present an investigation of the effect of different gravity conditions on the penetration mechanism using the two-dimensional Distinct Element Method (DEM), which ranges from high gravity used in centrifuge model tests to low gravity incurred by serial parabolic flight, with the aim of efficiently analyzing cone penetration tests on the lunar surface.

Seven penetration tests were numerically simulated on loose granular ground under different gravity conditions, i.e. one-sixth, one-half, one, five, ten, 15 and 20 terrestrial gravities. The effect of gravity on the mechanisms is examined with aspect to the tip resistance, deformation pattern, displacement paths, stress fields, stress paths, strain and rotation paths, and velocity fields during the penetration process.

First, under both low and high gravities, the penetration leads to high gradients of the value and direction of stresses in addition to high gradients in the velocity field near the penetrometer. In addition, the soil near the penetrometer undergoes large rotations of the principal stresses. Second, high gravity leads to a larger rotation of principal stresses and more downward particle motions than low gravity. Third, the tip resistance increases with penetration depth and gravity. Both the maximum (steady) normalized cone tip resistance and the maximum normalized mean (deviatoric) stress can be uniquely expressed by a linear equation in terms of the reciprocal of gravity.

This study investigates the effect of different gravity conditions on penetration mechanisms by using DEM.

In this paper, the peak kinetic energy density (KED) of soil particles during earthquake excitation is used as an intensity measure for the evaluation of liquefaction potential under field conditions. The paper seeks to discuss this measure.

Using centrifuge tests data, it is shown that seismic pore water pressure buildup is proportional to cumulative KED at a particular soil depth. Linear relationships are found between cumulative kinetic energy and corresponding cumulative strain energy. To consider the effect of soil amplification, several equivalent linear ground response analyses are performed and the results are used to derive an equation for depth reduction factor of peak kinetic energy density. Two separate databases of liquefaction case histories are used in order to validate the proposed model. The performance of the proposed model is compared with a number of commonly used shear stress‐based liquefaction assessment methods. Finally, the logistic regression method is employed to obtain probabilistic boundary curves based on the present model. Parametric study of the proposed probabilistic model is carried out to verify its agreement with the previous methods.

It has been shown that the kinetic energy model works satisfactorily in classifying liquefied and non‐liquefied cases compared with the existing recommendations of shear stress‐based criterion. The results of the probabilistic kinetic energy model are in good agreement with those of previous studies and show a reasonable trend with respect to the variations of fines content and effective overburden pressure. The proposed model can be as used an alternative approach for assessment of liquefaction potential.

These findings make a sound basis for the development of a kinetic energy‐based method for assessment of liquefaction potential.

FILTRATION, ON ANY SCALE, would be a very slow affair if the only force available were the natural head of the liquid. It is the usual practice therefore to speed up the filtration rate by the application of an external force greater than that of gravity alone. In the laboratory, the chemist normally employs suction by means of a water activated filter pump and in full scale practice—as with a filter press for example—the force is provided directly by the feed pump or assisted by compressed air.

This paper aims to investigate the pile group efficiency based on the load-settlement response in soft clay conditions, considering several pile configurations using a variable number of piles and pile spacing. The overall objective of the present paper is to provide further insight into the mechanical response of the pile group and aim at helping the engineers in taking a logical path in an iterative design process for pile group efficiency.

To investigate the pile group efficiency, three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulations were performed using the finite-difference code FLAC3D.

The obtained numerical results are validated by comparing them to those of similar subgrade structure and in comparable geological conditions provided within the literature. The results indicated that although the bearing capacity of the pile group increases with increasing number of piles, the efficiency of the pile group is very important for a small number of piles. However, increasing of pile spacing has a positive effect on pile group efficiency depending on piles number and settlement level. The pertinence of the 3D numerical results of efficiency coefficient is judged by comparison with those obtained from the most popular formulas available in the literature.

A predicted model is also proposed which is validated with the obtained numerical results to a better goodness of fit.