Comparison of vibrocompaction methods by numerical simulations

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Soils can be best compacted by repeated shearing. The strain amplitude plays an important role for the maximum compaction that can be reached. Experimental evidence emphasizes a vital impact of simultaneous multidirectional shear loading on the rate and magnitude of soil compaction. Two different vibrocompaction methods were analysed by the numerical simulations in the light of these findings. In an elastic finite element (FE) analysis, strain paths were determined. A strain amplitude-dependent stiffness at small strains was introduced by multiple runs of the FE calculation to reach an appropriate stiffness for particular distances from the vibrator. Subsequently, the obtained strain paths were used to control single element simulations using hypoplasticity with intergranular strains. The calculated compaction profiles show three zones known from practical evidence: a limited compaction close to the vibrator, a zone of maximum compaction and a non-densified zone remote from the vibrator. The deep vibrator produces a faster compaction than the top vibrator, especially in the more distant zone. The more efficient work of the deep vibrator can be attributed to a more general multidirectional shearing.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1823-1838
Number of pages16
JournalInternational Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics
Volume33
Issue number16
Publication statusPublished - 2009
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 74549207406
ORCID /0000-0002-9222-3361/work/142244963

Keywords

Keywords

  • soil improvement, vibro compaction

Library keywords