Mr. Mohammad Alizadeh Mansouri, Dr. Rouzbeh Dabiri,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Abstract
In this study, it is attempted to analyze sensitivity and reliability in order to evaluate the liquefaction potential in soil layers in Tabriz. 62 boreholes that had possible conditions for liquefaction were selected. Seismic mapping was simulated using finite fault method and then the effect of soil layers on PGA was estimated. In continue, the liquefaction potential index was estimated and the zoning map of liquefaction risk was presented. In final, through sensitivity and reliability analysis of the Monte Carlo method, the rate of density function against safety factor of the soil layers versus to liquefaction was determined.
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Volume 16, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Abstract
Prof. Amir Hamidi, Mr. Mahdi Sobhani, Ms. Farzaneh Rasouli, Ms. Marjan Sadrjamali,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Abstract
The goal of this study was improvement of sandy soil using a combination of polystyrene foam container waste and Portland cement. For this purpose, Babolsar sand was used as the base soil. Strips of disposable polystyrene foam container waste in “chips” of 50 ´ 5 mm and 50 ´ 10 mm were added to the soil at 0.0%, 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% by weight along with 3% Portland cement at a relative density of 70%. All samples were cured for 7 days under saturated conditions and then tested using a large-scale direct shear apparatus. The results showed that, in both cemented and uncemented samples, the addition of foam chips increased the cohesion and internal friction angles, which increased the shear strength of the soil. At higher percentages and using larger-sized foam chips, the shear strength increased even more. In uncemented samples, the stiffness did not change with the addition of foam chips, yet the final dilation of the samples decreased. In cemented samples, both the stiffness and softening behavior after the peak strength point decreased. The final dilation of the cemented samples increased at higher foam chip contents and for the larger sized chips. The results of numerical analysis showed that the use of foam chips increased the safety factor of a slope improved in this manner. It also was found that the foam chips with a lower length-to-width ratio had a greater effect on increasing the safety factor of the tested slopes.
Mehdi Derakhshandi, Mojtaba Honarmand, Amir Hossein Sadeghpour,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Abstract
Earth dams are geotechnical structures constructed on various shapes of a valley. The Vanyar Dam is a rock-fill dam located on a narrow valley. Concerning the geometry of the canyon, three-dimensional modeling was utilized to analyze this dam. According to the numerical analysis, the maximum settlement is 88.14 cm, which corresponds to 48 m above the bedrock in cross-section C, that is, a little less than 1% of the dam height. Besides, the total vertical stresses recorded by the pressure cells are about 28% less than those obtained from the numerical analysis. It is assumed that the difference is caused by local arching due to lower compaction and consequently a low stiffness area around the pressure cells. In terms of pore water pressure, there is good agreement between the pore water pressure obtained from the numerical analysis and the piezometers, such that the results are restricted to less than 1%. In general, the difference between the numerical analysis results and those recorded by the instruments is acceptable. Furthermore, the dam shows a suitable level of performance at the end of construction.
Maryam Mokhtari,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Abstract
In geotechnical engineering, rock mechanics and engineering geology, depending on the project design, uniaxial strength and static Youngchr('39')s modulus of rocks are of vital importance. The direct determination of the aforementioned parameters in the laboratory, however, requires intact and high-quality cores and preparation of their specimens have some limitations. Moreover, performing these tests is time-consuming and costly. Therefore, in this study, it was tried to precisely predict the desirable parameters using physical characteristics and ultrasonic tests. To do so, two methods, i.e. principal components regression and support vector regression, were employed. The parameters used in modelling included density, P- wave velocity, dynamic Poisson’s ratio and porosity. Accordingly, the experimental results conducted on 115 limestone rock samples, including uniaxial compressive and ultrasonic tests, were used and the desired parameters in the modelling were extracted using the laboratory results. By means of correlation coefficient (R2), normalized mean square error (NMSE) and Mean absolute error (MAE), the developed models were validated and their accuracy were evaluated. The obtained results showed that both methods could estimate the target parameters with high accuracy. In support vector regression, Particle Swarm Optimization method was used for determining optimal values of box constraint mode and epsilon mode, and the modelling was conducted using four kernel functions, including linear, quadratic, cubic and Gaussian. Here, the quadratic kernel function yielded the best result for UCS and cubic kernel function yielded the best result for Es. In addition, comparing the results of the principal components regression and the support vector regression indicated that the latter outperformed the former.
Ali Kamali, Dr Mehdi Mokhberi, Dr Abbas Ghalandarzade,
Volume 16, Issue 2 (9-2022)
Abstract
Marls are one of the problematic soils that undergo more erosion due to their deformability and sensitivity to humidity and weather conditions. The effects of these soils have been observed on subgrades of pavements, abutment of dams, foundation of high-rise structures, the interaction of soil-structure and etc. The strength and deformation of marls are more effective to moisture content. In addition, the dynamic parameters of theses soil are considerable as well as static geotechnical specifications. Soil dynamic parameters can be obtained from both laboratory experiments and field experiments. With the aim of understanding the dynamic behavior of marl soils, this study was carried out to evaluate the marls of northwest region of Shiraz City which is mixture of marls containing the expansive anhydride gypsum. For this purpose, the laboratory cyclic triaxial test and in situ downhole test has been performed. The results showed that for normal consolidated marls, with increasing the confined pressure from 400 to 600 kPa (increasing soil depth), the shear modulus increases from 50 to 200 kPa. In addition, the behavior of the damping ratio is relatively different for strains less than and greater than 1%, but in general, for strains higher than 1%, the damping ratio decreases from 0.21 to 0.18 with the increase confined pressure from 100 to 600 kPa.
Mehdi Talkhablou, Seyed Mahmoud Fatemi Aghda, Habibulah Heidari Renani,
Volume 16, Issue 2 (9-2022)
Abstract
The stabilization of underground spaces is one of the most challenging topics in engineering geology. There are several methods to determine the type of tunnel stabilization system, but most of these methods have several weaknesses. Therefore, the development of a method that comprehensively considers almost all parameters influencing tunnel stability and their interdependencies has not received sufficient attention. The aim of this research is to investigate the parameters influencing the stability of tunnels using the rock mechanics system method. In this paper, 6 tunnels with different geological characteristics were selected. The effective parameters on the primary stabilization of these tunnels were coded using the ESQ method. Subsequent analyses were performed using the RES rock engineering system method to estimate and evaluate the optimal tunnel stabilization system. The results showed that parameters such as weathering of the joint surface, backfill and joint spacing played a more effective role than other parameters. For comparison, the analyses were also carried out using the RMR rock mass ranking method. The comparison between the results of the RES and RMR methods showed that the results of the RES method are in better agreement with the actual tunnel conditions and the shotcrete thickness of the proposed stabilization system of the studied tunnels. Since there is no limit to the number of input parameters in this method and, on the other hand, the mutual influence of the parameters on each other is considered, the relationships obtained from the RES method in this research can be effectively used in engineering projects along with other methods.
Dr Masoud Amelsakhi, Eng Arash Ebrahimi,
Volume 16, Issue 3 (12-2022)
Abstract
This research is a laboratory study to improve the geotechnical properties of fine-grained soils. For this purpose, agricultural waste ash such as sugarcane bagasse, rice husk and almond husk have been used. In this regard, the effect of using ash of the mentioned fibers with at 4, 8 and 12 weight percentages on fine grain clay soils has been investigated. The compaction test results indicate that these additives generally increase the optimum soil moisture and the maximum optimum moisture was observed for the samples made with 12% ash. Also, based on the results of the unconfined compressive strength test, the studied additives have increased the uniaxial strength of the soil. The samples made with 12% ash were the most effective, so that the addition of 12% bagasse ash increased the soil resistance by 117%, and the addition of 12% rice husk ash and almond husk ash increased the soil resistance by 89, 80% respectively.
Hossein Sarbaz, Ali Neysari Tabrizi,
Volume 16, Issue 4 (12-2022)
Abstract
In recent years, the use of environmentally friendly microorganisms and biopolymers in geotechnical activities, especially in soil improvement, has received much attention. This is in order to reduce the harmful environmental effects caused by the use of traditional and industrial materials, including cement. Therefore, it seems to be necessary to study the effects of environmentally friendly biopolymers from different points of view, including environmental issues, soil erosion and the factors that influence the geotechnical parameters of the different deposits. The purpose of this article is to review the studies carried out on the use of guar gum. As a green additive from an environmental point of view and the factors that influence the mechanical parameters of soils treated with this biopolymer. The advantages and disadvantages of guar gum from an environmental point of view, as well as the effects of this additive on different soils, are the subject of discussion. Geotechnical parameters such as the unconfined compressive strength, the shear strength, the erosion resistance and the durability of the soils treated with guar gum will be evaluated. The influence of the guar gum parameters in relation to the concentration of the biopolymer guar gum, the moisture conditions, the temperature and the processing time will then be discussed. Finally, the potential opportunities and challenges for the use of guar gum in the geotechnical field will be presented.
Aylar Hosniyeh, Dr Rouzbeh Dabiri, Alireza Alizadeh Majdi, Elnaz Sabbagh,
Volume 16, Issue 4 (12-2022)
Abstract
Silty soils containing sodium content, known as salty silty soils, are classified as another type of problematic soil. When this type of soil comes into contact with water, it can swell and diverge, leading to settlement and deformation. Considering that a significant part of the Urmia Lake basin and the Tabriz plain consists of sodium-rich fine soils, the aim of the project is to improve the quality of the soils. Therefore, one of the main objectives of this study is to assess the sediments within the lake bed in order to reduce erosion and to evaluate the possibility of improving and stabilizing the sodium saline silty soils in the area using the geopolymerization technique. To achieve this, pumice material with pozzolanic properties was separately mixed with the soil under investigation at weight percentages of 3%, 5% and 7%, together with a calcium hydroxide solution as a catalyst at concentrations of 2%, 5% and 7%. The samples were then cured for one day. Laboratory tests, including compaction, uniaxial compressive strength, direct shear, and consolidation, were carried out to evaluate the geotechnical behavior of the improved soil. The results obtained indicate that the combination of 3% pumice with 2% calcium hydroxide increased the uniaxial compressive strength of the stabilized sample by 1.32 times after one day of curing. In addition, the mixture of 7% pumice with 2% calcium hydroxide significantly improved the internal friction angle by 20 times. Finally, the combination of 7% pumice with 2% calcium hydroxide reduced the value of free swelling potential by up to 86%.
Dr. Ehsan Pegah,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
The ratios of elastic shear stiffness anisotropy and fabric anisotropy in granular soils are of very important characteristics in soil mechanics, which can influence directly lots of geotechnical engineering attributes. The shear stiffness anisotropy in a soil mass is directly related to the soil fabric anisotropy, which in turn has a fundamental contribution in variations model of shear stiffness anisotropy ratio. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the variations ranges of shear stiffness and fabric anisotropy ratios in granular soils by developing a novel approach for estimating fabric anisotropy ratio from soil grading and particles shape properties. By presuming cross-anisotropy, the anisotropic shear stiffness values of 1042 conducted tests on 200 distinct sandy and gravelly soil specimens from 43 various soil types of diverse sites throughout the world were acquired from literature. Those were then integrated with their associated void ratios, stress conditions, grading parameters and particles shape specifications to produce a comprehensive database of anisotropic shear moduli with respect to testing conditions. The collected data were analyzed, from which the shear stiffness and fabric anisotropy ratios could be calculated for examined geomaterials. The resulting values for fabric anisotropy ratio were then depicted versus grading and particles shape information to inspect the level of dependences through deriving the respective correlations. The findings of this study may serve as a suitable technique to obtain first-order approximations for fabric and shear stiffness anisotropies from soil grading and particles shape characteristics.
Ehsan Pegah,
Volume 17, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
The ratios of elastic anisotropy in cohesionless soils are always of substantial importance in respective analyses to the geotechnical and geological engineering projects. These ratios are raising from the available discrepancies in anisotropic elastic parameters ascribed to the different directions and planes of soil mass. The major objective of this study is to recognize the variations range of anisotropy ratios resulting from anisotropic shear and Young’s moduli for a variety of cohesionless soils followed by assessing the potential relations among these two anisotropies. To this end, by assuming the transversely isotropy in cohesionless soils, the anisotropic elastic constants from 266 conducted laboratory tests on 37 various soil specimens relating to 10 different sands were derived from conventional triaxial and seismic waves laboratory tests coupled with the numerical testing results in literature. By sorting the collected data and subsequently their analyses, at the first stage, the values of shear and Young’s moduli anisotropy ratios were calculated for the studied soils. Furthermore, by plotting the anisotropy ratios in several joint panels and performing a series of regression analyses on the resulting values, the possible dependencies were inspected between these two anisotropies. At last, the indicative equations among shear and Young’s moduli anisotropies were developed with insistence on use of which instead of the former similar relations in literature.
Khandani, Atapour, Yousefi Rad, Khosh,
Volume 17, Issue 3 (12-2023)
Abstract
Backfill materials used to fill underground mines are a type of engineered material whose particle size distribution (PSD) directly affects their mechanical and physical properties. According to the authors' review, there is no comprehensive standard for the properties of aggregates used in underground mine backfill materials. In this paper, the particle size ranges and particle size distribution curves of various mine backfill materials, including hydraulic backfill, paste backfill and rock backfill, have been reviewed. The available data on different types of backfill materials were collected. Based on the collected data, the smallest particle size, the largest particle size and the PSD curve ranges for each type of backfill material were determined. Then the characteristics of the particle size distribution curve of each backfill material, including the mean particle diameter (D50), the uniformity coefficient (Cu) and the curvature coefficient (Cc), were calculated. The results of the analysis of the PSD curves for paste backfill, hydraulic backfill and rock backfill materials showed that the particles in rock backfill and paste backfill had the largest and smallest sizes, respectively. Finally, the particle size distribution characteristics of a new backfill material prepared from construction and demolition waste (CDW backfill) are presented and compared with the particle size distribution of each of the conventional backfill materials. The results indicate that the PSD curve of the CDW backfill lies at the upper limit of the range of the particle size distribution curve of hydraulic backfill and at the lower limit of the range of the particle size distribution curve of rock backfill.
Dr Masoud Amelsakhi, Eng Elham Tehrani,
Volume 17, Issue 4 (12-2023)
Abstract
This research is a laboratory study to improve the geotechnical properties of sandy soils. Concrete waste with a grain size of 1.2 to 1 inch was used for this purpose. The effect of using concrete waste at 0, 10, 20 and 30 weight percent on dry sandy soil in two loose and dense states was investigated. Based on the results of the direct cutting test, the addition of concrete waste has increased the shear strength and the internal friction angle of the soil; The loose samples made with ٪30 of concrete waste had the greatest effect, so adding ٪30 of concrete waste to loose sand increased the internal friction angle of the soil by ٪32 and the shear strength by ٪42 Similarly, adding ٪10 of concrete waste to dense sand increased the internal angle of friction of the soil by ٪4 and the shear strength by ٪6.
Eng. Zahra Soleimani, Dr. Ebrahim Rahimi, Dr. Houshang Khairy,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (5-2024)
Abstract
This article deals with the strength evaluation of concrete obtained by adding different percentages of three types of nanominerals, including nanocalcite, nanobarite and nanofluorite. To measure the velocity of ultrasonic waves and compressive strength of concrete, 15×15×15 cm cube samples were prepared with 7-, 28- and 90-days curing. 10 types of mix designs with 0.39 water-cement ratio, including the control sample (without additives) and the samples with 0.5, 0.75 and 1% nanominerals were subjected to the mentioned tests. The results showed that the addition of nanocalcite, nanofluorite, and nanobarite with values of 0.75%, 1%, and 0.75%, respectively, have the highest compressive strength compared to the control sample. Although these do not have pozzolanic properties, they play a positive role in increasing the concrete strength by filling concrete voids and due to their high specific gravity, increasing concrete density.
Dr Sayed Ali Asghari Pari,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (5-2024)
Abstract
Pile design is subject to a number of uncertainties that must be addressed to ensure the reliability and safety of the foundation. A common approach to reduce uncertainties in pile design is to calibrate the resistance factor in the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) method through reliability analysis. However, it is important to recognize that the LRFD method may not fully account for uncertainties associated with soil and pile resistances. The results of this study show that the separate consideration of base and wave resistance can lead to a more accurate and reliable design of piles. The proposed method can help engineers make more informed decisions and reduce uncertainties in pile design. In addition, the study highlights the importance of considering different factors such as the ratio of dead to live load and the ratio of base to shaft resistance when calculating the resistance factor.
Ms Roghayeh Hasani, Dr Ebrahim Asghari-Kaljahi, Dr Sina Majidiana,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (9-2024)
Abstract
With the expansion of the petroleum industry and the aging of facilities and pipelines, oil spills are becoming more frequent. In addition to environmental impacts, oil spills can cause changes in the plasticity and dispersivity of soils. To investigate the potential for dispersion in fine-grained soils due to oil leakage, soil samples were collected from the Shazand Refinery area in Arak and mixed with 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% by weight crude oil. Specimens were prepared at the maximum dry density obtained from the Proctor compaction test and, after curing, pinhole and double hydrometer tests were conducted. The results of the mentioned tests showed that the fine-grained soil tends to disperse with the addition of up to 15% oil, and this dispersion increases with further increases to 20%. Changes in the soil fabric with increasing oil content were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, and the results showed that the dispersion of soil particles increased with increasing oil content.
Dr Mehran Esfahanizadeha, Dr Mohamad Davoodi, Dr Ebrahim Haghshenas, Dr Mohamad Kazem Jafari,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (9-2024)
Abstract
The determination ofgeological subsurface strata and shear wave velocity profiles is one of the most important engineering measures for seismic design and site effects studies. Recently, the use of seismic geophysical methods in engineering geological studies for this purpose has become widespread. In this paper, the accuracy and efficiency of seismic geophysical methods with active and passive seismic source in determining the subsurface geological structure of a selected site in the city of Abasabad in northern Iran have been studied. To this end, first, by conducting several exploratory boreholes, the subsurface geological structure of the study site up to a depth of 70 meters was carefully determined using engineering geological experiments. The results of this section showed that the shallow sediments of Abasabad site are mainly composed of sandy soils with four separate geological layers. In the next step, in two other separate boreholes, seismic geophysical experiments with active source of down-hole test were performed in order to accurately determine the shear wave velocity profile in different layers. In addition, in the next phase, using the array microtremor recording method, which is a new seismic geophysical method of passive-source type, to determine the subsurface geological structure of the study site in the form of shear wave velocity profiles. It should be noted that the array microtremor recording was performed using fifteen different arrangements of receptors (with different numbers and distances of receptors) and by two analyzing methods including F-K and SPAC. The results of these studies showed that both active and passive seismic geophysical methods had acceptable performance in determining the subsurface geological stratification of the site. It also could be inferred that the down-hole test with high accuracy determines the shear wave velocity in each layer compared to the array microtremor method but requires artificial production of seismic waves and borehole drilling. Array microtremor method without the need for drilling and production of artificial seismic waves has high efficiency in determining the subsurface layering and estimating the shear wave velocity of each layer and in general the results of this paper showed that in estimating the shear wave velocity compared to down-hole method shows up to 10% error.
Dr Masoud Amelsakhi,
Volume 18, Issue 3 (12-2024)
Abstract
Tunnels behave differently under seismic conditions due to their geometric shape, geotechnical parameters and installation depth. Although tunnels are less damaged compared to surface structures, they are still damaged during earthquakes. Various experiences have proved this matter, so researchers are concerned to study the seismic behavior of tunnels. In this research, circular tunnels are discussed under static and pseudo-static loading. In addition to different pseudo static earthquake factors, internal soil friction angle, soil behavior models, sliding and non-sliding of tunnel wall are also studied. Three different soft, medium and stiff soil conditions are studied. Some results show that in all three soil conditions and two soil behavior models, Mohr-Coulomb and hardening soil, the horizontal displacements increase due to the increase of the pseudo static earthquake factor. It should be noted that softening of the soil increases the horizontal displacements.
Zahra Aghayan, Rouzbeh Dabiri,
Volume 18, Issue 3 (12-2024)
Abstract
Recently, the demand for rapid and cost-effective infrastructure development has led to the has led to the development of various soil improvement techniques, including stabilization. Studies on the incorporation of mineral materials such as lime and coal ash into soil stabilization have been carried out in several countries, and these studies have shown promising results. Given the beneficial properties or properties of coal ash, together with its availability and cost-effectiveness, the combination of coal ash with lime for clay soil stabilization is a viable option. This study evaluates lime and coal ash on the behavior and geotechnical properties of clay soils. The evaluation includes plasticity index (PI), compaction, uniaxial compressive strength, California bearing ratio (CBR) and direct shear tests, and direct shear tests. To achieve this, the process began with the mixing of clay with varying percentages of hydrated lime (4%, 6% and 7%), followed by a 28-day curing period for the samples. Coal ash was then added at different (5%, 15%, 25% and 50%) was incorporated into the clay and also cured for 28 days. In the final stage, the optimum amount of hydrated lime was determined, an amount of hydrated lime, equivalent to the amount of coal ash used, was added to the clay and the mixture was cured for a further 28 days. The results indicate that A mixture of 7% hydrated lime and 50% coal ash, after 28 days of curing, is an optimum combination for stabilizing the clay in the study area. This combination increased the uniaxial compressive strength by 1.87 times, the shear strength by 1.34 times and the CBR value by 6.4 times, making it suitable for use in the for use in the construction of pavement layers.
