			Home About us Contact

Effective Stress (effective + stress)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Engineering	63%
Earth and Environmental Science	27%
3 Other Domains	10%

Selected Abstracts

Interaction between a dislocation and monovalent anion in various alkali halide crystals

CRYSTAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2010
Y. KohzukiArticle first published online: 30 AUG 2010
Abstract It was investigated from (L0/L)2 versus ,0 curve that the Friedel relation between the effective stress and the average length of dislocation segments, L, is appropriate for the interaction between a dislocation and the monovalent anion in various alkali halides single crystals (NaCl: Br - , NaBr: Cl - or I - , KCl: Br - or I - , and RbCl: Br - or I - ). Here, L0 represents the average spacing of monovalent anions on a slip plane and ,0 is the bending angle at which the dislocation breaks away from the anion at the temperature of 0 K. This is because the anions are the weak obstacles such as impede the dislocation at ,0 above about 150 degrees, where the Friedel relation agrees with the Fleischer one (L02 = L2(,,,0)/2). Furthermore, the values of (L /L0) were found to be within 4.05 to 5.87 for the crystals. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]

Gelifluction: viscous flow or plastic creep?

EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 12 2003
Charles Harris
Abstract This paper reports results from two scaled centrifuge modelling experiments, designed to simulate thaw-related geli,uction. A planar 12° prototype slope was modelled in each experiment, using the same natural ,ne sandy silt soil. However two different scales were used. In Experiment 1, the model scale was 1/10, tested in the centrifuge at 10 gravities (g) and in Experiment 2, the scale was 1/30, tested at 30 g. Centrifuge scaling laws indicate that the time scaling factor for thaw consolidation between model and prototype is N2, where N is the number of gravities under which the model was tested. However, the equivalent time scaling for viscous ,ow is 1/1. If geli,uction is a viscosity-controlled ,ow process, scaling con,icts will therefore arise during centrifuge modelling of thawing slopes, and rates of displacement will not scale accurately to the prototype. If, however, no such scaling con,icts are observed, we may conclude that geli,uction is not controlled by viscosity, but rather by elasto-plastic soil deformation in which frictional shear strength depends on effective stress, itself a function of the thaw consolidation process. Models were saturated, consolidated and frozen from the surface downwards on the laboratory ,oor. The frozen models were then placed in the geotechnical centrifuge and thawed from the surface down. Each model was subjected to four freeze,thaw cycles. Soil temperatures and pore water pressures were monitored, and frost heave, thaw settlement and downslope displacements measured. Pore water pressures, displacement rates and displacement pro,les re,ecting accumulated shear strain, were all similar at the two model scales and volumetric soil transport per freeze,thaw cycle, when scaled to prototype, were virtually identical. Displacement rates and pro,les were also similar to those observed in earlier full-scale laboratory ,oor experiments. It is concluded therefore that the modelled geli,uction was not a time-dependent viscosity-controlled ,ow phenomenon, but rather elasto-plastic in nature. A ,rst approximation ,,ow' law is proposed, based on the ,Cam Clay' constitutive model for soils. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

A Simple Engineering Estimate of the Fatigue Notch Factor of Arbitrary Stress Concentrators

ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 4 2010
Hans-Peter Gaenser
In fatigue life estimates, the fatigue stress endured at the hot spot is usually higher than what is predicted by the elastic stress concentration factor. Recently, Neuber's and Novozhilov's approaches of introducing an effective stress by averaging the actual stress field over a characteristic microstructural length have experienced a reappraisal. The present contribution aims at complementing these recent proposals by a mathematically simple engineering assessment of arbitrarily shaped notches, resulting in a closed-form expression for the fatigue notch factor. The limits of validity of the solution are discussed. [source]

Material stiffness, branching pattern and soil matric potential affect the pullout resistance of model root systems

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 6 2007
S. B. Mickovski
Summary Understanding of the detailed mechanisms of how roots anchor in and reinforce soil is complicated by the variability and complexity of both materials. This study controlled material stiffness and architecture of root analogues, by using rubber and wood, and also employed real willow root segments, to investigate the effect on pullout resistance in wet and air-dry sand. The architecture of model roots included either no laterals (tap-root) or a single pair at two different locations (herringbone and dichotomous). During pullout tests, data on load and displacement were recorded. These studies were combined with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) image analysis of the model root-soil system at a transparent interface during pullout to increase understanding of mechanical interactions along the root. Model rubber roots with small stiffness had increasing pullout resistance as the branching and the depth of the lateral roots increased. Similarly, with the stiff wooden root models, the models with lateral roots embedded deeper showed greatest resistance. PIV showed that rubber model roots mobilized their interface shear strength progressively whilst rigid roots mobilized it equally and more rapidly over the whole root length. Soil water suction increased the pullout resistance of the roots by increasing the effective stress and soil strength. Separate pullout tests conducted on willow root samples embedded in sand showed similar behaviour to the rigid model roots. These tests also demonstrated the effect of the root curvature and rough interface on the maximum pullout resistance. [source]

Action of Force on Rock Mass by Crack Water Pressure

GEOMECHANICS AND TUNNELLING, Issue 6 2008
Guntram Innerhofer Dipl.-Ing.
The formula of effective stress used in soil mechanics is adapted to the properties of rock mass by implementation of the wetting factor and the Saint-Venant factor. The wetting factor defines the area over which a hydrostatic force can actually be developed, the Saint Venant factor defines the component of this force which is balanced by reduction of the effective stress in the crack zone. Here, the consequences of this concept are discussed with respect to uniaxial, plain stress and a continuum mechanical model. The effect of the concept is considered in relation to the state of stress in crack zones, and in the adjacent rock mass, and on the action of forces on the system. The development of crack propagation and of shear failure is discussed. The intention is to contribute towards a basic understanding of the complex effects of water pressure in rock masses, applicable to engineering practice. Kraftwirkung des Kluftwasserdrucks auf Fels Die Formel für Effektivspannungen der Bodenmechanik wird, den Eigenschaften von Fels entsprechend, durch Einführen des Benetzungsgrads und des Saint-Venant-Faktors erweitert. Der Benetzungsgrad definiert die Fläche, auf die eine hydrostatische Kraft wirken kann, der Saint-Venant-Faktor die Komponente dieser Kraft, die in der Kluftfläche durch Reduktion der Effektivspannungen ausgeglichen wird. Die andere Komponente belastet das System. Anhand eines einachsigen, eines ebenen und eines Kontinuum-Mechanischen Modells werden die aus diesem Ansatz abgeleiteten Spannungszustände in der Kluftfläche beziehungsweise im klüftigen Fels diskutiert. Die Entwicklung von Kluftsprengung und Scherbruch und das Verhalten hoch- und tiefliegender Druckstollen werden beschrieben. Beabsichtigt ist, mit einer möglichst geschlossenen, auf das Wesentliche beschränkten Darstellung das Verständnis der komplexen Zusammenhänge zu fördern. [source]

Ultrasonic velocities of North Sea chalk samples: influence of porosity, fluid content and texture

GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING, Issue 4 2005
Birte Røgen
ABSTRACT We have studied 56 unfractured chalk samples of the Upper Cretaceous Tor Formation of the Dan, South Arne and Gorm Fields, Danish North Sea. The samples have porosities of between 14% and 45% and calcite content of over 95%. The ultrasonic compressional- and shear-wave velocities (VP and VS) for dry and water-saturated samples were measured at up to 75 bar confining hydrostatic pressure corresponding to effective stress in the reservoir. The porosity is the main control of the ultrasonic velocities and therefore of the elastic moduli. The elastic moduli are slightly higher for samples from the South Arne Field than from the Dan Field for identical porosities. This difference may be due to textural differences between the chalk at the two locations because we observe that large grains (i.e. filled microfossils and fossil fragments) that occur more frequently in samples from the Dan Field have a porosity-reducing effect and that samples rich in large grains have a relatively low porosity for a given P-wave modulus. The clay content in the samples is low and is mainly represented by either kaolinite or smectite; samples with smectite have a lower P-wave modulus than samples with kaolinite at equal porosity. We find that ultrasonic VP and VS of dry chalk samples can be satisfactorily estimated with Gassmann's relationships from data for water-saturated samples. A pronounced difference between the VP/VS ratios for dry and water-saturated chalk samples indicates promising results for seismic amplitude-versus-offset analyses. [source]

Effective stress concept in unsaturated soils: Clarification and validation of a unified framework

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 7 2008
Mathieu Nuth
Abstract The effective stress principle, conventionally applied in saturated soils, is reviewed for constitutive modelling purposes. The assumptions for the applicability of Terzaghi's single effective stress are recalled and its advantages are inventoried. The possible stress frameworks applicable to unsaturated soil modelling are reassessed in a comparative manner, specifically the Bishop's single effective stress, the independent stress variables approach and the generalized stress framework. The latter considerations lead to the definition of a unified stress context, suitable for modelling soils under different saturation states. In order to qualify the implications brought by the proposed stress framework, several experimental data sets are re-examined in the light of the generalized effective stress. The critical state lines (CSLs) at different saturation states tend to converge remarkably towards a unique saturated line in the deviatoric stress versus mean effective stress plane. The effective stress interpretation is also applied to isotropic paths and compared with conventional net stress conception. The accent is finally laid on a second key feature for constitutive frameworks based on a unified stress, namely the sufficiency of a unique mechanical yield surface besides the unique CSL. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

A unified bounding surface plasticity model for unsaturated soils

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 3 2006
A.R. Russell
Abstract A unified constitutive model for unsaturated soils is presented in a critical state framework using the concepts of effective stress and bounding surface plasticity theory. Consideration is given to the effects of unsaturation and particle crushing in the definition of the critical state. A simple isotropic elastic rule is adopted. A loading surface and a bounding surface of the same shape are defined using simple and versatile functions. The bounding surface and elastic rules lead to the existence of a limiting isotropic compression line, towards which the stress trajectories of all isotropic compression load paths approach. A non-associated flow rule of the same general form is assumed for all soil types. Isotropic hardening/softening occurs due to changes in plastic volumetric strains as well as suction for some unsaturated soils, enabling the phenomenon of volumetric collapse upon wetting to be accounted for. The model is used to simulate the stress,strain behaviour observed in unsaturated speswhite kaolin subjected to three triaxial test load paths. The fit between simulation and experiment is improved compared to that of other constitutive models developed using conventional Cam-Clay-based plasticity theory and calibrated using the same set of data. Also, the model is used to simulate to a high degree of accuracy the stress,strain behaviour observed in unsaturated Kurnell sand subjected to two triaxial test load paths and the oedometric compression load path. For oedometric compression theoretical simulations indicate that the suction was not sufficiently large to cause samples to separate from the confining ring. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Unsaturated slope stability analysis with steady infiltration or evaporation using elasto-plastic finite elements

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 3 2005
D. V. Griffiths
Abstract The paper presents results of unsaturated slope stability analyses using elasto-plastic finite elements in conjunction with a novel analytical formulation for the suction stress above the water table. The suction stress formula requires four parameters, three for the soil type and one for the steady infiltration (or evaporation) due to environmental effects. The suction stress approach enables the analysis to proceed in the context of classical effective stress, while maintaining the advantages of a general non-linear finite element approach in which no advance assumptions need to be made about the shape or location of the critical failure surface. The results show the extent to which suctions above the water table can increase the factor of safety of a slope for a variety of different soil types and infiltration rates. All stability analyses that include the effects of suction stresses are contrasted with more traditional approaches in which water pressures above the water table are ignored. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Strain localization in sand: an overview of the experimental results obtained in Grenoble using stereophotogrammetry

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 4 2004
Jacques Desrues
Abstract Experimental results are presented from the extensive program of drained plane strain compression tests on sand carried out in Grenoble over the last two decades. Systematic analysis of photographs of the deforming specimen allowed for measuring deformations and determining strain fields throughout the test, that is: prior to, at, and after the onset of strain localization. The principles, details and accuracy of the procedure are described, as well as its suitability to properly depict the patterns of deformation. Findings concerning the occurrence and progression of strain localization are discussed. The issues of shear band orientation and thickness are addressed, as well as temporary and persistent complex localization patterns, and the volumetric behaviour inside a band after its formation. The influence of such variables as initial state of the sand (effective stress and relative density), specimen size and slenderness, as well as grain size, is discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd [source]

A cyclic viscoelastic,viscoplastic constitutive model for clay and liquefaction analysis of multi-layered ground

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 2 2004
Fusao Oka
Abstract In order to estimate viscous effect of clay in the wide range of low to high level of strain, a cyclic viscoelastic,viscoplastic constitutive model for clay is proposed. First, we confirm the performance of the proposed model by simulating the cyclic undrained triaxial tests to determine the cyclic strength and deformation characteristics of a natural marine clay. Then, the proposed model is incorporated into an effective stress based liquefaction analysis method to estimate the effect of an intermediate clay layer on the behaviour of liquefiable sand layers. The seismic response against foreshocks, main shock as well as aftershocks of 1995 Hyogoken Nambu Earthquake is analysed in the present study. The difference of shear strength characteristics of the alluvial clay layer is one of the reasons why Port Island has a higher liquefaction potential than that of Rokko Island. The proposed model gives a good description of the damping characteristics of clay layer during large earthquakes. Acceleration responses in both clay layer and liquefiable sand layer just above it are damped due to viscous effect of clay. In the case of main shock and the following aftershocks that occurred within less than 9 days after main event, acceleration responses near ground surface are de-amplified due to the developed excess pore water pressure, while responses near ground surface are amplified before and long after the main event. Using the viscoelastic,viscoplastic model for clay layer, time history of acceleration response in upper liquefiable sand layer can be well calculated, in particular in the range of microtremor process after the main seismic motion. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Extension of the Griffith's fracture criteria to saturated clays

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 4 2003
K.M. Dégué
Abstract Inglis [1] has solved the problem of distribution of stress in an elastic plate around an elliptical hole. His works clarify the role of cracks in the failure of an elastic material. However, his solution cannot be applied to saturated clay because he considers only total stresses, while, in saturated clay, the criterion of rupture should be expressed in terms of effective and not total stresses. The solution of Atkinson and Craster [2] using Biot's poroelasticity theory, shows that there is no high pore pressure in the vicinity of the crack tips for saturated clay. The major difference between this approach and the Biot's theory of is that, in saturated clay, strain is a function of the variation of the effective stress [3], while, in poroelastic media, strain is only a function of the variation of the total stress [4, Equation 2.2]. Also in their solution there is continuity between the pore fluid and the inner fluid in the crack. Their solution is valid for poroelastic media involving a movement of the pore fluid. In our solution there is no movement of the pore fluid (Undrained condition). In this paper we have solved the same problem as Inglis [1], but for the particular case of saturated clay obeying elastic law. By solving this problem we obtained the expressions for pore pressure, effective stress, total stress and displacements. The results show that not only the total stress but also the pore pressure and the effective stress are also high in the vicinity of the crack tips. A new failure criterion, based on Griffith's strain energy principle [5] and maximum tensile stress [6], valid for saturated clay is developed in this paper. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Modelling of elastoplastic damage in concrete due to desiccation shrinkage

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 8 2002
F. Bourgeois
We present a numerical modelling of elastoplastic damage due to drying shrinkage of concrete in the framework of mechanics of partially saturated porous media. An elastoplastic model coupled with isotropic damage is first formulated. Two plastic flow mechanisms are involved, controlled by applied stress and suction, respectively. A general concept of net effective stress is used in take into account effects of capillary pressure and material damage on stress-controlled plastic deformation. Damage evolution depends both on elastic and plastic strains. The model's parameters are determined or chosen from relevant experimental data. Comparisons between numerical simulations and experimental data are presented to show the capacity of model to reproduce mains features of concrete behaviour under mechanical loading and during drying shrinkage of concrete. An example of application concerning drying of a concrete wall is finally presented. The results obtained allow to show potential capacity of proposed model for numerical modelling of complex coupling processes in concrete structures. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

On integration of a cyclic soil plasticity model

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 6 2001
Majid T. Manzari
Abstract Performance of three classes of explicit and implicit time-stepping integrators is assessed for a cyclic plasticity constitutive model for sands. The model is representative of an important class of cyclic plasticity models for soils and includes both isotropic and nonlinear kinematic hardening. The implicit algorithm is based on the closest point projection method and the explicit algorithm follows a cutting-plane integration procedure. A sub-stepping technique was also implemented. The performance of these algorithms is assessed through a series of numerical simulations ranging from simulations of laboratory tests (such as triaxial and bi-axial compression, direct shear, and cyclic triaxial tests) to the analysis of a typical boundary value problem of geotechnical earthquake engineering. These simulations show that the closest point projection algorithm remains stable and accurate for relatively large strain increments and for cases where the mean effective stress in a soil element reaches very small values leading to a liquefaction state. It is also shown that while the cutting plane (CP) and sub-stepping (SS) algorithms provide high efficiency and good accuracy for small to medium size strain increments, their accuracy and efficiency deteriorate faster than the closest point projection method for large strain increments. The CP and SS algorithms also face convergence difficulties in the liquefaction analysis when the soil approaches very small mean effective stresses. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Blood flow dynamics and fluid,structure interaction in patient-specific bifurcating cerebral aneurysms

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 10 2008
Alvaro Valencia
Abstract Hemodynamics plays an important role in the progression and rupture of cerebral aneurysms. The current work describes the blood flow dynamics and fluid,structure interaction in seven patient-specific models of bifurcating cerebral aneurysms located in the anterior and posterior circulation regions of the circle of Willis. The models were obtained from 3D rotational angiography image data, and blood flow dynamics and fluid,structure interaction were studied under physiologically representative waveform of inflow. The arterial wall was assumed to be elastic, isotropic and homogeneous. The flow was assumed to be laminar, non-Newtonian and incompressible. In one case, the effects of different model suppositions and boundary conditions were reported in detail. The fully coupled fluid and structure models were solved with the finite elements package ADINA. The vortex structure, pressure, wall shear stress (WSS), effective stress and displacement of the aneurysm wall showed large variations, depending on the morphology of the artery, aneurysm size and position. The time-averaged WSS, effective stress and displacement at the aneurysm fundus vary between 0.17 and 4.86,Pa, 4.35 and 170.2,kPa and 0.16 and 0.74,mm, respectively, for the seven patient-specific models of bifurcating cerebral aneurysms. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Homogenizing the acoustic properties of a porous matrix containing an incompressible inviscid fluid

MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE APPLIED SCIENCES, Issue 10 2003
J. L. Ferrin
We undertake a rigorous derivation of the Biot's law for a porous elastic solid containing an inviscid fluid. We consider small displacements of a linear elastic solid being itself a connected periodic skeleton containing a pore structure of the characteristic size ,. It is completely saturated by an incompressible inviscid fluid. The model is described by the equations of the linear elasticity coupled with the linearized incompressible Euler system. We study the homogenization limit when the pore size ,tends to zero. The main difficulty is obtaining an a priori estimate for the gradient of the fluid velocity in the pore structure. Under the assumption that the solid part is connected and using results on the first order elliptic systems, we obtain the required estimate. It allows us to apply appropriate results from the 2-scale convergence. Then it is proved that the microscopic displacements and the fluid pressure converge in 2-scales towards a linear hyperbolic system for an effective displacement and an effective pressure field. Using correctors, we also give a strong convergence result. The obtained system is then compared with the Biot's law. It is found that there is a constitutive relation linking the effective pressure with the divergences of the effective fluid and solid displacements. Then we prove that the homogenized model coincides with the Biot's equations but with the added mass ,a being a matrix, which is calculated through an auxiliary problem in the periodic cell for the tortuosity. Furthermore, we get formulas for the matricial coefficients in the Biot's effective stress,strain relations. Finally, we consider the degenerate case when the fluid part is not connected and obtain Biot's model with the relative fluid displacement equal to zero. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Geological constraints of pore pressure detection in shales from seismic data

BASIN RESEARCH, Issue 1 2007
Gunn M. G. Teige
ABSTRACT Methods for detection of pore fluid overpressures in shales from seismic data have become widespread in the oil industry. Such methods are largely based on the identification of anomalous seismic velocities, and on subsequent determination of pore pressures through relationships between seismic velocities and the vertical effective stress (VES). Although it is well known that lithology variations and compaction mechanisms should be accounted for in pore pressure evaluation, a systematic approach to evaluation of these factors in seismic pore pressure prediction seems to be absent. We have investigated the influence of lithology variations and compaction mechanism on shale velocities from acoustic logs. This was performed by analyses of 80 wells from the northern North Sea and 24 wells from the Haltenbanken area. The analyses involved identification of large-scale density and velocity variations that were unrelated to overpressure variations, which served as a basis for the analyses of the resolution of overpressure variations from well log data. The analyses demonstrated that the overpressures in neither area were associated with compaction disequilibrium. A significant correlation between acoustic velocity and fluid overpressure nevertheless exists in the Haltenbanken data, whereas the correlation between these two parameters is weak to non-existing in the North Sea shales. We do not presently know why acoustic velocities in the two areas respond differently to fluid overpressuring. Smectitic rocks often have low permeabilities, and define the top of overpressures in the northern North Sea when they are buried below 2 km. As smectitic rocks are characterized by low densities and low acoustic velocities, their presence may be identified from seismic data. Smectite identification from seismic data may thus serve as an indirect overpressure indicator in some areas. Our investigations demonstrate the importance of including geological work and process understanding in pore pressure evaluation work. As a response to the lack of documented practice within this area, we suggest a workflow for geological analyses that should be performed and integrated with seismic pore pressure prediction. [source]

Estimates of effective stress beneath a modern West Antarctic ice stream from till preconsolidation and void ratio

BOREAS, Issue 2 2001
SLAWEK TULACZYK
Preconsolidation stress recorded in subglacial sediments provides important information about subglacial effective stresses. It is commonly used to reconstruct past effective stresses from sediments left after ice retreat. In this article, we use properties of sub-ice-stream till samples to estimate effective stresses beneath a modern West Antarctic ice stream. Two previous estimates of sub-ice-stream effective stress were derived for the Upstream B (UpB) area of Ice Stream B from shear wave velocities (50 ± 40 kPa, Blankenship et al 1987) and borehole water level measurements (63 ± 24 kPa, Engelhardt & Kamb 1997). However, geotechnical tests performed on samples of the UpB till have shown that if subjected to effective stress of 50,63 kPa this till would have significantly lower porosity (,0.32,0.35) and higher strength (,-22,28 kPa) than it apparently has in situ (,0.4 and ,2kPa). We derive new estimates of sub-ice-stream effective stress using: (1) Casagrande's construction applied to the results of six confined uniaxial tests, and (2) a combination of void-ratio data for 51 till samples and 3 experimentally constrained equations describing compressibility of the UpB till under normal consolidation, overconsolidation and in the critical state. Casagrande's method yields an upper bound on effective stress of 25 kPa for four till samples and values of 13, and 4.4kPa for two other samples. The void-ratio approach gives 11.7 ± 2.6 (normal consolidation), 18.3 ± 4.4 (overconsolidation) and 2.0 ± 0.8 kPa (critical state). These new, lower estimates of effective stress are consistent with the low till strength that has been independently measured and inferred from recent theoretical ice-stream models. Our interpretation of data on till void ratio in terms of sub-ice-stream effective stress means that we can qualitatively evaluate the nature of the vertical distribution of this stress in the UpB till layer. We infer that in the sampled top 3 m of till the effective-stress distribution is non-hydrostatic, probably close to lithostatic. The results may be useful in future modeling of ice-stream behavior and may aid efforts to delineate paleo-ice streams based on their geologic record. [source]

The mechanism of fluid infiltration in peridotites at Almklovdalen, western Norway

GEOFLUIDS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2002
O. Kostenko
Abstract A major Alpine-type peridotite located at Almklovdalen in the Western Gneiss Region of Norway was infiltrated by aqueous fluids at several stages during late Caledonian uplift and retrogressive metamorphism. Following peak metamorphic conditions in the garnet,peridotite stability field, the peridotite experienced pervasive fluid infiltration and retrogression in the chlorite,peridotite stability field. Subsequently, the peridotite was infiltrated locally by nonreactive fluids along fracture networks forming pipe-like structures, typically on the order of 10 m wide. Fluid migration away from the fractures into the initially impermeable peridotite matrix was facilitated by pervasive dilation of grain boundaries and the formation of intragranular hydrofractures. Microstructural observations of serpentine occupying the originally fluid-filled inclusion space indicate that the pervasively infiltrating fluid was characterized by a high dihedral angle (, > 60°) and ,curled up' into discontinuous channels and fluid inclusion arrays following the infiltration event. Re-equilibration of the fluid phase topology took place by growth and dissolution processes driven by the excess surface energy represented by the ,forcefully' introduced external fluid. Pervasive fluid introduction into the peridotite reduced local effective stresses, increased the effective grain boundary diffusion rates and caused extensive recrystallization and some grain coarsening of the infiltrated volumes. Grain boundary migration associated with this recrystallization swept off abundant intragranular fluid inclusions in the original chlorite peridotite, leading to a significant colour change of the rock. This colour change defines a relatively sharp front typically located 1,20 cm away from the fractures where the nonreactive fluids originally entered the peridotite. Our observations demonstrate how crustal rocks may be pervasively infiltrated by fluids with high dihedral angles (, > 60°) and emphasize the coupling between hydrofracturing and textural equilibration of the grain boundary networks and the fluid phase topology. [source]

A three-dimensional integral equation model for calculating poro- and thermoelastic stresses induced by cold water injection into a geothermal reservoir

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 14 2009
X. X. Zhou
Abstract Poro-mechanical and thermo-mechanical processes change the fracture aperture and thus affect the water flow pattern in the fracture during the cold water injection into enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). In addition, the stresses generated by these processes contribute to the phenomenon of reservoir seismicity. In this paper, we present a three-dimensional (3D) partially coupled poro-thermoelastic model to investigate the poroelastic and thermoelastic effects of cold water injection in EGS. In the model, the lubrication fluid flow and the convective heat transfer in the fracture are modeled by the finite element method, while the pore fluid diffusion and heat conductive transfer in the reservoir matrix are assumed to be 3D and modeled by the boundary integral equation method without the need to discretize the reservoir. The stresses at the fracture surface and in the reservoir matrix are obtained from the numerical model and can be used to assess the variation of in situ stress and induced seismicty with injection/extraction. Application of the model shows that rock cooling induces large tensile stresses and increases fracture conductivity, whereas the rock dilation caused by fluid leakoff decreases fracture aperture and increases compressive total stresses around the injection zone. However, increases in pore pressure reduce the effective stresses and can contribute to rock failure, fracture slip, and microseismic activity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Coupled HM analysis using zero-thickness interface elements with double nodes.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 18 2008
Part I: Theoretical model
Abstract In recent years, the authors have proposed a new double-node zero-thickness interface element for diffusion analysis via the finite element method (FEM) (Int. J. Numer. Anal. Meth. Geomech. 2004; 28(9): 947,962). In the present paper, that formulation is combined with an existing mechanical formulation in order to obtain a fully coupled hydro-mechanical (or HM) model applicable to fractured/fracturing geomaterials. Each element (continuum or interface) is formulated in terms of the displacements (u) and the fluid pressure (p) at the nodes. After assembly, a particular expression of the traditional ,u,p' system of coupled equations is obtained, which is highly non-linear due to the strong dependence between the permeability and the aperture of discontinuities. The formulation is valid for both pre-existing and developing discontinuities by using the appropriate constitutive model that relates effective stresses to relative displacements in the interface. The system of coupled equations is solved following two different numerical approaches: staggered and fully coupled. In the latter, the Newton,Raphson method is used, and it is shown that the Jacobian matrix becomes non-symmetric due to the dependence of the discontinuity permeability on the aperture. In the part II companion paper (Int. J. Numer. Anal. Meth. Geomech. 2008; DOI: 10.1002/nag.730), the formulation proposed is verified and illustrated with some application examples. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Skin friction features of drilled CIP piles in sand from pile segment analysis

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 7 2008
Sungjune Lee
Abstract Numerical pile segment analysis is conducted in this study with an advanced soil model to investigate the skin friction behaviour of a drilled Cast-In-Place (CIP) pile installed in sand. Although the interface between the sand and pile is considered rough, thin elements adjacent to the pile are used to include effects of localized shear. Unit weights of fluid concrete and accompanied changes in stress are considered as the effects of pile installation. Changes in effective stresses are the most prominent effect due to pile installation with a change in direction of the major principal stress from the vertical to the radial direction. Shear behaviour of the sand at the interface during the early shear stage is related to the contractive tendency of the sand at small strain levels. Changes in the stress field around the pile with little changes in volumetric strain take place during the early shear stage. Stress redistributions during the early shear stage depend on the direction of the major principal stress before shear. Results of the pile segment analyses for drilled CIP piles show good agreement with design methods. Parametric studies are used to characterize the effects of sand density and pile diameter on the skin friction behaviour of drilled CIP piles. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

A viscoelastic model for the dynamic response of soils to periodical surface water disturbance

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 12 2006
P. C. Hsieh
Abstract In many instances soils can be assumed to behave like viscoelastic materials during loading/unloading cycles, and this study is aimed at setting up a viscoelastic model to investigate the dynamic response of a porous soil layer of finite thickness under the effect of periodically linear water waves. The waves and homogeneous water are described by potential theory and the porous material is described by a viscoelastic model, which is modified from Biot's poroelastic theory (1956). The distributions of pore water pressures and effective stresses of various soils such as silt, sand, and gravel are demonstrated by employing the proposed viscoelastic model. The discrepancies of the dynamic response between the simulations of viscoelastic model and elastic model are found to be strongly dependent on the wave frequency. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

The influence of the construction process on the deformation behaviour of diaphragm walls in soft clayey ground

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 7 2006
R. Schäfer
Abstract Conventional numerical predictions of deep excavations normally neglect the construction process of the retaining structure and choose the earth pressure at rest as initial condition at the beginning of the simulation. The presented results of simulation and measurements during the construction process of the Taipei National Enterprise Center show, that such an assumption leads to an underestimation of the horizontal wall deflection, the surface ground settlements as well as the loading of the struts in case of normally to slightly over-consolidated clayey soil deposits. The stepwise installation process of the individual diaphragm wall panels results in a substantial modification of the lateral effective stresses in the adjacent ground. Especially the pouring process of the panel and the fresh concrete pressure causes a partial mobilization of the passive earth pressure and a distinct stress level increase in the upper half of the wall. As a consequence of the increased stresses prior to the pit excavation, up to 15% greater ground and wall movements are predicted. Moreover, the increased stress level due to the installation process of the diaphragm wall leads to substantial higher strut loadings during the excavation of the pit. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Effect of suction on the mechanical behaviour of iron ore rock

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 8 2005
Dragan Grgic
Abstract The effect of suction on the behaviour of iron ore has been studied from both physical and mechanical points of view. The porosity and the suction phenomena have been analysed using different experimental techniques. Uniaxial compressive tests on partially saturated samples have shown that the suction is responsible for strength and cohesion improvement. Considering the theory of partially saturated porous soils of Coussy and Dangla (Mécanique des sols non saturés (2002 edn). Hermès Science: 2002; 390), we have proposed a constitutive law for partially saturated iron ore. The real increase in the apparent cohesion due to the capillary attraction forces is overestimated if the yield function is written in terms of effective stresses. The effect of the capillary cohesion has been modelled with a function in the expression of the apparent cohesion of the yield function. The effect of suction on the mechanical behaviour has been represented in the effective stresses space and in the total stresses space like the Alonso model (Géotechnique 1990; 40:405,430). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Stochastic computational modelling of highly heterogeneous poroelastic media with long-range correlations

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 1 2004
Diego G. Frias
Abstract The compaction of highly heterogeneous poroelastic reservoirs with the geology characterized by long-range correlations displaying fractal character is investigated within the framework of the stochastic computational modelling. The influence of reservoir heterogeneity upon the magnitude of the stresses induced in the porous matrix during fluid withdrawal and rock consolidation is analysed by performing ensemble averages over realizations of a log-normally distributed stationary random hydraulic conductivity field. Considering the statistical distribution of this parameter characterized by a coefficient of variation governing the magnitude of heterogeneity and a correlation function which decays with a power-law scaling behaviour we show that the combination of these two effects result in an increase in the magnitude of effective stresses of the rock during reservoir depletion. Further, within the framework of a perturbation analysis we show that the randomness in the hydraulic conductivity gives rise to non-linear corrections in the upscaled poroelastic equations. These corrections are illustrated by a self-consistent recursive hierarchy of solutions of the stochastic poroelastic equations parametrized by a scale parameter representing the fluctuating log-conductivity standard deviation. A classical example of land subsidence caused by fluid extraction of a weak reservoir is numerically simulated by performing Monte Carlo simulations in conjunction with finite elements discretizations of the poroelastic equations associated with an ensemble of geologies. Numerical results illustrate the effects of the spatial variability and fractal character of the permeability distribution upon the evolution of the Mohr,Coulomb function of the rock. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Large displacement FEM modelling of the cone penetration test (CPT) in normally consolidated sand

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 7 2003
Endra Susila
Abstract A new finite element model based on a large strain formulation has been developed to study cone penetration in normally consolidated sand. An auto-adaptive remeshing technique was utilized for handling the very large distortion of sand surrounding the cone tip. A frictional contact interface utilizing Mohr,Coulomb's theory was chosen to represent interactions between the surface of the cone and sand. To model the sand behaviour, the non-associated Drucker,Prager constitutive model was selected. ABAQUS, a commercial finite element software package, was used to implement the model. The explicit solution algorithm was chosen due to its effectiveness for complicated contact problems. Analysis results proved that the model successfully captured the cone penetration behavior in sand. In addition, a chart to predict internal friction angles based on cone tip resistance for different vertical effective stresses was provided. This paper also shows a typical distribution of sleeve resistance, tip resistance,penetration relationship, and typical contours of vertical, horizontal, and shear stresses in normally consolidated sand. Finally, a non-uniform resistance was found along the length of the friction sleeve. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Wave-induced seepage flux into anisotropic seabeds

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 8 2001
D. S. Jeng
Abstract Considerable effort has been devoted to quantifying the wave-induced soil response in a porous seabed in the last few decades. Most previous investigations have focused on the analysis of pore pressure and effective stresses within isotropic sediments, despite strong evidence of anisotropic soil behaviour reported in the literature. Furthermore, the seepage flux, which is important in the context of contaminant transport, has not been examined. In this paper, we focus on water wave-driven seepage in anisotropic marine sediments of finite thickness. The numerical results predict that the effects of hydraulic anisotropy and anisotropic soil behaviour on the wave-driven seepage in marine sediment are significant. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

On integration of a cyclic soil plasticity model

Hybrid and enhanced finite element methods for problems of soil consolidation

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2007
X. X. Zhou
Abstract Hybrid and enhanced finite element methods with bi-linear interpolations for both the solid displacements and the pore fluid pressures are derived based on mixed variational principles for problems of elastic soil consolidation. Both plane strain and axisymmetric problems are studied. It is found that by choosing appropriate interpolation of enhanced strains in the enhanced method, and by choosing appropriate interpolations of strains, effective stresses and enhanced strains in the hybrid method, the oscillations of nodal pore pressures can be eliminated. Several numerical examples demonstrating the capability and performance of the enhanced and hybrid finite element methods are presented. It is also shown that for some situations, such as problems involving high Poisson's ratio and in other related problems where bending effects are evident, the performance of the enhanced and hybrid methods are superior to that of the conventional displacement-based method. The results from the hybrid method are better than those from the enhanced method for some situations, such as problems in which soil permeability is variable or discontinuous within elements. Since all the element parameters except the nodal displacements and nodal pore pressures are assumed in the element level and can be eliminated by static condensation, the implementations of the enhanced method and the hybrid method are basically the same as the conventional displacement-based finite element method. The present enhanced method and hybrid method can be easily extended to non-linear consolidation problems. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]