Settlement in loose granular media under static and laterally extended loads
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the settlement of loose granular media under static and laterally extended loads. In many branches of civil engineering, soils are compacted prior to the construction of buildings, highway and airfield structures. Dry granular materials pose a special problem: they are frequently difficult to compact and are notoriously subject to secondary compaction under the action of traffic or vibration. This study reveals the development of two components of settlement in a dry loose, granular silt material: an immediate and largely load-independent settlement close to the loaded surface and the more conventional load-dependent deeper seated settlement. A design methodology is proposed that extends Schmertmann's method of settlement prediction to account for this added mechanism. The question of scaling the near-surface settlement to the footing width remains unresolved. Examination of the laterally extended loading condition confirmed the results of the static tests and demonstrated that the principle of superposition does not hold under these conditions.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Harr, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Civil engineering
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