problematic soils - a euphemism for problematic geo-engineers? · 1 2009-04-23 problematic soils -...
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12009-04-23 Problematic soils - a euphemism ..
Geoteknikdagen 2009-06-12
Problematic soils -
a euphemism for problematic geo-engineers?
Jørgen S. Steeenfelt
COWI
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Outline - introduction
• Problematic soils?- does the term make sense?- what are the clues?- global/local validity
• Is it a euphemism?- soul searching question for all
• Case histories- Rødsand 2 Offshore Wind Farm - Ruwais Sulphur Extension
• Closing remarks
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Problematic soils?
• 3rd Int. Conf. Problematic Soils, Adelaide 2010
Paper aspects
• Identification of problem soils
• Test methods
• Engineering geological aspects
• Avoiding distress to infrastructure
• Case studies
• Peat and organic soils• Volcanic soils• Expansive soils• Collapsible soils• Carbonate rich soils• Lateritic soils• Tailings• Deep fills• Dispersive soils• Unsaturated soils
42009-04-23 Problematic soils - a euphemism ..
How about closer to home?
• Danish Code of Practice- only indirect reference (GC 3)
• Tertiary clays• Palaeogene clays• Chalk with cavities• Soils with incr. k
with depth below GWT
52009-04-23 Problematic soils - a euphemism ..
How about closer to home?DS 415 (Geotechnical Category 3)
• Multi-storey basements
• Structures with large differential water pressures
• Temporary or permanent GW-lowering involving serious risk of damage to structures or soil strata
• Fills and pavements subjected to significant dynamic loading
• Machine foundations subject to significant dynamic exitation
• Structures with extreme cyclic loading
• Larger bridges and tunnels
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Postulate:problematic = failure to recognize or understand
• Local, comparable experience
• Importance of adequate and timelyground investigations
• Difficulties in specifying, testing and interpreting lab. and field tests
• Confusion of measured, derived, characteristic & design values
• Geological set-up and stratification
• Application of propertheoretical framework
• Abuse of numerical tools(garbage in garbage out)
72009-04-23 Problematic soils - a euphemism ..
Euphemism?
• Problematic soils?
• Challenging soils
No!Yes!
Avnstrøm (DGF's 40th anniversary): Øresund soil conditions - straight forward; no work for geo-engineers!
82009-04-23 Problematic soils - a euphemism ..
Challenge is our middle name-not problematic
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Case histories
Rødsand 2Offshore Wind Farm
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Location of Rødsand 2 offshore wind farm
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Project with 90 wind turbines (2.3 MW)
• Client: E.ON with Grontmij Carl Bro as consultant
• Contractor: Aarsleff-Bilfinger Berger JV with COWI as designer
• Certifying body: DNV
122009-04-23 Problematic soils - a euphemism ..
Ground conditions: predominantly glacial deposits, clay till/sand till
Extent of site assessment data
• 183 CPTs tests- depth 2.9 ± 2.4 m; 86 outside footprint
• 37 vibrocores
• 80 geotechnical boreholes- majority to 7 m depth
• 200 UU tests - in lieu of field vane testing
• 19 triaxial CU tests
• supplementary soil investigations by ABJV- geotechnical boreholes with SPT
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Foundation in Clay till/sand till business as usual?
• CPT tests very shallow
• Stop on Rf (<0.8 MPa)
Row 2
-12
-10
-8
-60 500 1000 1500
cu [kPa]
Level[m]
Foundationlevel
• Design Basis:cu = 200 (250) kPa below CPT/borehole data
• Need for confirmation
• Correlation of SPT - su
• Drained strength parameters from CU triax
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Comparison of UU and CU
0
5
10
15
20
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Undrained shear strength (kPa)
Dep
th b
elow
sea
bed
(m)
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Foundation in Clay till/sand till Triaxial CU-tests
• Individual tests vary
tr' = 24.4 to 39.5°c' = 23 to 116 kPa
• Plot minimum and maximum failure points
• Agree on design values
0
250
500
750
1000
0 500 1000 1500
MIT stress s (kPa)
t (kPa)
Maximum failureMinimum failureFi =33, c' =25
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Foundation in Clay till/sand till business as usual?
• Steel, concrete, challenging soil= wind power in near future
• Foundations on chalk & Palaeogene deposits pending
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Case histories
Ruwais Sulphur extensionPile load testing
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Ruwais Sulphur Expansion - Abu Dhabi
Future structureExisting structure
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DesignConcrete Design
Mooring Dolphins
Precast shell with cast-in steel girders
Shell positioned on top of the piles
Filled with in-situ concrete -> Reduces the weight during construction
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Pile Design
Tubular steel piles - Ø1067 mm, 22 mm (Dolphins)- Ø 914 mm, 19 mm (Trestle & Pivot)
Raking 1:4
Vertical capacity: Fleming et al.s = 0.41 sqrt(UCS/1 MPa)
Horizontal capacity: p-y curves- sand acc. to API for superficial deposits- weak rock acc. to Reese (1977)
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Quadrant beam and pivot foundation
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c d
Pile installation procedure
Temporary casing driven to bedrock
Coring rock socket
Flush & clean
Tremie concrete socket
Place pile with spacers
Fill annulus with sand
Retract temp. casing
Pour mass concrete
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Pile installation and testing offshore
Ø762 mm
Wirth drilling rig
Loading platform
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Unconfined compressive strength of bedrock
Soil parameters
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
00 5 10 15 20 25
UCS (MPa)Le
vel (
m)
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How do we trust the design assumptions?
Comparable experience
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
10.00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
UCS [MPa]
Dep
th [m
]
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Bearing Capacity [MN]
Dep
th b
elow
top
of ro
ck [m
]
Shaft adhesionFleming
Shaft adhesionTomlinson
Shaft adhesionAASHTO
Design profile
10 - 16.5 MN
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Dolphins
Non-linear springs
FEM analysis
Breasting Dolphins and Mooring Dolphins:
– FEM program Robot
– Three- dimensional space frame / plate model
– Governing forces in piles and cappingbeam
Design application
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Available borehole information
N
N
New facility
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Principle of load testing
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Evaluation of load testing
ultmob
mob
ult
mob
34
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14Tension load on trial pile (MN)
Top
of ro
ck s
ocke
t (m
m)
Top rock socket Appendix A
Pile head - elastic Appendix
ult = 832 kPa
ult = 3.5 mm
(Design ult 615 kPa)
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Evaluation of onshore load testing
0
200
400
600
800
1000
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Depth below top of trial pile (m)
Mob
ilize
d sh
ear s
tres
s (k
Pa) 2L-14
2L-122L-81L-41L-2
312009-04-23 Problematic soils - a euphemism ..
Evaluation of onshore load testing
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
1 10 100
Time (minutes)
Cre
ep d
ispl
acem
ent (
mm
)Extensometer 1
Pile head
0.33 mm/lct
0.07 mm/lct
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Evaluation of onshore load testing
0
2
4
6
8
600 700 800 900 1000
Ultimate shear stress ult (kPa)
Ulti
mat
e di
spla
cem
ent
ult (
mm
)
dult derivedAverage stress in L2-14
max. pile displ.Design UCS char.
UCS average
Conclusion
• Pile capacity >> design
• Pile system works
• Offshore tests confirm this
• Tension pull out not an issue
• Results forms back-bone data
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Evaluation of 762 mm offshore pile capacity (MN)
Char. shear stress Design Onshore test
615 kPa 832 kPa
Cone Pile diameter 3.3 5.9
uplift Socket diam. 4.2 7.7
no Pile diameter 4.3 8.0
uplift Socket diam. 5.5 10.5
Ø762 mm net capacity > 7.2 MN
342009-04-23 Problematic soils - a euphemism ..
Keep challenges at bay!
• Problems challenges engineering solutions
• Soil - structure - water - environment interaction
• Have fun with your projects