"Earthquake stability of sand reclaimed areas: experimental research through cyclic TXA-tests" is the full title of the thesis I wrote with Kenny Tournoy (kenny.tournoy@outlook.com) for obtaining our degree of Master of Science in Civil Engineering.
The experimental research was done in cooperation with Jan de Nul.
The research mainly consisted of determining the parameters influencing soil liquefaction, a phenomenon where a given soil mass, submitted to a vibration of any kind, loses its stabiltiy and starts acting as a fluid.
The animatons below were homemade and used during our thesis-presentation.
We both received our degree with honor, leaving me wondering to what extent these animation made a difference.
The experimental research was done in cooperation with Jan de Nul.
The research mainly consisted of determining the parameters influencing soil liquefaction, a phenomenon where a given soil mass, submitted to a vibration of any kind, loses its stabiltiy and starts acting as a fluid.
The animatons below were homemade and used during our thesis-presentation.
We both received our degree with honor, leaving me wondering to what extent these animation made a difference.
Installing the triaxialcell:
A bottom piece is put in place, followed by a soil specimen (held in place using a rubber membrane), seperated from each other by a porous stone..After placing the second porous stone on top of the soil specimen, a ring is lowered onto the bottom piece.The cell itself is placed over the specimen, tightly secured and filled with water.
Applying pressures :
A certain amount of pressure Ub is applied within the specimen ,which results in a differential pressure when substracted from the surrounding, hydrostratic pressure Uc.An axial pressure sigma-a is gradually applied on top of the specimen.The total axial load on the specimen is the sum of the differential pressure and axial pressure.The coefficient of lateral earthpressure K0 can then be determined by dividing the hydrostatic pressure by the combined axial load.
Applying cyclic load :
A cyclic load is determined by multiplying the severity of the vibration (earthquake) by the mean effective pressure p' (33,33 kPa at a depth of 5m for fully saturated sandy soils with a density of 20kN/m³)This load is alternately applied to the specimen until the increase in pore pressure results in structural failure of the specimen.
A bottom piece is put in place, followed by a soil specimen (held in place using a rubber membrane), seperated from each other by a porous stone..After placing the second porous stone on top of the soil specimen, a ring is lowered onto the bottom piece.The cell itself is placed over the specimen, tightly secured and filled with water.
Applying pressures :
A certain amount of pressure Ub is applied within the specimen ,which results in a differential pressure when substracted from the surrounding, hydrostratic pressure Uc.An axial pressure sigma-a is gradually applied on top of the specimen.The total axial load on the specimen is the sum of the differential pressure and axial pressure.The coefficient of lateral earthpressure K0 can then be determined by dividing the hydrostatic pressure by the combined axial load.
Applying cyclic load :
A cyclic load is determined by multiplying the severity of the vibration (earthquake) by the mean effective pressure p' (33,33 kPa at a depth of 5m for fully saturated sandy soils with a density of 20kN/m³)This load is alternately applied to the specimen until the increase in pore pressure results in structural failure of the specimen.
