ORCID

0009-0002-9402-5948

Keywords

Construction Vibrations, Soil Dynamics, Finite Element Modeling, Blast Densification, Pile Driving, Road Compaction

Abstract

The behavior of geo-structures and foundation systems in densely populated urban areas relies on the successful performance of the supporting soils when subjected to static (e.g., the weight of the structure or service loads) or dynamic (e.g., earthquake-induced ground motions, construction-induced vibrations, wind loads, or traffic) loading scenarios. Construction-related activities and ground improvement operations can also be responsible to alter the stress-strain-strength behavior of supporting soils by causing vibration-induced ground deformations, excessive vibrations, or mobilizing soil shear strength in relation to in situ or as-built conditions. Construction-related activities and ground improvement operations such as blast densification trigger complex dynamic input energy-soil-foundation interactions that require robust numerical modeling frameworks to be able to simulate the wave propagation, excess pore water pressure generation, and resulting ground deformations and vibrations propagated through the participating soils. This dissertation focuses on studying the suitability of critical-state-based constitutive soil models to evaluate the triggering mechanisms and ground response (i.e., ground deformations and vibrations) during construction vibrations-related problems (e.g., impact pile driving and vibratory roller compaction) and soil stress redistributions induced by blast densification activities. Construction-induced vibrations and ground deformations are first studied via a field monitoring and testing program developed at selected construction sites across Central Florida followed by the study of soil arching, stress redistributions, and ground deformations in a field-testing blast densification program conducted at the Port of Portland, Oregon. These field-testing programs are used to understand expected soil responses and triggering mechanisms and to perform the validation of the proposed numerical modeling approaches presented in this research work. The hypoplasticity constitutive soil model for sands enhanced with the intergranular strain concept is used in this dissertation to model the changes in soil density (or void ratio) due to abovementioned activities. A detailed calibration of the constitutive soil parameters based on expected elemental scale responses is presented herein. Comprehensive parametric studies are performed following numerical modeling validations to study the effect of the variables involved in vibration-induced changes in dynamic soil behavior due to impact pile driving and road compaction activities and in soil arching and ground deformations resulting from excess pore water pressure dissipation in blast densification programs. Summary charts and equations to predict ground deformations and vibrations are proposed herein.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Arboleda-Monsalve, Luis G.

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029600

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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