Centrifuge modelling of the effect of base slab stiffness on long-term heave and swell pressure
View / Open Files
Publication Date
2022Journal Title
Geotechnique: international journal of soil mechanics
ISSN
0016-8505
Publisher
ICE Publishing
Type
Article
This Version
AM
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Chan, D., Madabhushi, G., Viggiani, G., Williamson, M., & Hsu, Y. S. (2022). Centrifuge modelling of the effect of base slab stiffness on long-term heave and swell pressure. Geotechnique: international journal of soil mechanics https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.22.00111
Abstract
Long-term heave of basement slabs is a significant problem in cities with over-consolidated clay, such as London. There is a dearth of data to calibrate the methods commonly used by designers to predict heave
displacement and swell pressure. This paper presents results from two centrifuge tests aimed at reproducing
the phenomenon of long-term basement heave. Reduced scale models of rectangular basements with different slab thicknesses underlain by over-consolidated clay were tested, to investigate the effect of base slab stiffness on heave behaviour. The centrifuge tests provided measurements of the profiles of vertical displacement, bending moments in the slab, and contact pressure at the slab-soil interface. This is the first geotechnical centrifuge study to provide simultaneous measurements of vertical displacement and swell pressures during long-term basement
heave. Whereas the flexible basement underwent significant differential heave and almost complete relaxation of swell pressures, the stiff basement generated large swell pressures and consequently large bending stresses.
These results confirm that the prediction of high heave pressures is a self-fulfilling prophecy: a basement slab
with high stiffness will beget large swell pressures. The experimental measurements of swell pressure and heave were compared to predictions by a simplified non-linear method of heave calculation. The simplified non-linear method produced acceptable predictions of total heave.
Keywords
basements, centrifuge modelling, clays, consolidation
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L016095/1)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.22.00111
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/337644
Statistics
Total file downloads (since January 2020). For more information on metrics see the
IRUS guide.
Recommended or similar items
The current recommendation prototype on the Apollo Repository will be turned off on 03 February 2023. Although the pilot has been fruitful for both parties, the service provider IKVA is focusing on horizon scanning products and so the recommender service can no longer be supported. We recognise the importance of recommender services in supporting research discovery and are evaluating offerings from other service providers. If you would like to offer feedback on this decision please contact us on: support@repository.cam.ac.uk