Showing papers by "Fang-Le Peng published in 1997"

Numerical Simulation of Plane Strain Compression Tests on Large Geogrid-Reinforced Sand Specimens

Abstract: Numerical simulation of large plane strain compression tests on a unreinforced specimen and geogrid-reinforced sand specimens was conducted by nonlinear elasto-plastic FEM considering strain localization. The sand specimens were reinforced with 6 and 11 layers of geogrid, respectively. The plane strain FEM analyses, in which the geogrid was modelled as a planar reinforcement, could properly simulate global stress-strain relationships obtained from the experiments either when the equivalent (reduced) tensile stiffness was used together with an interface friction angle similar to the sand, or when the equivalent (reduced) interface friction angle was used together with the measured tensile stiffness. By examining local stress-strain relationships and development of shear band within the specimen obtained from the FEM, the reinforcing mechanism and the effects of vertical spacing of reinforcement layers were clearly understood.

Numerical Simulation of Bearing Capacity Failure in Reinforced Sand Ground and Slope

Abstract: A nonlinear elasto-plastic FEM analysis considering pressure-dependency and anisotropy in internal friction angle, strain softening, and shear banding was conducted to simulate a series of plane strain laboratory model tests on bearing capacity failure in reinforced sand level ground and slope. The model ground was made of air-dried dense Toyoura sand and reinforced with linear, tensile reinforcing members placed horizontally beneath a strip footing. Model tests on reinforced ground with various reinforcing patterns using different length, number of layers, and vertical spacing of reinforcement as well as the one on unreinforced ground were analyzed. Load-settlement relations obtained by the FEM analyses were similar to those of experimental tests with respect to the effects of reinforcing patterns, although pre-peak stiffness and peak load obtained by the FEM analyses were slightly larger. It was also found that shear banding patterns observed in the tests were well simulated by the FEM analyses.