Laboratory Measurement of the Load Reduction on Buried Structures overlain by EPS Geofoam

M. Raafat Ahmed, Mohamed Meguid, Jim Whalen

In the proceedings of: GeoMontréal 2013: 66th Canadian Geotechnical Conference; 11th joint with IAH-CNC

Session: Foundations I

ABSTRACT: In this study a laboratory setup that has been designed and built to measure the changes in earth pressure acting on a rigid pipe installed using the induced trench method is described. A layer of EPS geofoam embedded within the backfill soil above the pipe is used as a compressible material to promote positive arching. A series of experiments has been conducted by loading the surface of the backfill soil with a strip load parallel to the pipe axis under both static and cyclic conditions. The earth pressure distribution acting on the pipe is measured using a flexible sensing technology. Sheets containing arrays of flexible sensors were wrapped around the pipe wall and connected to a data acquisition system. By comparing the measured pressures with benchmark experiments conducted without geofoam installation, it was found that placing the EPS layer has reduced the vertical earth pressure above and below the pipe under both static and cyclic loading conditions. R…SUM… Dans cette ”tude, un montage de laboratoire, qui a ”t” con“u et construit pour mesurer les changements dans la pouss”e des terres agissant sur une conduite rigide install”e en utilisant la m”thode de la tranch”e induite, est d”crit. Une couche d'EPS geofoam, incorpor” dans le sol de remblai au-dessus de la conduite, est utilis”e comme un mat”riau compressible pour produire un effet de voute positif. Une s”rie d'exp”riences a ”t” r”alis”e en appliquant une charge sur la surface du sol de remblai sous forme dÕune bande de chargement parall‘le ‹ l'axe de la conduite dans les conditions statiques et cycliques. La distribution de la pouss”e des terres agissant sur la conduite est mesur”e en utilisant la technologie de d”tection tactile. Des r”seaux de capteurs flexibles ont ”t” enroul”s autour de la paroi du tube et reli”s ‹ un syst‘me d'acquisition de donn”es. En comparant les pressions mesur”es avec des exp”riences de r”f”rence men”e sans installation de Geofoam, il a ”t” constat” que placer la couche dÕEPS a r”duit les pressions verticales du sol au-dessus et en dessous de la conduite sous un chargement statique et cyclique.

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