Ground Reinforcement with

Shallow Timber Piles for Soils

Susceptible to Liquefaction
25/02/2015

Outline of presentation

Liquefaction & Ground Treatment Methods

Driven Timber Piles & Christchurch Ground Improvement Trials

Previous Studies Shake table models

Numerical model

Results of numerical analysis

Conclusions

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
25/02/15

Liquefaction

Liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of a
soil is reduced by dynamic loading (earthquake shaking) or other rapid
cyclic loading

It is associated with significant loss of stiffness and strength in the
liquefiable soil and consequent large ground deformation
Liquefaction is primarily a deformation problem

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
25/02/15

Ground Treatment Methods

Three broad categories (JGS 1998)

Treatment of the liquefiable soil to strengthen it (mitigation and / or reinforcement)

Treatment of the liquefiable soil to accelerate dissipation of excess pore water pressures

Measures to reduce liquefaction-induced damage to the structures or facility

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
25/02/15

Driven Timber Piles & Christchurch Ground Improvement Trials (July & Dec 2013)

EQC Trial (Nov Dec 2013)
8 different ground improvement methods
were trialled in ChCh (S.J. Van Ballegooy,
Dec 2014)
by T-Rex testing and blast induced
liquefaction testing

Rapid Impact Compaction (RIC)

Low Mobility Grout (LMG)
Rammed Aggregate Piers (RAP) or Stone
Columns (SC)
Horizontal Soil Mixing (HSM)
Driven Timber Piles (DTP)

by anecdotal information

250mm diameter driven piles were

trialled
3.6m long 1.2m c/c grid capped
with 300mm gravel raft

FY 2013 research program (ODOT)

Specification for Ground Improvement using Densified Rafts, Stabilised Crusts, Stone Columns and
Driven Timber Poles for residential properties in Canterbury
September 2014, Draft version for comment
Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
25/02/15

Top View

Previous Studies / Shake Table Models

Yoshida et al (2010, 2012) Soil models 800x400x300mm
Case 1 untreated ground
Case 2 piles around the house
Case 3 pile top fixed
Top View

Case 4 inclined 15o

Case Examined piles beneath the

house

44%
50%
65%

Case 2 & 3

Case 4

70%

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
25/02/15

Numerical Model (PLAXIS 2D AE finite element software)

Reinforced gravel raft

Driven timber piles

Loose SAND

Dense SAND

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
25/02/15

Material Properties and Constitutive Model (HSsmall)

Loose SAND

 


Loose SAND
(liq)

Dense SAND

Gravel Raft

17.0

17.0

20.0

22.0



11.0

1.1

12.5

20.0



22.0

2.2

25.0

40.0

 MPa



55.0

5.5

100.0

80.0

 

29.0

15.0

37.0

38.0

 MPa

 MPa

Timber piles

300SED @ 900mm c/c

 GPa

8.7

 MPa

580.0

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
25/02/15

Geogrid

- relation approximated with a

non-linear curve (hyperbolic
Duncan-Chang function)
stress-dependent stiffness
(degradation of Go with
increasing shear strain)

Tensar RE520

Dynamic Analysis Strong Ground Motion

Feb 2011 strong motion records from the Christchurch Hospital (CHHC) station with a firm peak ground
acceleration of 0.36g in the EW direction has been considered

CHHC seismic station was situated in a 2-storey concrete building (235 Antigua St) close to Christchurch Hospital
Cyclic loading; build-up
of excess pwp

5sec

10sec

(Smyrnou et al 2013, Structural and

geotechnical aspects of the Christchurch (2011)
and Darfield (2010) earthquakes in New
Zealanand)

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
25/02/15

Numerical model Stages of analysis

The following analytical stages undertaken to investigate
the system performance and to compare it with other
layouts without the timber piles and / or the gravel raft

20 kPa

Analysis #01: 20kPa foundation load over untreated

soil

Analysis #02: 20kPa foundation load over reinforced
gravel raft

Analysis #03: as per the previous stage but with the
inclusion of the timber piles

Analysis #04: similar to #03 with the inclusion of
drainage elements around the piles

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
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Results of numerical analysis - Estimated model displacements

Analysis #01: 20kPa foundation load over untreated soil

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
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Results of numerical analysis - Estimated model displacements

Analysis #02: 20kPa foundation load over reinforced gravel raft

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
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Results of numerical analysis - Estimated model displacements

Analysis #03: as per the previous stage but with the inclusion of the timber piles
Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
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Results of numerical analysis - Estimated model displacements

0.00

-0.40
Surface Settllement (m)

Surface Displacement (m)

-0.20

-0.60

-0.80

0.22m
0.26m

Timber + raft 5s lq
Timber + raft 10s lq

0.38m

Timber + raft 0s lq

0.52m
0.60m

Untreated soil 5s lq
Untreated soil 10s lq

0.96m

Untreated soil 0s lq

20 kPa load on Ground - Liquefaction after 0s

20 kPa load on Ground - Liquefaction after 5s
20 kPa load on Ground - Liquefaction after 10s
20 kPa load on Timber - Liquefaction after 0s

-1.00

20 kPa load on Timber - Liquefaction after 5s

20 kPa load on Timber - Liquefaction after 10s
-1.20
0

10

15

20

25

Dynamic Time (s)

Time (s)
Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
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Conclusions
treated ground; tend to act like a stiffer crust on the top of a liquefiable deposit
drainage dissipation; minor beneficial effects (numerically) from the timber acting as a source of
drainage
important component of the system; the gravel mat above the piles (with some geogrid reinforcement)
proposed simplified procedure of dynamic analyses capture the overall system performance with or
without the inclusion of the timber piles and can be comparatively evaluated in terms of anticipated
displacements
use of the timber piles; plays an important role in reducing the liquefaction-induced foundation
settlements to a considerable degree - the predicted settlement decreased by 50 to 60% with a more
uniform response limiting the potential of differential foundation displacements
piles should be closely spaced and relative large in diameter (>200mm)
Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
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Acknowledgment

Coffey & my colleagues

Special thank to
Prof. Harry Poulos
David Sullivan Principal Geotechnical Engineer
Alaa El-Nahas Lead Geotechnical Engineer at Bechtel CCEE

Co-authors:
Andreas Giannakogiorgos Associate Geotechnical Engineer
Thayalan Nallarulanantham Principal Geotechnical Engineer
Satha Iyathurai Associate Geotechnical Engineer

my family

Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
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Ground Reinforcement with Shallow Timber Piles for Soils Susceptible to Liquefaction
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