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Analysis and Interpretation of Inclinometer and Pressure Cell Data on a Soil-Geofoam Embankment

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Proceedings of GeoShanghai 2018 International Conference: Multi-physics Processes in Soil Mechanics and Advances in Geotechnical Testing (GSIC 2018)

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Abstract

This paper presents analysis and interpretation of monitored vertical settlements and pressures of a rehabilitated bridge approach slab located in Johnson County, Texas. Four horizontal inclinometer casings and pressure cells (equipped with thermometers) were installed at the test site during the rehabilitation process. In this paper, collected data from the inclinometers, pressure cells, and thermometers were employed in an attempt, to understand the effect of climate changes on the vertical settlements and pressures of the approach slab. It has been observed that with an increase in temperature, the bridge structure enforced the movements of the geofoam blocks causing vertical settlement. Whereas, the bridge structure movements after a temperature decrease, induced vertical swelling at the top of the geofoam blocks. The pressure cells that were installed at the top and bottom of the geofoam embankment revealed that the stresses observed at the top of the geofoam were significantly reduced. Also, the pressure cells installed at the sides of the bridge and geofoam structure to evaluate the lateral pressure response lost contact and provided negative results. The loss of contact can be a response to the movement of the structure with respect to thermal changes in the structure. This research highlights the important observations of a bridge structure and its approach soil-geofoam embankment movements with respect to temperature and precipitation variations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Texas at Arlington, Box 19308, Arlington, 76019, USA

    Ali Shafikhani, Tejo V. Bheemasetti, Anand J. Puppala & Aritra Banerjee

Authors
  1. Ali Shafikhani
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  2. Tejo V. Bheemasetti
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  3. Anand J. Puppala
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  4. Aritra Banerjee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anand J. Puppala .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA

    Liangbo Hu

  2. Geotechnical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China

    Xiaoqiang Gu

  3. The University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA

    Junliang Tao

  4. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Annan Zhou

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© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

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Shafikhani, A., Bheemasetti, T.V., Puppala, A.J., Banerjee, A. (2018). Analysis and Interpretation of Inclinometer and Pressure Cell Data on a Soil-Geofoam Embankment. In: Hu, L., Gu, X., Tao, J., Zhou, A. (eds) Proceedings of GeoShanghai 2018 International Conference: Multi-physics Processes in Soil Mechanics and Advances in Geotechnical Testing. GSIC 2018. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0095-0_46

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