Stone column technique is mostly used to reinforce soft cohesive soils. Settlements are decreased under foundations and bearing capacity is increased. This study initially focuses on a comprehensive review of literature about stone column reinforced soils. Afterwards, numerical modeling of stone column reinforced soft clays is done. Three different cases are chosen on different foundation soils mainly soft clays. Parametric studies are done to determine influence of parameters on settlement reduction ratio under three different foundation conditions. Analyses are converted to two dimensional conditions and this conversion is also compared within the scope of this study. Settlement reduction ratio response to variation in parameters revealed similar results under three different foundation conditions.

In this research, the dynamic behavior of a seismic isolation system composed of high strength geotextile placed over an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) geomembrane (together called as composite liner) beneath the structure is investigated experimentally. The results of the shaking table experiments which were performed on model structures both under harmonic and modified earthquake motions with and without the seismic isolation (composite liner system), are presented in the thesis. The main focus is given on the potential improvement obtained by use of the composite liner system as compared to the unisolated cases. Based on the performed experiments, it is observed that the utilization of composite liner system provides significant reduction in the accelerations and interstorey drift ratios of structures under harmonic motions while signifant drop is obtained in the spectral accelerations under earthquake motions which provide noticeable improvement in the durability of structures under dynamic effects at the expense of increased translational displacements.

ABSTRACT COMPARISON OF ANALYSIS METHODS OF EMBEDDED RETAINING WALLS HARMANDAR, Serkan M.S., Department of Civil Engineering Supervisor : Prof. Dr. Yener &Ouml / zkan Co -Supervisor : Dr. Oguz &Ccedil / aliSan December 2006, 123 pages In this study a single-propped embedded retaining wall supporting a cohesionless soil is investigated by four approaches, namely limit equilibrium, subgrade reaction, pseudo-finite element and finite element methods. Structural forces, such as strut loads, wall shear forces, bending moments are calculated by each method and results are compared. The analyses are carried for for three values of internal friction angle of soil / 30o, 35o, and 40o. Effects of modulus of soil elasticity of the backfill and wall stiffness on structural forces are investigated by using different values for these parameters. It is found that, in those of obtained by, limit equilibrium approach results in embedment depth greater than other methods. Minimum strut loads for the same soil and structure parameters are obtained by limit equilibrium method. An increase of Young&rsquo / s modulus of the soil results in decrease of the strut loads.

In this study, fracture grouting technique of saturated, granular soils of different fine content were investigated. Model tests were carried out by using fluid particulate grouts namely micro fine cement and ordinary portland cement grouts. Basically, relationships were obtained between soil conditions (grain size distribution, relative density, overburden stress) and grouting parameters (type of grout, grouting pressure, amount of injected grout, rheological properties of the grout or water/solids ratio). At the end of the tests the soil specimens were exposed and the final grout shapes were observed and correlated with the grouting parameters. Response of soil specimens to grouting process under different grouting pressures and grout compositions was analyzed. Amount of heave occurred at the top of the specimen during injections was recorded at each test. Micro fine cement grout and ordinary portland cement grout showed significant differences rheologically. Micro fine cement grout, with much higher Blaine fineness, lower specific gravity, lower viscosity and cohesion, lower bleed and filtration coefficients, made it possible to fracture the fine sandy soils of different fine content. Results of tests performed with micro fine cement grouts show that fracturing pressure generally decreases with an increase in the water content of the grout but generally increases as the fine content of the soil increases. A higher relative density of the soil increases the fracturing pressure significantly. The volumes of grout injected into soil specimens until fracturing show an increasing tendency as the water/solids ratio decrease. Ordinary portland cement grout, on the other hand, exposed to high pressure filtration during grouting in relatively clean sand and addition of some amount of kaolinite or fines is required to reduce the filtration percentages during grouting in order to fracture grout the sandy soil. Filtration due to high permeabilities results in accumulation of cement particles around the injection point and grouting tends to take a form similar to compaction grouting.

In this study, bending moment distributions developed in laterally loaded passive pile and passive pile groups in cohesionless soil were investigated in laboratory conditions through model pile experiments. Different from the active pile loading, the lateral load was given directly to the piles using a movable large direct shear box. In these experiments strain gauges fastened to the piles and a computer based data reading system were used. The strain values were measured at five levels on the piles. The behavior of a single pile and a pile group having five piles were investigated through strain measurements in order to observe bending moment distribution on the piles. After evaluating the test results, the behavior of passive single pile was found to be similar to the results obtained in early studies. Negative bending moments were observed at the specified depths above the shear plane and positive bending moments were measured at the level of the shear plane and below the shear plane. Maximum bending moments were obtained at 0.7L (L: Length of Pile) for single piles and piles in the group. Above the shear plane, maximum bending moments within the pile group were found to be developed on the piles nearest to the loading. On the shear plane maximum bending moments were developed on the piles farthest from the loading just like active piles. Below the shear plane, maximum bending moments were developed mainly on the piles nearest to the loading.

Control algorithm is developed for a satellite with flexible appendages to achieve a good pointing performance. Detailed modeling activity was carried out that consists of sensor and actuator models, disturbances and system dynamics. Common hardware found in the spacecraft such as reaction wheels, gyroscopes, star trackers etc. were included in the model. Furthermore, the Newton-Euler method is employed for the derivation of multi-body equations of motion. Evaluation of the pointing accuracy with proper pointing performance metrics such as accuracy, jitter and stability during slew maneuvers are obtained through simulations. Control strategies are proposed to improve pointing performance.

Two different concepts and design procedures namely settlement reducing piles and piled raft foundations have been studied independently in this thesis. A laboratory study is conducted on model rafts with differing number of model settlement reducing piles. Pile length, pile diameter, type of soil and size of raft are kept constant and settlements are measured under sustained loading. Remolded kaolin is consolidated under controlled stresses before tests are performed in model boxes. The tests are conducted under two sustained loadings of 75 kPa and 40 kPa. 0(raft), 16 and 49 number of piles are used. During the tests, all of the skin friction is mobilized. Several tests are conducted for each combination to see the variability. It is concluded that increasing the pile number beyond an optimum value is inefficient as far as the amount of settlement is considered. Also an analytical procedure has been followed to calculate settlements with increasing number of piles. In the second part of this thesis, finite element analyse have been performed on a piled raft foundation model, using Plaxis 3D Foundation Engineering software. This analyse are supported with analytical methods. The piled raft model is loaded with 450 kPa raft pressure. The studies are conducted in two sets in which different pile lengths are used / 25 m and 30 m respectively. The numbers of piles are increased from 63 to 143. All other parameters are kept constant. The results showed that again an optimum number of piles will be sufficient to reduce the settlement to the acceptable level. The analytical methods indicate a similar behavior. The comparison and results are presented in the study.

Designing with Limit Equilibrium Methods involve a factor of safety (FS) in order to maintain the stability and to keep the resisting structure away from limit state on the safe side. Finite Element Program (such as Plaxis) on the other hand, instead of an FS, reduces the shear strength of the soil by introducing a reduction factor that is applied to tan

Recent developments in technology are changing the trend both in satellite design and application of that technology. As the number of small satellites built by experts from academia and private companies increases, more effective ways of inserting those satellites into orbit is needed. Among the various studies that focus on the launch of such small satellites, research on design of Launch Vehicle tailored for nano-satellites attracts special attention. In this thesis, Multiple Cooling Multi Objective Simulated Annealing algorithm is applied for the conceptual design of Launch vehicle for nano-satellites. A set of fitness functions are cooled individually, and acceptance is based on the maximum value of the acceptance probabilities calculated. Angle of attack and propulsion characteristics are employed as optimization parameters. Algorithm finds the optimum trajectory as well as the design parameters that satisfies user defined constraints. In this study burnout velocity, and payload mass are defined as objectives. The methodolgy is applied for different design scenarios including multistage, air and ground launch vehicles.

Collapse in soils occur when a partially unstable, partially saturated open fabric under high enough stress causing a metastable structure with large soil suction, or in the presence of a bonding or cementing agent, is allowed to free access to additional water. Such excess water reduces soil suction and weakens or destroys the bonding, this causing shear failure at the interaggregate or intergranular contacts, consequently, the soil collapses. In this study, the collapsible soils found in the &Ccedil / ayirhan Thermal Power Plant area has been stabilized by using the desulphogypsum, and fly ash obtained from the &Ccedil / ayirhan Thermal Power Plant. An extensive laboratory testing program has been undertaken to provide information on the geotechnical properties of collapsible soil treated by &Ccedil / ayirhan fly ash and desulphogypsum. At the end of the test program, it has been seen that the collapsible soil (compacted) can be stabilized by adding fly ash and desulphogypsum. Although a significant change on the collapse potential was not observed when fly ash and desulphogypsum added samples were compared with compacted sample without stabilization, but there is an increase in unconfined compressive strength values due to stabilization.