A study was performed to investigate the factors that affect the accuracy of the procedures used by the Virginia Department of Transportation for design of drilled shaft sound wall foundations. Field load tests were performed on eight inch and nine inch diameter drilled shafts, and the results were compared to theoretical solutions for ultimate lateral load capacity. Standard Penetration Tests were run in the field and laboratory strength tests were performed on the soils from the test sites. It was found that published correlations between blow count and friction angle for sands and gravels can be used to estimate friction angles for the partly saturated silty and clayey soils encountered at the test sites. A spreadsheet program was developed to automate the process of determining design lengths for drilled shaft sound wall foundations. The spreadsheet was used to investigate the effects of different analysis procedures and parameter values on the design lengths of drilled shaft sound wall foundation. / Master of Science

Les ancrages hélicoïdaux, largement utilisés pour résister à des efforts de traction pour une variété d’applications comme les pylônes électriques, les pipelines, les structures offshore, etc., sont soumis à des chargements cycliques qui influent sur la performance d’encrage et peuvent induire une rupture par fatigue. Cependant, l’influence des sollicitations cycliques sur le comportement d’encrage hélicoïdal est mal connue. Une évaluation approfondie de l’effet des charges cycliques sur la réponse effort – déplacement des ancrages avec une seule hélice dans les sols sableux est présentée, incluant un diagramme d’interaction pour aider à évaluer l’impact des différentes conditions de chargement cyclique. La partie expérimentale de cette thèse comprend des essais en centrifugeuse géotechnique et des essais de chargement in situ. Les essais en centrifugeuse ont été effectués sur des modèles réduits d’encrages hélicoïdaux dans du sable à l’IFSTTAR (Nantes, France). Les essais de chargement in situ ont été réalisés sur des ancrages hélicoïdaux installés dans le sol tropical résiduel du site expérimental de l’Université de Sao Paulo (Sao Carlos, Brésil). De plus la modélisation numérique a été utilisée pour prédire les réponses pré et post cycliques des ancrages d’une hélice testée en centrifugeuse. Les principales conclusions de cette recherche sont : (a) le comportement d’un ancrage hélicoïdal est régi par la capacité portante de l’hélice, et aucune perte de capacité portante d’hélice n’a été observée pour la gamme de charges cycliques testée, (b) la dégradation de la résistance par frottement latéral sur le fut a été remarquée principalement pendant les 100 premiers cycles, lorsque l’accumulation des déplacements permanents est plus importante, (c) un diagramme d’interaction montrant les différentes conditions de stabilité cyclique est proposé à partir des résultats des données expérimentales, (d) des valeurs modifiées du facteur de capacité portante (Nq) sont proposées pour l’estimation de la capacité et post-cyclique des ancrages avec une hélice dans du sable, (e) l’effet de l’installation de l’ancrage doit être pris en compte dans le modèle numérique afin d’obtenir des prédictions fiables de la performance de l’ancrage hélicoïdal. / Helical anchors, used widely to resist uplift loading for a variety of applications, including in transmission towers, pipelines, offshore structures, etc., are subjected to environmental cyclic loads that influence the anchor performance and may induce fatigue failure. However, the influence of cyclic loading on helical anchor behaviour is unknown. A comprehensive evaluation of the effect of cyclic loading on the load-displacement response of single-helix anchors in sandy soils is presented here, including an interaction diagram to help designers evaluate the impact of different conditions in cyclic loadings. The experimental work of this thesis includes geotechnical centrifuge modelling and field load tests. The centrifuge model tests were carried out with reduced scale models of helical anchors in sand, at IFSTTAR (Nantes, France). The field load tests were performed on hekical anchors installed in a tropical residual soil of the Experimental Site of the University of Sao Paulo (Sao Carlos, Brazil). In addition, numerical modelling was used to predict the pre- and post-cyclic responses of the single-helix anchors tested in a centrifuge. The main findings of this research are : (a) helical anchor behaviour is governed by helix bearing resistance and no loss of helix bearing capacity was observed in the range of cyclic loadings tested, (b) the degardation of shaft resistance was noticed mainly during the first 100 cycles, when the accumulation of permanent displacements is more significant, (c) an interaction diagramshowing the different conditions of cyclic stability is proposed from the results of the experimental data, (d) modified values of the bearing capacity factor in tension (Nq) are suggested for the estimation of post-cyclic uplift capacity of single-helix anchors in sand, (e) the installation effect of the anchor should be taken into account in the numerical model in order to obtain reliable predictions of the helical anchor performance.

Helical anchors, used widely to resist uplift loading for a variety of applications, including in transmission towers, pipelines, offshore structures, etc., are subjected to environmental cyclic loads that influence the anchor performance and may induce fatigue failure. However, the influence of cyclic loading on helical anchor behaviour is unknown. A comprehensive evaluation of the effect of cyclic loading on the load-displacement response of single-helix anchors in sandy soils is presented here, including an interaction diagram to help designers evaluate the impact of different conditions in cyclic loadings. The experimental work of this thesis includes geotechnical centrifuge modelling and field load tests. The centrifuge model tests were carried out with reduced scale models of helical anchors in sand, at IFSTTAR (Nantes, France). The field load tests were performed on helical anchors installed in a tropical residual soil of the Experimental Site of the University of São Paulo (São Carlos, Brazil). In addition, numerical modelling was used to predict the pre- and postcyclic responses of the single-helix anchors tested in a centrifuge. The main findings of this research are: (a) helical anchor behaviour is governed by helix bearing resistance, and no loss of helix bearing capacity was observed in the range of cyclic loadings tested, (b) the degradation of shaft resistance was noticed mainly during the first 100 cycles, when the accumulation of permanent displacements is more significant, (c) an interaction diagram showing the different conditions of cyclic stability is proposed from the results of the experimental data, (d) modified values of the bearing capacity factor in tension (Nq) are suggested for the estimation of post-cyclic uplift capacity of single-helix anchors in sand, (e) the installation effect of the anchor should be taken into account in the numerical model in order to obtain reliable predictions of the helical anchor performance. / As estacas helicoidais são largamente utilizadas para resistir a carregamentos de tração em uma variedade de aplicações como torres de linhas de transmissão de energia, dutos enterrados, estruturas offshore, etc. Estes tipos de estruturas são normalmente submetidos a carregamentos cíclicos que influenciam o desempenho de fundações por estacas helicoidais submetidas a esforços de tração, e podem induzir ruptura por degradação da capacidade de carga. Contudo, a influência do carregamento cíclico no comportamento das estacas helicoidais (ou ancoragens helicoidais, quando submetidas apenas a esforços de tração) é pouco conhecida. Uma avaliação abrangente do efeito de carregamentos cíclicos sobre o comportamento das ancoragens helicoidais é apresentada nesta tese, incluindo um diagrama de interação para auxiliar na avaliação do impacto de diferentes condições de carregamento cíclico. O trabalho experimental desta tese inclui modelagem em centrífuga geotécnica e ensaios de carregamento cíclico em estacas na grandeza real em campo. Os ensaios em centrífuga foram realizados com modelos reduzidos de estacas helicoidais em areia, no IFSTTAR (Nantes, França). Os ensaios de campo foram realizados em ancoragens helicoidais instaladas no solo residual tropical do Campo Experimental de Fundações da Universidade de São Paulo (São Carlos, Brasil). Além disso, modelos numéricos foram utilizados para simular os resultados do comportamento das ancoragens helicoidais ensaiadas em centrífuga nas condições pré- e pós-ciclos. Os principais resultados desta pesquisa são: (a) a capacidade de carga à tração da ancoragem helicoidal é controlada pela capacidade de carga da hélice, (b) a degradação da resistência por atrito lateral foi observada principalmente durante os primeiros 100 ciclos, período em que a acumulação dos deslocamentos permanentes é mais significante, (c) um diagrama de interação mostrando as diferentes condições de estabilidade cíclica é proposto a partir dos resultados experimentais em centrífuga, (d) valores modificados do fator de capacidade de carga em tração (Nq) são sugeridos para estimativa da capacidade pós-ciclos de ancoragens helicoidais com uma hélice em areia, (e) o efeito da instalação da ancoragem deve ser levado em consideração no modelo numérico para que se obtenha previsões confiáveis do desempenho de ancoragens helicoidais.

Helical anchors, used widely to resist uplift loading for a variety of applications, including in transmission towers, pipelines, offshore structures, etc., are subjected to environmental cyclic loads that influence the anchor performance and may induce fatigue failure. However, the influence of cyclic loading on helical anchor behaviour is unknown. A comprehensive evaluation of the effect of cyclic loading on the load-displacement response of single-helix anchors in sandy soils is presented here, including an interaction diagram to help designers evaluate the impact of different conditions in cyclic loadings. The experimental work of this thesis includes geotechnical centrifuge modelling and field load tests. The centrifuge model tests were carried out with reduced scale models of helical anchors in sand, at IFSTTAR (Nantes, France). The field load tests were performed on helical anchors installed in a tropical residual soil of the Experimental Site of the University of São Paulo (São Carlos, Brazil). In addition, numerical modelling was used to predict the pre- and postcyclic responses of the single-helix anchors tested in a centrifuge. The main findings of this research are: (a) helical anchor behaviour is governed by helix bearing resistance, and no loss of helix bearing capacity was observed in the range of cyclic loadings tested, (b) the degradation of shaft resistance was noticed mainly during the first 100 cycles, when the accumulation of permanent displacements is more significant, (c) an interaction diagram showing the different conditions of cyclic stability is proposed from the results of the experimental data, (d) modified values of the bearing capacity factor in tension (Nq) are suggested for the estimation of post-cyclic uplift capacity of single-helix anchors in sand, (e) the installation effect of the anchor should be taken into account in the numerical model in order to obtain reliable predictions of the helical anchor performance. / As estacas helicoidais são largamente utilizadas para resistir a carregamentos de tração em uma variedade de aplicações como torres de linhas de transmissão de energia, dutos enterrados, estruturas offshore, etc. Estes tipos de estruturas são normalmente submetidos a carregamentos cíclicos que influenciam o desempenho de fundações por estacas helicoidais submetidas a esforços de tração, e podem induzir ruptura por degradação da capacidade de carga. Contudo, a influência do carregamento cíclico no comportamento das estacas helicoidais (ou ancoragens helicoidais, quando submetidas apenas a esforços de tração) é pouco conhecida. Uma avaliação abrangente do efeito de carregamentos cíclicos sobre o comportamento das ancoragens helicoidais é apresentada nesta tese, incluindo um diagrama de interação para auxiliar na avaliação do impacto de diferentes condições de carregamento cíclico. O trabalho experimental desta tese inclui modelagem em centrífuga geotécnica e ensaios de carregamento cíclico em estacas na grandeza real em campo. Os ensaios em centrífuga foram realizados com modelos reduzidos de estacas helicoidais em areia, no IFSTTAR (Nantes, França). Os ensaios de campo foram realizados em ancoragens helicoidais instaladas no solo residual tropical do Campo Experimental de Fundações da Universidade de São Paulo (São Carlos, Brasil). Além disso, modelos numéricos foram utilizados para simular os resultados do comportamento das ancoragens helicoidais ensaiadas em centrífuga nas condições pré- e pós-ciclos. Os principais resultados desta pesquisa são: (a) a capacidade de carga à tração da ancoragem helicoidal é controlada pela capacidade de carga da hélice, (b) a degradação da resistência por atrito lateral foi observada principalmente durante os primeiros 100 ciclos, período em que a acumulação dos deslocamentos permanentes é mais significante, (c) um diagrama de interação mostrando as diferentes condições de estabilidade cíclica é proposto a partir dos resultados experimentais em centrífuga, (d) valores modificados do fator de capacidade de carga em tração (Nq) são sugeridos para estimativa da capacidade pós-ciclos de ancoragens helicoidais com uma hélice em areia, (e) o efeito da instalação da ancoragem deve ser levado em consideração no modelo numérico para que se obtenha previsões confiáveis do desempenho de ancoragens helicoidais.