Blocos sobre estacas ou blocos de coroamento são elementos estruturais usados para transferir as ações da superestrutura para um conjunto de estacas. São encontrados em infra-estruturas de pontes e edifícios. O conhecimento de seu real comportamento estrutural é de fundamental importância, pois são elementos estruturais que garantem a segurança de toda a estrutura. Ainda não há consenso pelo meio técnico quanto o seu real comportamento estrutural. O processo de cálculo usualmente empregado pelo meio técnico para a determinação das reações nas estacas é o método da superposição dos efeitos. Esse método não considera a interação do elemento estrutural com o tipo solo em que as estacas estão apoiadas, nem a altura do bloco. Com a ajuda de análise numérica feita em programa de computador baseado nos métodos dos elementos finitos (MEF) foram simulados blocos variando parâmetros como a altura do bloco e os tipos de vinculação das estacas (solo). Para que houvesse a interação da estrutura com o solo foram propostos dois tipos de solos: solo deformável e solo indeformável. Os blocos analisados foram submetidos as ações de força centrada e momentos variando as suas intensidades. Os resultados mostram que o tipo de vinculação das estacas e a variação da altura do bloco modificaram significativamente o comportamento estrutural do bloco. A situação mais crítica para o bloco foi aquela em que se consideravam as estacas apoiadas em solo do tipo indeformável, chegando-se a resultados de reações nas estacas com diferenças a mais de 200%. Foi possível perceber que mesmo com solo do tipo deformável as estacas na região central do bloco foram as mais solicitadas. E em função da análise numérica conclui-se que os resultados obtidos são de grande importância. / Piles caps are structural elements used to transfer actions of the superstructure to a group of piles. They are found in infrastructures of bridges and buildings. The knowledge of its real structural behavior presents fundamental importance, once piles caps are structural elements that guarantee the safety of all the structure. There is no consensus yet between specialists on its real structural behavior. The traditional calculation process usually used to determine piles reaction is the superposition effect method. This method does not consider the interaction of the structural element with the type of soil where piles are supported, nor the height of the cap. With the aid of numerical analysis made in computer program based on the finite elements method (FEM), caps have been simulated varying parameters as caps height and the types where piles are supported (soil). In order to have the interaction of the structure with the soil, two types of soil have been considered: compressible soil and incompressible soil. The caps analyzed were submitted the action where centered force and moments have been considered varying its intensities. The results show that the type of pile support and the variation of cap height significantly modified the structural behavior of the cap. The most critical situation for the cap was that one considering the piles supported in soil incompressible, reaching results of piles\' reactions with more than 200% of differences. The piles in the central region of the cap have been the most requested on compressible soil type. In function of the numerical analysis, we conclude that the results obtained are of great importance.

Full-scale dynamic lateral load tests were performed on a pile cap with a dense silty sand backfill condition. Two hydraulic load actuators connected a test pile cap with a reaction cap. The load actuators incrementally loaded the test cap up to 50 mm of displacement. After each load increment, the displacement was held constant while an eccentric mass shaker induced dynamic loads under a ramping sequence from 1 Hz to 10 Hz. A baseline response was developed under a no backfill condition. Passive soil pressure was measured using pressure cells and tactile sensors. It was concluded that the presence of the backfill significantly increased the lateral load resistance of the pile-cap system, with the resistance nearly doubling at a 50 mm deflection level. After initial loading, the pile cap system experienced a loss in load resistance. In the case with backfill present, this relaxation generally represented a 10 to 15% loss in resistance. Additionally, after undergoing dynamic, cyclic loading, the resistance was approximately 40 to 80% of its initial value. Dynamic displacement amplitudes were on the order of 0 to 2 mm. Passive pressure from the backfill was observed to be non-linear with a concentration of pressure near the bottom of the pile cap. Rankine, Coulomb, and log-spiral earth pressure theories underestimated the passive earth pressure from the backfill by at least 30%. The natural frequency of the pile cap increased with increasing with static displacement level while placement of the backfill further increased the frequency of the pile cap. On average, the presence of the backfill increased the reloading stiffness of the pile cap by a factor of three to four, whereas the damping ratio increased by a factor of two. The dense silty sand backfill acting by itself on the face of the 1.12 m tall and 5.18 m wide pile cap face exhibited a reloading stiffness on the order of 120 to 250 kN/mm and a damping ratio of 30 to 70%. These damping ratios are significantly higher than that typical expected for structural materials but appear to be consistent with values for soils.

Full-scale lateral load tests were performed on a pile cap with five backfill conditions: no backfill, densely compacted fine gravel, loosely compacted fine gravel, densely compacted coarse gravel, and loosely compacted coarse gravel. Static loads, applied by hydraulic load actuators, were followed by low-frequency, actuator-driven cyclic loads as well as higher frequency dynamic loads from an eccentric mass shaker. Passive resistance from the backfill significantly increased the lateral capacity of the pile cap. Densely compacted backfill materials contributed about 70% of the total system resistance, whereas loosely compacted backfill materials contributed about 40%. The mobilized passive resistance occurred at displacement-to-height ratios of about 0.04 for the densely compacted gravels, whereas passive resistance in the loosely compacted materials does not fully mobilize until greater displacements are reached. Three methods were used to model the passive resistance of the backfill. Comparisons between calculated and measured responses for the densely compacted backfills indicate that in-situ shear strength test parameters provide reasonable agreement when a log-spiral method is used. Reasonable agreement for the loosely compacted backfills was obtained by either significantly reducing the interface friction angle to near zero or reducing the soil's frictional strength by a factor ranging from 0.65 to 0.85. Cracking, elevation changes, and horizontal strains in the backfill indicate that the looser materials fail differently than their densely compacted counterparts. Under both low frequency cyclic loading and higher frequency shaker loading, the backfill significantly increased the stiffness of the system. Loosely compacted soils approximately doubled the stiffness of the pile cap without backfill and densely compacted materials roughly quadrupled the stiffness of the pile cap. The backfill also affected the damping of the system in both the cyclic and the dynamic cases, with a typical damping ratio of at least 15% being observed for the foundation system.

Large scale static lateral load tests were completed on a pile cap with wingwalls under several different sand backfill configurations: no backfill, loosely compacted unconfined, loosely compacted slip plane wall confined, loosely compacted MSE wingwall confined, and densely compacted MSE wingwall confined. The relative compaction of the backfill was varied during each test to observe the change in passive resistance provided by the backfill. The wall types were varied to observe the force placed on the walls and the wall displacement as a result of the laterally loaded pile cap and backfill relative compaction. Passive force-displacement curves were generated from each test. It was found that the densely compacted material provided a much greater passive resistance than the loosely compacted material by 43% (251 kips) when confined by MSE walls. The outward displacement of the MSE walls decreased noticeably for the dense MSE test relative to the loose MSE test. Backfill cracking and heave severity also increased as the relative compaction level of the backfill increased. As the maximum passive force was reached, the reinforcement reached their peak pullout resistance. Correlations were developed between the passive pressure acting on the pile cap and the pressure measured on the MSE wingwalls as a function of distance from the pile cap for both loose and dense backfills. The pressure measured on the wingwalls was approximately 3 to 9% of the pressure acting on the pile cap. As the distance from the pile cap increased, the pressure ratio decreased. This result helps predict the capacity of the wingwalls in abutment design and the amount of allowable wall deflection before pullout of the backfill reinforcement occurs. Three methods were used to model the measured passive force-displacement curves of each test. Overall, the computed curves were in good agreement with the measured curves. However, the triaxial soil friction angle needed to be increased to the plane strain friction angle to accurately model both the loose and dense sand MSE and slip plane wall confined tests. The plane strain friction angle was found to be between 9 to 17% greater than the triaxial friction angle.

Large scale static lateral load tests were performed on a pile cap under varying sand backfill configurations: no backfill, full-width dense sand backfill, dense sand slip plane confined backfill, and two configurations of dense sand MSE wall confined backfills. Efforts were made to maintain the relative compaction of the backfills for each of the tests near the same value. The MSE wall panel arrangement was varied to determine the effect of different reinforcement configurations on the passive resistance and wall panel displacement. Passive force-displacement curves were generated from each test. It was found that the MSE design manual provided reasonable estimates of pullout resistance of bar mats in dense sand, and that the passive resistance of a soil backfill confined by MSE walls can be calculated with an increased friction angle using a log-spiral approach. Also, the amount the triaxial friction angle can be increased depends on how much the MSE wall panels displace outward. Correlations were developed between the pressure on the pile cap and that on the MSE wall panels near the pile cap. Generally, the pressure on the wall panels was less than 10% of that which was on the adjacent pile cap, and decreased as the distance from the pile cap increased. Finally, it was found that while limiting the backfill width decreases the ultimate passive resistance of the backfill, if the backfill is confined in a plane strain configuration the passive resistance per unit width is higher than that for an unconfined backfill.

Accounting for seismic forces and thermal expansion in bridge design requires an accurate passive force versus backwall deflection relationship. Current design codes make no allowances for skew effects on the development of the passive force. However, small-scale experimental results and available numerical models indicate that there is a significant reduction in peak passive force as skew angle increases for plane-strain cases. To further explore this issue large-scale field tests were conducted at skew angles of 0°, 15°, and 30° with unconfined backfill geometry. The abutment backwall was 11 feet (3.35-m) wide by 5.5 feet (1.68-m) high, and backfill material consisted of dense compacted sand. The peak passive force for the 15° and 30° tests was found to be 73% and 58%, respectively, of the peak passive force for the 0° test which is in good agreement with the small-scale laboratory tests and numerical model results. However, the small differences may suggest that backfill properties (e.g. geometry and density) may have some slight effect on the reduction in peak passive force with respect to skew angle. Longitudinal displacement of the backfill at the peak passive force was found to be approximately 3% of the backfill height for all field tests and is consistent with previously reported values for large-scale passive force-deflection tests, though skew angle may slightly reduce the deflection necessary to reach backfill failure. The backfill failure mechanism appears to transition from a log spiral type failure mechanism where Prandtl and Rankine failure zones develop at low skew angles, to a failure mechanism where a Prandtl failure zone does not develop as skew angle increases.

Esta pesquisa realiza a análise do comportamento estrutural de blocos rígidos de concreto armado sobre duas estacas submetidos à ação de força vertical centrada, com pilares de seções quadradas e retangulares e diferentes taxas de armaduras de pilares. Nestes elementos utilizam-se o método das Bielas e Tirantes para o projeto estrutural, mas normalmente não se considera a influência da seção geométrica dos pilares e suas taxas de armadura no projeto do bloco. Apresenta-se um estudo experimental de doze modelos de blocos sobre duas estacas, na escala 1:2. Foi desenvolvida uma análise numérica tridimensional e não linear, pelo método dos elementos finitos, com o auxílio de um programa de computador. Com a análise experimental e numérica foi investigada a distribuição do fluxo das tensões principais de compressão e tração nos modelos e constataram-se diferenças na transmissão de forças para os blocos quando se altera a taxa de armadura e a seção transversal dos pilares. Esta constatação modifica o modelo de Biela e Tirante inicialmente adotado. As deformações em armaduras construtivas complementares também foram estudadas possibilitando o entendimento do modelo estrutural. Um modelo de Bielas e Tirantes para blocos sobre estaca com pilares alongados foi proposto. / This research presents an analysis of the rigid two-pile caps structural behavior. The models were subjected to force action centered and supported columns with different rate of armor and square and rectangular cross sections. These elements can be rigid or flexible, rigid pile-caps can be sized using the Method of Strut and Tie. In most cases the Method of Strut and Tie and the influence of column reinforcement are not considered in the pile-cap´s structural projects. This research presents an experimental investigation of two-pile caps with the objective of improve criteria structural projects. Twelve rigid two-pile caps were builded using 1:2 scaled models. Three-dimensional numerical analyses using software based on element finite method (FEM) were developed considering the reinforced concrete nonlinear behavior. Using results of experimental analysis and numerical analysis an investigation of the flow distribution of the principal stresses of compression and tension in the models was performed, differences in the transmission of forces to the pile-caps, when changing the reinforcement ratio and the cross section of the columns, were detected. The initial model of strut and tie may be modified due to results. The understanding of the structural model was also possible by analysis of the stirrups and upper constructive reinforcement stress-strain behavior. A strut and tie model for pile-caps with an elongated rectangular column was proposed.

A pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar e discutir o comportamento de blocos de concreto armado sobre duas estacas submetidos à ação de força centrada e excêntrica. Desenvolveu-se uma análise numérica tridimensional não-linear de blocos de concreto armado sobre duas estacas. A análise numérica levou em consideração a fissuração do concreto e a influência das armaduras no comportamento estrutural dos blocos. Por meio da análise numérica, foi possível perceber o comportamento e a forma geométrica das bielas de compressão, com isso, obteve-se melhor entendimento do modelo de bielas (escoras) e tirantes aplicado a blocos de concreto armado sobre duas estacas. A geometria observada nos modelos numéricos analisados preliminarmente difere da usualmente sugerida por vários autores. Realizou-se investigação experimental de blocos, com o fim principal de observar, de modo mais abrangente, a geometria das bielas de compressão. A instrumentação foi posicionada nas faces dos blocos com extensômetros espaçados de modo a ocuparem boa parte da largura e, conseqüentemente, indicarem as suas geometrias. A análise experimental de blocos sobre duas estacas submetidos à ação de força excêntrica permitiu observar o comportamento das bielas e tirantes que diferem dos observados quando a força é centrada. Também foi analisada a eficiência dos ganchos das barras de aço que compõem os tirantes, verificando-se que os ganchos podem ser omitidos sem prejuízo da segurança estrutural dos blocos. Em função dos resultados obtidos por meio das análises experimental e numérica desenvolveram-se modelos de bielas e tirantes aplicados a blocos sobre duas estacas / The research had as objective to analyze and to argue about the behavior of two pile caps submitted to the action of a centered and eccentric load. A nonlinear three-dimensional numerical analysis of two pile caps was developed. The numerical analysis included the cracking and the influence of the reinforcement in the structural behavior of the pile caps. By the numerical analysis, it was possible to perceive the behavior and the geometric form of the strut, with this understand the model strut-and-tie applied to the two pile caps. The geometry observed in the numerical models analyzed at first differs from the usually suggested by some authors. This project realized experimental tests of piles caps to observe the geometry of the struts. The instrumentation was located in the faces of the pile caps with spaced strain-gages in order to occupy good part of the width and, consequently, indicate its geometry. The experimental analysis of two pile caps submitted to the eccentric load allowed the behavior observation of the strut and tie that differ from the one observed when the load was centered. Also the efficiency of the hooks of the reinforced bar was analyzed, therefore, in the experimental analysis of pile caps already developed, it was verified that the hooks can be omitted without damage of the structural security of the pile caps. For treating the procedure defined in the project, and taking advantage of the experimental analysis realized, it was understood that this requirement can be analyzed and that the results will bring benefits to the project. In function of the results obtained through the experimental and numeric analysis strut-and-tie models were developed to be applied in two pile caps

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No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Adelson Cândido Mesquita - 2015.pdf: 7658590 bytes, checksum: 867da7d107246060393ecd545666f566 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-11-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The proposed dissertation aimed to experimental studies and computational modeling of the behavior of two pile caps, with sockets embedded, subjected to the center load. Models varying the type of conformation of the column and walls of the cup were adopted. This variable was chosen because it was found that for glasses partially embedded blocks with the choice of smooth or rough wall changes significantly the distribution of the flows of compressive stress and tensile thus modifying the strut and tie model using in the design. Thus, through the investigation of this variable, we analyzed the influence of the conformation of the walls connecting the structural behavior of the pile cap. Features such as diameters of piles, pillar dimensions, geometry of the blocks and reinforcement ratio were not considered variables, so that there were no differences in the formation of fields and stress paths. The experimental part of this dissertation was based on the characterization of the materials that make up the parts (concrete and steel), and the construction and testing three two pile caps, one reference (monolith), with rough and connection with smooth connection. Through trials, it was found that the obtained pile cap with rough connection performance equal to 66% of the monolithic pile cap, while pile cap binding obtained with smooth performance of only 36%. In the numerical step, numerical simulations were performed using the ANSYS ® (SYStem Analyser - ANSYS, INC, version 14.0) program, based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). Considered behavior no-linearity of concrete and steel, and the influence of reinforcement in structural behavior of the pile caps. Will also checked the variation of the experimental and theoretical results with the lattice model used in design, beyond the strut and tie model.The proposed dissertation aimed to experimental studies and computational modeling of the behavior of two pile caps, with sockets embedded, subjected to the center load. Models varying the type of conformation of the column and walls of the cup were adopted. This variable was chosen because it was found that for glasses partially embedded blocks with the choice of smooth or rough wall changes significantly the distribution of the flows of compressive stress and tensile thus modifying the strut and tie model using in the design. Thus, through the investigation of this variable, we analyzed the influence of the conformation of the walls connecting the structural behavior of the pile cap. Features such as diameters of piles, pillar dimensions, geometry of the blocks and reinforcement ratio were not considered variables, so that there were no differences in the formation of fields and stress paths. The experimental part of this dissertation was based on the characterization of the materials that make up the parts (concrete and steel), and the construction and testing three two pile caps, one reference (monolith), with rough and connection with smooth connection. Through trials, it was found that the obtained pile cap with rough connection performance equal to 66% of the monolithic pile cap, while pile cap binding obtained with smooth performance of only 36%. In the numerical step, numerical simulations were performed using the ANSYS ® (SYStem Analyser - ANSYS, INC, version 14.0) program, based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). Considered behavior no-linearity of concrete and steel, and the influence of reinforcement in structural behavior of the pile caps. Will also checked the variation of the experimental and theoretical results with the lattice model used in design, beyond the strut and tie model. / O trabalho proposto teve por objetivo os estudos experimental e modelagem computacional, do comportamento de blocos rígidos de concreto armado sobre duas estacas, com cálice parcialmente embutido, submetidos à ação de forças centradas. Foram adotados modelos variando-se o tipo de conformação das paredes dos pilares e do cálice. Essa variável foi escolhida, pois imagina-se que para os blocos com cálices parcialmente embutidos a escolha de parede lisa ou rugosa muda de modo significativo a distribuição dos fluxos de tensões de compressão e tração modificando desta maneira o modelo de biela e tirante empregado no dimensionamento. Sendo assim, por meio da investigação dessa variável, pretendeu-se analisar a influência do tipo de conformação das paredes da ligação provoca sobre o comportamento estrutural do bloco. Características como diâmetros de estacas, dimensões de pilar, geometria dos blocos e taxa de armadura não foram consideradas variáveis, a fim de que não houvesse diferenças na formação dos campos e trajetórias de tensões. A etapa experimental deste trabalho baseou-se pela caracterização dos materiais que compõem às peças (concreto e aço), além da construção e ensaio de 3 conjuntos pilares-blocos de concreto armado, sendo um conjunto usado como referência (bloco monolítico), um conjunto com ligação rugosa e um conjunto com ligação lisa. Através dos ensaios, verificou-se que o conjunto com ligação rugosa obteve desempenho superior a 66% do conjunto monolítico, enquanto que o conjunto com ligação lisa obteve desempenho de apenas 36%. Na etapa de análise computacional, foram realizadas simulações tridimensionais, baseadas no Método dos Elementos Finitos (MEF), utilizando-se o programa ANSYS®, (ANalyser SYStem - ANSYS, INC, versão 14.0). Foi considerado comportamento do material como não-linear, fissuração do concreto e a influência das armaduras no comportamento estrutural dos blocos. Foi verificada também, a variação dos resultados experimentais e teóricos com o modelo de treliça utilizado em projetos, além do modelo de Bielas e Tirantes.

A pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar e discutir o comportamento de blocos de concreto armado sobre duas estacas submetidos à ação de força centrada e excêntrica. Desenvolveu-se uma análise numérica tridimensional não-linear de blocos de concreto armado sobre duas estacas. A análise numérica levou em consideração a fissuração do concreto e a influência das armaduras no comportamento estrutural dos blocos. Por meio da análise numérica, foi possível perceber o comportamento e a forma geométrica das bielas de compressão, com isso, obteve-se melhor entendimento do modelo de bielas (escoras) e tirantes aplicado a blocos de concreto armado sobre duas estacas. A geometria observada nos modelos numéricos analisados preliminarmente difere da usualmente sugerida por vários autores. Realizou-se investigação experimental de blocos, com o fim principal de observar, de modo mais abrangente, a geometria das bielas de compressão. A instrumentação foi posicionada nas faces dos blocos com extensômetros espaçados de modo a ocuparem boa parte da largura e, conseqüentemente, indicarem as suas geometrias. A análise experimental de blocos sobre duas estacas submetidos à ação de força excêntrica permitiu observar o comportamento das bielas e tirantes que diferem dos observados quando a força é centrada. Também foi analisada a eficiência dos ganchos das barras de aço que compõem os tirantes, verificando-se que os ganchos podem ser omitidos sem prejuízo da segurança estrutural dos blocos. Em função dos resultados obtidos por meio das análises experimental e numérica desenvolveram-se modelos de bielas e tirantes aplicados a blocos sobre duas estacas / The research had as objective to analyze and to argue about the behavior of two pile caps submitted to the action of a centered and eccentric load. A nonlinear three-dimensional numerical analysis of two pile caps was developed. The numerical analysis included the cracking and the influence of the reinforcement in the structural behavior of the pile caps. By the numerical analysis, it was possible to perceive the behavior and the geometric form of the strut, with this understand the model strut-and-tie applied to the two pile caps. The geometry observed in the numerical models analyzed at first differs from the usually suggested by some authors. This project realized experimental tests of piles caps to observe the geometry of the struts. The instrumentation was located in the faces of the pile caps with spaced strain-gages in order to occupy good part of the width and, consequently, indicate its geometry. The experimental analysis of two pile caps submitted to the eccentric load allowed the behavior observation of the strut and tie that differ from the one observed when the load was centered. Also the efficiency of the hooks of the reinforced bar was analyzed, therefore, in the experimental analysis of pile caps already developed, it was verified that the hooks can be omitted without damage of the structural security of the pile caps. For treating the procedure defined in the project, and taking advantage of the experimental analysis realized, it was understood that this requirement can be analyzed and that the results will bring benefits to the project. In function of the results obtained through the experimental and numeric analysis strut-and-tie models were developed to be applied in two pile caps