Yes / Experimental study of five full scale masonry wall panels subjected to prescibed pre-compressive vertical loading and increasing in-plane lateral loading is discussed. All five walls were constructed using interlocking mortarless load bearing hollow concrete blocks. The behaviour of wall in term of deflections along the wall height, shear strength, mortarless joint behaviour and local and overall failures under increasing in-plane lateral loading and pre-compressive vertical loading are reported and analysed. Simple strut-and-tie models are also developed to estimate the ultimate in-plane lateral capacity of the panel walls tested. The results indicate that, as the pre-compressive load increases, the in-plane lateral load capacity of walls increases. All walls tested failed due to diagonal shear and/or moderate toe crushing depending on the level of the pre-compressive load. The proposed strut-and-tie models were able to give reasonable predictions of the walls tested.

This report presents a quantitative investigation into the impact of shearing velocity variation on the obtained shear strength from DSS tests on varved clays originating from the Uppsala region, particulary within the planned reconstruction route of road 55 between Örsundsbro and Kvarnbolund in eastern Sweden. Varved clays are prevalent in this region, and understanding their mechanical properties are crucial for infrastructure projects such as road improvements.The study employs a comprehensive quantitative approach, involving the development and analysis of extensive data and statistics derived from various field and laboratory methods, such as vane tests, CPT tests, undisturbed routine analyses and DSS tests. These tests are supplemented with disturbed routine analyses, CRS tests and ground water measurments specific to the road 55 area.The results demonstrate that the shearing velocity does not correlate with the obtained shear strength. The shear strength remains independent of the shearing velocity.Consequently, the conclusion drawn is that increasing the shearing velocity during DSS tests for varved clays ias advisable, as it does not significantly affect the test results. This finding suggests the potential for improving testing efficency without compromising accuracy in geotechnical assessments for road construction projects with similar geotechnical conditions such as the road 55 reconstruction project.

Offshore developments for hydrocarbon resources have now progressed to water depths approaching 2500 m. Due to the difficulties and high cost in recovering high quality samples from deepwater site, there is increasing reliance on in situ tests such as piezocone and full-flow (i.e. T-bar and ball) penetration tests for determining the geotechnical design parameters. This research was undertaken in collaboration with the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), as part of a joint industry project, to improve the reliability of in situ tests in determining design parameters and to improve offshore site investigation practice in deepwater soft sediments. In this research, a worldwide high quality database was assembled and used to correlate intact and remoulded shear strengths (measured from laboratory and vane shear tests) with penetration resistances measured by piezocone, T-bar and ball penetrometers. The overall statistics showed similar and low levels of variability of resistance factors for intact shear strength (N-factors) for all three types of penetrometer. In the correlation between the remoulded penetration resistance and remoulded shear strength, the resistance factors for remoulded shear strength (Nrem-factors) were found higher than the N-factors. As a result, the resistance sensitivity is less than the strength sensitivity. The correlations between the derived N-factors and specific soil characteristics indicated that the piezocone N-factors are more influenced by rigidity index than those for the T-bar and ball penetrometers. The effect of strength anisotropy is only apparent in respect of N-factors for the T-bar and ball penetrometers correlated to shear strengths measured in triaxial compression. On the other hand, the Nrem-factors showed slight tendency to increase with increasing strength sensitivity but were insensitive to soil index properties. These findings suggest that the full-flow penetrometers may be used to estimate remoulded shear strength and are potentially prove more reliable than the piezocone in estimating average or vane shear strength for intact soil but the reverse is probably true for the estimation of triaxial compression strength.

Master of Science / Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering / Kevin B. Lease / This research was intended to measure the interfacial shear strength between fiber/ matrix systems and to investigate the relation between structure-mechanical properties and performance of fiber/matrix systems. This work conducted a systematic study on model fiber/matrix systems to enhance the fundamental understanding on how variation of polymeric compositions (and hence, different structures), different curing conditions, and fiber surface treatments influence the interactions between the fiber and matrix. In order to measure the interfacial shear strength of fiber/matrix systems, the microdroplet technique was used. In this technique a polymer droplet was deposited on a fiber in the liquid state. Once the droplet was cured a shear force was applied to the droplet in order to detach the droplet from the fiber. The amount of the force needed to de-bond the droplet was directly related to the strength of the bonds formed between the fiber and matrix during the curing process. In addition, the micro-droplet technique was used to evaluate effects of different crosslinker ratio of fiber/ matrix system and also to see if different curing conditions affect the interfacial shear strength of fiber/ matrix system. Surface treatment was also conducted to evaluate its effects on the interfacial shear strength of the fiber/ matrix system using microdroplet technique. The interfacial shear strength of fiber/ matrix system increased along with the increase of crosslinker ratio to a limiting value, and it decreased as long as the crosslinker ratio increased. Curing condition also caused the interfacial shear strength of fiber/ matrix system to increase when it was cured at higher temperature. Fiber surface treatment exhibited a significant effect to the interfacial shear strength as well as the fiber/ matrix contact angle measurement.

Résumé : Les barrages induisent un impact potentiellement important sur l'environnement et la société par la modification des écosystèmes, le déplacement des populations en amont et surtout par la présence d'un risque imposé aux populations situées à l'aval. Même si les ruptures de ces ouvrages ont une probabilité d'occurrence faible, la cause principale des accidents, à côté des submersions par des crues imprévues, a toujours été la rupture des fondations (ICOLD 1993) suite à des problèmes d'érosion, ou d'insuffisance de résistance au cisaillement le long des discontinuités rocheuses, des joints de levées ou de l'interface barrage-fondation. La fréquence de ruptures par défaut de résistance au cisaillement des discontinuités des fondations des barrages en béton est estimée à 21 % (ICOLD 1995). Les fondations rocheuses présentent souvent une variabilité verticale et horizontale des propriétés de résistance au cisaillement des discontinuités. Une variabilité verticale peut être matérialisée par une moyenne de la propriété de résistance qui varie en profondeur et dont la prise en compte réduit la variance de cette propriété de résistance. Aussi, la rupture des fondations rocheuses par défaut de résistance au cisaillement des discontinuités est un mécanisme qui mobilise les propriétés ponctuelles de résistance au cisaillement présentes sur cette discontinuité. La résistance au cisaillement mobilisée le long de cette discontinuité présente parfois une variance moins élevée que celle de la résistance ponctuelle au cisaillement (échelle de laboratoire). Ces phénomènes de variabilité spatiale ne sont pas pris en compte dans la justification du comportement en cisaillement des fondations ni dans les travaux de recherches publiées dans la littérature. L'objectif de la thèse est d'élaborer une démarche d'analyse de la variabilité spatiale de la résistance au cisaillement qui prend en compte cette réduction de la dispersion. Cette démarche a été élaborée dans le contexte de l'état de l'art actuel, avec la combinaison des impératifs suivants : • La démarche est basée sur une méthodologie expérimentale i)-alternative à l'essai de cisaillement direct (coûteux en temps et en argent) pouvant être relativement simple à mettre en œuvre ii)- qui permet de générer des données quantitatives de cisaillement suffisamment abondantes pour analyser la variabilité spatiale de la résistance au cisaillement. • Cette démarche a été mise en œuvre au contexte des outils numériques et des méthodes de justification de la résistance à l'effort tranchant d'une fondation rocheuse de barrage-poids. La méthodologie expérimentale définie dans la thèse a fait l'objet d'une validation par étude comparative avec 35 essais de cisaillement direct sur des joints à différents degrés de rugosité et d’altération, prélevés d'une fondation de barrage-poids en béton. Il a été développé une démarche d'analyse de la variabilité spatiale de la résistance au cisaillement des joints. Cette démarche repose sur l'utilisation des données géo référencées de paramètres de cisaillement caractérisant la même famille de discontinuité le long d'un forage vertical. Afin de valider la pertinence et l’applicabilité de cette démarche, nous l’avons implémentée dans un cas d'étude de fondation rocheuse de barrage. A l'aide d'un code de calcul numérique basé sur la méthode des éléments finis, une étude a permis d'illustrer la pertinence de l'analyse de la variabilité spatiale de la résistance au cisaillement des joints dans une étude de stabilité au glissement des fondations rocheuses de barrage. Les résultats montrent que la prise en compte de la variabilité spatiale des paramètres de cisaillement permet d'augmenter la marge de sécurité mesurée à travers une hausse du coefficient de sécurité et une baisse significative de la probabilité de défaillance. // Abstract : Dams induce a potentially significant impact on the environment and society by changing ecosystems, by populations’ relocation upstream and especially by the presence of an imposed risk on populations located downstream. Although dam failures have a low probability, the main cause of accidents, near submersions by unexpected flood has been foundations failures (ICOLD 1993) due to problems of erosion, or insufficient shear strength along the rock discontinuities or the interface between dam and foundation. Among dam failures, 21% are related to lack of shear strength along the discontinuities of the foundations (ICOLD 1995). It is well known that rock, as soil, is a complex engineering material formed y natural process, which induces vertical and horizontal variability. Plus, the sliding process of a rock foundation discontinuity is a mechanism that mobilizes points shear properties of this discontinuity. The variability of shear properties averaged over the sheared discontinuities is less than that of their point shear properties. This is known as the average effect in spatial variability. These phenomena of spatial variability are not taken into account in the standards of stability analysis of dam foundations sliding or research work published in the literature. The aim of the thesis is to develop an analysis of the spatial variability of shear strength that takes into account the reduction of the variability by scaling up effect. This approach was developed in the context of the current state of the art. An experimental method, which aimed to investigate in a simple way the shear strength of joints, was suggested in the thesis and has been validated by comparative study with more than thirty direct shear tests on joints taken from a foundation of concrete gravity dam. It was developed a process to analyze the spatial variability of the shear strength of the joints using the input parameters of the model of Barton and Choubey (1977). This approach is based on the use of geo -referenced data on these parameters characterizing the family of discontinuity along a vertical borehole. To validate the relevance and applicability of this approach, we have implemented it in a case study of a rock dam foundation. Using finite element software, a study illustrates the relevance of the analysis of the spatial variability of the shear strength of the joints in the assessment of stability against rock dam foundations sliding. The results show that taking into account the spatial variability of shear parameters can increase the margin of safety measured through an increase in the safety factor and a significant decrease in the probability of failure.

The knowledge about the shear strength of a soil is important because it is a key parameter that is used in many calculations in construction engineering. Some examples of what’s possible to calculate are slope stability, the soil pressure against retaining walls and the carrying capacity of building foundations. Great economic losses or, in the worst case scenario the risk for human lives, could be the result if the geotechnical properties of the soil are ignored. This report considers the undrained shear strength of clay from Uppsala. There are different methods based on empirical experiences which are used to determine the undrained shear strength of a clay. In this project the methods and the results in undrained shear strength are compared between CPT-probing, which is carried out in-situ, and the drop cone test which is done in a laboratory. The reason for this comparison is that they usually don’t show the same results.The tests had already been made before this project started and therefore it is only the comparison of the results between the methods that has been done. The comparison was done by creating charts in Excel where the results from CPT and the drop cone test from was put together from the same point. The shear strength values from the methods were also statistically analysed with a t-test to see if they show the same hypothetical expected value with 95 % significance in every test point / Kunskap om skjuvhållfastheten är viktig då den används för beräkningar inom byggoch anläggningsbranschen. Exempel på vad som kan beräknas är släntstabilitet, jordtrycket mot en spont eller bärförmågan hos en byggnadsgrund. Stora ekonomiska förluster och i värsta fall fara för människoliv kan bli resultatet om jordens geotekniska egenskaper ignoreras. Denna rapport tar upp den odränerade skjuvhållfastheten i Uppsalalera. Det finns olika metoder som bygger på empiriska erfarenheter som kan användas för att ta reda på den odränerade skjuvhållfastheten i lera. I föreliggandeprojekt jämförs metoderna och resultaten i odränerad skjuvhållfasthet mellan CPT-sondering som utförs in-situ och fallkonförsök som utförs på lerprover i ett laboratorium. Anledningen till studien är att metoderna inte alltid ger samma mätvärden. Undersökningarna utfördes innan projektet började. Jämförelsen har gjorts genom den statistiska jämförelsen t (student)-test. Resultatet från t-testet visar att skjuvhållfasthetsvärdena från CPT respektive fallkonförsöken från samma undersökningspunkt och från samma nivå har samma hypotetiska förväntade värde på 95 % signifikansnivå. Genom sammanställda grafer syns att metoderna i de flesta fall överensstämmer till ett djup på minst 20 m.

Master of Science / Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering / Donghai Wang / Currently, the majority of adhesives used for wood veneer, plywood, and composite applications are formaldehyde-based. Formaldehyde is derived from petroleum and natural gas, making it non-renewable and toxic. Therefore, extensive research has been conducted to develop bio-based adhesives to replace formaldehyde-based adhesives. Soy protein has shown great potential to partially replace formaldehyde adhesives, and canola protein has similar properties to soy protein. However, little research has been conducted on the feasibility of using canola protein for wood adhesive applications. The objective of this research was to study the adhesion performance of canola protein. Canola protein was modified with different chemical modifiers including sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), calcium carbonate (CaCO[subscript]3), zinc sulfate (ZnSO[subscript]4), calcium chloride (CaCl[subscript]2), and 2-octen-1-ylsuccinic anhydride (OSA) as well as combined chemical modifications. The wet, dry, and soak shear strengths of the adhesive formulations were determined. Viscosity testing, differential scanning calorimetry, and TEM and SEM imaging were used to characterize protein properties. Chemical modification with SDS (1%, 3%, and 5%), CaCO[subscript]3 (1%, 3%, and 5%), ZnSO[subscript]4 (1%), and OSA (2%, 3.5%, and 5%) improved the dry and soak shear strengths compared to unmodified canola protein. Canola protein modified with 3.5% OSA had improved wet, dry, and soak shear strengths. Combined chemical modification of canola protein did not show significant improvement on shear strength. Thermal modification of canola protein adhesives showed a trend of increasing shear strength with increasing press temperature. The data suggests that with further research, canola protein has potential to be used as a commercial adhesive or as an additive to formaldehyde-based adhesives to make them more environmentally-friendly.

Avaliou-se, experimentalmente, o efeito da contaminação, por uma solução de cloreto de cobre, na resistência ao cisalhamento de solos a serem utilizados na construção de liners. Foi escolhido o cloreto de cobre como contaminante pelo fato de os íons cobre serem os mais comuns nos aterros sanitários industriais. Apresentam-se resultados de ensaios de percolação em colunas e ensaios triaxiais convencionais do tipo CU para solos provenientes das formações Serra Geral (argilosos), Botucatu (arenosos) e uma mistura dos mesmos na proporção de 20% de solo Serra Geral e 80% de solo Botucatu. A mistura apresentou condutividade hidráulica e resistência mais adequadas para utilização em liners do que cada um dos solos isolados. Da análise dos resultados dos ensaios triaxiais do tipo CU, constatou-se a maior influência da contaminação no comportamento do solo Serra Geral, como conseqüência da dupla camada elétrica. Para os três solos, observou-se que o efeito da contaminação foi mais pronunciado para menores tensões confinantes / The contamination effects of copper chloride, on the shear strength of soils to be used as liners, were experimentally testes in laboratory. The copper chloride was chosen as the contaminant agent because it is the most common in found in industrial sanitary landfills. The results of percolation and conventional triaxial tests for soils from Serra Geral formation (clayed soils), Botucatu formation (sandy soils) and a mix in a convenient proportion with both soils are presented. The hydraulic condutivity and strength of the mixed soil indicated that it is more suitable to be used as liners than the original soils. From the comparison of triaxial test results, the effects of contamination were more significant in the soils from the Serra Geral formation as a consequence of the electrical double layer. For the three soils, the effects of contamination were more noticeable for smaller confining pressures

No Brasil, a partir do século XX, cada vez mais o transporte ferroviário foi sendo substituído pelo transporte viário. Por conta disso, a demanda por obras de infraestrutura viária é cada vez maior, tanto para transporte de pessoas, mas, principalmente, para transporte de cargas. Outro fator que indica a maior demanda por obras de infraestrutura é o crescimento da economia e da população. A fim de garantir segurança na construção e, principalmente, na operação, são necessárias investigações geológicas-geotécnicas, para caracterizar e estimar parâmetros do material que estão sendo utilizados em obra, para prever seu comportamento. Os parâmetros de resistência ao cisalhamento têm grande importância na condição de estabilidade dos aterros, tanto em fase de construção, em que também se sobressai o parâmetro de pressão neutra B?, quanto em fase de operação, enquanto os parâmetros de deformabilidade são essenciais na estimativa de recalques na fase operacional dos aterros Este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar estimativas dos parâmetros de resistência ao cisalhamento (ângulo de atrito e a coesão), de deformabilidade de compressibilidade, expansibilidade e de pressão neutra do material utilizado nos aterros dos lotes 14 e 15 do Rodoanel Norte em São Paulo. Os materiais estudados possuem diferentes litologias, entre as quais pode-se citar materiais provenientes de filitos, granitos, ultramilonitos e metabásicas. Assim, foi feito um levantamento dos dados de ensaios de laboratório disponíveis, a saber, ensaios de caracterização, de compactação Proctor Normal, ensaios triaxiais UU não saturado, CU saturado e PN e ensaios de adensamento edométrico. Os ensaios mecânicos foram feitos em amostras compactadas com desvios de umidade em relação à ótima variando entre 0% até 4 e mesmo 5%, mantendo o grau de compactação em torno de 95%. Por fim, os parâmetros de resistência, deformabilidade, compressibilidade e pressão neutra estimados foram comparados por litologia com parâmetros encontrados na literatura técnica, podendo assim serem utilizados em outros projetos em regiões próximas ou que empreguem materiais de mesma origem ou litologia. / In Brazil, from the twentieth century, the rail transportation was replaced by road transportation. Because of that, the demand for road infrastructure is increasing, for the transportation of people and for the freight transportation. Another factor that indicates the greater demand for infrastructure is the growth of the economy and the population. To guarantee safety in the construction and in the operation, geological-geotechnical investigations are necessary to characterize and estimate parameters of the material, that is being used in the civil works to predict its behavior. The parameters of shear strength have a great importance in the condition of stability of the embankments, in construction phase, as the neutral pressure parameter, B?, and in phase of operation, while the deformability parameters are essential in the estimation of settlements in the operational phase of the embankments. The objective of this dissertation is to present estimates of the parameters of shear strength (angle of friction and cohesion), deformability, expansibility, compressibility and neutral pressure of the material used in embankments of two parts of Rodoanel Norte in São Paulo. The studied materials have different lithologies: phyllite, granitic gneisses, ultramilonites and metabasites. Thus, a data survey of the laboratory tests results was done, namely, characterization tests, Normal Proctor compaction text, triaxial UU unsaturated, saturated CU and PN and oedomometric densification tests. The mechanical tests were done on compacted samples with deviations of water content from the optimum ranging from 0% up to 4 and even 5%, maintaining the degree of compaction around 95%. Finally, the estimation of the shear strength parameters, deformability, compressibility, expansibility and neutral pressure were compared by lithology with parameters found in the technical literature so that it can be used in other projects in nearby regions or using materials of the same origin or lithology.

Este estudo avaliou in vitro a dureza da camada de adesivo e da camada híbrida de uma interface entre resina composta e dentina humana por meio de ensaios de nanodureza (DUH). Foi avaliada a resistência de união por meio de testes de microcisalhamento (MC) com o objetivo de observar a relação desta resistência com a propriedade da dureza. Os fatores de variação compreendem quatro sistemas adesivos (Adper Scotchbond Multiuso, Adper Single Bond 2, Clearfil SE Bond e Single Bond Universal) e duas profundidades dentinárias (dentina rasa e dentina profunda). As unidades experimentais foram compostas por 144 fragmentos dentais obtidos da face vestibular de molares humanos, os quais foram distribuídos em 16 grupos, 8 grupos com n=6 para os ensaios de DUH e 8 grupos com n=12 para os ensaios de MC de forma que os quatro sistemas adesivos foram aplicados sobre fragmentos de dentina rasa e de dentina profunda. Após a confecção das restaurações em resina composta e 24h de armazenamento em estufa a 37°C, os ensaios de DUH foram realizados no ultramicrodurômetro DUH-211S (Shimadzu) com carga de 1mN/mseg. Os testes de MC foram realizados na máquina de ensaios universais Instron 5942(Instron Co) com velocidade de 1mm/min seguido da análise do padrão de fratura em microscópio digital. A análise estatística foi realizada por ANOVA (p<0,01%), Tukey e correlação de Pearson (p<0,05%). O sistema SB Universal (M=31,82±4,72) evidenciou os maiores valores de resistência de união e o Clearfil SE (M=26,75±3,73) os menores. O Single Bond 2 (M=28,83±4,07) e Scotchbond MP (M=28,53±4,61) não apresentaram diferenças entre si e obtiveram valores intermediários, não se diferenciando do maior e nem do menor valor. A resistência de união na dentina rasa (M=30,45±4,40) foi maior que em dentina profunda (M=27,52±4,01). Os sistemas SB Universal (M=22,57±2,42) e Scotchbond MP (M=22,13±2,89) não apresentaram diferença entre si e evidenciaram valores de dureza na camada de adesivo maiores que o Clearfil SE (M= 19,11±1,23). O sistema Single Bond 2 (M=20,11±1,49) apresentou valores intermediários de dureza e não foi diferente do maior e do menor valor. A camada híbrida em dentina rasa (M=38,23±3,08) apresentou maior dureza que a camada híbrida em dentina profunda (M=33,09±1,85). Pode-se concluir que tanto o sistema adesivo utilizado quanto a profundidade dentinária influenciaram nos resultados de resistência adesiva. A dureza da camada de adesivo varia conforme o sistema utilizado sendo que os adesivos SB Universal e o Scotchbond MP apresentaram os maiores valores de dureza. A dureza da camada híbrida foi influenciada pela profundidade dentinária do substrato. Foi observada uma correlação direta entre a dureza da camada de adesivo e a resistência adesiva. / This study evaluated in vitro the hardness of the adhesive layer and the hybrid layer interface between composite and human dentin using nanohardness test (DUH). Was evaluated the bond strength by microshear test (MC) in order to observe the relationship of this resistance with the hardness property. The variation factors consist of four adhesive systems (Adper Scotchbond Multi-Purpose, Adper Single Bond 2, Clearfil SE Bond and Single Bond Universal) and two dentin depths (superficial and deep dentin). The experimental units consisted of 144 dental fragments obtained from molars vestibular area, which were divided into 16 groups, 8 groups with n = 6 for DUH test and 8 groups with n = 12 for the MC test, so the four adhesive systems were applied on dentin fragments of superficial and deep dentin. After the construction of the composite resin restorations and 24h storage at 37 °C, DUH analysis were performed using a nanoindentation device DUH-211S (Shimadzu) with load of 1mN/mseg. The MC tests were performed in a universal testing machine Instron 5942 (Instron Co) with speed 1mm/min followed by analysis of the failure site in digital microscope. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA (p <0.01%), Tukey, and Pearson correlation (p <0.05%). The system SB Universal (M = 31.82 ± 4.72) showed higher values of bond strength and Clearfil SE (M = 26.75 ± 3.73) lower. The Single Bond 2 (M = 28.83 ± 4.07) and Scotchbond MP (M = 28.53 ± 4.61) did not differ among themselves and had intermediate values, not differentiating the largest and the smallest value. The bond strength of superficial dentin (M = 30.45 ± 4.40) was higher than in deep dentin (M = 27.52 ± 4.01.) Universal Systems SB (M = 22.57 ± 2.42) and Scotchbond MP (M = 22.13 ± 2.89) did not differ among themselves and showed hardness values in the adhesive layer higher than Clearfil SE (M = 19.11 ± 1.23.) The system Single Bond 2 (M = 20.11 ± 1.49) showed intermediate values of hardness and was not different from the largest and smallest value. The hybrid layer in superficial dentin (M = 38.23 ± 3.08) was harder than the hybrid layer in depth dentin (M = 33.09 ± 1.85.) It can be concluded that both the adhesive system used as the dentin depth influenced the bond strength. The hardness of the adhesive layer varies depending on the system used and the SB Universal adhesive and Scotchbond MP showed higher hardness values. The hardness of the hybrid layer was influenced by the depth of the dentin substrate. We observed a direct correlation between the hardness of the adhesive layer and the bond strength.