Papers by K. Rainer Massarsch
Lecture notes in civil engineering, 2024
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Jan 20, 2023
The dynamic soil resistance during vibratory driving of piles is discussed. This information is i... more The dynamic soil resistance during vibratory driving of piles is discussed. This information is important for the selection of the optimal vibrator capacity and can be used for the prediction of vibration propagation in the soil caused by pile driving. The significance of different parameters such as vibration frequency, displacement amplitude and number of vibration cycles is discussed for different soil types. The pile shaft and pile base resistance can be calculated from cone penetration tests using an algorithm with soil-specific transfer functions. A case history is presented which demonstrates the practical application of predicting pile penetration resistance during vibratory driving, based on cone penetration tests.
Soils and Foundations
Heavy vibratory plate compaction is an efficient technique for improvement of granular soils. How... more Heavy vibratory plate compaction is an efficient technique for improvement of granular soils. However, its practical application is limited by insufficient knowledge about the compaction process and the optimum procedure of execution. In this study, compaction tests were conducted in the field with a 40.5-ton heavy vibratory plate compactor. The site consisted of partially saturated, overconsolidated medium-dense silty sand and sandy silt. Such conditions can generally be characterized as difficult for vibratory compaction. The objective of the tests was to study the compaction depth and the influence of treatment layout, duration of compaction, and vibration frequency. In-situ measurements conducted before, during and after treatment included static cone penetration tests, flat dilatometer, and heavy dynamic probing. The in-situ tests showed a statistically significant compaction after treatment. The main conclusions highlight the importance of a sufficient centrifugal force of the vibratory hammer to cause disconnection between the plate and the soil. Other important parameters are the vibration frequency and the duration of treatment, which can be optimized by field monitoring. Full coverage of the ground surface is required for compaction of the entire soil volume. It was also found that the compaction depth corresponds to the side length of the plate, in line with previous studies.
Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division
Dry Mix Methods for Deep Soil Stabilization, 2017
Underwater compaction of sand fill was required for the stabilization of bridge piers to mitigate... more Underwater compaction of sand fill was required for the stabilization of bridge piers to mitigate the effects of ship impact. Steel caissons were installed to great depth and loose soil layers were excavated and replaced by sand fill. The resonance compaction method was used to increase the stiffness and strength of the sand fill. Vibratory compaction was performed using a variable frequency vibrator, attached to a flexible compaction probe. Compaction was monitored and optimized using an advanced electronic process control system. The compaction effect was controlled using cone penetration testing. RÉSUMÉ: Le compactage sous-marin d'un remblai de sable fut requis pour stabiliser les fondations d'un pont et pour atténuer les impacts causés par les navires. Des caissons en acier furent installés à de grandes profondeurs et des couches de sol meuble ont été excavées et remplacées par du sable. Le procédé de compactage de résonance fut utilisé pour augmenter la rigidité et la r...
The paper presents a novel solution for the controlled installation and testing of temporary and ... more The paper presents a novel solution for the controlled installation and testing of temporary and permanent soil anchors. The Soilex Anchor transfers most of the load along the point of the Expander Body, which results in a strain-hardening load-deformation relationship. The injection process of the Expander Body can be monitored and controlled using electronic flow and pressure sensors. The results of the measurements are displayed on site and can be interpreted and evaluated using specially developed computer software. An empirical design method, based on the cone penetration test is presented, which is based on extensive field load tests. The case histories from Sweden and Japan, presented in the paper, confirm the reliability of the design concept. Conventional soil anchors transfer the load along the skin of the anchor and exhibit therefore a brittle load-transfer behaviour. Another important improvement of the Soilex anchor is the double corrosion protection inside the Expander...
DIE UNTERGRUNDVERHAELTNISSE BEI DAEMMEN VON AUTOBAHN- UND EISENBAHNBRUECKENRAMPEN SIND OFT BESOND... more DIE UNTERGRUNDVERHAELTNISSE BEI DAEMMEN VON AUTOBAHN- UND EISENBAHNBRUECKENRAMPEN SIND OFT BESONDERS SCHLECHT UND KOENNEN STABILITAETS- UND SENKUNGSPROBLEME VERURSACHEN. IN SCHWEDEN WURDE DIE LOESUNG GEFUNDEN, DIE BRUECKENAUFFAHRTSRAMPEN AUF PFAEHLEN ZU GRUENDEN. DIE ERSTEN REIHEN WERDEN GENEIGT ANGEORDNET, UM DIE HORIZONTALEN KRAEFTE DER BOESCHUNG AUFZUNEHMEN. JEDOCH KOENNEN BEIM RAMMEN DER PFAEHLE IN TONHAENGEN ERNSTHAFTE PROBLEME AUFTRETEN, SO DIE SEHR GROSSEN VERSCHIEBUNGEN, SOWOHL HORIZONTAL ALS AUCH VERTIKAL, UND EBENSO HOHE PORENWASSERDRUECKE. DIE DAMMLASTEN VERURSACHEN BIEGESPANNUNGEN IN DEN PFAEHLEN MIT DEM ERGEBNIS EINER REDUZIERTEN TRAGFAEHIGKEIT UND VERSTAERKTER SETZUNGEN. DURCH DAS ZIEHEN VON LANGEN TONPFROPFEN WURDEN DIE VERSCHIEBUNGEN GEMINDERT, ABER AUCH DIE SCHERFESTIGKEIT HERABGESETZT. DA WEGEN DES STEIL FALLENDEN FELS NUR VERTIKALE PFAEHLE GESCHLAGEN WERDEN KONNTEN, WURDE DER STRASSENDAMM MIT POLYESTERARMIERUNG VERSEHEN, UM DIE HORIZONTALSPANNUNGEN VON DER SCHUETT...
Aspects governing the execution of vibratory compaction projects are discussed. The importance of... more Aspects governing the execution of vibratory compaction projects are discussed. The importance of careful planning and implementation is emphasised. Recent developments of vibratory compaction methods are presented. Design charts help to assess the suitability of soils for vibratory compaction. A hypothesis is advanced considering various factors governing the emission of vibrations from a vertically vibrating probe. It is shown that as a result of vibratory compaction, horizontal stress increase significantly and changes the stress conditions, which result in a permanent overconsolidation effect. Overconsolidation due to vibratory soil compaction is at present not taken into account in geotechnical design. The findings are illustrated with results from field measurements. Vibratory compaction methods can be classified according to the location of energy transfer from the source to the soil. 2.1 Vibratory Equipment The first vibrators, which were developed for pile driving applicati...
Wave propagation Moving load – Vibration Reduction, 2021
Geotechnical engineering, 2019
Vibrators are used increasingly in the foundation industry, primarily for installation of piles a... more Vibrators are used increasingly in the foundation industry, primarily for installation of piles and sheet piles, but also for deep vibratory compaction. Fundamentals of vibratory driving are descri ...
The dynamic stress-strain behaviour of clays can be determined accurately over a large strain ran... more The dynamic stress-strain behaviour of clays can be determined accurately over a large strain range by resonant column tests. It is shown that the variation of shear modulus is strongly affected by strain amplitude. A simple approach is proposed which makes it possible to estimate the static shear modulus based on dynamic tests. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 287689. (Author/TRRL)
The generation and propagation of man-made vibrations in the ground is discussed. Emphasis is pla... more The generation and propagation of man-made vibrations in the ground is discussed. Emphasis is placed a simplified approach which is used to assess the most important factors, such as wave attenuation, refraction focusing and vibration amplification as a result of resonance. Practical guidelines are presented which can be used to predict vibrations and settlements in the ground. A semi-empirical relationship for the assessment of permissible vibration levels for buildings is proposed. Finally, a new ground vibration isolation method, the gas cushion screen is presented.
This short article describes the use of a woven multifilament polyester geotextile to carry the h... more This short article describes the use of a woven multifilament polyester geotextile to carry the horizontal forces in a bridge approach embankment supported on vertically driven relief piles. The embankment was to be founded on silty clay. Brief details are provided of: a) soil condition and instrumentation; b) geotextile selection; c) construction of the piles and the placement of the geotextile; and d) performance of the geotextile. For the covering abstract see IRRD 865821.
Vibisol International AB, Ferievagen 25, Bromma, Sweden ABSTRACTS: Ground vibrations are of incre... more Vibisol International AB, Ferievagen 25, Bromma, Sweden ABSTRACTS: Ground vibrations are of increasing importance, especially in industrialized countries. Aspects of importance for wave propagation in soil deposits are presented. The effect of wave bending due to increasing wave velocity with depth is discussed. The vibration effectiveness of open trenches is reviewed, based on theoretical studies and model tests. The concept of the gas cushion screen for permanent ground vibration isolation is described. The boundary element method was used to compare the vibration isolation effect of an open trench with that of a gas cushion screen. The analytical results are compared with field tests. Design recommendations for ground vibration isolation measures are given. 1. INTRODUCTION The importance of ground vibrations from man-made activities has increased during the past decades, especially in densely populated areas and industrial zones. This is due to various factors, such as more inten...
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Papers by K. Rainer Massarsch