Conference Presentations by Bekir Salih Firincioglu
Any earthwork with an inclination, man-made or natural is prone to fail under certain circumstanc... more Any earthwork with an inclination, man-made or natural is prone to fail under certain circumstances. Recognition and prevention of possible instabilities are sometimes vital for the continuity of human life, and the consequences of any failure can be devastating for companies in terms of monetary loss. Many theories have been developed since the middle nineteenth century to understand the phenomena of failure on soil and rock masses. One of them is limit equilibrium theory which has proved itself by engineers, academicians and practitioners for over a hundred years by being a relatively simple and yet convenient and reliable procedure to apply. The calculations of the safety factors and modelling of the two and three dimensional slope geometries have been done with the aid of computer programs Slide and Slide 3 which developed by a Canadian company Rocscience Inc. The limit equilibrium theory has been applied to an investigation area in Denizkonak village of Cide district in the city of Kastamonu, Turkey. The investigation region is known for several previously occurred landslides. Two landslides have been identified in the study area during the field investigations. The geology of the area was generally formed by highly disintegrated and weathered flysch composed of clayey and silty materials. Also, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was flown to create a 3D model and to investigate the study area. Based on the observations it was concluded that the first landslide developed from a rotational failure mechanism while the second one has occurred in an already landslided and disturbed material with a flow type instability. A cross-section of the area was drawn based on the current topographic map and two other cross-sections of the previous landslides were estimated. The Hoek-Brown failure criterion has been chosen for the strength definition of the materials. Back-analyses have been carried out in 2D and 3D to understand the failure conditions of the landslides. Based on the analyses on the primitive topography, the geological strength index of the materials was determined to be 20. This outcome was found to be suitable with the literature and the field observations. According to the analyses, the pore-pressure ratio was determined to be at least 0.5 before the first landslide. However, the second landslide was determined to be initiated with a pore-pressure ratio of at least 0.33. The analyses showed that current topography of the area is prone to a failure if the pore-pressure ratio exceeds 0.4. These results were chosen based on the comparison of 2D and 3D analyses considering the outcomes of 2D analyses were more conservative.
Papers by Bekir Salih Firincioglu
Şev duraysizliklarina iliskin degerlendirmeler, gerek insan yasami, gerekse yapilan ve/veya yapil... more Şev duraysizliklarina iliskin degerlendirmeler, gerek insan yasami, gerekse yapilan ve/veya yapilmasi tasarlanan muhendislik yapilari icin son derece onemli bir konudur. Bu konuya iliskin cok sayida yaklasim, teori ve uygulama bulunmakla birlikte, gecmisteki temel yaklasim, duraysizliklarin oldugu ve/veya olasi oldugu yerlerde guvenlik katsayisi hesaplamalarinin yapilip, gerekiyorsa onlemlerin alinmasina yonelik uygulamalari icermektedir. Gunumuzde ise, oncelikle daha buyuk alanlarin, genel olarak analiz edilmesi/haritalanmasi, daha sonra ayrintili analizlerin yapilmasi seklinde olup, genelden ozele inen bir yontembilimin izlenmesi yonundedir. Bu sekilde izlenen bir yontemin, ekonomi ve zaman acisindan onemli kazanimlar getirdigi, literaturde siklikla ifade edilmektedir. Gerek insan yapimi, gerekse de dogal yollarla sekillenmis olan her turlu yer yuzeyi sekli, egime sahip olmasi ve gerekli diger kaydirici etkenlerin saglanmasi durumunda kaymaya karsi duyarli durumdadir. Bu yer yuzeyi yapilarinin kaymaya karsi olan guvenliginin hesaplanmasi ve buna yonelik iyilestirme calismalarinin yapilmasi, olasi maddi zararlarin azaltilmasi ve insan yasamini kisitlayici unsurlarin giderilmesi ve en onemlisi, insan yasaminin guvenligi acisindan cok onemli bir yer tutmaktadir. Bu tip duraysizliklarin tespit edilip ve modellenebilmesi icin bircok teori ortaya sunulmustur. Bu teoriler arasindan limit denge teorisi neredeyse 100 yili askin bir suredir kullanilmakla birlikte, cesitli vakalar uzerinde uygulanarak, guvenilirligini uzun yillar once kanitlamistir. Şev duraysizliklari, ya da genis anlamiyla heyelanlar, tum dunyada oldugu gibi, Turkiye’de de onemli zararlara yol acan doga kaynakli afet turlerinden biridir. Gerek nufus artisi, gerekse dogal tehlikenin icerildigi alanlarda yapilan veya yanlis secilen yerlesim alanlari, bu dogal afet turunun sayisinda da son 50 yil icinde onemli bir artisa neden olmustur. Dunyada ve ulkemizde, ozellikle son 20 yil icinde bu konuyla ilgili olarak, cok sayida proje, uygulama ve arastirma yapilmis ve hayata gecirilmistir. Bununla birlikte, karar vericilerin, planlamacilarin ve yoneticilerin konuya daha fazla onem vermeleri ve uygulamada bu tur calismalari dikkate alarak hayata gecirmeleri de son derece buyuk bir onem arz etmektedir. Yukarida deginilen hususlar gozetilerek, bu tez calismasi kapsaminda, limit denge yontemlerinin sev durayliligi problemlerine uygulanmasi uzerine kapsamli bir arastirma yapilmistir. Bu arastirma hipotetik sevlerle birlikte, gecmiste heyelana maruz kalmis bir alani da kapsamaktadir. Limit denge yontemleri ilk kullanildigi yillarda iki boyutlu kesitler uzerinde kullaniliyor olsa da, ilerleyen senelerde uc boyutlu modeller uzerinde calismalar yapilmis ve teoriler gelistirilmistir. Gunumuze kadar cok sayida iki ve uc boyutlu yontem gelistirilmis olsa da, bunlardan sadece bazilari gunumuzde siklikla kullanilmaktadir. Son 20 sene icerisinde bilgisayar kullaniminin son derece yayginlasmis olmasi ve gerek yazilimsal, gerekse de donanimsal ozelliklerin son derece gelismis olmasi nedeniyle, muhendislik uygulamalarinin pratiklestirilmesi icin paket programlar piyasaya surulmustur. Bu calisma kapsaminda, Kanada kokenli Rocscience firmasinin piyasa surdugu Slide ve Slide3 isimli programlar iki ve uc boyutlu sevlerin modellenmesi ve guvenlik katsayinin hesaplanabilmesi icin kullanilmistir. Tez calismasinda, iki ve uc boyutlu analizler icin toplamda 10 farkli yontemden yararlanilmistir. Bu yontemler literaturde teorik calismalar icin siklikla kullanilan ve iyi taninmis olan 5 farkli sev geometrisi uzerinde uygulanmistir. Bu sev geometrileri uzerine yeralti suyu seviyesi, sev onunde su birikintisi, sismik ivme ve dis yukler eklenerek farkli kombinasyonlar uretilmistir. Bu kombinasyonlar neticesinde iki ve uc boyutlu analizlerde kullanilmak uzere toplamda 164 farkli model olusturulmustur. Bu modeller uzerinde kayma yuzeyinin sekline gore uygun olan yontemler ayri ayri uygulanmis ve karsiliginda elde edilen guvenlik katsayilari kaydedilmistir. Bu arastirmalar sirasinda guvenlik katsayisinin kiyaslanabilmesi icin dunyaca kabul gormus, neredeyse her kayma kosuluna uyarlanabilen Morgenstern & Price’in yontemi referans deger olarak alinmistir. Bu calismalar sonrasinda her bir yontemin urettigi sonuc yuzdece ayri ayri incelenmistir. Incelemeler iki ve uc boyutlu yontemlerin karsilikli kiyaslanmasina ek olarak kendi iclerinde de kiyaslanmistir. Iki boyutlu analizlerin tum senaryolar uzerinde kiyaslanmalari sonucunda, bazi yontemler guvenlik katsayisini % 40’a kadar daha dusuk uretirken bazi durumlarda da % 60’a kadar daha yuksek hesaplamistir. Bu durum uc boyutlu analizlerde de kendi icerisinde incelenmis ve guvenlik katsayisi bazi durumlarda % 34 daha dusuk sonuc verirken, bazen de % 14 daha yuksek sonuc verdigi saptanmistir. Analiz sonuclarinin belki de en ilgi cekici bulgusu, ayni yontemlerin iki ve uc boyutlu modeller uzerindeki performanslarinin incelenmesi ile elde edilmistir.…
Natural Hazards, Aug 17, 2019
In this study, it was aimed at evaluating the slope stability conditions in a residential area ex... more In this study, it was aimed at evaluating the slope stability conditions in a residential area exposed to two landslides in the past by using two-and three-dimensional limit equilibrium analyses. Two separate, but interdependent, landslides were observed in the investigated area. In 1992 and 1994, two landslides occurred in the region after heavy precipitation and caused damages on the houses and infrastructures. An extensive field work was performed to obtain input parameters for the analyses. In addition, an unmanned aerial vehicle was flown to obtain a three-dimensional view of the landslide area for better understanding of the past failures. The landslides occurred in a flysch-type material representing complex geological characteristics. Hoek-Brown failure criterion and Geological Strength Index were chosen for the strength and visual definition of the geological unit. Since the landslide triggering factor was precipitation, the analyses were focused on the water conditions causing the failure. Sensitivity and back-analyses were performed to obtain the conditions of failure. It was revealed that a high pore pressure ratio was needed to trigger the landslides. However, the second landslide was failed with a lower pore water pressure and the current topography was determined to be on the edge of failure with a slight increase in the pore pressure ratio. In other words, the study area was still found to be prone to possible landslides in the future.
Engineering Geology, Feb 1, 2021
Abstract Stability analyses of slopes have been a hot topic for several decades and numerous meth... more Abstract Stability analyses of slopes have been a hot topic for several decades and numerous methodologies have been introduced since the beginning of these analyses. One of these methodologies is the limit equilibrium theory, and it has been applied in different forms to various cases for almost a hundred years. Although numerous investigations and works have been carried out on this methodology, there are still wide gaps needed to be investigated. Various methods have been introduced through the years including two- and three-dimensional solutions to the slope stability. However, an extensive investigation on the effects of real-life scenarios is still absent in the literature. Therefore, this study was aimed at modelling and evaluating the slope stability considering different scenarios in two (2D) and three dimensions (3D). Available methods have been investigated in both 2D and 3D separately by considering well known cases in the literature. Also, a comparison has been conducted between two- and three-dimensional versions of the same methods. Five different hypothetical cases and a multitude of scenarios representing the possible conditional changes on the slopes were investigated during the analyses. Thus, three distinctive comparisons have been conducted by analyzing 942 data related to the factor of safety. Many intriguing results have been discovered throughout the analyses and some of them have been found against the literature. A considerable amount of the computations has produced lower factors of safety in three-dimensional models. This outcome is arguably the most significant finding of this study.
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have being used for several decades for its practicality i... more Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have being used for several decades for its practicality in all aspects of applied sciences, engineering applications and governmental works as well as applications in private sector. GIS offers an ease of applicability to the works that can take immense amount of time to perform manually. Although, building a GIS network requires a lot of monetary investment at the initial stage, the investment pays off in a very short time. Pavement management systems (PMS) is a program for developing the quality and execution of road by top management mechanism. Thus Geographical Information Systems (GIS), with their spatial investigation abilities, coordinate the land idea of the street systems, they are viewed as the most suitable devices to improve Pavement management (PM) the activities, with highlights, for instance, graphical view of road condition. Today, most of the widely used online road networks are essentially based on GIS which allows users to forecast various properties along the pavement networks. In this paper, it will be aimed at showing the most critical benefits of using Geographical Information Systems in Pavement Management Systems. A comparative work is being planned such as showing some applications of PMS by performing it manually and automatically with GIS. Also, applications of the tools for pavement management systems that are adopted world widely such as pavement condition index (PCI) will be highlighted with a special focus on the integration with GIS.
Applied Sciences, 2023
Soil plasticity characteristics are of great importance to practicing engineers and academics due... more Soil plasticity characteristics are of great importance to practicing engineers and academics due to their wide range of applications mainly concerning settlement and soil strength assessment and volume change behavior. Therefore, assigning a plasticity value to soils under any discipline concerning soil engineering is critical. This is almost always carried out by determining plasticity index of soils in geotechnical engineering. However, overall plasticity characteristics of soils might not be reflected by using plasticity index alone. This research demonstrates the creation of a single model to define the plasticity potential of soils by using multivariate statistical techniques. Various soil properties including mineralogical features were integrated into the model. Some of these properties explained the soil plasticity positively and some of them negatively. The difference in plasticity characteristics of clayey soils were also identified. The model is created to be applied sim...
Natural Hazards, 2019
In this study, it was aimed at evaluating the slope stability conditions in a residential area ex... more In this study, it was aimed at evaluating the slope stability conditions in a residential area exposed to two landslides in the past by using two- and three-dimensional limit equilibrium analyses. Two separate, but interdependent, landslides were observed in the investigated area. In 1992 and 1994, two landslides occurred in the region after heavy precipitation and caused damages on the houses and infrastructures. An extensive field work was performed to obtain input parameters for the analyses. In addition, an unmanned aerial vehicle was flown to obtain a three-dimensional view of the landslide area for better understanding of the past failures. The landslides occurred in a flysch-type material representing complex geological characteristics. Hoek–Brown failure criterion and Geological Strength Index were chosen for the strength and visual definition of the geological unit. Since the landslide triggering factor was precipitation, the analyses were focused on the water conditions causing the failure. Sensitivity and back-analyses were performed to obtain the conditions of failure. It was revealed that a high pore pressure ratio was needed to trigger the landslides. However, the second landslide was failed with a lower pore water pressure and the current topography was determined to be on the edge of failure with a slight increase in the pore pressure ratio. In other words, the study area was still found to be prone to possible landslides in the future.
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have being used for several decades for its practicality i... more Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have being used for several decades for its practicality in all aspects of applied sciences, engineering applications and governmental works as well as applications in private sector. GIS offers an ease of applicability to the works that can take immense amount of time to perform manually. Although, building a GIS network requires a lot of monetary investment at the initial stage, the investment pays off in a very short time. Pavement management systems (PMS) is a program for developing the quality and execution of road by top management mechanism. Thus Geographical Information Systems (GIS), with their spatial investigation abilities, coordinate the land idea of the street systems, they are viewed as the most suitable devices to improve Pavement management (PM) the activities, with highlights, for instance, graphical view of road condition. Today, most of the widely used online road networks are essentially based on GIS which allows users to f...
Engineering Geology
Stability analyses of slopes have been a hot topic for several decades and numerous methodologies... more Stability analyses of slopes have been a hot topic for several decades and numerous methodologies have been introduced since the beginning of these analyses. One of these methodologies is the limit equilibrium theory, and it has been applied in different forms to various cases for almost a hundred years. Although numerous investigations and works have been carried out on this methodology, there are still wide gaps needed to be investigated. Various methods have been introduced through the years including two-and three-dimensional solutions to the slope stability. However, an extensive investigation on the effects of real-life scenarios is still absent in the literature. Therefore, this study was aimed at modelling and evaluating the slope stability considering different scenarios in two (2D) and three dimensions (3D). Available methods have been investigated in both 2D and 3D separately by considering well known cases in the literature. Also, a comparison has been conducted between two-and three-dimensional versions of the same methods. Five different hypothetical cases and a multitude of scenarios representing the possible conditional changes on the slopes were investigated during the analyses. Thus, three distinctive comparisons have been conducted by analyzing 942 data related to the factor of safety. Many intriguing results have been discovered throughout the analyses and some of them have been found against the literature. A considerable amount of the computations has produced lower factors of safety in three-dimensional models. This outcome is arguably the most significant finding of this study.
In this study, it was aimed at evaluating the slope stability conditions in a residential area ex... more In this study, it was aimed at evaluating the slope stability conditions in a residential area exposed to two landslides in the past by using two-and three-dimensional limit equilibrium analyses. Two separate, but interdependent, landslides were observed in the investigated area. In 1992 and 1994, two landslides occurred in the region after heavy precipitation and caused damages on the houses and infrastructures. An extensive field work was performed to obtain input parameters for the analyses. In addition, an unmanned aerial vehicle was flown to obtain a three-dimensional view of the landslide area for better understanding of the past failures. The landslides occurred in a flysch-type material representing complex geological characteristics. Hoek-Brown failure criterion and Geological Strength Index were chosen for the strength and visual definition of the geological unit. Since the landslide triggering factor was precipitation, the analyses were focused on the water conditions causing the failure. Sensitivity and back-analyses were performed to obtain the conditions of failure. It was revealed that a high pore pressure ratio was needed to trigger the landslides. However, the second landslide was failed with a lower pore water pressure and the current topography was determined to be on the edge of failure with a slight increase in the pore pressure ratio. In other words, the study area was still found to be prone to possible landslides in the future.
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Conference Presentations by Bekir Salih Firincioglu
Papers by Bekir Salih Firincioglu