Tuan A. Pham

Geosynthetic-reinforced and pile-supported (GRPS) systems provide an economic and effective solution for embankments. The load transfer mechanisms are tridimensional ones and depend on the interaction between linked elements, such as piles, soil, and geosynthetics. This paper presents an extensive parametric study using three-dimensional numerical calculations for geosynthetic-reinforced and pile-supported embankments. The numerical analysis is conducted for both cohesive and non-cohesive embank

In unsaturated soil mechanics, the soil–water retention curve (SWRC) continues to play an important role, since it provides the necessary links between the properties and behaviour of unsaturated soils with a variety of engineering challenges. The temperature has been identified as the main factor influencing SWRC as compared to a variety of other parameters. The goal of this research is to describe theoretical and experimental aspects of the temperature effect on unsaturated soil water retentio

The use of high-strength geosynthetics to enhance the load transfer mechanism onto columns is an established and increasingly popular technique in geosynthetic-reinforced and column-supported embankments. The main focus of this paper is to extend the existing models that describe the membrane action and soil arching with skin friction along the geosynthetic. This extension was undertaken to identify the parameters that affect the tension in the geosynthetic and assess the effect of geosynthetics

Geosynthetic-reinforced and pile-supported (GRPS) systems have already proven their good performance in supporting embankments constructed over soft soil. The load transfer mechanism in GRPS embankments depends on the complex interaction between the soil in place, the structural elements and the embankment's soil type (cohesive or cohesionless). However, the cohesion influence of the embankment soil has not been well investigated as it is often not considered in the design of such systems. The m

The main focus of this paper is to present a multi-interaction model under a simplified form for calculating load transfer to piles and geosynthetic strain of piled embankments. The multi-interaction model is established by considering the integrated load transfer mechanisms and all the interactions between the elements of a geosynthetic-reinforced and pile-supported embankment, including fill soils, geosynthetic, platform, subsoil and pile. The proposed method is based on the combination of the

Geosynthetic-reinforced column-supported system is an economic and effective solution to support embankments constructed on soft soils. In this solution, both end-bearing and floating columns are commonly used in practice. For deep soil foundation depths, floating columns are more economical than end-bearing piles. The design of a floating column foundation involves complex soil–structure interactions and there are still no clear uniform guidelines available for the design of embankments support

Unsaturated soil shear strength is a crucial and useful parameter for predicting geostructure stability, soil erosion, seasonal variation, and land management. Unsaturated shear strength measurement, however, is frequently costly, complex, and time-consuming. The main objective of this paper is to present a new generalized equation for the shear strength estimation of unsaturated soils. The proposed equation is derived from a micromechanical equilibrium condition considering the interaction of a

Abstract Soil shear strength is the most fundamental property when designing structures in the ground and should be carefully assessed and understood. Several empirical models were introduced to predict the shear strength of unsaturated soils. However, there is uncertainty regarding the applicability and sensitivity of these prediction models. This paper presents a comprehensive verification study to assess the reliability and validity of the existing theoretical models. The results obtained fro

The prediction of shear strength of unsaturated soils remains a significant challenge due to their complex multi-phase nature. In this paper, a review of prior experimental studies is first presented in order to outline important pieces of evidence, limitations and some design considerations. Then, an overview of existing shear strength equations is summarised, with a brief discussion. A micromechanical model with stress equilibrium conditions and multi-phase interaction considerations is presen