Location
San Diego, California
Presentation Date
29 May 2010, 8:00 am - 9:30 am
Abstract
Centrifuge model tests were performed to study the stability and uplift mechanisms of the BART Transbay Tube. The tube is a cut-and-cover subway tunnel located in a highly seismic area. The low relative density of the backfill material around the tunnel and the low unit weight of the tunnel might make tunnel suffer uplift movement due to buoyancy forces caused by liquefaction of the backfill material during an earthquake. Three uplift mechanisms were observed in the centrifuge model tests: (1) a cyclic ratcheting mechanism of sand moving under the tunnel associated with cyclic lateral deformations of the tunnel;(2) flow of water under the tunnel; and, (3) heave of the soft trench clay. The FLAC program was used to simulate the centrifuge model tests. A sensitivity study was performed to decide on the final mesh and treatment of interfaces in the numerical model. Results of the sensitivity study, numerical simulations and centrifuge model test results are presented and discussed in this paper.
Department(s)
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Meeting Name
5th International Conference on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics
Publisher
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Document Version
Final Version
Rights
© 2010 Missouri University of Science and Technology, All rights reserved.
Creative Commons Licensing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Document Type
Article - Conference proceedings
File Type
text
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Chou, Jui-Ching; Kutter, Bruce L.; and Travasarou, Thaleia, "Numerical Analyses of Centrifuge Models of the Bart Transbay Tube" (2010). International Conferences on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics. 10.
https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/icrageesd/05icrageesd/session08/10
Included in
Numerical Analyses of Centrifuge Models of the Bart Transbay Tube
San Diego, California
Centrifuge model tests were performed to study the stability and uplift mechanisms of the BART Transbay Tube. The tube is a cut-and-cover subway tunnel located in a highly seismic area. The low relative density of the backfill material around the tunnel and the low unit weight of the tunnel might make tunnel suffer uplift movement due to buoyancy forces caused by liquefaction of the backfill material during an earthquake. Three uplift mechanisms were observed in the centrifuge model tests: (1) a cyclic ratcheting mechanism of sand moving under the tunnel associated with cyclic lateral deformations of the tunnel;(2) flow of water under the tunnel; and, (3) heave of the soft trench clay. The FLAC program was used to simulate the centrifuge model tests. A sensitivity study was performed to decide on the final mesh and treatment of interfaces in the numerical model. Results of the sensitivity study, numerical simulations and centrifuge model test results are presented and discussed in this paper.
