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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Building".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 October 2023) | Viewed by 9155

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Hailei Kou

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Guest Editor

College of Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Interests: marine geotechnical engineering; microbial geotechnical engineering; suction caisson; pile foundation; ground improvement

Dr. Jia He

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Guest Editor

College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210024, China
Interests: bio-geotechnics; ground improvement

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Geotechnical treatment technologies, including ground strengthening, slope protection, and seepage control in soils and rocks, are of special importance for the safety and serviceability of infrastructure systems. However, traditional geotechnical treatment technologies may have adverse impacts such as the generation of waste materials, high energy consumption, high carbon emission, and the deterioration of local environments and ecological systems, among others. In recent years, a range of sustainable solutions have been investigated to mitigate the abovementioned problems. Some typical examples involve the use of wastes as fill materials or soil binders, bacteria- or plant-based soil modification, the application of smart techniques for construction and field monitoring, etc. Substantial advancements have recently been achieved in this area, in both academia and the industrial sector. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Use of industrial and construction wastes for geotechnology;
Biocement or other bacteria-based soil modification;
Soil protection using plant roots;
New construction technologies in ground improvement and slope protection;
Autonomous field monitoring technologies;
New design theory of geotechnical systems;
Life-cycle assessment and environmental evaluation of geotechnical systems.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Hailei Kou
Dr. Jia He
Guest Editors

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Keywords

ground improvement
slope protection
seepage control

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 3802 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance Study of Casing Piles in Expansive Soil Foundations: Model Testing and Analysis

by Zuoyong Li, Tianlei Chen, Qing Chai, Danyi Shen and Chuangzhou Wu

Sustainability 2024, 16(1), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010132 - 22 Dec 2023

Viewed by 598

Abstract

This study investigates the critical behavioral characteristics of pile foundations in expansive soil foundations through a series of model tests, including settlement, axial force, and side frictional resistance. The experiment initially utilized sand, bentonite, and gypsum as the fundamental materials for the preparation and composition research of expansive soil simulant materials. Subsequently, the performance of different types of model piles under various loads and water immersion conditions was analyzed. The results indicate that non-cased piles exhibit typical friction pile behavior, while PVC-cased and steel-cased piles effectively reduce side frictional resistance, resulting in a more uniform distribution of axial force along the pile. After immersion, the model test materials experience expansion, with a faster initial expansion rate and a more gradual later expansion rate. Different types of model piles exhibit different displacement characteristics, and the presence of an outer casing can reduce the uplift of the inner pile. Furthermore, PVC casing demonstrates better performance in handling negative frictional effects. This study provides valuable insights for the design and construction of pile foundations in expansive soil foundations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geotechnical Treatment Technology)

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14 pages, 7173 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on the Negative Skin Friction of Piles in Collapsible Loess

by Qing Chai, Tianlei Chen, Zuoyong Li, Danyi Shen and Chuangzhou Wu

Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8893; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118893 - 31 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1168

Abstract

The collapsible loess is widely distributed in western China. The special structure and water sensitivity of loess lead to the complex negative skin friction mechanism in pile foundations. Previous studies mainly focused on the negative skin friction of pile foundations and treatment measures, such as casing and coating methods. However, few studies have focused on the influence of the negative skin friction on the settlement and bearing capacity of piles in collapsible loess, especially environmentally friendly methods that can reduce the negative skin friction. In this study, a series of non-immersion and immersion experiments was conducted to investigate the settlement, axial force, and side friction resistance of piles in loess soil under controlled conditions. The results showed that under the non-immersion condition, the settlement of model piles increased with the increasing pile top load. The axial force gradually decreased along the pile length for piles without casing. The axial force attenuation of the casing section of casing piles was almost negligible due to the isolating frictional resistance effect of casing. The settlement of each soil layer increased with the increase in immersion time, and the process was divided into an initial gradual stage, rapid drop stage, and later gradual stage. Both negative and positive skin friction increased with the increasing immersion time and pile top load, and there was a neutral point. The maximum axial force of piles without casing exceeded the peak load at the pile top. The presence of steel casing reduced the failure of pile foundation in collapsible loess. The research results of this paper provide theoretical support for the application of piles in loess areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geotechnical Treatment Technology)

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13 pages, 5752 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Inhibition Range of Liquefaction of Saturated Sand by Load Using a Shaking Table Test

by Xiaolei Wang, Hai Ren, Run Liu, Libo Liu, Lin Dong, Yuchen Jiang, Zengpei Liu and Keke Li

Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7294; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097294 - 27 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1042

Abstract

As a novel, renewable, and efficient source of energy, offshore wind power has attracted many scholars across the globe. Studies show that offshore wind power significantly enhances the liquefaction resistance of marine saturated sand foundations exposed to seismic waves as loads. In the present study, a series of shaking table tests were conducted to study the load-induced enhancement of the liquefaction resistance of the sand. To this end, the excess pore pressures of soil mass at different buried depths were monitored in real time and the variations were analyzed. Moreover, a liquefaction constant was proposed and its influencing range was quantified. The obtained results demonstrated that load inhibits sand liquefaction at the near-end area, while it facilitates sand liquefaction at the far-end area. It is found that in soil under load at a buried depth of zero to two times the diameter, the liquefaction resistance increases linearly with the load value. Furthermore, the range of vertical inhibition and the lateral load wall end is 2.55 times and 2.36 times greater than the load diameter, respectively. The present study provides a basis to study the load-induced inhibition range of sand liquefaction, which is of significant importance for the development and optimization of offshore wind farms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geotechnical Treatment Technology)

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14 pages, 4341 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on the Effective Production of Biocement for Soil Solidification and Wind Erosion Control

by Lei Hang, Feng Yang, Jie Xu, Zihao Zhao, Wei Xiao and Jia He

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5402; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065402 - 18 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1082

Abstract

Biocement can be achieved through the microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) process. Such a method can potentially be utilized as an eco-friendly method for civil and environmental engineering applications such as soil ground improvement and wind erosion control of surface soil. In this method, one key step is the effective production of ureolytic bacteria. In previous laboratory and field studies, the cultivation and production of the bacteria used for the MICP were usually expensive and time-consuming. The purpose of this study was to optimize the cultivation method of the ureolytic bacteria (Sporosarcina pasteurii), and soil stabilization tests were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the cultured bacteria used to strengthen soil against the wind-induced erosion. Bacterial cultivation methods were studied by investigating the effects of different cultivation media and conditions. Testing variables included the types and concentrations of nitrogen sources (urea or NH₄Cl), pH values (7.5–9.5), cultivation conditions (batch or chemostat condition), and different carbon sources. It was found that, with the same amount of nitrogen source, the test with pure urea had the highest biomass yield, urease activity, and specific urease activity than the other tests with pure NH₄Cl or both NH₄Cl and urea. The use of urea as the nitrogen source in the media also led to an increase in pH, which was not found in the test with pure NH₄Cl. As for the factor of urea concentration, the tests with a higher urea concentration had a higher biomass yield, urease activity, and pH. The factor of pH values also played an important role. The test with an 8.5 initial pH value had a higher biomass yield, urease activity, and specific urease activity than the tests with 7.5 and 9.5 initial pH values. In the chemostat condition, the ureolytic bacteria could be effectively produced with urease activity up to 7 mmol/L/min, as compared with around 12 mmol/L/min activity in the batch condition. Thus, the optimum nitrogen source, pH value, and cultivation condition for the cultivation of Sporosarcina pasteurii was urea, 8.5, and batch condition, respectively. In addition, when soybean milk powder or milk powder was used as the carbon source, the urease activity was around 2.5 mmol/L/min, which is also high enough to be used for biocement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geotechnical Treatment Technology)

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19 pages, 4859 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Field Test Study on the Bearing Capacity of Extra-Long PHC Pipe Piles under Dynamic and Static Loads

by Yonggang Xiao, Xiaomin Liu, Junlong Zhou and Liwei Song

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5161; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065161 - 14 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1577

Abstract

Pretensioned prestressed high strength concrete (PHC) pipe piles are widely used in various engineering foundations, which have the advantages of high single pile bearing capacity, strong adaptability to geological conditions and high degree of construction mechanization. In order to study the vertical compressive bearing performance and settlement characteristics of ultra-long PHC pipe piles, high strain dynamic detections and static load tests were carried out on four PHC piles with a diameter of 0.9 m on site. It can be seen from the field test that the bearing capacity of the prefabricated pipe piles was time-dependent. By the end of the dynamic test, the bearing capacity of each test pile increased by 27% to 66%. The static load test also verified the rationality of the value of the restitution coefficient. Therefore, the final bearing capacity of the pile foundation can be predicted by using the high strain initial driving results and the restitution coefficient, which can reduce the repeated driving process, effectively save the cost and improve the engineering efficiency. Under 2.1 times the design load, the change range of the pile concrete modulus is from 37.5 GPa to 52 GPa, the change range of the pile side friction resistance is from 0 kPa to 97 kPa and the change range of the pile end to pile bottom load ratio is from 0% to 7.54%. During the test, the shaft friction and end bearing of the lower part of the piles were not fully mobilized. The shaft friction resistance, the end resistance and the movement behavior of the pile top and the end of the piles can provide parameter references for the subsequent design and construction of the piles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geotechnical Treatment Technology)

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14 pages, 7324 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Differential Settlement of Subgrade for Highway-Widening Projects

by Qiqi Lin, Yuhe Zhang, Chenjun Yang, Xiaohua Wang, Tao Lei, Chengwei Ju, Zhanyong Yao and Kai Yao

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 2950; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15042950 - 06 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1642

Abstract

Highway widening is an important way to improve the existing expressway capacity and promote the development of transportation systems. The differential settlement between the old and new subgrade is the key factor to evaluate whether it is necessary to carry out ground improvement for the new foundation, which will cause longitudinal pavement cracking and even subgrade instability. Therefore, the most critical task in the highway expansion project is controlling differential settlement, particularly post-construction differential settlement. In this study, a fluid-structure coupling settlement analysis model was developed based on FLAC3D, and a modified Cam-clay (MCC) model was used to describe the difference between new and old foundation parameters. The working conditions of different subgrade heights and groundwater levels were simulated to analyze their influence on the differential settlement during and after construction. With the increment value of the transverse slope (Δi) and maximum slope (k) of new and old subgrade settlement curves as evaluation indexes, the differential settlement size of widened subgrade under different working conditions is evaluated, which provides a basis for the design of widened foundation engineering and provides suggestions on whether reinforcement measures should be taken. The results show that the post-construction differential settlement increases with the increase in groundwater level and subgrade height. Under the requirement of Δi ≤ 0.5%, it is not necessary to take reinforcement measures under the condition of local water levels under a 2 m subgrade height and −9 m and −11 m groundwater levels under a 4 m subgrade height. However, when the water level rises further, or the height of the subgrade increases further, it is necessary to take foundation reinforcement measures. Meanwhile, for the requirement of k ≤ 0.5%, foundation reinforcement measures should be taken for all working conditions regardless of the water level or subgrade height. The research results can provide theoretical value and reference for foundation treatment in roadbed-widening engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geotechnical Treatment Technology)

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17 pages, 5036 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Properties of Soil-Based Flowable Fill under Drying–Wetting and Freeze–Thaw Actions

by Zheng Huang, Teng Tong, Hao Liu and Wen Qi

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2390; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032390 - 28 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1339

Abstract

Flowable fills are a type of fill material with many construction applications, including transportation engineering, building engineering, water conservancy constructions, etc. Flowable fills usually consist of cementing agents, water, and aggregates such as soils or other waste or cheap materials. Flowable fills have the characteristics of high flowability, self-leveling, self-compacting, high and adjustable strength, and the ability to adopt waste and cheap materials. In this study, a waste soil-based flowable fill was investigated under drying–wetting and freeze–thaw actions. Under six drying–wetting cycles, flowable fill specimens underwent a continuous reduction in strength, accompanying the mass losses and the changes in micro-structures. The level of strength reduction increased with decreased addition of Portland cement and increased addition of water. After six drying–wetting cycles, the specimens showed a 27–51% strength reduction as compared to their counterparts with no drying–wetting actions. Under freeze–thaw cycles, the specimens also showed noticeable but insignificant degradation. After six freeze–thaw cycles, the level of strength reduction ranged from 9–20%. Most of the strength reduction occurred during the first three cycles. Based on the test data, an empirical model was proposed to predict the strength reduction under drying–wetting cycles. The results proved that flowable fills may undergo a relatively large reduction in their engineering performance under adverse environments, especially drying–wetting actions. The implications of the results for construction are also discussed in the paper. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geotechnical Treatment Technology)

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