ANALYSIS OF THE LIGHT WEIGHT DEFLECTOMETER IN-SITU STRESS AND STRAIN Patrick K. Miller BSCE Tufts University MS Colorado School of Mines Project Engineer – Olson Engineering
Mar 27, 2015
ANALYSIS OF THE LIGHT WEIGHT DEFLECTOMETER
IN-SITU STRESS AND STRAIN
Patrick K. Miller
BSCE Tufts UniversityMS Colorado School of Mines
Project Engineer – Olson Engineering
LWD Background
Prima 100 Zorn ZFG 2000
Purpose
To measure in-situ elastic modulus of soils
QC/QA device
Operation
1 person to operate
1-3 minutes per test
Weighs approximately 20 kg
Common Devices
Prima 100
Zorn ZFG 2000
Current Analysis Technique Based upon Boussinesq’s theoretical solution to a static load applied
through a rigid circular plate on an elastic half-space.
0
1
rGA
Fw
0
212
rA
kE s
peak
peaks w
Fk
Previous In-situ Stress and Strain Research
Fleming (2000)Used in-situ stress sensors to measure stress induced by the LWDDid not explore drop height, plate diameter and soil type effectsDid not measure in-situ strain
Several Researchers have used stress sensors to measure in-situ stress levels from various loading conditions and devices.
Few Researchers have used potentiometers, LVDT’s, or accelerometers to measure in-situ displacement and/or strain produced by various devices.
Main Research Objectives
Employ In-situ Sensors to Measure LWD Induced Stress and Strain Levels
Characterize stress and strain state under LWD loading Determine how stress and strain vary with loading plate diameter
and drop height (applied force)
Compare Secant Modulus from in-situ stress and strain data to modulus value given by the current analysis method
Characterize “Influence Depth” of the LWD
In-situ Stress and Strain Sensors
Earth Pressure Cell
(EPC)
Linear-Variable-Differential-Transformer (LVDT)
Displacement Transducer
Sensor Calibration
EPC Calibration EPC’s calibrated in a
laboratory calibration device at UMN.
Potential Issues include: stress concentrations, shadowing effects, variable temperature effects, etc.
LVDT Calibration Factory calibration No known calibration issues
Sensor Placement Procedure
EPC Placement Placed by hand in
lightly compacted new lift
Encased in a pocket of the calibration sand
LVDT Placement Placed by hand in
lightly compacted new lift
Soil Profiles Tested
FF
Buried EPCs
FF
Test 1 Test 2
4 Locations tested for each profile (2 EPC, 2 LVDT)
In-situ Stress Results
Key Points
Magnitude and duration of the stress pulse is greater in the sand than in the clay
At the deepest layer, the homogeneous profile has a greater magnitude and duration than the layered profile
Contact Stress Distribution
0
212
rA
kE s
Terzaghi (1943) theorized that a rigid circular plate produces a:
Inverse Parabolic Distributionon cohesive soils
Parabolic Distributionon non-cohesive soils
Uniform Distributionon soils having mixed characteristics
4A
A
4/3A
Therefore: Uniform and Parabolic loadings produce E’s of 127 and 170 % of the Inverse Parabolic loading
In-situ Stress Results
Employing Static Theory of Elasticity The increase in stress at depth z
due to a surface loading is given by:
Experimental data verifies Terzaghi’s theory of soil dependent contact stress
Suggests that the LWD analysis should reflect the soil type tested
2
0r0 2/522
3
)peak(z0 drd
)zr(
rz
2
)r(q3
In-situ Stress Results
Terzaghi also theorized that the contact stress between a rigid plate and soil is dependent upon the level of loading
A cohesive material exhibits an inverse parabolic distribution at low levels of loading and trends toward a uniform distribution at loads producing failure
The experimental data also appears to confirm this theory
Therefore understanding the level of loading due to the LWD may also be important in the data analysis
Plate Diameter and Drop Height Effects
Key Points
Stress magnitude of 200 mm load plate is greater near the surface but not at depth
The stress magnitude at each layer is proportional to the applied force (drop height)
Employing Static Theory of Elasticity The increase in strain at depth z is given by:
Where:
In-situ Strain Results
)]([1
rzz E
2
00r
0 2/3222/522
2
r drdzr
)21(z
zr
zr3
4
)r(rq
Using a constant modulus the in-situ strain data was fit
The strain decreased much more rapidly with depth than the stress
Note that only the 200 mm plate and largest drop height produced measurable strain at the second layer of sensors
In-situ Strain Results
An elastic modulus which increased with depth was utilized to fit the strain data It is well know that E increases with a decrease in deviator stress
and an increase in confining stress, both cases exist here
The exponentially increasing E provided the best fit
The deviator and confining stress dependent E equation provided a much better fit than the constant E
More data is needed to validate these findings
Stress/Strain Results
Fpeak (kN)
4.1 6.5 8.8
C/C/C 200 mm
Er (MPa) 3051.9 262.8 128.5
ELWD (MPa) 34.8 34.3 31.7
S/C 300 mm
Er (MPa) NA 117.1 104.9
ELWD (MPa) NA 60.3 63.7
Er vs. ELWD Values
The secant modulus of the vertical in-situ stress and strain data was calculated and deemed Er
Er and ELWD values were significantly different, and displayed different trends
Conclusions Contact stress between the soil and LWD is dependent on the soil
type and level of loading Cohesive soil ~ inverse parabolic distribution Non-cohesive soil ~ parabolic distribution Mixed characteristic soil ~ uniform distribution
Strain decreased much more rapidly than stress with depth A modulus profile which increased with depth more closely matched the
experimental strain data.
The secant modulus values calculated from the in-situ stress and strain data did not compare well with values obtained from the LWD
Continuing Research More data needed from all soil types, focusing near the surface Tactile sensors – to measure pressure distribution Refinement/Laboratory calibration of strain sensors
LWD Prototype
Key Components Piezoelectric Force
Transducer Measures Applied Force
Urethane Damper Effects Impulse Duration
and Magnitude
Geophone Measures Response of
Loading Plate (velocity)