AbstractIn this article, a simplified approach for the reliability-based design of laterally loaded drilled shafts considering the spatial variability of soil property is presented. This simplified approach utilizes a conventional reliability method implemented using the variance reduction technique. An algorithm for back-calculating the reduction factor and characteristic length for various shaft slenderness ratios is proposed. This simplified approach can yield responses for drilled shafts that are equivalent to those obtained using random field modeling (RFM), which is a far more complex process. The simplified approach does not require the knowledge of random field theory and can be an efficient design tool in geotechnical engineering practice. 相似文献
Loads transfer in ballast track through contacts among randomly distributed ballast particles and have strong heterogeneity. Since the size ratio between ballast track and ballast particles is generally small, using averaged stress to describe the internal mechanical state in ballast track faces practical difficulties. For example, particle movements and high local concentration stress tend to be ignored. The inter-particle contact stress is crucial to evaluate the particle behaviors, such as abrasion, movements, and furtherly the performance of ballast track. However, the contact stress on ballast particles is hard to predict or measure. We conduct a full size model test to investigate the dynamic characteristics of longitudinal stress on ballast particles as well as different lateral regions under vertical cyclic loads with various loading magnitudes and frequencies. An obvious seesaw effect of longitudinal contact stress is observed: the stresses at some contact areas have the same phase with applied cyclic load while at other contact areas have an opposite phase. The seesaw effect of contact stress is then used to evaluate the rotational movements of ballast particles. The variation of contact area and stress of the ballast particles with loading magnitudes demonstrates that the rigid contact assumption is appropriate when analyzing the contact behavior of ballast particles. The cumulative probability distribution of contact stress with stress level can be described by an inversely proportional function, based on which the maximum contact stress can be estimated according to the longitudinal average stress. Besides, the lateral dispersion angle of the vertical loads in the ballast track is about 35°, which is independent of the given loading magnitudes and frequencies.