FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF RIGID PLATE SOIL PRESSURE CELLS

The author gives an account of a study of the performance of rigid plate soil pressure cells intended for measuring the pressure at the interface between a retaining wall and the soil backfill, with particular reference to finite element analysis. The program used was that developed at TRRL by Fellows and Castledine, which is based on constant strain triangular elements and involves the calculation of external vertical nodal applied loads by waterhouse's method, and included a facility for allowing the application of radial external loads. Figures include a typical distribution of vertical stress over the face of the pressure cell, a calibration chart for cells of different stiffness used in a range of soil types and the change in cell factor with radius. It was found that a 10 per cent change in nodal stress at the edge of a plate produced a change of less than 3 per cent in the cell factor and that the cell factor was linearly dependent on the displacement of the cell plate. Comparisons were made between experimental and calculated relations between applied and 'measured' cell pressures for a washed sand and a sandy clay. Similar results were obtained and although the finite element anaysis predicts a smaller cell error than was actually obtained, it was concluded that the finite element analysis method provides a reasonable guide to the probable performance of a cell mounted flush with a rigid surface.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00174653
• Corporate Authors:

  Foundation Publications Limited

  7 Ongar Road
  Brentwood CM15 9AU, Essex,   England 
• Authors:
  • CARDER, D R
• Publication Date: 1976-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 3 p.
• Serial:
  • GROUND ENGINEERING
  • Volume: 9
  • Issue Number: 8
  • Publisher: EMAP CONSTRUCT LIMITED
  • ISSN: 0017-4653

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calibration; Clay; Computer programs; Earth pressure; Embankments; Errors; Finite element method; Load cells; Loads; Sand; Sandy clays; Sensors; Slabs; Stiffness; Strain (Mechanics); Stresses
• Uncontrolled Terms: Active earth pressure
• Old TRIS Terms: Strains
• ITRD Terms: 6171: Calibration; 4177: Clay; 5726: Earth pressure (active); 2801: Embankment; 6440: Error; 6490: Finite element method; 5567: Load; 4105: Sand; 6120: Sensor; 3491: Slab; 8645: Software; 5931: Stiffness; 5575: Stress (in material)
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00152553
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Analytic
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 2 1977 12:00AM