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Modelling of Lateral Movement in Soft Soil Using Hardening Soil Model

Article · March 2011

DOI: 10.1109/UKSIM.2011.45 · Source: DBLP

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 2011 UKSim 13th International Conference on Modelling and Simulation
Modelling of Lateral Movement in Soft Soil Using Hardening Soil Model
Md Zain, N.H.; Ahmad, J.; Ashaari, Y.; Shaffie, E.; Mustaffa, N.K.
Faculty of Civil Engineering
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
Shah Alam, Malaysia
hazwani_zain@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract— Excavation in soft soil will lead to changes in stress
state ground mass and subsequent ground losses inevitably
occur. These changes affect the surrounding ground in the
form of lateral movement which eventually impose direct
strains onto nearby structures and can cause pile deviation and
cracks. This study models the lateral movement in soft clay due
to excavation using finite element simulation known as
PLAXIS. Two types of isotropic models in PLAXIS are
compared that are Hardening soil Model and Mohr Coulomb
Model. The soft clay was collected from a site location in
Selangor, Malaysia and the physical and engineering
properties test were firstly determined. For simulation in
PLAXIS, a geometry model which consists of sand and clay
layer was used and a vertical sheet pile was driven downwards
until bottom of the soil layer. Excavations were done in stages
on one side of the soil retained induced horizontal
displacement to the sheet pile until resulted failure to occur.
From the results obtained, it can be concluded that Mohr-
Coulomb model are almost equal to Hardening-Soil model in
terms of horizontal displacements. However, for the soil
stresses, the researcher found that the percentage differences
between the both models are higher which is caused by
characteristic of Hardening-Soil model that accounted for
stress dependency of stiffness moduli, where all stiffness
increase with pressure.
Keywords- Pile, Hardening Soil, Mohr Coulomb, Lateral
Movement, soft soil
I. INTRODUCTION
The construction on soft soil is increase significantly
because there are limited sites for construction of building,
infrastructures and other development. Soft clay is a type of
soil which is known to consist of high moisture content
which is erratic, weak and very complicated for
construction. The problem that related to this type of soil is
failure to retain its stability. This type of soil which
commonly found at former mining land is now a demand in
Malaysia for construction purposes. Excavation in soft soil
often results in lateral soil movement which will induce
additional bending moment, shear force, and deflection on
piles supporting adjacent structures. The magnitude of
lateral (horizontal) earth pressure is dependent on the shear
strength of the soil; the lateral strain conditions, the vertical
effective stress (and therefore the pore water pressure) and
the state of equilibrium of the soil [1]. The results of a field
study show that a building has been severely damaged and
978-0-7695-4376-5/11 $26.00 © 2011 IEEE 195
DOI 10.1109/UKSIM.2011.45
eventually demolished due to excessive soil movement
caused by soil excavation nearby [2]. Lack of knowledge on
this type of soil has become problems since lots of failure in
construction need to be faced. Hence, lots of studies and
research need to be done to ensure safety for construction.
In this study, a type of failure which focuses on lateral
movement in soft soil due to excavation will be analysed.
Thus, the understanding and knowledge of engineering
characteristics of soft soil are crucial and should be well
understood by people related in this field. It is difficult to
get exact sample and parameters from soft clay collected for
the purpose of modelling using Finite Element Method
(FEM). This is because very less research has been made on
this type of soil in Malaysia for analyzing using FEM.
Besides that, a period of time is needed in completing
laboratory experiment to obtain parameters in analyzing
using FEM. Hence, this research needs thorough studies to
achieve reliable results for the purpose of country
development.
II. LITERATURE SURVEY
This case study is limited to sample of soft soil (clay)
located at sand mining area in Batang Berjuntai, Selangor.
Disturbed and undisturbed sample were collected from the
site location and to be used in laboratory testing and
physical modelling. Laboratory testing is divided into two
parts which are determination of physical properties and
engineering properties. Physical properties result will be
used in classification of the soil while the engineering
properties result parameters will be used in analysing using
FEM method. The physical modelling is used as simulation
of the actual result at site which contains three layers of soil
which is layer of sand at the top and bottom layer while clay
layer in between it. A sheet pile plate is driven into the soil
layers which act as cantilever wall during excavation
process. Unbraced excavation will be acting on the soil
layer adjacent to the pile which is done stages by stages
until the sheet pile collapse due to soil lateral movement. In
this study, finite element method (PLAXIS) will be used in
analysing the physical modelling to obtain the shear force,
bending moment and deflection of the sheet pile. Analysing
using PLAXIS is limited to Mohr-Coulomb model and
Hardening soil model only. Comparison is made from the
results obtain between these two models.
 III. METHODOLOGY
This section will be divided into three parts that are
preparation of sample, laboratory testing which include
physical and engineering properties tests and lastly model
simulation using Finite Element method.
A. Preparation of Sample
The samples were divided into two parts which are
undisturbed samples and disturbed samples. For the
undisturbed samples, the samples were taken by using the
sampling tube directly from the site location. This is
because to maintain its natural properties, for the purpose of
determination of its nature moisture content. However, for
the disturbed samples, it was taken from excavation process
at the site location without considering changing in its
natural properties. The disturbed samples taken were then
dried in the oven for at least a day before it was grind using
abrasion machine which created small particles of soil
samples. The produced samples were remoulded and used
throughout the laboratory test.
B. Laboratory Testing
1) Physical Properties Tests
a) Sieve Analysis
The sample was oven dried about a day. The sieve size
that had been used were 2mm, 1.18mm, 0.6mm, 0.425mm,
0.3mm, 0.212mm, 0.15mm, and 0.063mm and the weight of
each sieve was recorded. The sample was subjected to the
mechanical shaking about 15 minutes to cause the soil
particles to fall through the sieve until they are retained on a
particular sieve. After shaking, a balance is used to
determine the mass of soil retained on each sieve [3].
b) Hydrometer Analysis
For soil samples containing fine grained particles, a wet
sieving procedure was carried out to determine the
combined clay/silt fraction percentage. Sedimentation by the
hydrometer method is used in this research where it covers
particle size distribution of soil from the coarse sand size to
the clay size [4].
c) Liquid Limit (LL)
The LL is the empirically established moisture content
at which a soil passes from the liquid state to the plastic
state. Two main types of test are Cone Penetrometer Method
and Casagrande Method. Cone Penetrometer Method was
used in this research as it is more satisfactory, easier to
perform and gives more reproducible results. This method
covers the determination of the liquid limit of a sample of
soil in its natural state, or of a sample of soil from which
material retained on a 425μm test sieve has been removed
[5].
d) Plastic Limit (PL)
The PL is the water content where soil starts to exhibit
plastic behaviour. A thread of soil is at its plastic limit when
it is rolled at diameter of 3mm or begins to crumble as
shown in Figure 3.6. The PL is the empirically established
moisture content at which soil becomes too dry to be plastic
[6].
196
2) Engineeringl Properties Tests
a) Compaction Test
Compaction of soil is the process by which the solid
particles are packed more closely together, usually by
mechanical means, thereby increasing the dry density of the
soil. Compaction test type of Light Manual Compaction test
was used in this research in determining the optimum
moisture content (OMC) and maximum dry density (MDD)
which 2.5kg rammer is used. This test covers the
determination of the dry density of soil passing a 20mm test
sieve when it is compacted in a specified manner over a
range of moisture contents. The range includes the optimum
moisture content at which the maximum dry density for this
degree of compaction is obtained [7].
b) Unconsolidated Undrained Triaxial Test
Objective of this test is to determine the shear strength
parameters of the fine soils either in undisturbed or
remoulded state. The test is not applicable when the rate of
construction is slow allowing consolidation of soil. The test
is representative of soils in construction sites where the rate
of construction is very fast and the pore waters do not have
enough time to dissipate. In this study, cell pressure of 25,
100 and 200 kPa were used with zero pore pressure with
specimen diameter size of 38mm and 76mm length [8].
c) One Dimensional Consolidation Test
In this test, the soil specimen is loaded axially in
increments of applied stress. Each stress increment is held
constant until the primary consolidation has ceased. During
this process water drains out of the specimen, resulting in a
decrease in height which is measured at suitable intervals.
The apparatus for this test is called oedometer. For this
research, loading sequence is used in the range of 0, 30, 50,
100, and 200 kPa, followed by unloading process [9].
3) Model for simulation
The simulation is conducted based on physical model
known as Geotechnical Test Tank. The tank consists of
three layers of soil in which the first layer consists of
150mm sand, second layer consists of 50 mm soft clay soil
and third layer consists 150mm of the sand. A sheet pile
which use to retain adjacent soil, was driven downward into
the soil layers until it reached the bottom of the third layer
of soil. Excavation was done in stages until there is failure
occur on sheet pile due to soil lateral movement. For
simulation using PLAXIS, the dimensions used were in the
ratio of 1m: 10mm. The model dimensions are shown in Fig
1.
 TABLE II. MATERIAL PROPERTIES FOR SAND USING MOHR COULOMB
Sheet Pile MODEL [10]

Parameter Name Sand Unit

Material Model Model Mohr-Coulomb -

150mm
SAND
Material Behaviour Type Drained -

50mm
SOFT CLAY Soil Unit Weight
Above Phreatic γunsat 20.5 kN/m3

150mm
SAND Level
Soil Unit Weight
Below Phreatic γsat 20.5 kN/m3
1000mm
Level
Figure 1. Geometry Model dimension in Plaxis
Young’s Modulus E 25500 kN/m2

IV. MODEL PARAMETERS Cohesion cref 0.001 kN/m3

The problem was modelled using Hardening soil Model Poison Ratio Ѵ 0.3 -
and the widely used model known as Mohr Coulomb. Mohr
Coulomb model is normally preferred due to its simplicity Friction Angle ϕ 34 °
and represents a first order approximation of soil and rock
Dilatancy Angle ψ 0 °
behaviour. The results obtained from laboratory tests were
used to determine the input parameters. The different model kx 5 m/day
is applied to the soft soil layer and the input parameters and Permeability
ky 1 m/day
additional state variables for the different models are shown
in Tables 1 to 4. The sheet pile properties which acts as a
retaining element are also presented [11]. TABLE III. MATERIAL PROPERTIES FOR SOFT CLAY USING HARDENING
SOIL MODEL

TABLE I. MATERIAL PROPERTIES FOR SOFT CLAY USING MOHR Parameter Name Clay Unit
COULOMB MODEL
Secant Stiffness in
Parameter Name Soft Clay Unit ref
standard drained triaxial E50 6625 kN/m2
Material Model Model Mohr-Coulomb - test
Tangent Stiffness for ref
Material Behaviour Type Undrained - Eoed 6625 kN/m2
primary oedometer test

Soil Unit Weight Unloading/Reloading ref

Eur 19875 kN/m2
Above Phreatic γunsat 10.2392 kN/m3 Stiffness

Level Poison Ratio Ѵ 0.2 -

Soil Unit Weight Power for stress level
m 1.0 -
Below Phreatic γsat 15.9925 kN/m3 dependency of stiffness
Level Cohesion cref 13.25 kN/m3

Young’s Modulus E’ 5300 kN/m2

Friction Angle ϕ 0.01 °
Dilatancy Angle ψ 0 °
Poison Ratio Ѵ 0.2 -
Permeability kx, ,ky 1.827 x 10 -5
m/day
Cohesion cref 13.25 kN/m3
Friction Angle ϕ 0.01 °

Dilatancy Angle ψ 0 °

Permeability kx, ,ky 1.827 x 10-5 m/day

197
 TABLE IV. SHEET PILE PROPERTIES

Parameter Name Sheet Pile Unit

Material Model Model Elastic -
Young’s Modulus E 20000 MPa
Weight γ 25 kN/m3

Poisson’s Ratio Ѵ 0.15 -

7
Normal Stiffness EA 2.4 x 10 kN/m
Flexural Rigidity EI 2.88 x 106 kNm2

V. PLAXIS SIMULATION
Modelling steps include boundary condition, mesh Figure 3. Initial Condition
generation, initial condition and calculation. In boundary
condition, standard fixities are used. The material properties
and model parameters for soil clusters were entered in
material data sets. The material properties of interfaces are
related to the soil properties and were entered in the same
data sets as the soil properties. A data set for soil and
interfaces generally represents a certain soil layer and can be
assigned to the corresponding clusters in the geometry
model. When the geometry model are fully defined and
material properties assigned to all clusters and structural
objects, the geometry shall be divided into finite elements in
order to perform finite element calculations as shown in Fig.
2. A composition of finite elements called as mesh. The
basic type of element in a mesh is the 15-node triangular Figure 4. Generation of Initial Stresses
element.
The last steps in PLAXIS modeling is the calculation
phase which is considered to be the most important part of
all. Staged construction is a type of loading input that
enables an accurate and realistic simulation of various
loading, construction and excavation process which involves
installation of plate, pumping out water from soil for
dewatering process then followed by excavation process
until allowable maximum depth before failure occur. After
the calculation is completed, the results can be evaluated in
the Output program which based on Fig.5. In the Output
window there is displacement and stresses in the full
geometry as well as in cross sections and in structural
elements.
Figure 2. Mesh Generation

Once the geometry model has been created and the finite
element mesh has been generated, the initial stress state and
the initial configuration must be specified. The initial
condition consists of two different modes: One mode for the
generation of initial water pressures (water conditions
mode) as referred in Fig. 3 and one mode for the
specification of the initial geometry configuration and the
generation of the initial effective stress field (geometry
configuration mode). Initial stresses may be generated by
specifying Ko or by using Gravity loading and inspection of
plastic points should be considered when using Hardening
soil Model. The generation of initial stresses based on the
K0-procedure. The result of generation is shown in Fig. 4. Figure 5. Deformed Mesh after completion of calculation phases

198
 VI. RESULT AND ANALYSIS
The result of final deformation using Hardening Soil
Model is shown in Fig. 6. A cross section line (A-A) was
drawn along the retained soil to evaluate soil total
displacement and soil horizontal displacement occur after
calculation phase analysis or problem simulation is
completed successfully. Besides that, the sheet pile
behaviour is also evaluated in terms of total displacement,
horizontal displacement and bending moment. The output of
the last calculation phase is shown in figures 7 to 11 for soil
and sheet pile respectively which is simulated using
Hardening Soil Model. Table 5 summarises the results
Figure 9. Sheet Pile Total Displacement
obtained and the difference between the two models.

Figure 10. Sheet Pile Horizontol Displacement

Figure 6. Deformed Mesh at final construction stage

Figure 11. Sheet Pile Bending Moment

Figure 7. Soil Total Displacement

Figure 12. Soil Shear Stress

Figure 8. Soil Horizontol Displacement

199
 very small displacement in vertical plane which was
neglected.
Meanwhile, the main reasons of the high percentage
difference in soil stresses is due to the characteristic of
Hardening Soil (HS) model itself. Compared to Mohr
Coulomb (MC) model, HS-model are more accurate
because it uses three different inputs of stiffness parameters
which are E50, Eur and Eoed while MC-model only consider
for E value which is limited number of features that soil
behaviour show in reality. For MC-model, Hooke’s single
stiffness model with linear elasticity in combination with an
ideal plasticity, whereas the HS-model use double stiffness
Figure 13. Graph depth versus horizontol displacement for soft clay model for elasticity in combination with isotropic strain.
In addition, the HS-model which accounts for stress
dependency of stiffness moduli compared to MC-model
TABLE V. COMPARISON BETWEEN BOTH MODELS where all stiffness increases with pressure. It is also known
that the yield surface for HS-model is not fixed in principal
Mohr Hardening- Percentage
Description
Coulomb Soil Difference (%)
stress space, but it can expand due to plastic straining.
Sheet Pile
Furthermore, the HS-model is better compared to MC-
Bending model by using theory of plasticity rather than theory of
Moment 17.22 x 103 17.04 x 103 0.53 elasticity and HS-model not only use hyperbolic stress strain
(kN/m) curve as MC-model, but also control of stress dependency.
Total HS-model is assumed to be isotropic depending on both the
Displacement 2.36 2.34 0.43 plastic shear and volumetric strain. By means of a yield
(m)
Horizontal
locus in p’-q plane the MC-model failure condition is
Displacement 2.36 2.34 0.43 greater than the HS-model yield surface because for the HS-
(m) model depend on the exponent m [11].
Soft Soil (Soft Clay)
Total REFERENCES
Displacement 3.27 3.33 0.91 [1] Whitlow, R. (2004). Basic Soil Mechanics, Prentice Hall, Thomas,
(m) Singapore Fourth Edition.
Horizontal
[2] Poulos, H.G. and Chen, L.T. (1996). Pile response due to
Displacement 2.25 2.27 0.44
unsupported excavation-induced lateral soil movement. Can.
(m)
Geotech. J. 33:670-677.
Effective
Normal Stress 511.59 376.89 15.16 [3] BS1377(1990). British Standard Methods of Test for Soils for Civil
(kN/m2) Engineering Purposes, Part 2: Clause 3: Classification Test. British
Standard Institution.
Total Normal
Stress 447.46 301.29 19.52 [4] BS1377(1990). British Standard Methods of Test for Soils for Civil
(kN/m2) Engineering Purposes, Part 2: Clause 9: Classification Test. British
Shear Stress Standard Institution.
195.21 164.42 8.56
(kN/m2) [5] BS1377(1990). British Standard Methods of Test for Soils for Civil
Engineering Purposes, Part 2: Clause 4: Classification Test. British
Standard Institution.
VII. DISCUSSION [6] BS1377(1990). British Standard Methods of Test for Soils for Civil
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movement for both models is presented in a graph of [7] BS1377(1990). British Standard Methods of Test for Soils for Civil
excavation depth versus horizontal displacement. From the Engineering Purpose, Part 4: Clause 3: Classification Test. British
line plotted, it can be said both models give almost the same Standard Institution.
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result, the percentage difference of the soft soil horizontal Engineering Purpose, Part 5: Clause 3: Classification Test. British
Standard Institution.
displacement using both models is 0.44% as shown in Table
[9] BS1377(1990). British Standard Methods of Test for Soils for Civil
5 .Main reason for the low difference percentage is strongly Engineering Purpose, Part 6: Clause 3: Classification Test. British
believe due to the same sheet pile properties were used for Standard Institution.
simulation using both models. The sheet pile input [10] Baharom B. and Mohd J. I. B. (2008). “Physical Modelling
parameters; dimensional geometry and the material type are Deformation Marine Clay Under Embankment Loading.”Institut
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