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Current capabilities for full-scale field testing are highly resource intensive. Reliable small-scale experiments are an effective alternative. Characterization of the dynamic response and damage of RC elements to scaled blast loads was investigated in scaled-down field experiments. Spatially resolved information on the dynamic structural response using distributed fiber optic acoustic sensing (DAS) and acceleration as well as blast loading by piezoelectric pressure sensors.
The attenuation of wave amplitudes is ruled by the planar, cylindrical or spher-ical geometry of the wave front (the geometric or power-law attenuation) but also by the damping of the soil (an exponential attenuation). Several low- and high-frequency filter effects are derived for the layering and the damping of the soil, for the moving static and the distributed train loads and for a homoge-neous or randomly heterogeneous soil. Measurements of hammer- and train-induced vibrations at five sites have been analysed for these attenuation and filter effects. The measured attenuation with distance can be discribed by gen-eralised power laws and some reasons will be discussed. The theoretical filter effects can well be found in the measurements.
Train-induced ground vibrations are all generated by the vehicle, by static or dynamic vehicle loads. The most important and most accepted excitation are the dynamic wheel loads from the passage over track irregularities. Dynamic wheel loads will be compared from parallel axle-box and ground vibration measurements at more than seven sites. Some low-frequency excitation of ground vibrations, typically between 10 and 30 Hz, cannot be found in the axle-box measurements. Therefore, other vehicle modes, such as rigid bogie modes, flexible carriage modes, rigid and flexible wheelset modes, have been analysed for additional excitation forces. These vehicle dynamics analyses give an explanation for higher axle-box results at high frequencies, but not for the excitation of the higher low-frequency ground-vibration component. Finally, the effect of the moving static train loads will be analysed. For a regular track and soil, the moving static train loads yield the quasi-static response which exists only in the low-frequency nearfield of the track. If the support stiffness is randomly varying along the track, the pulses on the track generate an additional low-frequency component which is called the irregular pulse responses.
This component will be demonstrated by numerical analysis where all axle pulses are superposed in frequency domain.
The attenuation of wave amplitudes is ruled by the planar, cylindrical or spherical geometry of the wave front (the geometric or power-law attenuation) but also by the damping of the soil (an exponential attenuation). Several low- and high-frequency filter effects are derived for the layering and the damping of the soil, for the moving static and the distributed train loads and for a homogeneous or randomly heterogeneous soil. Measurements of hammer- and train-induced vibrations at five sites have been analysed for these attenuation and filter effects. The measured attenuation with distance can be discribed by generalised power laws and some reasons will be discussed. The theoretical filter effects can well be found in the measurements.
Vibration measurements have many causes and many technical and natural sources. Problems can sometimes be solved by short-term measurements, but in many cases, a long-term measurement is necessary. In long-term measurements of days, weeks, months and even years, it is easy to collect a huge quantity of raw data, but at the end, the post-processing of these data can be exhausting (for example one-year vibration data of a wind energy tower). A software has been developed which con-sists of measuring and evaluation routines where the measuring routines can operate different meas-uring systems and different measuring cards. The main advantage of this software is the fact that the interesting evaluations can be integrated in the measuring process so that the characteristics of the vibration can be extracted without storing all the raw data. Only important time segments are stored, for example train passages. The overall concept of the software and the main evaluation routines will be described in some details. Examples of our measurement experience will illustrate the capabilities of the software. 1) Surveying construction work in nearby sensitive buildings (for example an old wind tunnel), including a stable alarm system and meaningful vibration limits. 2) Prediction of train-induced vibration for a planned building to prevent annoyance and to improve the building design. 3) Modal analysis and long term measurements of several single- or multi-span, concrete or steel bridges 4) Modal and wave analysis of coupled floors in a historical building (“Neues Palais” at Potsdam). 5) Soil properties of various measurement sites (different routines to evaluate the dispersion). Moreover, from many projects, amplitudes, frequencies, and attenuation laws have been collected and analysed for the different sources such as vibratory or impact pile driving and ground compaction, demolition work with different machines, blasting in quarries and in tunnel works, bomb and mine clearing.
Usually, geometric irregularities are considered as the main cause of ground vibrations from trains. A varying stiffness of the track, the track support and the soil can also generate ground vibrations. The regular stiffness variation of the track on and between the sleepers results in a deterministic dynamic axle load. The random stiffness variation of the track support yields also dynamic axle loads. The dynamic axle loads are generated by the varying wheel displacements under the static axle load by the acceleration of the unsprung mass of the rail vehicle. The random stiffness variation has a second effect. The pulses from the passage of the static axle loads are superposed regularly to the quasi-static response, but also irregularly to yield a “scattered” part of the axle pulses. The same holds for a random variation of the soil stiffness. All these effects of stiffness variations have been calculated by wavenumber-domain multi-beam track models, a random finite-element soil model and the superposition of axle impulses in a stochastic simulation. The results are confronted with many measurements at different sites. It is concluded that the stiffness variation of the track and the soil generate an important ground vibration component near railway lines.
A simple and fast prediction scheme is presented for train-induced ground and building vibrations. For the emission, finite-element boundary-element or multiple-beam-on-continuous-soil models of the track have been analysed and approximated by faster track-on-Winkler-soil models. The vehicle-track interaction due to irregularities yields the excitation forces. For the transmission of waves in the soil, the wavenumber integral of the compliance of layered soils has been evaluated. The calculation time is reduced for the prediction by using the solution of a homogeneous half-space with a frequency-dependent wave velocity (the dispersion) of the soil. For the immision, many 2 and 3-dimenisonal finite-element building models have been investigated, and a good approximation has been established by a 1-dimensional soil-wall-floor model. In addition, the axle sequence of the train, the quasi-static and the “scattered” response of the soil, and the wave propagation from a tunnel to a pile foundation of a building have been included.
A simple and fast prediction scheme is presented for train-induced ground and building vibrations. For the emission, finite-element boundary-element or multiple-beam-on-continuous-soil models of the track have been analysed and approximated by faster track-on-Winkler-soil models. The vehicle-track interaction due to irregularities yields the excitation forces. For the transmission of waves in the soil, the wavenumber integral of the compliance of layered soils has been evaluated. The calculation time is reduced for the prediction by using the solution of a homogeneous half-space with a frequency-dependent wave velocity (the dispersion) of the soil. For the immision, many 2 and 3-dimenisonal finite-element building models have been investigated, and a good approximation has been established by a 1-dimensional soil-wall-floor model. In addition, the axle sequence of the train, the quasi-static and the “scattered” response of the soil, and the wave propagation from a tunnel to a pile foundation of a building have been included.
Usually, geometric irregularities are considered as the main cause of ground vibrations from trains. A varying stiffness of the track, the track support and the soil can also generate ground vibrations. The regular stiffness variation of the track on and between the sleepers results in a deterministic dynamic axle load. The random stiffness variation of the track support yields also dynamic axle loads which are generated by the acceleration of the unsprung mass (from the varying wheel displacements under the static axle load). The random stiffness variation has a second effect. The pulses from the passage of the static axle loads are superposed regularly to the quasi-static response, but also irregularly to yield a “scattered” part of the axle pulses. The same holds for a random variation of the soil stiffness. All these effects of stiffness variations have been calculated by wavenumber-domain multi-beam track models, a random finite-element soil model and the superposition of axle impulses in a stochastic simulation. The results are confronted with many measurements at different sites. It is concluded that the stiffness variation of the track and the soil generate an important ground vibration component near railway lines.
Irregularities of the track are a main cause of train-induced ground vibration, and track maintenance is of great importance. Although geometric irregularities at the wheel-rail contact are widely used, other types of irregularities, such as stiffness irregularities, irregularities from different track positions and irregularities in the wave propagation, were analysed in the present study. The track behaviour was investigated by a multi-beam-on-soil model. This track model is coupled with a vehicle model to calculate the vehicle–track interaction. The track model was also used for the track filtering, which transfers a track support error to the equivalent rail irregularity or, conversely, the sharp axle pulse on the rail to a smoother pulse on the soil. In the case in which this filtering varies randomly along the track, the pulses of the moving static load induce a certain ground Vibration component (“the scatter of axle pulses”). This effect was calculated by the superposition of axle pulses in the frequency domain and by a stochastic simulation. Simultaneous vehicle, track and soil measurements at a certain site were used to evaluate the different excitation and ground Vibration components. The agreement between calculations and axle-box and soil measurements is good. The ground vibrations calculated from rail irregularities and corresponding dynamic loads, however, clearly underestimate the measured ground vibration amplitudes. Only the static load that is moving over a varying track support stiffness can produce the important mid-frequency ground Vibration component by the scatter of axle pulses.
In this article, the passage of different trains over different bridges will be studied for resonant excitation. The intensity of the resonance will be estimated in frequency domain by using three separated spectra. At first, the excitation spectrum of the modal forces is built by the mode shape and the passage time of the train over the bridge. The second spectrum is the frequency response function of the bridge which include the modal frequency, damping and mass. The third part is the spectrum of the axle sequence of the train. The influences of train speed, bridge length, bridge support, track irregularities, and train type on the resonance amplitudes will be analysed for each of these spectra separately for getting a better insight. A variety of axle-sequence spectra and corresponding rules will be presented for different vehicles and trains. As examples, the passage of a slow freight train over a long-span bridge, a normal passenger train over a medium-span bridge, and a high-speed train over a short bridge will be analysed. Corresponding measurements show the amplification, but also the cancellation of the subsequent axle responses. Namely in one of the measurement examples, the first mode of the bridge was amplified and the second mode was cancelled at a low speed of the train and vice versa at a higher speed.
Prediction of building noise and vibration – 3D finite element and 1D wave propagation models
(2021)
Construction work or traffic excite nearby buildings, and the perceptible or audible vibration can be a nuisance for the inhabitants. The transfer of the vibration from the free field to the building has been calculated by the finite element method for many models in consultancy and research work. The analysis for all storeys of certain building points such as walls, columns and floors unveiled some rules, some typical modes, and some wavetype responses. A simplified building-soil model has been created, which includes well these effects of building-soil resonance, wall/column resonance, floor resonances, and the high-frequency reduction. The model consists of one wall for a wall-type apartment building or a column for each specific part (mid, side or corner) of a column-type office building. The building response in the high-frequency (acoustic) region is calculated as mean values over all storeys and over wider frequency bands, by wave-type asymptotes of an infinitely tall building, and by the soil to wall ratio of impedances. The secondary noise is predicted by Transfer values between the building vibration (center of floors, walls at a room corner) and the sound pressure.
Prediction of building noise and vibration – 3D finite element and 1D wave propagation models
(2021)
Construction work or traffic excite nearby buildings, and the perceptible or audible vibration can be a nuisance for the inhabitants. The transfer of the vibration from the free field to the building has been calculated by the finite element method for many models in consultancy and research work. The analysis for all storeys of certain building points such as walls, columns and floors unveiled some rules, some typical modes, and some wavetype responses. A simplified building-soil model has been created, which includes well these effects of building-soil resonance, wall/column resonance, floor resonances, and the high-frequency reduction. The model consists of one wall for a wall-type apartment building or a column for each specific part (mid, side or corner) of a column-type office building. The building response in the high-frequency (acoustic) region is calculated as mean values over all storeys and over wider frequency bands, by wave-type asymptotes of an infinitely tall building, and by the soil to wall ratio of impedances. The secondary noise is predicted by Transfer values between the building vibration (center of floors, walls at a room corner) and the sound pressure.
The present contribution evaluates four measuring series made by the Federal Institute of Material Research and Testing for the relations between train speed and ground vibration amplitudes. This experimental evaluation is supported by the simulation of the train passages at the different sites by using appropriate excitation mechanisms and forces as well as layered soil models which have been derived from impact measurements at each site.
Measurements at the foundation, the surrounding soil and nearby buildings have been done during several drop tests of different containers on different foundations. The first measurements have been done on a big foundation where it should be guaranteed that the foundation is rigid and the container is tested properly. It was controlled that the foundation does not absorb more than 2 percent of the energy of the container. Most of the drop energy is lost in shock absorbers. Later on, a smaller drop test facility has been built on the ground but inside an existing building. It had to be controlled by prediction and measurements that the drop test will not damage the building. Tests from different heights on soft, medium, and stiff targets have been done to find out rules which allow to identify acceptable and unacceptable drop tests. Later on, the biggest drop test facility has been built for masses up to 200 t. It was necessary for the design of the foundation to estimate the forces which occur during the drop tests. On the other hand, the acceptable tests should be selected and controlled by measurements where the impact duration is important. Different sensors, accelerometers, accelerometers with mechanical filters, geophones (velocity transducers), strain gauges, and pressure cells have been applied for these tasks. The signals have been transformed to displacements which proved to be best suited for the interpretation of the impact mechanism. Modell calculations have been used to check and understand the dynamic measurements. The simplest law is the conservation of the momentum which is a good approximation if the impact is short. If the soil under the foundation has an influence on the deceleration of the container, the maximum foundation velocity is lower than the simple estimation. The amplitudes of the foundation could also be estimated from the ground vibrations and their amplitude-distance law.
Measurements at the foundation, the surrounding soil and nearby buildings have been done during several drop tests of different containers on different foundations. The first measurements have been done on a big foundation where it should be guaranteed that the foundation is rigid and the container is tested properly. It was controlled that the foundation does not absorb more than 2 percent of the energy of the container. Most of the drop energy is lost in shock absorbers. Later on, a smaller drop test facility has been built on the ground but inside an existing building. It had to be controlled by prediction and measurements that the drop test will not damage the building. Tests from different heights on soft, medium, and stiff targets have been done to find out rules which allow to identify acceptable and unacceptable drop tests. Later on, the biggest drop test facility has been built for masses up to 200 t. It was necessary for the design of the foundation to estimate the forces which occur during the drop tests. On the other hand, the acceptable tests should be selected and controlled by measurements where the impact duration is important. Different sensors, accelerometers, accelerometers with mechanical filters, geophones (velocity transducers), strain gauges, and pressure cells have been applied for these tasks. The signals have been transformed to displacements which proved to be best suited for the interpretation of the impact mechanism. Modell calculations have been used to check and understand the dynamic measurements. The simplest law is the conservation of the momentum which is a good approximation if the impact is short. If the soil under the foundation has an influence on the deceleration of the container, the maximum foundation velocity is lower than the simple estimation. The amplitudes of the foundation could also be estimated from the ground vibrations and their amplitude-distance law.
A simple and fast prediction scheme is presented for train induced ground and building vibrations. Simple models such as (1-dimensional) transfer matrices are used for the vehicle-track-soil interaction and for the building-soil interaction. The wave propagation through layered soils is approximated by a frequency-dependent homogeneous half-space. The prediction is divided into the parts “emission” (excitation by railway traffic), “transmission” (wave propagation through the soil) and “immission” (transfer into a building). The link between the modules is made by the excitation force between emission and transmission, and by the free-field vibration between transmission and immission. All formula for the simple vehicle-track, soil and building models are given in this article. The behaviour of the models is demonstrated by typical examples, that is the mitigation of train vibrations by elastic track elements, the low- and high-frequency cut-offs characteristic for layered soils, and the interacting soil, wall and floor resonances of multi-storey buildings. It is shown that the results of the simple prediction models can well represent the behaviour of the more time-consuming detailed models, the finite-element boundary-element models of the track, the wavenumber integrals for the soil, and the three-dimensional finite-element models of the building. In addition, measurement examples are given for each part of the prediction confirming that the methods provide reasonable results. As the prediction models are fast in calculation, many predictions can be done, for example to assess the environmental effect along a new railway line. The simple models have the additional advantage that the user needs to know only a minimum of parameters. So, the prediction is fast and user-friendly, but also theoretically and experimentally well-founded.
The passage of the train is dominated by the impulses of the static axle loads. The response of the regular homogeneous and irregular soils has been calculated by the finite-element method in frequency domain. The superposition of the impulse responses yields the quasi-static component of the ground vibration which is restricted to very low frequencies and to the close near-field of the track. In case of an irregular soil or ballast of which the stiffness varies randomly in space, a mid-frequency ground vibration component is generated by the scattering of the axle impulses. Measurements will be shown which prove the existence of the mid-frequency ground vibration component and the unique explanation by the scattered axle impulses: many international measurements with a raised mid-frequency component, axle-box measurements with a too low mid-frequency dynamic load, amplitude-speed dependencies which are incompatible with irregularity-induced dynamic loads, and ground vibration reductions due to stiff track elements.
The passage of the train is dominated by the impulses of the static axle loads. The response of the regular homogeneous and irregular soils has been calculated by the finite-element method in frequency domain. The superposition of the impulse responses yields the quasi-static component of the ground vibration which is restricted to very low frequencies and to the close near-field of the track. In case of an irregular soil or ballast of which the stiffness varies randomly in space, a mid-frequency ground vibration component is generated by the scattering of the axle impulses. Measurements will be shown which prove the existence of the mid-frequency ground vibration component and the unique explanation by the scattered axle impulses: many international measurements with a raised mid-frequency component, axle-box measurements with a too low mid-frequency dynamic load, amplitude-speed dependencies which are incompatible with irregularity-induced dynamic loads, and ground vibration reductions due to stiff track elements.
In the last three decades, the vibrations of many floors and bridges have been measured. The contribution shows some evaluation methods, experimental results and some modelling and theoretical results. Simple evaluation methods have been developed for single and coupled floors. Two coupled beams have been measured in good agreement with the theory. A more complex coupling model has been found for a large wooden floor in a castle consisting of six floor bays which correlates well with the measurements. Damaged and intact poles have been tested by their natural frequencies and damping values, and a fair correlation between the degree of damage and the shift of the frequency. Road bridges have been analysed in detail and some examples are presented. Railway bridges and trains are studied for resonant excitation. The risk of resonance can be estimated in frequency domain by using axle-sequence spectra of the train and the natural frequencies of the bridge. A measurement example shows the amplification, but even stronger the cancellation of the subsequent axle responses. Several high-speed trains and freight trains have been analysed for their potential resonance amplification.
This article deals with two topics of vehicle-track-soil interaction, the mitigation of railway induced ground vibration by soft track elements, and the identification of track damage. Theoretical results have been achieved by a combined finite-element boundary-element method (FEBEM). The theoretical results are confronted with measurements at four sites. Improved mitigation effects have been found for soft rail pads under heavy sleepers. The insertion loss, however, can be too optimistic if a strong vehicle track resonance occurs for the un-isolated reference track. Two measurement sites show this strong vehicle-track resonance at about 80 Hz, which has been approximated by using the results of a wide parameter study including the rail pad, ballast, and soil stiffness, as well as the ballast model and the soil layering. – The detection of slab track damage is mainly based on the differences of the receptance or compliance functions. Theoretical results have been confirmed by measurements at one site where a loss of contact between track plate and base layer was visible. Measurements at a second site with a hidden damage have been compared with the theoretical results of a loose sleeper. The differences between intact (or repaired) and damaged tracks are strong enough to encourage the further development of this method for the identification of track damages.
The train passages over intact or damaged slab tracks on different soils have been calculated by the finite-element boundary-element or the wavenumber-domain method. The influence of track and soil parameters on the distribution of the track displacements and the soil forces has been analysed. The measured and calculated displacement time histories of train passages could be used to identify track damages such as lose sleepers or a lose track plate. The time histories and spectra of the soil forces can explain the measured ground vibration reduction of slab tracks. The calculated displacement and force distributions of slab tracks on continuous soils do not fulfil the Winkler hypothesis and Winkler models should not be used for track analysis.
Methods have been presented for detailed studies of railway vibration and for the fast prediction of train-induced ground vibration. The ground vibration is generated by static or dynamic loads. The main purpose of this contribution was to show the influence of inhomogeneous soils on the different vibration components.
Layered soils, namely a soft layer on a stiffer half-space, yield a quite specific transmission behavior. The low-frequency and sometimes also high-frequency cut-off of the transfer function of the soil is demonstrated in theory and by experiments at many sites of which the soil model is approximated from dispersion and transfer function measurements. The layer frequency divides the frequency range in a low-frequency range, where the stiff half-space rules the low amplitudes, and a high amplitude high-frequency range which is mainly determined by the softer top layer. A thick soft layer yields a very low layer frequency, so that the higher soft soil amplitudes have a wider range down to low frequencies. A thin layer yields a high layer frequency, so that the high frequencies above this layer frequency are dominant. The higher the contrast between the stiff half-space and the soft layer is, the stronger the increase between the half-space and layer amplitudes, the more characteristic are the spectra of the soil transfer function. The range of measured soils has been from vS1 down to 125 m/s, vS2 up to 1000 m/s and the layer frequencies are within 10 Hz < f0 < 75 Hz. Moreover, during this measuring campaign in Switzerland, all 11 sites showed clearly the layer-on-half-space behaviour. The transfer functions of inhomogeneous soils have been used to predict the ground vibration due to dynamic axle loads which is usually thought to be the most important component.
The passage of static loads, in the contrary, results in very small vibration amplitudes for low train speeds, which can only be found at near distances and at low frequencies. They attenuate very rapidly with distance and lose very rapidly the higher frequency content. The passage of static axle loads can be included in the prediction of railway vibration just for completeness.
Special attention should be given to the case if the train runs with the Rayleigh-wave speed of the soil (Rayleigh train). The Rayleigh-train effect is strongest for a homogeneous half-space: At the near-field of the track the amplitudes are raised strongly compared to normal trains, and in addition, little attenuation with distance is observed. In case of a layered soil, the low-frequency cut-off reduces the frequency range and the amplitudes of the homogeneous quasi-static ground vibrations. Therefore, the Rayleigh-train effects are clearly reduced by a layered soil and they disappear if the layer frequency (for example for a thin layer) is higher than the frequency band of the axle impulse. The Rayleigh-train effect could completely disappear in a randomly inhomogeneous soil, but this has not been analysed so far.
The axle impulses from static loads can have an additional, quite different effect. They can be scattered by a randomly inhomogeneous soil so that a part (the scattered part) of the axle impulse can reach further distances from the track. This can establish a certain mid-frequency component of the ground vibration which becomes dominant in the far-field, and this important component exists for all train speeds. Experimental results from BAM and international measurements show the importance of the corresponding frequency range.
The mitigation of train induced ground vibration by elastic and stiff track elements has been analysed threefold. The vehicle-track interaction yields the reduction at high frequencies above the vehicle-track resonance. This is the standard effect. The filtering of trackbed errors by the bending stiffness of the track yields a certain mid-frequency effect. An even stronger mid-frequency effect is predicted for the mitigation of the scattered axle impulses by the bending stiffness and elastic elements of the track.
Three measurement campaigns of train-induced ground vibrations are evaluated for the vehicle-track-soil interaction. Ground vibrations, track vibrations and vehicle vibrations have been measured for train passages and impulse excitation and compared with theoretical results.
The soil and the track-soil system are calculated by wavenumber integrals. The influence of the vehicle is introduced by a substructure method. By comparing theory and measurement the different components of excitation force and ground vibration can be analysed, the quasi-static excitation, track-alignment errors, the out-of-roundness of wheels, the wheel and rail roughness, and moreover, scattered axle impulses and ineffective high-frequency parts of the wheelset accelerations and forces.
Abstract. Three measurement campaigns of train-induced ground vibrations are evaluated for the vehicle-track-soil interaction. Ground vibrations, track vibrations and vehicle vibrations have been measured for train passages and impulse excitation and compared with theoretical results.
The soil and the track-soil system are calculated by wavenumber integrals. The influence of the vehicle is introduced by a substructure method. By comparing theory and measurement the different components of excitation force and ground vibration can be analysed, the quasi-static excitation, track-alignment errors, the out-of-roundness of wheels, the wheel and rail roughness, and moreover, scattered axle impulses and ineffective high-frequency parts of the wheelset accelerations and forces.
The present contribution evaluates four measuring series made by the Federal Institute of Material Research and Testing for the relations between train speed and ground vibration amplitudes. This experimental evaluation is supported by the simulation of the train passages at the different sites by using appropriate excitation mechanisms and forces as well as layered soil models which have been derived from impact measurements at each site.
The present contribution evaluates four measuring series made by the Federal Institute of Material Research and Testing for the relations between train speed and ground vibration amplitudes. This experimental evaluation is supported by the simulation of the train passages at the different sites by using appropriate excitation mechanisms and forces as well as layered soil models which have been derived from impact measurements at each site.
Mitigation measures of railway induced vibration have been demonstrated at the emission, transmission and immission part. It must be carefully observed that the correct masses and stiffnesses are used.
Typical mistakes have been shown,
- 1D models for vehicle-track interaction,
- impedance instead of stiffness for the infill material of a trench,
- rigid buildings or neglecting the soil-building interaction.
The dominant mid-frequency part of the ground vibration is due to the irregular soil.
A study on building vibrations has been performed by finite element calculations. Family houses, multi-storey residential buildings, office buildings and office towers have been modelled in detail. The frequency-dependent response due to a free-field excitation has been evaluated for walls, columns and floors. The ratio of building amplitudes to free-field amplitudes starts with uB/u0 = 1 at zero frequency and is usually lower than 1 at 50 Hz, the end of the frequency range considered here. In between, amplifications occur due to several reasons. There are „soil resonances“ where the whole building is vibrating on the compliant soil, “column resonances” where the upper storeys are vibrating on the compliant columns, and the “floor resonances” where the floors are vibrating excited by their supports. Results are presented for all building types, but a special focus is set on office buildings. A parameter study shows the influence of the stiffness of the soil, the number of storeys, and the width of the building. It has been found that the “soil resonance” is strongly modified by the low-frequency floor resonances for the normal office building. The main resonance of a twenty-storey office tower is determined equally by the “soil mode” and the “column mode”. It is an important observation for these office buildings that the resonances can differ for different parts of the building such as the centre, the edge, the corner, and the core of the building. This leads to non-uniform vibration modes across the building, which look like another type of “floor resonance” and which have been observed in several real building projects. Experimental results will be shown which can confirm the calculated phenomena.
Many measurements of train induced ground vibrations show high amplitudes for a certain mid-frequency range. This ground vibration component cannot be well explained by dynamic loads of the train. Many characteristics indicate that the axle impulses, which are scattered by an irregular soil, are the excitation. This new understanding of railway-induced ground vibration is verified by numerical analysis. The response of the regular homogeneous and irregular inhomogeneous soils has been calculated by the finite-element method in frequency domain. A specific superposition of the impulse responses has been invented including time shift, axle sequence, track filter and hanning filter. The superposition yields the quasi-static component of the ground vibration which is restricted to very low frequencies and to the close near-field of the track. In case of an irregular soil of which the stiffness varies randomly in space, the superposition yields a mid-frequency ground vibration component from the scattering of the axle impulses. The existence and the importance of this component can thus be demonstrated by the calculations. Some rules of the influence of distance, train speed, soil stiffness, strength and width of the stiffness variation have been derived from the calculations. Many measurements show the unique explanation of the mid-frequency ground vibration component by the scattered axle impulses.
Measurements of ground and track vibrations have been performed at a high-speed line in northern Germany. Impacts on the track and the ground, and passages of different trains with different speeds on different tracks have been measured. Transfer functions of the soil are presented and approximated by theoretical soil models. By using these transfer functions, the measured ground vibration between 2 to 64 m distance from the track can be transformed into a load spectrum which can be used for predictions at other sites. The method is compared to the soil-dependent method of an emission spectrum at a certain distance (8 m for example). The influence of train type, speed and track type is discussed on the base of the different emission quantities and the original measurements. The strong influence of the track, ballast track and slab track, is analysed by a theoretical model in wavenumber domain. The response of the track to the passage of the static load is reduced by the stiffness of the slab, the deformation of the track as well as the impulse acting on the soil. Usually, the impulse on the soil should result in a slow quasi-static movement of the soil, slower at further distances. In a heterogeneous soil, however, the impulses from the static loads scatter and keep parts of the higher impulse frequency band. In this case the reduced impulse spectra of the slab track will yield reduced ground vibration in a certain frequency band. Additional (BAM and international) measurements will be used to discuss this and possible other explanations for the different ground vibration differences.
A combined finite-element boundary-element method for the dynamic interaction of the soil with flexible structures such as single piles or complete wind energy towers has been developed. Flexible piles in different soils are analysed in frequency domain. The different parameters such as the stiffness of the soil, the bending stiffness and the radius of the hollow pile are analysed for their influence on the complex compliances. The results have been determined as specific power laws which are different for the different load cases (horizontal, rocking, coupling) and for the different soil models (Winkler, continuum with constant, root-parabolic and proportional-linear stiffness variation). The strongest influence of the soil stiffness can be found for the homogeneous soil and the horizontal component. Winkler soils have a weaker influence than the corresponding continuous soils. An offshore wind energy tower has been modeled and calculated for wind and wave loads.
Three measurement campaigns of train-induced ground vibrations are evaluated for the vehicle-track-soil interaction. Ground vibrations, track vibrations and vehicle vibrations have been measured for train passages and impulse excitation and compared with theoretical results. The soil and the track-soil system are calculated by wavenumber integrals. The influence of the vehicle is introduced by a substructure method. By comparing theory and measurement the different components of excitation force and ground vibration can be analysed, the quasi-static excitation, track-alignment errors, the out-of-roundness of wheels, the wheel and rail roughness, and moreover, scattered axle impulses and ineffective high-frequency parts of the wheelset accelerations and forces.
Three measurement campaigns of train-induced ground vibrations are evaluated for the vehicle-track-soil interaction. Ground vibrations, track vibrations and vehicle vibrations have been measured for train passages and impulse excitation and compared with theoretical results. The soil and the track-soil system are calculated by wavenumber integrals. The influence of the vehicle is introduced by a substructure method. By comparing theory and measurement the different components of excitation force and ground vibration can be analysed, the quasi-static excitation, track-alignment errors, the out-of-roundness of wheels, the wheel and rail roughness, and moreover, scattered axle impulses and ineffective high-frequency parts of the wheelset accelerations and Forces.
Two measurement campaigns of train-induced ground vibrations are evaluated for the vehicle-track-soil interaction. Ground vibrations, track vibrations and vehicle vibrations have been measured for train passages and impulse excitation and compared with theoretical results. The soil and the track-soil system are calculated by wavenumber integrals. The influence of the vehicle is introduced by a substructure method. By comparing theory and measurement the different components of excitation force and ground vibration can be analysed, the quasi-static excitation, track-alignment errors, the out-of-roundness of wheels, the wheel and rail roughness, and moreover, scattered axle impulses and ineffective high-frequency parts of the wheelset accelerations and forces.
Ground vibrations near railway lines are generated by the forces that are acting between wheel and rail. It seems to be a straight forward assumption that the vehicle dynamics are important for the level and the frequencies of the excitation forces. Different vehicle dynamics phenomena are analysed for their role in the excitation of ground vibrations: rigid body modes of the bogies, elastic (bending) modes of the car body, and elastic modes of the wheelset. The theoretical analyses use rigid body models, simplified elastic models, and detailed elastic models. Some of these problems are vehicle–track interaction problems where 3D finite‑element boundary‑element models have been used for the track and soil. It is shown that the rigid or flexible vehicle modes are well in the frequency range of ground vibrations (4 to 100 Hz). They have an influence on the excitation force but the additional forces are rather small and can be neglected in ground vibration prediction. The theoretical results are checked by experimental results of a simultaneous measurement of vehicle,
track, and ground vibrations.
A prediction software has been developed by BAM. The following topics have still be solved. A realistic irregularity spectrum can be derived from axle-box measurements. It agrees wel with the spectrum used for the high-speed 2 project in the United Kingdom. In addition, the scattering of axle pulses should be included. This mid-frequency component can also be found in the HS2 procedure. Finally, the reduction in case of a tunnel line compared to a surface line should be included. Some measurement results of BAM, HS2 and other institutes show a certain mid-frequency reduction. This is due to the load distribution of the tunnel which yields softer axle pulses and the scattered axle impulses are reduced.
The contribution shows measurement examples of cars, floors, foundations, railway tracks, a footbridge, and a railbridge. Vibrations may include modes and waves. Namely in soil-structure interaction, modes are damped, shifted and prevented so that alternatives for the modal analysis are necessary: The approximation of the whole spectrum (flexibility function) and of the whole train passage (moving-load response).
The vehicle–track interaction generates forces and consequently vibrations in the environment. The interaction has been analysed by the simultaneous measurements of vehicle, track and ground vibrations during test runs with varied train speeds. The special effects of the passage over a bridge and through a tunnel are studied and compared with the measurements on a conventional ballasted surface line. The maximum amplitudes, narrow band and one-third octave band spectra are presented for the axle-box accelerations and for the track, bridge and ground vibrations. The different frequencies and frequency bands are related to wheel out-of-roundness, track alignment errors, the sleeper passage and the wheelset–track resonance. An axle impulse component has been observed at the track, at the near-field soil and as a scattered version in the far field. Specific results can be found for the bridge track, where clearly speed-dependent bridge resonances occur due to the axle sequence of the train, and for the tunnel track where soft rail pads are responsible for a strong amplification around the wheelset–track resonance. On the other hand, the axle impulses are strongly reduced by the tunnel track, and the scattered axle impulse component is not as relevant as for the surface track. As a consequence, a strong mid-frequency amplitude reduction of the tunnel compared to the surface line has been measured for low and high train speeds by the Federal Institute of Material Research and Testing (BAM) and by other institutes.
The propagation of ground vibrations is theoretically analysed with frequency-wavenumber and simplified methods. Experimental methods are presented which can characterise the site-specific ground vibrations by wave velocities, stiffness and damping. Measurements with hammer and train excitation have been performed at several sites. The one-third octave spectra show the stiffness-dependent amplitudes and the low- and high-frequency filter effects due to the layering and the damping of the soil. Specific train effects, an additional high-frequency filter, the sleeper passage frequency, and an amplified mid-frequency component can be clearly found. The attenuation with distance is analysed in detail where the theoretical exponential and the empirical frequency-dependent power law are considered. Hammer and train excitation show the same site-specific effects which are mainly due to the stronger or weaker damping of the soil. The train attenuation is generally weaker than the hammer attenuation. The attenuation exponent of the power law, which is strongly dependent on the site and the frequency, is reduced for the train vibration by 0.3 to 0.5 in agreement with the theory. Reasons are discussed for the overall power law and for the dominating mid-frequency component.
The Federal Institute of Material Research and Testing has performed many impact tests from very small laboratory tests to very big “free-field” tests with heavy containers on stiff foundations. The first measurements have been done on a big foundation where it should be guaranteed that the foundation is rigid and the container is tested properly. Later on, a smaller drop test facility has been built on the ground inside an existing building. It had to be controlled by prediction and measurements that the drop test will not damage the building. Tests from different heights on soft, medium, and stiff targets have been done to find out rules which allow to identify acceptable and unacceptable drop tests. Later on, the biggest drop test facility has been built for masses up to 200 t. It was necessary for the design of the foundation to estimate the forces which oc-cur during the drop tests. In addititon, the acceptable tests should be selected and controlled by measurements where the impact duration is important. Dif-ferent sensors, accelerometers, accelerometers with mechanical filters, geo-phones (velocity transducers), strain gauges, and pressure cells have been ap-plied for these tasks. Signal transformations and model calculations have been used to check and understand the dynamic measurements. The simplest law is the conservation of the momentum which is a good approximation if the impact is short. If the soil under the foundation has an influence on the deceleration of the container, the maximum foundation velocity is lower than the simple esti-mation.
The Federal Institute of Material Research and Testing has performed many impact tests from very small laboratory tests to very big “free-field” tests with heavy containers on stiff foundations. The first measurements have been done on a big foundation where it should be guaranteed that the foundation is rigid and the container is tested properly. Later on, a smaller drop test facility has been built on the ground inside an existing building. It had to be controlled by prediction and measurements that the drop test will not damage the building. Tests from different heights on soft, medium, and stiff targets have been done to find out rules which allow to identify acceptable and unacceptable drop tests. Later on, the biggest drop test facility has been built for masses up to 200 t. It was necessary for the design of the foundation to estimate the forces which oc-cur during the drop tests. In addititon, the acceptable tests should be selected and controlled by measurements where the impact duration is important. Dif-ferent sensors, accelerometers, accelerometers with mechanical filters, geo-phones (velocity transducers), strain gauges, and pressure cells have been ap-plied for these tasks. Signal transformations and model calculations have been used to check and understand the dynamic measurements. The simplest law is the conservation of the momentum which is a good approximation if the impact is short. If the soil under the foundation has an influence on the deceleration of the container, the maximum foundation velocity is lower than the simple esti-mation.
The soil-foundation-structure interaction is always important when building vibrations due to train passages have to be considered. The frequency range for train vibrations is up to 100 Hz. Normally, soft surface soils are crucial so that the wavelength can be much smaller than the foundation dimensions. Three topics are of interest for the prediction and the under-standing of building vibrations. 1. The „kinematic interaction“ or the „added foundation ef-fect“, which is calculated either by the combined boundary-element finite-element method or by the wavenumber domain method, results in a reduction of the free-field vibration. The stiff-ness of the foundation resists the wave deformation, plates and walls for horizontally propa-gating waves or piles for vertically incident waves. 2. The „inertial interaction“ or the „added building effect“ yields an amplification around the vertical building resonance, which may be a rigid mode on the compliant soil or a flexible mode for high-rise buildings, and a reduction at higher frequencies. This has been analysed by detailed finite element models of apartment and office buildings. 3. Base isolation is a method to further reduce building vibrations. It is important to know the soil-foundation impedance for the possible reduction, as well as the correct building impedance. A high-rise building cannot be considered as a rigid mass model. It has a frequency-dependent behaviour with longitudinal waves travelling from the founda-tion to the top of the building which include the effect of floor vibrations. Experiences from building projects in Vienna, Frankfort and Berlin will give some additional results for the ex-citation from tunnel lines, the kinematic response of pile foundations, and the inertial re-sponse of the flexible multi-storey buildings.
The resonances of railway bridges have often been analysed for short bridges under periodical high-speed trains, for simply supported one-span bridges, for the fundamental bridge mode, and by time-domain analyses. Many time-consuming calculations have been performed to establish simplified rules for standards. In this contribution, the passage of different (existing, new and hypothetic) trains over different bridges will be analysed in frequency domain by using three separated spectra with the purpose to get a better physical insight in the phenomena. At first, the excitation spectrum of the modal forces is built by the mode shape and the passage time of the train over the bridge. The second spectrum is the frequency response function of the bridge which include the modal frequency, damping and mass. The third part is the spectrum of the axle sequence of an arbitrary train which is not limited to periodical or specific (conventional, articulated, regular or standard) trains and which does not include any bridge parameters. The final solution in frequency domain is obtained as the product of these three complex, strongly varying spectra for the dominating bridge mode or in general as the sum of these products over all relevant bridge modes. The time domain solution is obtained via the inverse Fourier transform, and the resulting time histories have been successfully compared with some measurement results. The method is applied to the vertical and torsional modes of a mid-long 1-span bridge on elastomeric bearings under standard train speeds, and to a long multi-span integral bridge under long periodical freight trains. Different resonance and cancellation effects have been found for systematically varied train speeds according to the axle sequence of the whole train which is dominated by the two locomotives in that case. To be more specific, the first torsional mode of the mid-span bridge is excited for a train speed of 100 km/h whereas the second bending mode is excited for a train speed of 160 km/h. In both cases, the other mode is suppressed by the minima of the axle-distance spectra. In addition, the case of the German high-speed train ICE4 and the very high-speed hyperloop case will be discussed briefly. In general, it is shown that resonance effects are also worth to be studied for freight and passenger trains with lower speeds.
Train-induced ground vibrations – The emission and transmission from tunnel and surface lines
(2023)
Train-induced ground vibrations are quite different for tunnel and surface lines. The excitation of the track and ground vibration by the vehicle-track-soil interaction maybe influenced by the stiffer track support of the tunnel invert. The excited waves are propagating on a different path compared to the surface line. The wave propagation in the interior of the soil is calculated by a wavenumber integral in a similar way as the propagation along the surface and a general reduction of < 0.5 has been found. An additional reduction has been found because of the missing Rayleigh wave. The different excitation of tunnel lines is analysed theoretically by the combined finite-element boundary-element method and some results about the influencing tunnel and soil parameters will be shown. Measurements have been made at the Mühlberg-Tunnel in Germany. The vibrations of the train, the track and the soil have been measured simultaneously at the tunnel and a nearby surface line. Spectra will be shown for different train speeds between 60 and 160 km/h. A clear reduction effect for the tunnel line compared to the surface line has been observed in a specific (train-speed-dependent) frequency range. This agrees well with the observations of other research institutes. The mid-frequency tunnel-surface reduction seems to be a consequence of the stiffer track structure which leads to a wider distribution of the axle loads. Therefore, the axle impulses due to the train passage are longer and have a lower frequency content. This will have an effect on the ground vibrations at some distance which are present in case of an irregular transmission path through a ballast and soil with varying stiffness. A similar reduction effect can also be found for other track forms where the axle impulses are distributed on a longer track segment, for example slab tracks, tracks with under ballast plates, under ballast mats or under sleeper pads.
The reduction in train-induced ground vibrations by different railway lines and by mitigation measures in the propagation path was analysed in a unified approach by two-dimensional finite element calculations. In general, there was no reduction at low frequencies, and the reduction be-came stronger with increasing frequencies. A maximum reduction of 0.1 at high frequencies was established with an open trench. Reductions between 0.7 and 0.2 have been found for the other sit-uations, filled trenches, walls, plates, and blocks, as well as for railway lines on dams, in cuts and in a tunnel. Bridges can produce amplifications due to their resonance frequencies, but also strong reductions due to massive bridge piers. The influence of some parameters has been analysed, such as the bridge span, the inclination of the dam and the cut, the stiffness of the soil, and the tunnel structure. The dynamic track stiffnesses of a surface, bridge, and tunnel track have been calculated using the 3D finite-element boundary-element method for comparison with corresponding meas-urements.
The soil-foundation-structure interaction is always important when building vibrations due to train passages have to be considered. The frequency range for train vibrations is up to 100 Hz. Normally, soft surface soils are crucial so that the wavelength can be much smaller than the foundation dimensions. Three topics are of interest for the prediction and the under-standing of building vibrations. 1. The „kinematic interaction“ or the „added foundation ef-fect“, which is calculated either by the combined boundary-element finite-element method or by the wavenumber domain method, results in a reduction of the free-field vibration. The stiff-ness of the foundation resists the wave deformation, plates and walls for horizontally propa-gating waves or piles for vertically incident waves. 2. The „inertial interaction“ or the „added building effect“ yields an amplification around the vertical building resonance, which may be a rigid mode on the compliant soil or a flexible mode for high-rise buildings, and a reduction at higher frequencies. This has been analysed by detailed finite element models of apartment and office buildings. 3. Base isolation is a method to further reduce building vibrations. It is important to know the soil-foundation impedance for the possible reduction, as well as the correct building impedance. A high-rise building cannot be considered as a rigid mass model. It has a frequency-dependent behaviour with longitudinal waves travelling from the founda-tion to the top of the building which include the effect of floor vibrations. Experiences from building projects in Vienna, Frankfort and Berlin will give some additional results for the ex-citation from tunnel lines, the kinematic response of pile foundations, and the inertial re-sponse of the flexible multi-storey buildings.
The resonances of railway bridges have often been analysed for short bridges under periodical high-speed trains, for simply supported one-span bridges, for the fundamental bridge mode, and by time-domain analyses. Many time-consuming calculations have been performed to establish simplified rules for standards. In this contribution, the passage of different (existing, new and hypothetic) trains over different bridges will be analysed in frequency domain by using three separated spectra with the purpose to get a better physical insight in the phenomena. At first, the excitation spectrum of the modal forces is built by the mode shape and the passage time of the train over the bridge. The second spectrum is the frequency response function of the bridge which include the modal frequency, damping and mass. The third part is the spectrum of the axle sequence of an arbitrary train which is not limited to periodical or specific (conventional, articulated, regular or standard) trains and which does not include any bridge parameters. The final solution in frequency domain is obtained as the product of these three complex, strongly varying spectra for the dominating bridge mode or in general as the sum of these products over all relevant bridge modes. The time domain solution is obtained via the inverse Fourier transform, and the resulting time histories have been successfully compared with some measurement results. The method is applied to the vertical and torsional modes of a mid-long 1-span bridge on elastomeric bearings under standard train speeds, and to a long multi-span integral bridge under long periodical freight trains. Different resonance and cancellation effects have been found for systematically varied train speeds according to the axle sequence of the whole train which is dominated by the two locomotives in that case. To be more specific, the first torsional mode of the mid-span bridge is excited for a train speed of 100 km/h whereas the second bending mode is excited for a train speed of 160 km/h. In both cases, the other mode is suppressed by the minima of the axle-distance spectra. In addition, the case of the German high-speed train ICE4 and the very high-speed hyperloop case will be discussed briefly. In general, it is shown that resonance effects are also worth to be studied for freight and passenger trains with lower speeds.
Train-induced ground vibrations - the emission and transmission from tunnel and surface lines
(2023)
Train-induced ground vibrations are quite different for tunnel and surface lines. The excitation of the track and ground vibration by the vehicle-track-soil interaction maybe influenced by the stiffer track support of the tunnel invert. The excited waves are propagating on a different path compared to the surface line. The wave propagation in the interior of the soil is calculated by a wavenumber integral in a similar way as the propagation along the surface and a general reduction of < 0.5 has been found. An additional reduction has been found because of the missing Rayleigh wave. The different excitation of tunnel lines is analysed theoretically by the combined finite-element boundary-element method and some results about the influencing tunnel and soil parameters will be shown. Measurements have been made at the Mühlberg-Tunnel in Germany. The vibrations of the train, the track and the soil have been measured simultaneously at the tunnel and a nearby surface line. Spectra will be shown for different train speeds between 60 and 160 km/h. A clear reduction effect for the tunnel line compared to the surface line has been observed in a specific (train-speed-dependent) frequency range. This agrees well with the observations of other research institutes. The mid-frequency tunnel-surface reduction seems to be a consequence of the stiffer track structure which leads to a wider distribution of the axle loads. Therefore, the axle impulses due to the train passage are longer and have a lower frequency content. This will have an effect on the ground vibrations at some distance which are present in case of an irregular transmission path through a ballast and soil with varying stiffness. A similar reduction effect can also be found for other track forms where the axle impulses are distributed on a longer track segment, for example slab tracks, tracks with under ballast plates, under ballast mats or under sleeper pads.
This contribution presents experimental methods to detect track damage. At BAM (Federal Institute of Material Research and Testing), a measuring car with a measuring system of 72 channels, geophones, mountings, cables, harmonic and impulsive exciters is used for dynamic measurements of the track, the soil and buildings. An instrumented hammer allows force measurements and to evaluate transfer functions of the track, and the soil. Wave measurements are used to identify the soil characteristics. Train passages are measured at the track and for the train induced ground vibrations. In addition to these in situ options, tests of tracks or track elements can be performed in a large laboratory.
This contribution intends to give an overview on the vibration behaviour of slab tracks in comparison of measurements and calculations and also by comparison of different track types at more than ten different measuring sites.
In theory, tracks on continuous soil are calculated by the frequency-wavenumber domain method. In experiment, geophone measurements are transformed to displacement results. Two aspects of track behaviour are considered, the frequency-dependant compliance of the track, measured by hammer impact, and the deflection under a passing axle load. In theory, the response to a single axle can be calculated, whereas in experiment, only the passage of the whole train can be measured. For comparison of theory and experiment, the calculated deflection under a single axle is superposed to get the response of the whole train. As a result, the slab track characteristics are completely different from the ballast track characteristics where each axle can be seen in the time histories. The slab track has a more global behaviour where only a whole bogie can be found in the track response and moreover, the two neighbouring bogies are not completely separated. The measurement of the different track elements (rail, sleeper, track plate, base layer) and the frequency-dependant compliances with possible resonances yield further information About the properties of the track elements. The calculations show that the soil has the dominant influence on the amplitudes and the width of the track-plate displacements. In the measurement results, the following
parameters are analysed: slab track vs. ballast track, different types of slab tracks, damaged slab tracks, different trains, switches at different measuring points, voided sleepers, an elastic layer, the mortar layer, and different soils at different places. Finally, a good agreement between measured and calculated results is found for the normal and some special (damaged, floating) slab tracks.
Measured train passages and hammer impacts in combination with track-soil calculation have been successfully used for the detection of damaged slab tracks. This approach is now extended to intact slab and ballast tracks. The vibrations of many tracks have been measured at several levels from rail, sleeper, track plate, base plate, base layer to the subsoil by velocity or acceleration sensors. The time histories have to be integrated once or twice to get the displacements. The displacement signals include an arbitrary time-dependent shift which must be eliminated or respected in the interpretation. On the other hand, the calculation of slab and ballast tracks have been done in frequency-wavenumber domain. The displacements along the track and the frequency-dependent compliance transfer functions can be calculated. The latter can be compared with the results of the hammer impacts on the track. The deformation of the track can be transformed to time histories for a whole train and compared to the measured train passages. Many slab (and ballast) tracks have been measured at different sites. The displacements of the tracks are presented, and the following parameters have been analysed in the measurement results: slab track vs. ballast track, different types of slab tracks, damaged slab tracks, different trains, switches at different measuring points, an elastic layer, the mortar layer, different soils at different places. The soil should have the dominant influence on the track-plate displacements. Slab and ballast track yield also big differences in maximum displacement and width of deformation. Some of the preceding aspects will be analysed in comparison of measurement and theory.
The dynamic behaviour of slab and ballast tracks has been investigated by measurements and calculations. Hammer impacts and train passages have been analysed. Measurements have been performed by geophones (velocity transducers) which have been time-integrated to displacements. The calculations are done in frequency-wavenumber domain for multi-beam-on-continuous soil models. The characteristics of the different tracks and track elements have been established in theory and experiment. The frequency-dependent compliances (displacement transfer functions) show clear rail-on-rail-pad resonances or highly damped track-soil resonances. Compared to the rail and sleeper, the track plate has much lower amplitudes. The slab track has usually the highest rail amplitudes due to soft rail pads. The train passage yields track displacements which are a superposition of the axle loads from the two neighbouring axles of a bogie and from the two bogies of two neighbouring carriages. This global behaviour is characteristic for the track plate of the slab track whereas the rails of the slab and the ballast track behave more local with only one bogie of influence. The measurements agree very well with the theory of the continuous soil in case of the six measured slab tracks and acceptably well for the six measured ballast tracks. The measurements allow to find appropriate model parameters and to check the models, for example the Winkler model of the soil has been found less appropriate as it reacts more locally.
Vibration measurements have many causes and many technical and natural sources. Problems can sometimes be solved by short-term measurements, but in many cases, a long-term measurement is necessary. In long-term measurements of days, weeks, months and even years, it is easy to collect a huge quantity of raw data, but at the end, the post-processing of these data can be exhausting (for example one-year vibration data of a wind energy tower). A software has been developed which con-sists of measuring and evaluation routines where the measuring routines can operate different meas-uring systems and different measuring cards. The main advantage of this software is the fact that the interesting evaluations can be integrated in the measuring process so that the characteristics of the vibration can be extracted without storing all the raw data. Only important time segments are stored, for example train passages. The overall concept of the software and the main evaluation routines will be described in some details. Examples of our measurement experience will illustrate the capabilities of the software. 1) Surveying construction work in nearby sensitive buildings (for example an old wind tunnel), including a stable alarm system and meaningful vibration limits. 2) Prediction of train-induced vibration for a planned building to prevent annoyance and to improve the building design. 3) Modal analysis and long term measurements of several single- or multi-span, concrete or steel bridges 4) Modal and wave analysis of coupled floors in a historical building (“Neues Palais” at Potsdam). 5) Soil properties of various measurement sites (different routines to evaluate the dispersion). Moreover, from many projects, amplitudes, frequencies, and attenuation laws have been collected and analysed for the different sources such as vibratory or impact pile driving and ground compaction, demolition work with different machines, blasting in quarries and in tunnel works, bomb and mine clearing.
In the last three decades, the vibrations of many floors and bridges have been measured. The contribution shows some evaluation methods, experimental results and some modelling and theoretical results. Simple evaluation methods have been developed for single and coupled floors. Two coupled beams have been measured in good agreement with the theory. A more complex coupling model has been found for a large wooden floor in a castle consisting of six floor bays which correlates well with the measurements. Damaged and intact poles have been tested by their natural frequencies and damping values, and a fair correlation between the degree of damage and the shift of the frequency. Road bridges have been analysed in detail and some examples are presented. Railway bridges and trains are studied for resonant excitation. The risk of resonance can be estimated in frequency domain by using axle-sequence spectra of the train and the natural frequencies of the bridge. A measurement example shows the amplification, but even stronger the cancellation of the subsequent axle responses. Several high-speed trains and freight trains have been analysed for their potential resonance amplification.
The train passages over intact or damaged slab tracks on different soils have been calculated by two methods. The finite element method (FEM) uses a Winkler soil under the track model by adding a thin “soil layer”. The combined finite element boundary element method has a continuous soil model which is included by the boundary element method. The basic results are the distributions of the track (rail, track plate, and base layer) displacements along the track for a single axle laod. These solutions are superposed to a complete train load and transformed to time histories. The influence of track and soil parameters has been analysed. The main interest is the influence of the track damage. A gap between track plate and base layer of different lengths has been studied for changes in amplitudes and widths of deflection. A best fit to measured track displacements has been found so that the track damage can be identified and quantified. The FEM model with Winkler soil cannot be fitted to the amplitude and width with the same soil parameters. Therefore, the FEBEM model is preferable for these railway track problems.
A study on building vibrations has been performed by finite element calculations. Family houses, multi-storey residential buildings, office buildings and office towers have been modelled in detail. The frequency-dependent response due to a free-field excitation has been evaluated for walls, columns and floors. The ratio of building amplitudes to free-field amplitudes starts with uB/u0 = 1 at zero frequency and is usually lower than 1 at 50 Hz, the end of the frequency range considered here. In between, amplifications occur due to several reasons. There are „soil resonances“ where the whole building is vibrating on the compliant soil, “column resonances” where the upper storeys are vibrating on the compliant columns, and the “floor resonances” where the floors are vibrating excited by their supports. Results are presented for all building types, but a special focus is set on office buildings. A parameter study shows the influence of the stiffness of the soil, the number of storeys, and the width of the building. It has been found that the “soil resonance” is strongly modified by the low-frequency floor resonances for the normal office building. The main resonance of a twenty-storey office tower is determined equally by the “soil mode” and the “column mode”. It is an important observation for these office buildings that the resonances can differ for different parts of the building such as the centre, the edge, the corner, and the core of the building. This leads to non-uniform vibration modes across the building, which look like another type of “floor resonance” and which have been observed in several real building projects. Experimental results will be shown which can confirm the calculated phenomena.
Right from the beginning of applying SHM to bridge structures it was obvious that environmental based perturbations on the measurement significantly influence the ability to identify structural damage. Strategies are needed to classify such effects and consider them appropriately in SHM. Various methods have been developed and analyzed to separate environmental based effects from damage induced changes in the measures. Generally, two main approaches have emerged from research activity in this fields: (a) statistics based tools analyzing patterns in the data or in computed parameters and (b) methods, utilizing the structural model of the bridge taking into account environmental as well as damage based changes of stiffness values.
With the back-ground of increasing affordability of sensing and computing technology, effort should be made to increase sensitivity, reliability and robustness of procedures, separating environmental from damage caused changes in SHM measures. The contribution describes both general strategies and points out their Advantages and drawbacks. As basis, a review on relevant methods was conducted. The aim of the study is to classify approaches for separating damage describing information from environmental based perturbations in dependency of the SHM objective. And such, it is intended to describe a best practice in designing concepts for Monitoring infrastructure, naturally effected by environmental influences.
A significant number of new wind farms has to be installed and, at the same time, existing wind farms reaching the end of their planned life need to be reused efficiently to ensure that the ambitous goals for deploying offshore wind are met. Some relevant reuse alternatives for offshore wind farms are lifetime extension, repowering utilizing existing substructures and full replacement. In this presentation - starting from experience gained from extending the lifetime of the of the U1 metro viaduct in Berlin - we discuss end-of-life decision making in offshore wind. We focus particularly on issues concerning substructures and highlight existing challenges and opprtunities in research and development.
The research project Verification of Buckling Assessment and Behaviour in Large Monopiles (VERBATIM) focuses on challenges arising due to the ongoing increase of dimensions of monopiles as foundation for offshore wind turbines. This project is focused on two main topics:
- Monopile tip buckling during pile installation
- Local buckling of embedded piles during operation
It is known from previous investigations and experiences in practice that large deformations of a monopile tip during offshore installation works can occur. These large deformations initiated at the tip of the monopile are commonly referred to as “pile tip buckling”. Own research focuses on optimising monopile dimensions to reduce the cost of monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines while preventing pile tip buckling.
Buckling of embedded cylindrical shells for offshore structures is a common engineering task. Structures can be analysed using standard software and have been done so in recent studies e.g., Gottschalk. However, the trend towards larger monopile and optimised structures has led to a fundamental need for better and verified models. A main challenge is the submodelling of the structure-soil-interaction. Developing such complex models is one main goal of the VERBATIM project.
For both main topics model tests were performed at the laboratories of BAM and TU Berlin. These experimental results were used to verify related numerical models and simulations.
Environmental based perturbations influence significantly the ability to identify structural dam-age in Structural Health Monitoring. Strategies are needed to classify such effects and consider them appropri-ately in SHM. It has to be considered if seasonal effects just mask the structural response or if temperature itself correlates to a weakening of the structure. Various methods have been developed and analyzed to separate environmental based effects from damage induced changes in the measures. Generally, two main approaches have emerged from research activity in this fields: (a) statistics-based tools analyzing patterns in the data or in computed parameters and (b) methods, utilizing the structural model of the bridge considering environmental as well as damage-based changes of stiffness values. With the background of increasing affordability of sensing and computing technology, effort should be made to increase sensitivity, reliability and robustness of proce-dures, separating environmental from damage caused changes in SHM measures. The contribution describes an attempt to evaluate both general strategies, their advantages and drawbacks. In addition, two vibration moni-toring procedures are introduced, allowing for temperature-based perturbations of the monitoring data.
The stability and geometric nonlinearities of slender structures are a major topic in structural design. While this topic is most relevant in the field of Structural Engineering, e.g. for steel or concrete structures, only few applications take the role of soil-structure-interaction explicitly into account. The focus of this paper is placed on the impact of soil support and its modelling for the buckling analysis based on examples both for pile foundations and for railway track stability. The general interaction between steel design and the geotechnical input will be addressed. The paper discusses and summarizes a range of subtopics based on experience and current research at the author’s institute.
Right from the beginning of applying SHM to bridge structures it was obvious that environmental based perturbations on the measurement significantly influence the ability to identify structural damage.
Strategies are needed to classify such effects and consider them appropriately in SHM. Various methods have been developed and analyzed to separate environmental based effects from damage induced changes in the measures. Generally, two main approaches have emerged from research activity in this fields: (a) statistics based tools analyzing patterns in the data or in computed parameters and (b) methods, utilizing the structural model of the bridge taking into account environmental as well as damage based changes of stiffness values.
With the back-ground of increasing affordability of sensing and computing technology, effort should be made to increase sensitivity, reliability and robustness of procedures, separating environmental from damage caused changes in SHM measures. The contribution describes both general strategies and points out their Advantages and drawbacks. As basis, a review on relevant methods was conducted. The aim of the study is to classify approaches for separating damage describing information from environmental based perturbations in dependency of the SHM objective. And such, it is intended to describe a best practice in designing concepts for Monitoring infrastructure, naturally effected by environmental influences.
Monopile-Gründungen sind die mit Abstand am häufigsten verwendete Gründungskonstruktion für Offshore-Windenergieanlagen. Ein wesentliches Problem bei der Bemessung ist das lokale Beulen des Gründungspfahls, welches typischerweise im Bereich der Bettung auftritt. Aufgrund der Nichtlinearität der Bettungsrandbedingung sind klassische Bemessungsansätze nicht anwendbar, so dass der Bemessungsingenieur auf eine vollständig numerische Berechnung zurückgreifen muss. In diesem Vortrag wird eine experimentelle Versuchskampagne zur Erzeugung von Kalibrierungsdaten für solche numerischen Modelle vorgestellt. Eine ausführlichere Darstellung findet sich im gleichnamigen Artikel.
Monopiles are currently the predominant foundation type for offshore wind turbines in Europe. Due to the increasing dimensions of the turbines, pile diameters beyond 10m become necessary. A design-relevant failure mode of monopiles is the local buckling of the pile wall in the embedded sections. Relevant buckling guidelines do not consider the soil-structure interaction specifically, although the embedment may allow for a reduction of wall thickness. However, Eurocode-based design concepts require a validation with comparative buckling cases for validation, either in terms of buckling curve parameters for both the algebraic stress-based and semi-numerical LBA/MNA design concept or as a calibration factor kGMNIA for fully numerical GMNIA calculations. These parameters are not yet available for embedded shells. To close this gap, we have conducted experiments on piles embedded in sand to investigate local buckling under soil-structure-interaction. The results will be used to calibrate numerical models. This research was carried out as part of the VERBATIM research project, funded by PTJ/BMWK and supported by the Carbon Trust's Offshore Wind Accelerator consortium.
Acceleration sensors are vital for assessing engineering structures by measuring properties like natural frequencies. In practice, engineering structures often have low natural frequencies and face harsh environmental conditions. Understanding sensor behavior on such structures is crucial for reliable masurements. The research focus is on understanding the behavior of acceleration sensors in harsh environmental conditions within the low-frequency acceleration range. The main question is how to distinguish sensor behavior from structural influences to minimize errors in assessing engineering structure conditions. To investigate this, the sensors are tested using a long-stroke calibration unit under varying temperature and humidity conditions. Additionally, a mini-monitoring system configured with four IEPE sensors is applied to a small-scale support structure within a climate chamber. For the evaluation, a signal-energy approach is employed to distinguish sensor behavior from structural behavior. The findings show that IEPE sensors display temperature-dependent nonlinear transmission behavior within the low-frequency acceleration range, with humidity having negligible impact. To ensure accurate engineering structure assessment, it is crucial to separate sensor behavior from structural influences using signal energy in the time domain. This study underscores the need to compensate for systematic effects, preventing the underestimation of vibration energy at low temperatures and overestimation at higher temperatures when using IEPE sensors for engineering structure monitoring.
Surface erosion of a cohesive granular soil by a fluid flow is investigated numerically by coupling the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) for the fluid phase and the Discrete Element Method (DEM) for describing the motion of the solid particles. In addition, inter-particles cohesion is insured by a contact model featuring a paraboloidal yield surface. The use of a fully resolved LBM-DEM coupling technique is currently limited due to the computational cost when simulating a large number of particles. This issue can be overcome using the graphics processing unit (GPU) thanks to ist massively parallel hardware architecture. Here, we first present a 2D GPU implementation of LBM-DEM coupling for a granular assembly. The GPU implementations are approximatively 30 times faster than a single core CPU version. Then, we apply the parallelization technique to practical erosional cases, namely the jet erosion test (JET) and the shear-driven erosion by a Couette flow. These numerical tests aim to relate micro parameters of a cohesive material (eg. cohesion) to macro parameters (eg. soil erodibility, mechanical strengths). Preliminary results show that micromechanical features indeed provide a novel insight of soil erosion phenomena.
The erosion phenomena is the main cause of the most serious incidents observed on earthen hydraulic structures such as dams and dikes. Thus, there is a real need to explore in depth and understand the mechanisms at work in such complex erosional processes for preventing similar risks.
The aim of this study is to provide a micromechanical insight into the mechanisms taking place during the erosion of a cohesive granular material driven by a fluid flow, the objectives are summarized as follows:
Perform numerical erosion tests.
Parallelization of the code (Gpu).
Extensive parametric analysis => rely micro parameters (eg. Cohesion) to macro parameters (eg. Soil erodibility, mechanical strengths).
Use of DEM-LBM modeling to prove the relevance of free jet model for soil erosion by impinging jet
(2018)
The aim of this study is to provide a micromechanical insight into the mechanisms taking place during the erosion of a cohesive granular material driven by a fluid flow, the objectives are summarized as follows:
Perform numerical erosion tests.
Parallelization of the code (Gpu).
Extensive parametric analysis => rely micro parameters (eg. Cohesion) to macro parameters (eg. Soil erodibility, mechanical strengths).
This article deals with the relevance and practical feasibility of micromechanical simulations for their application to general geomechanical problems involving fluid-saturated granular assemblies, whether frictional or cohesive. A set of conceptual and numerical tools is here presented, advocating for a parallel computation using graphical processing units (GPUs) to treat large numbers of degrees of freedom with conventional Desktop computers. The fluid phase is here simulated with a particle-resolved approach in the frame of the Lattice Botzmann Method (LBM) while the granular solid phase is modelled as a collection of discrete particles from a Molecular Dynamics DEM perspective. The range of possible material behaviours for the solid granular phase is intended here to cover a broad spectrum from purely frictional to viscous cohesive materials with either brittle or transient debonding features. Specific details of the implementation and some validation cases are put forward.
Finally, some exemplary applications in the fields of soil erosion and geotechnical profile installation are provided along with a discussion on the parallel performance of the presented models. The results show that a micromechanical approach can be feasible and useful in practice, providing meaningful insights into complex engineering problems like the erosion kinetics of a soil under an impinging jet or the penetration resistance of a deep foundation in a layered soil profile.
The surface erosion of soil samples caused by an impinging jet can be analyzed using the jet erosion test (JET), a standard experimental test to characterize the erosion resistance of soils. This paper specifically addresses the flow characteristics of a laminar impinging jet over the irregular surface of granular beds to discuss the pertinence and relevance of commonly used empirical estimations based on a selfsimilar model of a free jet. The JET is here investigated at the microscale with a coupled fluid-particle flow numerical odel featuring the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for the fluid phase combined with the discrete element method (DEM) for the mechanical behavior of the solid particles. The hydrodynamics of a laminar plane free jet are confronted with the results from a parametric study of jet impingement, both on solid smooth and fixed granular surfaces, that take into account variations in particle size, distance from jet origin, and jet Reynolds number. The flow characteristics at the bed surface are here quantified, including the maximal values in tangential velocity and wall shear stress, which can be regarded as the major cause of particle detachments under hydrodynamic solicitation. It is shown that the maximal velocity at the impinged surface can be described by the free jet self-similar model, provided that a simple empirical coefficient is introduced. Further, an expression is proposed for the maximal shear stress in laminar conditions, including a Blasius-like friction coefficient that is inversely proportional to the square root of the jet Reynolds number. To conclude, finally, the JET erosion of different cohesionless granular samples is analyzed, confirming that the threshold condition at the onset of granular motion is consistent with the Shields diagram and in close agreement with previous experimental results.
This paper presents an erosion interpretation of cohesive granular materials stressed by an impinging jet based on the results of a micromechanical simulation model. The numerical techniques are briefly described, relying on a two-dimensional Lattice Boltzmann Method coupled with a Discrete Element Methods including a simple model of solid intergranular cohesion.
These are then used to perform a parametric study of a planar jet in the laminar regime impinging the surface of granular samples with different degrees of cohesive strength. The results show the pertinence of using a generalized form of the Shields criterion for the quantification of the erosion threshold, which is valid for cohesionless samples, through empirical calibration, and also for cohesive ones. Furthermore, the scouring kinetics are analysed here from the perspective of a selfsimilar expansion of the eroded crater leading to the identification of a characteristic erosion time and the quantification of the classical erosion coefficient. However, the presented results also challenge the postulate of a local erosion law including erodibility parameters as intrinsic material properties. The paper then reviews the main limitations of the simulation and current interpretation models, and discusses the potential causes for the observed discrepancies, questioning the pertinence of using time-averaged macroscopic relations to correctly describe soil erosion. The paper concludes addressing this question with a complementary study of the presented simulations re-assessed at the particle-scale. The resulting local critical shear stress of single grains reveals a very wide dispersion of the data but nevertheless appears to confirm the general macroscopic trend derived for the cohesionless samples, while the introduction of cohesion implies a significant but systematic quantitative deviation between the microscopic and macroscopic estimates. Nevertheless, the micro data still shows consistently that the critical shear stress does actually vary approximately in linear proportion of the adhesive force.
The subject of damage localization is an important issue for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) particularly in mechanical or civil structures under ambient excitation. In this paper, the statistical subspacebased damage localization method has been applied on a benchmark application, namely a 1/200 scale model of the Saint-Nazaire Bridge, which is a cable-stayed bridge located on the Loire River near the river’s mouth. The employed damage localization method combines data-driven features with physical parameter information from a finite element model in statistical tests, avoiding typical ill-conditioning problems of FE model updating. Damage is introduced in the mockup for cable failures on some of the 72 cables. The purpose of the experiment is to assess the capability of damage assessment methods to find a cable failure.
The subject of damage localization is an important issue for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) particularly in mechanical or civil structures under ambient excitation. In this paper, the statistical subspacebased damage localization method has been applied on a benchmark application, namely a 1/200 scale model of the Saint-Nazaire Bridge, which is a cable-stayed bridge located on the Loire River near the river’s mouth. The employed damage localization method combines data-driven features with physical parameter information from a finite element model in statistical tests, avoiding typical ill-conditioning problems of FE model updating. Damage is introduced in the mockup for cable failures on some of the 72 cables. The purpose of the experiment is to assess the capability of damage assessment methods to find a cable failure.
Damage detection and localization in civil or mechanical structures is a subject of active development and research. A few vibration‐based methods have been developed so far, requiring, for example, modal parameter estimates in the reference and damaged states of the investigated structure, and for localization in addition a finite element model. For structures in operation, temperature has been shown to be a major nuisance to the efficiency of such methods because the modal parameters are varying not only with damage but also due to temperature variations. For detection, a few rejection approaches have been developed. Besides the increased complexity, environmental variation is hardly taken into account in localization approaches. In this paper, we propose a sensitivity‐based correction of the identified modal parameters in the damaged state with respect to the temperature field in the reference state, on the basis of a sensitivity analysis with respect to temperature dependent Parameters of the finite element model in the reference state. The approach is then applied to the stochastic dynamic damage locating vector method, where its improved performance under nonuniform temperature variations is shown in a numerical application on a beam.
The Stochastic Dynamic Damage Locating Vector (SDDLV) approach is a vibration-based damage localization method based on both a finite element model of a structure and modal parameters estimated
from output-only measurements in the damage and reference states. A statistical version of the Approach takes into account the inherent uncertainty due to noisy measurement data. In this paper, the effect of temperature fluctuations on the performance of the method is analyzed in a model-based approach using a finite element model with temperature dependent parameters. Robust damage localization is carried out by rejecting the temperature influence on the identified modal parameters in the damaged state. The algorithm is illustrated on a simulated structure.
The Stochastic Dynamic Damage Locating Vector (SDDLV) approach is a vibration-based damage localization method based on both a finite element model of a structure and modal parameters estimated from output-only measurements in the damage and reference states. A statistical version of the Approach takes into account the inherent uncertainty due to noisy measurement data. In this paper, the effect of temperature fluctuations on the performance of the method is analyzed in a model-based approach using a finite element model with temperature dependent parameters. Robust damage localization is carried out by rejecting the temperature influence on the identified modal parameters in the damaged state. The algorithm is illustrated on a simulated structure.
The mechanical properties of unstabilised earthen building materials are distinctively influenced by changes in material moisture content. However, this moisture-dependency often remains unconsidered in the calculation of the load-bearing capacity of earth constructions. This paper aims to derive a convenient way to sufficiently consider the impact of different material moisture contents on the mechanical properties of unstabilised earth masonry. Therefore, the influence of relative humidity and temperature on the strength and deformation characteristics of unstabilised earth blocks, earth mortar and earth masonry is evaluated by conducting compression tests under various climate conditions. The results show that the compressive strength and the modulus of elasticity are linearly correlated with the relative humidity, whereas changes in temperature at constant relative humidity have no significant influence. To account the distinct moisture-dependency, a general applicable modification factor for unstabilised earthen materials is provided, which enables the adjustment of the compressive strength and the modulus of elasticity in dependency of arbitrary hygroscopic material moisture contents.
The erosion of natural sediments by a superficial fluid flow is a generic situation in many usual geological or industrial contexts. However, there is still a lack of fundamental knowledge about erosional processes, especially concerning the role of internal cohesion and adhesive stresses on issues such as the critical flow conditions for the erosion onset or the kinetics of soil mass loss. This contribution investigates the influence of cohesion on the surface erosion by an impinging jet flow based on laboratory tests with artificially bonded granular materials. The model samples are made of spherical glass beads bonded either by solid bridges made of resin or by liquid bridges made of a highly viscous oil. To quantify the intergranular cohesion, the capillary forces of the liquid bridges are here estimated by measuring their main geometrical parameters with image-processing techniques and using well-known analytical expressions. For the solid bonds, the adhesive strength of the materials is estimated by direct measurement of the yield tensile forces and stresses at the particle and sample scales, respectively, with specific traction tests developed for this purpose. The proper erosion tests are then carried out in an optically adapted device that permits a direct visualization of the scouring process at the jet apex by means of the refractive index matching technique. On this basis, the article examines qualitatively the kinetics of the scour crater excavation for both scenarios, namely, for an intergranular cohesion induced by either liquid or solid bonds. From a quantitative perspective, the critical condition for the erosion onset is discussed specifically for the case of the solid bond cohesion. In this respect, we propose here a generalized form of the Shields criterion based on a common definition of a cohesion number from yield tensile values, derived at both micro- and macroscales. The article finally shows that the proposed form manages to reconcile the experimental data for cohesive and cohesionless materials, the latter in the form of the so-called Shields curve along with some previous results of the authors which have been appropriately revisited.
Protection against terroristic or accidental scenarios in industrial settings requires suitable designs of structures to resist blast loads. Field testing as well as finite element simulations are among the techniques available to engineers in the understanding of the structural behavior against blast loading.
As blast testing of complex scenarios can be very resource intensive, tests are generally performed for simplified scenarios. Numerical tools can be used to model these scenarios to get better insight into blast loading, structural response, and the resulting damage to the structure. During the next steps, the simplified scenario is successively modified in numerical simulations to incorporate complexities that cannot be covered in blast testing experiments. One of the conditions for this approach to work is that the original simplified numerical simulation is valid. The scopes and challenges encountered in such a validation are the focus of this presentation/article.
A relatively ‘simple’ field test of a horizontal reinforced concrete (RC) slab subjected to blast loading is taken as an example for validation of the performance of numerical tools. The blast test incorporated various measurement techniques to quantify the blast load as well as the behavior of the RC slab. Blast load was measured using flush mounted piezoelectric pressure gauges, whereas acceleration sensors and fiber-optic sensor cables were used to characterize the dynamic behavior of the slab under blast loading. Additionally, damage characteristics were ascertained also using fiber optic sensing. The application of such measurement techniques, along with different numerical software available for the analysis of the scenario in question, demonstrate the scope of our contribution.
When it comes to the challenges, it begins with proper instrumentation of the test specimen followed by the data processing. For numerical modelling, geometric conditions with appropriate boundary constraints, physical conditions such as the configuration of the rebars, as well as material parameters add to this challenge. The issues of choosing appropriate material models and comparison of results with multiple software tools will be discussed. This discussion forms the basis for a coherent approach to technical-safety assessment of blast effects on structures in its broader sense.
This talk provides a brief overview on some geomechanical phenomena and problematic issues in the field of offshore wind-energy geotechnics, with reference to their associated challenges for a numerical analysis/simulation. These may include large deformations, fluid coupling and grain-scale phenomena, all of which are generally difficult to be addressed with conventional FE techniques.
These challenges are illustrated here with a practical example for the retrofit of axially loaded piles using compaction grouting techniques. In this case, the mechanical effects of the retrofit may be analysed with standard FE techniques, but require the adoption of strong assumptions, while the injection process itself can only be analysed with special techniques such as the MPM.
Finally, an LBM-DEM framework for the micromechanical analysis of such problems is introduced and a practical application for the estimation of the soil resistance to driving (SRD) in layered profiles is discussed.
This presentation deals with the phenomenology and design of pile foundations for offshore wind turbines, and is divided into two lectures.
The first lecture presents a brief introduction to the context and peculiarities of such foundations, and then focuses on the particular case of axially loaded piles. This part is most relevant for the relatively slender piles of the multi-pile substructures (i.e. jackets and tripods). A clear distinction between physical phenomenology and practical design is drawn here.
Design challenges for offshore wind-farms. From foundation mechanics to wind-farm aerodynamics
(2018)
This talk provides a brief introduction on general engineering aspects of offshore wind energy production. Then some geomechanical issues for the foundation of OWTs into the seabed are introduced, while the results from experimental investigations and coupled computational analysis are discussed.
In the second part of the seminar, the hydromechanical Wave–Tower interaction is firstly discussed. Then, some general aspects of the windfarm aerodynamics are introduced. On the one hand, some modelling possibilities for the wake analysis of single turbines and turbine groups are discussed. And on the other hand the relevance of such analyses for a proper windfarm layout optimization is pointed out.
Concerning the geomechanical issues the talk shows that: i) The pile’s bearing capacity can degrade under cyclic loading (waves, wind, …). ii) The time effects can be relevant: Capacity improvement can be substantial, but also fragile. iii) There are cyclic PWP effects: Cyclic interaction with pore water may lead to soil softening and an uncoupled analysis (current design practice) is potentially unsafe.
And concerning the hydromechanical and aerodynamical design considerations, this seminar shows that: i) Numerical analysis of turbine’s interaction with wind/waves is useful and affordable. ii) Simplified models can provide insight into windfarm aerodynamics. iii) Turbulent wake analysis is very relevant for the windfarm layout.
This presentation deals with the phenomenology and design of pile foundations for offshore wind turbines, and is divided in two lectures.
The first lecture presents a brief introduction to the context and peculiarities of such foundations, and then focuses on the particular case of axially loaded piles. This part is most relevant for the relatively slender piles of the multi-pile substructures (i.e. jackets and tripods). A clear distinction between physical phenomenology and practical design is drawn here.
The second lecture continues with the case of lateraly loaded offshore piles, which bears most relevance for the case of the monopile foundations. Here again, a clear separation between physical reality and design methods is intended.
Finally, the last part of the second lecture introduces several advanced topics which lie outside the classical design approaches, namely the cyclic pile fatigue and the so-called pile setup (i.e. the time effects on the axial pile capacity). The relevance of these two topics is illustrated with experimental results from a field testing campaign on real large-scale piles.
This presentation deals with the phenomenology and design of pile foundations for offshore wind turbines, and is divided into two lectures.
The first lecture presents a brief introduction to the context and peculiarities of such foundations, and then focuses on the particular case of axially loaded piles. This part is most relevant for the relatively slender piles of the multi-pile substructures (i.e. jackets and tripods). A clear distinction between physical phenomenology and practical design is drawn here.
Deep foundations for offshore wind turbines. Lecture 2: lateral behaviour and advanced topics
(2020)
This presentation deals with the phenomenology and design of pile foundations for offshore wind turbines, and is divided into two lectures. The second lecture continues with the case of lateraly loaded offshore piles, which bears most relevance for the case of the monopile foundations. Here again, a clear separation between physical reality and design methods is intended.
Finally, the last part of the second lecture introduces several advanced topics which lie outside the classical design approaches, namely the hydromechanical coupling effects (i.e. the excess pore-pressure generation around the monopiles), the cyclic pile fatigue and the so-called pile setup (i.e. the time effects on the axial pile capacity). The relevance of the latter two topics is illustrated with experimental results from a field testing campaign on real large-scale piles.
This presentation provides an overview on general issues related to erosive failures in civil constructions like hydraulic infrastructures and offshore foundations. A brief introduction to the related research activities of BAM in the field of offshore wind energy is first provided, and the general possibilities for micromechanical modelling approaches are outlined. Finally, the ongoing DFG-ANR research project COMET is introduced.
This talk provides a brief introduction on general engineering challenges for the offshore (marine) wind energy production, focusing on material, structural and hydromechanical aspects.
The talk begins with a broad overview on general trends for offshore wind-farms, with insights on some characteristic structural features and their associated loads. Then, some particular open issues for the foundation of the offshore wind turbines into the seabed are introduced. Here, different research approaches are discussed, from experimental investigations to coupled computational analysis at micro- and macroscopic scales.
In the second part of the seminar, both the hydromechanical Wave–Tower interaction and some general aspects of the windfarm aerodynamics (wake analysis) are discussed. Some modelling possibilities in the frame of CFD (computational fluid dynamics) are introduced and the relevance of such analyses for a proper windfarm layout optimization is pointed out.
Summing up, this seminar aims to show that: i) Numerical analysis of the turbine’s interaction with wind/waves and with the seabed is both useful and affordable. ii) Simplified models can provide an insight into windfarm aerodynamics. iii) Turbulent wake analysis is very relevant for the windfarm layout.
Driven steel piles are commonly used as deep foundations for a wide range of engineering structures, particularly in the offshore branch. They are also an interesting example among the broad spectrum of geotechnical applications where the fluid-solid interaction at the pore-scale can play a major role for the macromechanical behaviour of the whole system.
In the context of the geotechnical practice for offshore wind-farm structures, both the industrial design and the actual dimensions of the large piles used as foundations in the seabed are often driven by factors such as the soil resistance to driving (SRD), which are still not well understood and often estimated based on mere empirical correlations or overly simplified one-dimensional models. In particular, the role of the micromechanical effects during the installation process (e.g. local dilatancy or contractancy) and their consequences on the pore pressure levels at the pile-tip and on the effective resistance to driving, are generally either disregarded or at most assumed to be covered by the simplified engineering “black-box” solutions.
Here, we propose a general framework to address such local aspects of a geotechnical application involving fluid-saturated soils while retaining the focus on the micro-scale phenomena. We advocate for an approach that combines the relative simplicity of the Discrete Element Method (DEM) for the solid mechanics with the capabilities of the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) for the fluid dynamics. In this sense, we aim to compile some useful techniques and practical recommendations for an efficient GPU-based implementation of a micromechanical LBM-DEM simulation tool.
We present here a set of conceptual and numerical tools for a micromechanical simulation of general erosion problems involving fluid-saturated granular assemblies, whether frictional or cohesive. We propose a parallel computation using graphical processing units (GPUs) to treat large numbers of degrees of freedom with conventional desktop computers.
The fluid phase is here simulated with a particle-resolved approach in the frame of the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) while the granular solid phase is modelled as a collection of discrete particles from a Molecular Dynamics DEM perspective. The range of possible material behaviors for the solid granular phase is intended here to cover a broad spectrum from purely frictional to viscous cohesive materials with either brittle or transient debonding features. Specific details of the implementation and some validation cases will be put forward.
To conclude we provide some exemplary applications in the field of soil erosion along with details on the parallel performance of the models. The results show that a micromechanical approach can be feasible and useful in practice, providing meaningful insights into complex phenomena like the erosion threshold and kinetics of weakly cemented soils.
State of the art and development perspectives of deep foundations for offshore wind converters
(2020)
This presentation provides an overview of the main geotechnical aspects associated with deep foundations in the context of offshore wind generation. The most common deep foundation typologies (large diameter monopiles and multipile typologies) as well as new trends under development (e.g. suction buckets) and their current limits will be briefly described. The talk concludes with a brief review of advanced topics not covered in classical pile design, such as hydromechanical coupling effects (pore pressure generation), cyclic accumulation of deformations, cyclic degradation of axial capacity or pile-setup gains.