As a relatively new method, vacuum preloading combined with prefabricated horizontal drains (PHDs) has increasingly been used for the improvement of dredged soil. However, the consolidation process of soil during vacuum preloading, in particular the deformation process of soil around PHDs, has not been fully understood. In this study, particle image velocimetry technology was used to capture the displacement field of dredged soil during vacuum preloading for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Using the displacement data, strain paths in soil were established to enable a better understanding of the consolidation behavior of soil and the related pore water pressure changes. The effect of clogging on the deformation behavior and the growth of a clogging column around PHD were studied. Finite element analysis was also conducted to further evaluate the effects of the compression index (lambda) and permeability index (ck) on the soil deformation and clogging column. Empirical equations were proposed to characterize the clogging column and to estimate the consolidation time, serving as references for the analytical model that incorporates time-dependent variations in the clogging column for soil consolidation under vacuum preloading using PHDs.

It is well known that piles embedded in sand accumulate lateral deformation (displacement and rotation) when subjected to horizontal cyclic loading. The rate of accumulation depends on various parameters, such as loading conditions and properties of the pile-soil system. For nearly rigid piles, such as monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines, an essential aspect is the type of loading, which is determined by the ratio of the cyclic minimum load to cyclic maximum load. Several studies have shown that asymmetric two-way loading generally results in larger accumulated pile deformation compared with other types of loading, especially oneway loading with complete unloading in each cycle. This article presents the planning, execution, and evaluation of physical 1g small-scale model tests on the deformation accumulation of laterally loaded rigid piles due to cyclic loading focusing on soil deformations resulting from various cyclic load ratios. To visualize soil deformation fields and rearrangement processes within the soil profiles, particle image velocimetry (PIV) was applied in the tests. The evaluation of the model test results provides insights into varying accumulation rates and highlights the capabilities as well as limitations of PIV. The observations are summarized under the of findings, which may assist in planning future PIV experiments.

We present an innovative approach to understanding permafrost degradation processes through the application of new environment-based particle image velocimetry (E-PIV) to time-lapse imagery and correlation with synchronous temperature and rainfall measurements. Our new approach to extracting quantitative vector movement from dynamic environmental conditions that can change both the position and the color balance of each image has optimized the trade-off between noise reduction and preserving the authenticity of movement data. Despite the dynamic polar environments and continuous landscape movements, the E-PIV provides the first quantitative real-time associations between environmental drivers and the responses of permafrost degradation mechanism. We analyze four event-based datasets from an island southwest of Tuktoyaktuk, named locally as Imnaqpaaluk or Peninsula Point near Tuktoyaktuk, NWT, Canada, spanning a 5-year period from 2017 to 2022. The 2017 dataset focuses on the interaction during a hot dry summer between slope movement and temperature changes, laying the foundation for subsequent analyses. In 2018, two datasets significantly expand our understanding of typical failure mechanisms in permafrost slopes: one investigates the relationship between slope movement and rainfall, while the other captures an overhang collapse, providing a rare quantitative observation of an acute landscape change event. The 2022 dataset revisits the combination of potential rain and air temperature-related forcing to explore the environment-slope response relationship around an ice wedge, a common feature of ice-rich permafrost coasts. These analyses reveal both a direct but muted association with air temperatures and a detectable delayed slope response to the occurrence of rainfall, potentially reflective of the time taken for the warm rainwater to infiltrate through the active layer and affect the frozen ground. Whilst these findings also indicate that other factors are likely to influence permafrost degradation processes, the associations have significant implications given the projections for a warmer, wetter Arctic. The ability to directly measure permafrost slope responses offers exciting new potential to quantitatively assess the sensitivity of different processes of degradation for the first time, improving the vulnerability components of hazard risk assessments, guiding mitigation efforts, and better constraining future projections of erosion rates and the mobilization of carbon-rich material.

Localized soil subsidence can cause pipeline failures, yet relevant studies remain limited. This research uses 1 g scaling tests to explore granular soil behavior over a subsiding area with a crossing pipeline, employing Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and pressure sensors beneath trapdoors. Results reveal various failure mechanisms impacting load on pipelines, especially due to water-drop-shaped slip surfaces above the pipeline. The long side of the rectangular subsidence zone exhibited stronger load transfer compared to the short side. Neglecting the three-dimensional soil arching effect risks underestimating the pipeline load, particularly when the pipeline axis aligns with the long side of the subsidence. Greater distances between the subsidence zone and pipeline improve protection, though very close proximity can also be beneficial. The study suggests that inducing controlled soil failure above the pipeline may help reduce additional load, providing insights into mitigating pipeline damage from subsidence.

Nodular diaphragm wall (NDW) is a novel foundation type with favorable engineering characteristics. In contrast to traditional diaphragm walls, the vertical bearing capacity of NDW is significantly enhanced by the existence of nodular sections. Currently, the application and research of NDW are limited, and further clarification is needed regarding its deformation properties and failure modes. This study employs particle image velocimetry (PIV) technology to analyze the displacement and failure mechanisms of the foundation under vertical uplift. The findings indicate that positioning end and middle nodular sections extend the influence range to both deep and shallow soil layers, while multiple nodular sections facilitate in mobilizing broader spectrum of soil. The failure pattens of NDW involve interconnected sliding planes, including vertical sliding planes, inverted pyramid-shaped, or tangent curves, and vase-shaped curves (referred to as curve sliding planes). Overall, compared to pile foundations, the failure surfaces of the retaining wall exhibit complexity, influenced by the number and arrangement of sections, with certain sliding plane orientations correlated with the soil's internal friction angle.

Basal reinforcement of embankments and supporting with piles is one of the most recent solutions for rapid embankment construction on soft foundation soils. This paper uses the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to evaluate the performance of unreinforced and reinforced embankments over soft foundation soils in terms of maximum settlement at the embankment base, lateral displacements of the embankment toe and the strains in the reinforcement layer using the digital images captured during the centrifuge model tests at 40g. The reinforcement consisted of a single layer of a scaled-down model basal geogrid and additional support from end-bearing or floating piles. The paper examines the effect of varying embankment heights on the geogrid strains and deformation characteristics of subsoil under rapid embankment construction over unreinforced and reinforced soft foundation soil with varying support conditions. The unsupported reinforced embankments showed a peak geogrid axial strain near the toe, whereas it peaked near the mid- of the embankment for pile supported reinforced embankments. The study also investigates the failure mechanisms of unreinforced and reinforced embankments, with and without pile support, using shear strain contours derived from PIV analysis. The paper underscores the efficacy of PIV as a tool for visualising the deformation behaviour and failure mechanisms in soil during centrifuge model studies. Additionally, the research provides insights into the operation of an in-flight sand hopper used for embankment construction in centrifuge model studies. Post-investigation studies contribute to understanding the potential failure mechanisms in embankments supported by end-bearing and floating piles. Overall, this paper showcases the practical application of PIV in studying the challenges related to rapid embankment construction on soft foundation soils.

Liquefaction-induced lateral spreading poses a significant threat to buried structures during earthquakes occurring on gentle slopes. This study investigates the influence of ground slope and soil relative density on liquefaction-induced lateral spreading using shaking table experiments. Two physical models with varying ground slopes (2%, 5%, and 8%) and soil relative densities (20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%) were constructed, and seven tests were conducted using a rigid box configuration with Plexiglas sides for visual observation and image processing. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was employed to analyze soil layer deformations. The findings indicate that higher soil relative density leads to increased soil stiffness and acceleration amplitudes across all soil layers, while steeper slopes induce higher acceleration spikes before liquefaction. Moreover, an increase in soil relative density significantly reduces excess pore water pressure (EPWP) buildup, thereby mitigating lateral spreading. Conversely, variations in gentle ground slope shows a minimal impact on EPWP. The PIV analysis indicates that the maximum horizontal displacements occur in the middle layer for 20% relative density, gradually shifting towards the upper third with increasing density. The study observed two displacement phases: localized shear rupture, which were uniform across densities, and lateral spreading, which were dominant at 20% and 40% densities. Higher soil density leads to reduced lateral movement and settlement. The ground slope causes a minor increase in localized lateral movement but has minimal impact on overall settlement.

By conducting a two-dimensional experimental study, this paper aims to enhance the understanding of the mechanism of sand convective motions in the vicinity of a wall subjected to long-term cyclic lateral loadings. The experimental tests were conducted in a rectangular sandbox with a transparent front -wall, through which the process of sand particle motions could be recorded by using a high -resolution digital camera. The images were processed with a high time -resolved PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) system. Based on the experimental data, this work (1) presents the sand flow field in the convective zones; (2) provides means to describe the convection mechanism; (3) proposes the relationships between the loading conditions and dimensions of the region with intense sand movement; and (4) elaborates the similarity of the sand flow velocity structure within the sand convective zones.