Open-ended pipe piles (OEPPs) are widely used in offshore foundations, yet accurately predicting their driving responses remains challenging due to soil plug complexities. Existing pile driving analysis models inadequately characterize the effects of soil plug, potentially leading to driving problems such as hammer refusal, pile running, and structural damage. This paper proposes an effective soil plug (ESP) model for OEPP driving analysis. The ESP model considers the effective range of soil plug, which exerts internal resistance that increases exponentially with depth while the beyond of effective range contributes only mass inertia. It also accounts for the relative slippage at the pile-soil plug interface. A differential iterative method is developed to solve the ESP model. Subsequently, investigations including the model validation and parameter analysis are conducted. Model validations against existing models and field measurements confirms the reliability of the ESP model. Parameters sensitivity analysis reveals the importance of soil plug length and distribution type of internal resistance on the pile dynamic responses. In addition, if soil plug slippage occurs, the displacement peak of soil plug increases with depth rather than one-dimensional wave attenuation. Furthermore, contrary to previous assumptions of continuous slippage, the soil plug experiences a discontinuous jump-sliding mode under long-duration impact loading. These findings provide theoretical basis for OEPP driving simulation and interpretations of high-strain dynamic test.

Frozen soils exhibit unique mechanical behavior due to the coexistence of ice and unfrozen water, making experimental studies essential for engineering applications in cold regions. This review comprehensively examines laboratory investigations on frozen soils under static and dynamic loadings, including uniaxial and triaxial compression, creep, direct shear, and freeze-thaw (F-T) cycle tests. Key findings on stress-strain characteristics, failure mechanisms, and the effects of temperature and time are synthesized. Advancements in microstructural analysis techniques, such as computed tomography (CT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), are also summarized to elucidate the internal structural evolution of frozen soils. While significant progress has been made, further efforts are needed to better replicate complex environmental and loading conditions and to fully understand the interactions between multiple influencing factors. Future research should focus on developing novel experimental techniques, establishing standardized testing protocols, and creating a comprehensive database to enhance data accessibility and advance frozen soil research. This review provides critical insights into frozen soil mechanics and supports validating constitutive models and numerical simulations, aiding infrastructure design and construction in cold regions.

The rheological properties and creep dynamical behavior of the granular materials are significantly influenced by the packing fraction. The granular materials with a low packing fraction tend to transit from a solid-like to liquid-like state. The strain evolution and deformation characteristics of granular materials under different packing fractions are investigated by triaxial creep tests. The result indicates that a critical packing fraction exists for the granular system under specific external loading conditions, below which the system will be broken in a short period of time. Conversely, for packing fraction that exceeds the critical value, the granular material system exhibits logarithmic creep dynamics and eventually reaches a steady state. To characterize the creep behaviors of granular materials under dynamic loading, a state evolution model is introduced. The model is verified by combining the theoretical predictions with the experimental observations. Furthermore, parametric analysis is also implemented based on the introduced model. The results demonstrate that the model can capture the fundamental spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of granular materials which are subjected to dynamic loading conditions.

Understanding the deformation mechanism and behaviour of adjacent tunnels subjected to dynamic train loads provides vital technical insights for engineering design. This study conducted a detailed analysis and revealed that tunnel excavation significantly affects the stability of adjacent existing tunnels under dynamic loads. First, we developed a dynamic load simulation approach and derived a calculation formula for shield-soil friction. A methodology for analyzing the stress in the surrounding rock of the tunnel was established. Subsequently, the impact of dynamic loads on the stability of existing tunnels was assessed through numerical simulations. Finally, the numerical results were compared with field-measured data to validate the reliability of the research findings. The results indicated that, compared to the condition without train load, the maximum vertical and lateral displacements at the vault of the existing tunnel under dynamic load condition increased by 2.9 mm and 1 mm, respectively, leading to an overall safety and stability coefficient reduction of approximately 0.1. Furthermore, the influence of dynamic loads on the stability of the existing tunnel intensified with increasing train speeds under various load conditions. For train speeds of <= 40 km/h, the dynamic load could effectively be considered as a static load. Notably, the surrounding soft rock exhibited a higher degree of stress release compared to the surrounding hard rock. The stresses at the soft-hard rock interface were found to potentially induce damage to the tunnel. In scenarios where new and existing tunnels were in proximity, the dynamic load was incorporated into the entire simulation process, yielding results that closely aligned with actual measurements.

The fill-cut transition subgrade (FCTSS) is a weak point in subgrade damage. Indoor experiments were conducted to clarify the deformation damage mechanism. It was found that repeated dynamic load leads to upward migration of moisture along the fill-tangent interface and the formation of moisture migration channels. The overall moisture of the soil samples increased under the condition of continuous moisture migration and aggregation. The increase in moisture weakened the strength of the soil, resulting in an increase in moisture accumulation in the region corresponding to the location of greater compressive deformation, which is also the location where damage occurred. Therefore, in order to prevent the effect of dynamic load on the deformation damage of the subgrade, the external recharge of FCTSS should be controlled. This study can provide a valuable reference for the construction and protection of subgrade in the fill-cut transition in loess areas.

Shallow soils are highly vulnerable to the combined impacts of various factors, including vehicle loading, precipitation, and groundwater. The slope soil at the roadside is inevitably subjected to long-term cyclic loading from traffic. Previous studies have demonstrated that ecological engineering measures can effectively mitigate soil deformation and reduce pore water pressure development, thereby preventing soil erosion and landslides. This study aims to investigate the influence of root distribution patterns on the elastic deformation and pore water pressure development trends in root reinforced soil by simulating cyclic traffic loading through dynamic triaxial tests. The study findings demonstrate that the presence of roots significantly enhances the soil's resistance to deformation. When the vertical root accounts for 25% (while the horizontal root accounts for 75%), experimental results indicate that the soil reinforced by roots exhibits minimal deformation and slower pore water development. Moreover, a parameter D is introduced to enhance the existing pore water pressure models with the increased coefficients of determination, thereby improving the applicability in root-reinforced soils. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing strength and liquefaction resistance in root reinforced soils while providing guiding research for the mechanical effects of root reinforcement of soil for ecological restoration of highway slopes.

To investigate the impact of traffic loading on the deformation characteristics of soft dredger fill, a series of dynamic triaxial tests of soft dredger fill were carried out. The deformation characteristics of the soft dredger fill under varying confining pressures and dynamic stress ratios were analyzed comparatively. The test results indicate that the cumulative plastic strain curve of the soft dredger fill exhibits three distinct patterns: destructive, critical, and stable; Based on the cumulative plastic strain development law of the dredger fill, an empirical formula of critical dynamic stress and the prediction model of cumulative plastic strain development were established, considering the influence of confining pressure. Under continuous loading, the hysteresis curve of soft dredger fill showed pronounced non-linearity, and hysteresis. Initially, the curve exhibited an ellipse shape, transitioning to a crescent shape in the middle and late stages. The higher the dynamic stress ratio, the greater the height and width of the hysteresis loop. These findings provide valuable insights into the dynamic behavior of dredger fill under traffic loading.

This paper presents a field pile load test program conducted on four 0.36 m closed-end steel pipe piles with lengths ranging between 11 and 13 m installed in fine-grained soils. Subsurface investigations with standard penetration tests and cone penetration tests with pore pressure measurements were performed at the site. Three pushed-in piezometers at incremental offsets from the piles were also installed to monitor pore water pressure changes during and after the installation of piles. Several dynamic load tests were performed at different times to observe the change in pile resistance. A static load test was also performed on one of the piles. Some load test results showed an unexpected decrease in the resistances of some piles with time. The study showed that construction activities, e.g., installation of other piles, disturbs the soil and groundwater conditions which can significantly affect the pile resistance measured during load tests. This investigation revealed that pile driving and restrikes should be scheduled such that the effect of construction activities on load tests results will be avoided or minimized.

The internal structure of sandy cobbles strata is sensitive to disturbances in the urban underground environment, but the structural evolution process under coupling hydraulic and dynamic loads remains unexplored. This paper presents a detailed investigation into the migration patterns and mechanisms of fine particles in sandy cobbles induced by coupled hydraulic and dynamic loading. A sandy cobble specimen with a typical particle size distribution (PSD) was designed and tested using an apparatus that included a constant inlet water head control system and an eccentric-vibrator-based dynamic loading system. Based on physical modeling tests, a numerical model was constructed to reproduce the internal structural evolution under hydraulic and dynamic loading by calibrating the time history of local permeability. The test results indicate that the application of dynamic load can instantly disrupt the stable internal structure of sandy cobbles under static seepage, imparting kinetic energy to fine particles that detach from the skeleton structure and migrate along the seepage direction. Significant fine particle loss occurs near the seepage outlet, but due to energy loss during migration, fine particles far from the seepage outlet are recaptured by the skeleton pore throats and clogged again in the migration path. As the intensity of the dynamic loading increases, the migration path for fine particles becomes longer, and the amount and size of fine particles lost significantly increase. The changes in the internal structure of the soil are reflected in hydraulic parameters as a transient increase in local flow velocity, an increase in local pore water pressure due to clogging, and a decrease in the overall permeability coefficient with the loss of fine particles. These findings enrich the knowledge of internal erosion in urban underground environmentand will be meaningful for future geotechnical engineering design and analysis.

The combined effects of dynamic loads from high-speed trains and surrounding soil expansion pressure often lead to structure failure in tunnels during their service period. This study conducts a series of expansion pressure, expansion rate, and shear strength tests on expansive soil to analyze the impact of the initial moisture content and dry density on expansion behaviors. The results indicate that the expansion pressure is negatively (positively) correlated with the initial moisture content (dry density). The expansion rate decreases with increasing vertical pressure and initial moisture content. The expansive soil's shear strength, internal friction angle, and cohesion are approximately linearly negatively correlated with initial moisture content. A three-dimensional dynamic computational model combining the train dynamic load, surrounding soil, and lining structure is established to study the tunnel's dynamic responses and long-term damage evolution. The simulation results indicate that the combined effects of high-speed train dynamic loads and expansion pressure cause the tunnel's maximum vertical acceleration and vertical displacement response to occur at the center of the invert. In contrast, the maximum peak of the minimum principal stress response occurs near the invert beneath the track. The minimum responses of the acceleration, vertical displacement, and peak of the minimum principal stress occur at the roof, hance, and wall, respectively. The tunnel's vertical acceleration, vertical displacement, and peak minimum principal stress are positively correlated with expansion pressure (or train speed). When the train speed is below 300 km/h, changes in the expansion pressure (or train speed) do not alter the shape of the response envelope diagram or the relative intensity of the response at each measuring point. The upper structure of the tunnel (above the wall) experiences little damage, which is concentrated primarily in the invert and both side feet of the tunnel. Tensile damage is greater than compression damage, and the expansion pressure significantly affects the rate of damage development in tunnels during the first 15 years of service.