Shaking table study on the seismic dynamic behavior of high-speed railway subgrade with pile network composite-reinforced soil

Abstract

Pile network composite structures are used in the construction of high-speed railway subgrades. There have been few studies on their seismic dynamic response, however, which has restricted the accurate evaluation of their seismic performance. In this study, a series of shaking table tests on a pile network composite-reinforced soil high-speed railway subgrade were conducted. Particle image velocimetry was used to analyze the slope motion and sensor data to evaluate the overall dynamic response characteristics of the subgrade. Findings indicate that seismic activity causes subsidence throughout the subgrade, with deformations occurring in three distinct phases depending on the input seismic amplitude from 0.1 to 0.4 g (slow increasing), 0.4 to 0.6 g (faster increasing), and 0.6 to 1.0 g (rapidly increasing). The inclusion of geogrids aids in dissipating seismic energy, thereby reducing the peak acceleration amplification along the elevation. The increased dynamic soil pressure of the subgrade is mitigated by the geogrid reinforcement, which improves local stability. Moreover, the geogrid strain escalated with greater seismic wave amplitudes, resulting in the progressive expansion of the unstable zone from the slope towards the center of the subgrade as the elevation increased.