Zhaochi Lu , Huan He , Guangyin Du , Kostas Senetakis , Zhongxun Zhuang , Yuxiao Wang , Guojun Cai , Songyu Liu
{"title":"Vibratory probe compaction of recycled concrete aggregates: Unveiling force and energy transfer mechanisms with particle redistribution","authors":"Zhaochi Lu , Huan He , Guangyin Du , Kostas Senetakis , Zhongxun Zhuang , Yuxiao Wang , Guojun Cai , Songyu Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101592","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global rise in construction waste has increased the use of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA), which show potential as fill materials in geotechnical engineering despite weak mechanical properties due to cement mortar coatings. This study examines the effectiveness of vibratory probe compaction in enhancing RCA properties through model tests. Optimal compaction parameters, including a frequency of 11.2 Hz and duration of 80 s, were determined. Vibration and soil pressure sensors revealed energy transfer concentrated near the probe tip, significantly increasing horizontal stress, particularly in deeper layers, where it rose up to eightfold. Light-weight dynamic cone penetrometer tests showed a 3–6 fold increase in blow counts, correlating with a 19.7 % density improvement. Gradation analysis indicated particle segregation, with smaller particles settling downward and larger ones moving upward, though minimal global breakage occurred. Extra fines are observed at the base produced from mortar abrasion which in turn, allowed the enhancement of intergranular contact development, therefore improving overall stiffness and strength. These findings confirm that vibratory probe compaction effectively improves RCA's mechanical properties, demonstrating strong potential for practical engineering applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"52 ","pages":"Article 101592"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Transportation Geotechnics","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214391225001114","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, CIVIL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The global rise in construction waste has increased the use of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA), which show potential as fill materials in geotechnical engineering despite weak mechanical properties due to cement mortar coatings. This study examines the effectiveness of vibratory probe compaction in enhancing RCA properties through model tests. Optimal compaction parameters, including a frequency of 11.2 Hz and duration of 80 s, were determined. Vibration and soil pressure sensors revealed energy transfer concentrated near the probe tip, significantly increasing horizontal stress, particularly in deeper layers, where it rose up to eightfold. Light-weight dynamic cone penetrometer tests showed a 3–6 fold increase in blow counts, correlating with a 19.7 % density improvement. Gradation analysis indicated particle segregation, with smaller particles settling downward and larger ones moving upward, though minimal global breakage occurred. Extra fines are observed at the base produced from mortar abrasion which in turn, allowed the enhancement of intergranular contact development, therefore improving overall stiffness and strength. These findings confirm that vibratory probe compaction effectively improves RCA's mechanical properties, demonstrating strong potential for practical engineering applications.
期刊介绍:
Transportation Geotechnics is a journal dedicated to publishing high-quality, theoretical, and applied papers that cover all facets of geotechnics for transportation infrastructure such as roads, highways, railways, underground railways, airfields, and waterways. The journal places a special emphasis on case studies that present original work relevant to the sustainable construction of transportation infrastructure. The scope of topics it addresses includes the geotechnical properties of geomaterials for sustainable and rational design and construction, the behavior of compacted and stabilized geomaterials, the use of geosynthetics and reinforcement in constructed layers and interlayers, ground improvement and slope stability for transportation infrastructures, compaction technology and management, maintenance technology, the impact of climate, embankments for highways and high-speed trains, transition zones, dredging, underwater geotechnics for infrastructure purposes, and the modeling of multi-layered structures and supporting ground under dynamic and repeated loads.