Acta Geotechnica最新文献

{"title":"Predicting the shear strength of rubber-incorporated granular waste mixtures with a machine learning approach","authors":"Haydn Hunt,&nbsp;Buddhima Indraratna,&nbsp;Rakesh Sai Malisetty,&nbsp;Yujie Qi,&nbsp;Cholachat Rujikiatkamjorn","doi":"10.1007/s11440-025-02890-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11440-025-02890-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Determining the shear strength of geomaterials is critical in stability analyses for geotechnical design, which can also be costly and time-consuming if traditional laboratory methods are used to determine the parameters experimentally. This can become even more challenging when assessing waste/marginal materials such as coal wash, steel furnace slag, and rubber due to their variability and nonlinear nature of properties. To address this, this study uses two nonlinear machine learning techniques, namely artificial neural network and multivariable regression, to predict the peak friction angle (<span>({phi }^{prime}_{peak})</span>) of several rubber-incorporated granular waste mixtures, whereas a bulk proportion of prior research was focused on just a single material or mixture type. To keep the model relatively simple for more straightforward implementation in practice, five key parameters are considered including the type of mixture (rubber content; median particle size), its basic physical properties (initial void ratio; dry unit weight), and the applied stress state (confining pressure). In this respect, this study innovatively captures the underlying geotechnical principles that govern the frictional resistance of granular media to efficiently predict the shear strength of a variety of material and mixture types, as opposed to just one. This study reveals that an ANN model trained with Bayesian regularisation (ANN–BR) with 7 hidden nodes is the best to predict <span>({phi }^{prime}_{peak})</span>, achieving a coefficient of determination of 0.94. The current analysis proves that ANN–BR can be used as a powerful and reliable model to predict the shear strength of various granular materials, with and without waste rubber inclusion.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49308,"journal":{"name":"Acta Geotechnica","volume":"21 4","pages":"2405 - 2426"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147727577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel temperature-controlled apparatus for testing unsaturated/saturated soil–structure interfaces","authors":"Minghao Mi,&nbsp;Guoqing Cai,&nbsp;Huaxiong Wang,&nbsp;Fengjie Yin,&nbsp;Yanlin Su","doi":"10.1007/s11440-025-02898-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11440-025-02898-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>During geothermal energy extraction, soil–structure interfaces in energy geostructures undergo complex thermo–hydro–mechanical (THM) interactions, yet dedicated experimental apparatus remains lacking. To address this gap, a novel non-isothermal unsaturated soil–structure interface testing apparatus was independently developed. The apparatus adopts PID closed-loop temperature control, enabling direct regulation of interface temperature and heating/cooling rates, thereby ensuring superior thermal uniformity and accuracy during the experiment compared with conventional indirect methods. It integrates suction regulation, stress- and displacement-controlled loading, monotonic and cyclic shear testing, and multiple normal boundary conditions, including constant normal load (CNL), constant normal stiffness (CNS), and constant normal height (CNH), within a single platform. This integrated configuration provides a more comprehensive experimental capability and offers a novel approach for investigating the THM behavior of soil–structure interfaces. Modular expansion and secondary software development further enhance the versatility of the apparatus. Structural refinements, including optimized sensor placement, roller-ball clearance, and sliding block isolation, minimize the influence of frame deformation and friction on measurement accuracy. Calibration procedures, testing protocols, and preliminary test results are presented and thoroughly discussed. Preliminary experimental outcomes have effectively demonstrated the reliability and accuracy of the developed apparatus. The research findings provide critical technical support for further investigations into the mechanical properties of non-isothermal unsaturated soil–structure interfaces and for validating related constitutive models.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49308,"journal":{"name":"Acta Geotechnica","volume":"21 4","pages":"2219 - 2238"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147727538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Size effects of desiccation cracking behavior in clayey soil","authors":"Zhao-Lin Cai,&nbsp;Qing Cheng,&nbsp;Chao-Sheng Tang,&nbsp;Xin-Lun Ji,&nbsp;Jin-Jian Xu,&nbsp;Ying-Dong Gu,&nbsp;Bin Shi","doi":"10.1007/s11440-025-02891-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11440-025-02891-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Desiccation cracking significantly impacts the engineering properties of soils, influencing fluid infiltration and structural stability. A key phenomenon in desiccation cracking is the size effect, where soil dimensions, including thickness and radius, alter cracking behavior. However, the size effect remains poorly understood, particularly in linking laboratory-scale findings to field conditions. Existing studies are often limited to small laboratory samples, leading to discrepancies in crack behavior across scales and a lack of standardized guidelines for determining suitable sample sizes in laboratory tests. This study investigates the size effect on desiccation cracking in clayey soils and identifies suitable laboratory sample sizes to represent field-scale cracking patterns. Desiccation tests were performed on soil samples with varying radii (25–100 mm) and thicknesses (5–18 mm). Cracking behavior during drying and equilibrium-state crack patterns were analyzed. A size parameter (<i>λ</i>), defined as the ratio of sample radius to thickness, was introduced to characterize the soil's volumetric size. Results reveal three distinct stages of the size effect: (i) the crack-free stage (<i>λ</i> &lt; <i>λ</i>_c), with no visible cracks; (ii) the size-dependent stage (<i>λ</i>_c &lt; <i>λ</i> &lt; <i>λ</i>_t), where cracking behavior changes significantly; and (iii) the size-insensitive stage (<i>λ</i> &gt; <i>λ</i>_t), where crack parameters stabilize. Two critical size parameters, the critical cracking size (<i>λ</i>_c ≈4.0) and the transition size (<i>λ</i>_t ≈9.0), were identified. The proposed size thresholds (<i>λ</i>_c and <i>λ</i>_t) were found to be applicable across different clayey soils, suggesting the general relevance of the framework for scaling desiccation cracking behavior in diverse geotechnical contexts. These findings enhance the understanding of size effects and provide a framework for optimizing laboratory tests to better reflect field conditions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49308,"journal":{"name":"Acta Geotechnica","volume":"21 4","pages":"2273 - 2289"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11440-025-02891-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147727578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact stress fluctuations and induced vibrations in granular flow–cylinder interactions: insights from laboratory experiments","authors":"Xiao Yu,&nbsp;Yiheng Liu,&nbsp;Siming He,&nbsp;Wei Liu,&nbsp;Liping Guo,&nbsp;Yanbin Wu,&nbsp;Ao Lyu,&nbsp;Dongpo Wang,&nbsp;Yang Liu","doi":"10.1007/s11440-025-02895-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11440-025-02895-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Understanding the dynamic loading characteristics of granular flows impacting structural elements is essential for designing resilient protective systems against geophysical mass movements. This study presents new insights into the fluctuating impact stress and the induced structural vibrations resulting from dry granular flow interacting with cylindrical obstacles, based on controlled laboratory experiments. Rather than relying on conventional time-averaged forces, we decomposed the impact stress into mean and fluctuating components and quantitatively assessed their respective roles. The results show that the fluctuating component can elevate the peak impact stress to nearly 1.5 times the mean under the tested conditions, with its intensity primarily controlled by particle size, flow inertia represented by the Froude number, and obstacle geometry. In contrast, traditional hydrodynamic formulations systematically overpredict peak stresses in steady granular flows, by up to about 2.5 times, highlighting their limitations when applied to coarse, collision-dominated flows. Spectral analyses of acceleration signals further demonstrate that the obstacle’s vibration response is governed mainly by fluctuating stresses rather than by mean loading. These findings emphasize the dominant role of fluctuations in vibration excitation and indicate that structural vibration records can serve as practical proxies for granular flow dynamics. The results offer a clearer understanding of impact-induced structural vibration and support the design of protective structures that prioritize mitigation of fluctuating dynamic forces.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49308,"journal":{"name":"Acta Geotechnica","volume":"21 4","pages":"2239 - 2258"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147727537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How particle breakage affects the critical state line of silty-sand iron ore tailings","authors":"Marina Paula Secco,&nbsp;João Vítor de Azambuja Carvalho,&nbsp;Alexia Cindy Wagner,&nbsp;João Pedro Camelo Guedes,&nbsp;João Paulo de Sousa Silva,&nbsp;Nilo Cesar Consoli","doi":"10.1007/s11440-025-02901-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11440-025-02901-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The industrial processes that tailings undergo during beneficiation highly influence their characteristics, causing them to be more angular and less spherical than natural soils. Also, the ever-increasing demand for ores promotes the generation of large volumes of tailings, resulting in some of the largest structures ever constructed. Problems such as particle breakage may arise from these elevated-height structures and can influence the critical state behaviour of geomaterials. Generally, it is assumed that grading changes due to particle breakage cause the critical state line to translate vertically in the <i>v</i> − log <i>p'</i> plane. In tailings, their particle characteristics can modify the particle breakage patterns, directly influencing their macroscopic response. This paper studies silty-sand iron ore tailings, aiming to investigate the effects of particle breakage on the location of the critical state line. Tailings were initially sheared under high pressures and then retrieved and subjected to a second shearing under low pressures. The data shows that the critical state line translates vertically, as observed for sands. However, this effect is connected to the process of remoulding the sample after the first shearing. Moreover, the morphological evolution of tailings particles during shearing is investigated by microscopic analysis using the QicPic apparatus, revealing that tailings particles become more spherical and less angular after shearing, oppositely to what was found for uniform sands.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49308,"journal":{"name":"Acta Geotechnica","volume":"21 4","pages":"2009 - 2022"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147727539","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physics-informed neural networks for back-analysis and consolidation settlement prediction using field measurements","authors":"Seongho Hong,&nbsp;Sung-Ryul Kim","doi":"10.1007/s11440-025-02888-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11440-025-02888-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Predicting consolidation settlement under staged loading is challenging due to the nonlinear and time-dependent response of soft soils. Traditional methods oversimplify soil parameters during back-analysis and rely on trial-and-error approaches, which are time consuming and prone to inaccuracies. To address these limitations, this study proposes a physics-informed neural network (PINN) framework for predicting consolidation settlement under staged loading conditions. The framework integrates field-measured settlement data from magnetic extensometers with governing equations derived from fundamental consolidation theories. In contrast to conventional data-driven models, the PINN incorporates physical laws directly into the loss function, enabling inverse modeling to back-analyze essential soil parameters, including the coefficient of consolidation and final settlement. The PINN’s capability to approximate governing partial differential equations was first validated by comparison with finite element method results. Subsequently, the accuracy of predictions was assessed using 51 test cases obtained from a study site at Busan Newport, South Korea. Results showed that the PINN achieved an average root mean square error of 6.85 cm, outperforming the long short-term memory and artificial neural network models. Additionally, final settlement predictions by the PINN showed a lower error compared with conventional methods. A comparative analysis with the finite element method (FEM) showed that, although FEM successfully reproduced staged loading behavior, its predictive accuracy was lower than that of the PINN. These findings confirm that the PINN framework offers improved accuracy and generalizability, especially in staged loading scenarios. This physics-integrated, data-driven model provides a robust solution for practical applications in construction management.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49308,"journal":{"name":"Acta Geotechnica","volume":"21 4","pages":"2309 - 2342"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147727536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coupled DEM-FDM analysis of open-ended pile installation and lateral loading in chalk","authors":"Jinhui Zheng,&nbsp;Matteo O. Ciantia,&nbsp;Jonathan A. Knappett","doi":"10.1007/s11440-025-02905-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11440-025-02905-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The in-service capacity of monopiles for offshore wind turbines founded in chalk is a function of the state of the rock around the pile. The installation of a displacement pile affects the fabric of the surrounding rock (‘installation effects’). In this paper, a coupled DEM (discrete element method)-FDM (finite differential method) 3D model is used to investigate the installation effects of open-ended displacement piles and their influence on subsequent lateral behaviour in soft rocks. Results indicate that the axial resistance of installed piles in chalk is primarily provided by external shaft and base resistances. In addition, rock material inside the pile cavity experiences a significant dilation behaviour, suggesting traditional indices (incremental filling ratio (IFR) and plug length ratio (PLR)) are unsuitable for evaluating pile installation mode. Considering the distribution of the principal stress, the axial load transfer mechanism for the pile is proposed from a microscale perspective. Subsequent lateral loading simulation reveals that changes in the rock state around the pile due to installation strongly influence lateral stiffness. Finally, macro- and micro-scale analyses confirm that the dominant contributors to lateral resistance are the pile tip region on the passive side and the near-surface region on the active side of the pile.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49308,"journal":{"name":"Acta Geotechnica","volume":"21 4","pages":"1951 - 1970"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11440-025-02905-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147727450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A machine learning-based hybrid GWO-SVR model for assessing slope stability under heavy rainfall","authors":"Xun Li,&nbsp;Shun Wang,&nbsp;Chengming Lei,&nbsp;Zhengyang Su,&nbsp;Yujing Jiang,&nbsp;Dianqing Li","doi":"10.1007/s11440-025-02889-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11440-025-02889-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Assessing slope stability under heavy rainfall is crucial for mitigating the risks of rainfall-induced landslides. This study proposes a machine learning-based framework for the rapid assessment of two-dimensional (2D) slope stability under heavy rainfall. To address the limitations of traditional numerical simulations in regional-scale evaluations, a predictive relationship was established between slope geometry, groundwater conditions, and the factor of safety (FoS). Two models, a hybrid grey wolf optimizer-support vector regression (GWO-SVR) model and a multilayer perceptron (MLP), were developed using geometric and hydrological features derived from a three-dimensional (3D) slope model. The models were trained with key input variables, including maximum and average slope gradients, as well as a simplified 2D representation of the groundwater table extracted from a continuous 3D groundwater surface. A case study of a highway slope in Nagasaki, Japan, revealed that 2D FoS values can be either higher or lower than their corresponding 3D results. This challenges the common assumption that 2D analyses are conservative compared with 3D analyses. The results showed that the GWO-SVR model outperformed the MLP model in both accuracy and computational efficiency. Furthermore, SHAP analysis enhanced the interpretability of the GWO-SVR model. It offers insights into the relative importance of the input features. Overall, the proposed framework has the potential to serve as a practical and scalable approach for evaluating slope stability across regional scales under heavy rainfall.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49308,"journal":{"name":"Acta Geotechnica","volume":"21 4","pages":"2291 - 2307"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147727501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geo-environmental properties and mechanisms of solidified/stabilized landfill-mined soil-like materials under dry–wet cycles coupled with acid rain attack","authors":"Zhifa Qin,&nbsp;Lei Liu,&nbsp;Xilin Lü,&nbsp;Jiangshan Li,&nbsp;Wengang Xie,&nbsp;Zhuqi Chen,&nbsp;Jiaxu Jin,&nbsp;Shenghao Zuo","doi":"10.1007/s11440-025-02882-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11440-025-02882-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Reusing landfill-mined soil-like materials (SLM) following low-carbon remediation is critical for advancing the ecological transformation of old landfills. However, the durability of stabilized SLM in geotechnical applications remains inadequately characterized, particularly regarding its exposure to acid rain attack and undergoing dry–wet cycles coupled with acid attack. This study aims to systematically investigate the geo-environmental properties of stabilized SLM under simulated acid rain soaking and dry-simulated acid rain (D-A) cycling, focusing on the evolution of strength, mass loss, pH, heavy metal leaching, phase assemblage, micro-morphology, and pore structure. Moreover, the mechanisms underlying the performance degradation of stabilized SLM were revealed at multiple scales through a series of microscopic analyses. The results indicate that the synergistic application of stabilizing materials and oxidants significantly enhances the resistance of stabilized SLM specimens to both simulated acid rain soaking and D-A cycling. Particularly, after 10 D-A cycles, the average strength loss rate of the synergistically stabilized SLM specimens decreased by approximately 29%. The pH of the soaking solution displayed a rapid initial increase during simulated acid rain exposure, eventually stabilizing. In contrast, under D-A cycling, the pH exhibited a gradual decline, followed by a fluctuating pattern of increase and decrease after the fifth cycle. The simulated acid rain attack led to the dissolution of pozzolanic products, such as C-(A)-S–H gels, increasing pores and cracks, which subsequently impaired mechanical properties and facilitated heavy metal leaching. These findings hold significant implications for enhancing the service performance of stabilized SLM in geotechnical applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49308,"journal":{"name":"Acta Geotechnica","volume":"21 4","pages":"2199 - 2217"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147727606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanical behaviour of face mask chips-sand mixture: experiment and modelling","authors":"Xing Wang,&nbsp;Zhen-Yu Yin,&nbsp;Yu-Qi He,&nbsp;Yin-Fu Jin","doi":"10.1007/s11440-025-02875-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11440-025-02875-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the mechanical behaviour of face mask chips-sand mixture (MSM) from experiments to constitutive modelling. The length-to-width ratio of mask chips is focused as a main factor in this study when preparing MSM samples mixed with Fujian sand. A series of drained triaxial tests are conducted to examine the influence of mask chips on the mechanical behaviour and properties of MSM. Next, the critical state theory and a non-associated flow rule are adopted to model the behaviour of MSM within the framework of elastoplasticity. A new parameter (<i>p</i>_<i>R</i>) is introduced into the yield function, plastic potential, critical state line, and elastic modulus of the SIMSAND model to characterize the tensile strength induced by mask chips. As a result, the strength and deformation characteristics of MSM with different relative densities under various loading conditions are properly modelled. All results demonstrate that the proposed model is applicable to construction projects relating to MSM.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49308,"journal":{"name":"Acta Geotechnica","volume":"21 3","pages":"1531 - 1554"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147559977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}