The Role of Geotechnical Monitoring at Design of Foundation Structures and their Verification – Part 2

Abstract

The main aim of the article is demonstrating successful design of spread foundations of a commercial centre building, where geotechnical monitoring allows us to check design efficiency and calculate reliability in comparison with real vertical deformation of building. Introduction to the case study area and building structure and foundations was done in previously published first part of the article in which engineering geological conditions were described. There was also presented a comparison of calculated vertical settlement of selected footings with the real geodetic measurement provided during construction time till the period of two years’ operation time after completion of civil works. Geotechnical engineers do not have many opportunities to evaluate their designs, especially when everything passes successfully. Our presented case study is one of the examples, which could be evaluated from the point of view of reliability index of design adjusted with real geodetic measurement. Index of reliability of selected foundations was calculated by deterministic probability methods. In order to evaluate thousands of statistical data combinations, programing tool in Python language was developed for batch processing calculation of vertical displacement of foundation in Plaxis software. Discussion part of the article contains the actual state of reliability theory in structural standards in Europe.

The Influence of the Prestressing Level of the Fully Threaded Anchor Bar on the Corrosion Rate

“…The nominal diameter of the tested bars was 18 mm (Ø18). Fully threaded prestressing bars are used in geotechnics and underground construction for the implementation of temporary or permanent prestressing bar anchors (in accordance with the EN 1537 standard execution of special geotechnical works-ground anchors [40][41][42][43]). The mentioned material was chosen for experimental measurements precisely because of its relatively frequent use in practice.…”

Tilt-Strain Changes Linked to a Jacking System Test

“…The monitoring of concrete structures may furnish important and specific information [5]; transducers, such as strain gauges, accelerometers, tiltmeters, laser sensors or Fiber Bragg are generally used in Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of buildings, monuments, bridges and other infrastructures, generally to highlight any damage and degradation that may be caused by trafficinduced vibrations, absence of maintenance or earthquakes [6][7][8]. In particular, the strain gauges are largely used [9] and tiltmeters are very helpful in order to identify the components of structural responses to static, quasi-static, or resonant forces [10].…”

State of Prestressing Analysis of 62-Year-Old Bridge

“…In the case of Slovak road infrastructure, more than the third of bridges in service do not meet the required criteria for reliability, and 2.50% are in a very poor or breakdown condition. For these reasons, the research activities of the Department of Structures and Bridges (Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zilina) include the activities which are concentrating on the assessment and evaluation of bridges and structures in service [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ].…”