Numerical Modelling for Fresh Concrete and Deep Foundation Construction
Lead Research Organisation:
Swansea University
Department Name: College of Engineering
Abstract
Over the past decade, the rapid development of concrete admixtures and their increasing use in ready mixed concrete has fundamentally changed the design of tremie concrete. The dependence on powerful chemicals makes the properties and behaviours of fresh concrete sensitive to its composition, mixing and workmanship, resulting in various failures in deep foundation construction, which can be catastrophic to the infrastructure project affected.
To address these issues, this project aims to study the flow behaviour of fresh concrete and its complex interactions with support fluid and surrounding soil formation, by developing novel numerical tools that help to understand the multiphase physics of tremie concrete in the context of full-scale deep foundation construction. The project will systematically investigate the relationship between concrete properties, foundation design, construction processes and completion quality, where a special focus is on the impact of reinforcement design, the variability of concrete mixes and the properties of support fluid and site conditions.
The process of deep foundation construction involves three material systems: soil, support fluid and tremie concrete, each of which is a multiphase material in its own form. Complex multi-physics interactions are simultaneously present: fluid loss into the soil formation, soil particles washing out, interface layer formed by the mixture of soil, cement paste and support fluid, water bleed from the concrete mix, coarse aggregates segregation, formation of filter cake on the wall surface, etc. All of these affect the completion quality of deep foundation, which are not adequately understood by the current knowledge hence the high remedial costs in various projects.
The proposed project is in collaboration with LUSAS, a UK-based leading developer of numerical tools. This new collaboration will add a critical weight via a new dimension to take the previous and ongoing research to high TRL levels.
To address these issues, this project aims to study the flow behaviour of fresh concrete and its complex interactions with support fluid and surrounding soil formation, by developing novel numerical tools that help to understand the multiphase physics of tremie concrete in the context of full-scale deep foundation construction. The project will systematically investigate the relationship between concrete properties, foundation design, construction processes and completion quality, where a special focus is on the impact of reinforcement design, the variability of concrete mixes and the properties of support fluid and site conditions.
The process of deep foundation construction involves three material systems: soil, support fluid and tremie concrete, each of which is a multiphase material in its own form. Complex multi-physics interactions are simultaneously present: fluid loss into the soil formation, soil particles washing out, interface layer formed by the mixture of soil, cement paste and support fluid, water bleed from the concrete mix, coarse aggregates segregation, formation of filter cake on the wall surface, etc. All of these affect the completion quality of deep foundation, which are not adequately understood by the current knowledge hence the high remedial costs in various projects.
The proposed project is in collaboration with LUSAS, a UK-based leading developer of numerical tools. This new collaboration will add a critical weight via a new dimension to take the previous and ongoing research to high TRL levels.
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/T517987/1 | 01/10/2020 | 30/09/2025 | |||
| 2442213 | Studentship | EP/T517987/1 | 01/10/2020 | 30/09/2024 | Megan Wiggins |