Complex loading of buried structures and foundations

这项工作的目的是调查两种类型的埋地基础的行为时，受到复杂的组合的垂直，水平和力矩载荷在静态和循环条件下。要调查的“岩土结构”是风力涡轮机基础和树根系统。海上基础行业使用的新开发的设计方法将经过验证和校准，以便与这些新基础一起使用，并得到现场测试、比例物理模型测试和基于计算机的有限元分析数据的支持。 风力发电场涡轮机基础设计工具的改进将是对可再生能源行业的极其有价值和具有成本效益的贡献。同样，了解极端风暴，如龙卷风，严重的雷暴和冬季风暴对加拿大建筑环境的影响也很重要。了解这些岩土基础系统的行为和优化的分析方法将提供改进的设计和预测其行为，并提供在其应用领域的进展。在资助期间，从研究中获得的数据和知识将被建筑、地球科学、能源和近海工业的工程师利用。拟议的基础设施将能够创建（i）结构和岩土工程过程的知识，（ii）现场规模行为的数据库，（iii）设计和施工信息，以及（iv）用于数值和分析方法验证的数据。由于岩土工程支持的行业规模巨大，岩土工程设计和实践的优化和发展将具有巨大的经济优势，并降低加拿大人民，企业和财产的风险。岩土工程师备受追捧，加拿大和北美地区训练有素的人员严重短缺。所要求的资金将在项目的五年期间为17名高素质人员提供培训和经验。

The aim of this work will be the investigation of the behaviour of two types of buried foundation when subjected to complex combinations of vertical, horizontal and moment loads under static and cyclic conditions. The 'geotechnical structures' to be investigated are wind turbine foundations and tree root systems. Newly developed design methods utilised in the offshore foundation industry will be validated and calibrated for use with these new foundations, supported by data from field testing, scaled physical model testing and computer based finite element analysis. Refinement of wind farm turbine foundation design tools would be an extremely valuable and cost effective contribution to the renewable energy industry. Likewise, understanding the impact of extreme wind storms such as tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and winter storms on the built environment in Canada is significant. Understanding of the behaviour of these geotechnical foundation systems and optimisation of analytical methods will provide improvements in design and prediction of their behaviour, and provide progress in their areas of application. Over the funding period, data and knowledge accrued from the research will be utilized by engineers working in construction, geosciences, energy and the offshore industry. The proposed infrastructure will enable the creation of (i) knowledge of structures and geotechnical processes, (ii) databases of field-scale behaviour, (iii) design and construction information and (iv) data for numerical and analytical method validation. Due to the significant size of the industries supported by geotechnical engineering, optimization and development of geotechnical design and practice will have great economic advantages and reduce risks for people, business and property in Canada. Geotechnical engineers are highly sought after and there is a drastic shortage of trained individuals across Canada and North America. The requested funds would provide training and experience for 17 highly qualified personnel over the five years of the project.