Geotechnical assessment of marginal soils for sustainable infrastructure

可持续（成本效益高、环境友好和社会可行）的民用建筑管理 基础设施取决于对支持土壤的工程性质的清楚理解。的 边缘土材料（膨胀粘土和湿陷性粉土）与气象变化的相互作用 这些条件对地下设施的不间断使用提出了严峻的挑战。TransGas Limited提供 天然气（14，000公里长的管道）以及系统完整性评估和配送服务 网络（69 000公里的干线和390 000个单独服务）。与埋地管道相关的主要问题是 可变岩土管道故障率范围从40/年到110/年。为了支持公司的 管理战略，这项合作研究的主要目标是了解和改善 边缘土的岩土工程特性这是该公司首次参加 对土著土壤沉积物进行综合岩土工程评价。基于详细的研究计划 （利用实验室调查和数值模拟），将制定一个科学框架， 有膨胀和塌陷的沉积物。土壤特性将使用 自然和压实条件下饱和和非饱和土力学的基本概念。 由此产生的创新技术（表征协议和计算预测）将是关键的 民用基础设施系统的设计、建造、运营和修复。预期 对TransGas有限公司来说，了解和改善当地边际土壤的经济效益最小化 泄漏调查的数量和网络内脆弱领域的优先次序。同样，环境 由于减少了管道破裂和天然气泄漏而带来的安全效益将确保公众对天然气的信心 分销系统研究结果将对公司正在进行和未来的管道至关重要 网络扩展。最后，预期的技术专门知识能力发展、征聘 合格的专业人员和多学科的互动是里贾纳大学的重要优势

The sustainable (cost effective, environmentally friendly, and socially viable) management of civil infrastructure depends on a clear understanding of the engineering properties of the supporting soils. The interaction of marginal earthen materials (expansive clays and collapsible silts) with changing meteorological conditions poses serious challenges to an uninterrupted use of buried utilities. TransGas Limited provides natural gas (14,000 km long pipeline) as well as system integrity assessment and service for the distribution network (69,000 km of mains and 390,000 individual services). The main issue associated with buried pipes is the variable geotechnical pipe failure rate that ranges from 40/year to 110/year. In support of the company's management strategy, the main objective of this collaborative research is to understand and improve the geotechnical behavior of marginal soils. This is the first time that the company is participating in a comprehensive geotechnical evaluation of indigenous soils deposits. Based on a detailed research program (using laboratory investigation and numerical modeling), a scientific framework will be developed to work with expansive and collapsible sediments in Saskatchewan. Soil properties will be investigated using fundamental concepts of saturated and unsaturated soil mechanics under natural and compacted conditions. The resulting innovative technology (characterization protocols and computational predictions) will be pivotal for the design, construction, operation, and rehabilitation of civil infrastructure systems. The expected economic benefits of understanding and improving local marginal soils for TransGas Limited are minimizing the number of leak surveys and prioritizing vulnerable areas within the networks. Likewise, the environmental and safety benefits due to reduced pipe ruptures and gas leaks will ensure public confidence in the natural gas distribution system. The research results will be critical for the company for ongoing and future pipeline network expansions. Finally, the expected capacity development in technical expertise, recruitment of highly qualified professionals, and multi-disciplinary interactions are important benefits for the University of Regina