Optimized design of shaft foundations for noise walls in the GTA

这项拟议的研究旨在对大多伦多地区(GTA)的隔音屏障墙的钻孔竖井基础进行优化设计。随着越来越多的高速公路修建通过居民区，减少噪音的需求和愿望也增加了。在大多数情况下，唯一可行的措施是建造隔音墙。钻孔竖井是GTA中最常用的隔音墙基础型式。由于以下原因，隔音墙的基础设计发生了很大的变化：1)覆盖在GTA上的冰川沉积物具有高度可变的材料特性。他们的评价和解释很容易导致保守或不安全的设计；竖井基础的分析与设计是一个复杂的土-结构相互作用问题。虽然有许多理论，但在设计指南中没有推荐具体的方法；3)。钻井井筒的承载能力本质上是三维的。实践中的设计方法将其简化为二维问题，这导致了设计上的本质差异。本研究通过利用大量的设计案例并进行一系列数值模拟来解决这些问题。研究成果将对当地岩土工程界非常有价值，并适用于加拿大的基础设施发展。该项目还将有助于为他们在加拿大的职业发展培训高素质的人员。

This proposed research is to conduct an optimized design of drilled shaft foundations for noise barrier walls in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). As highways are being increasingly built through residential areas, the need and desire for noise abatement also increases. In most cases the only feasible measure is construction of a noise wall. The drilled shaft is the most popular foundation type for noise walls in the GTA. A great variation occurs in foundation design of noise walls due to the following reasons: 1) The glacial deposits covering the GTA are characterized by their highly variable material properties. Their evaluation and interpretation can easily lead to a conservative or unsafe design; 2). Analysis and design of shaft foundation is a complex soil-structure interaction problem. Though many theories exist, however, there is no specific method recommended in design guidelines; 3). The load capacity of drilled shafts is three-dimensional in nature. The design methods in practice simplify it into a two-dimensional problem, which leads to a substantial difference in the designs. This research is to address these issues by utilizing a large amount of design cases and performing a series of numerical simulations. Research findings will be extremely valuable to local geotechnical community and applicable for infrastructure development in Canada. This project will also help train highly qualified personnel for their career development in Canada.