Model uncertainty of recycled aggregate concrete beams subjected to bending

This paper investigates whether the model uncertainty of reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) beams subjected to bending differs from that of reinforced natural aggregate concrete (NAC) beams. An introductory remark concerning the importance of the codification of RAC structural design is made and notions concerning model uncertainties...

Reliability of API and ISO Guidelines for Bearing Capacity of Offshore Shallow Foundations

The safe bearing capacity for offshore shallow foundations has been traditionally assessed using working stress design (WSD) methods (e.g. the API RP 2GEO guideline). Other codes of practice such as the ISO standard strive to provide designs achieving a desired target reliability level in the form of the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD)...

Incorporating Observations to Update the Piping Reliability Estimate of the Francis Levee

Piping failure of levees is one of the main contributors to flood risk. Piping occurs when the head difference over a levee results in uplift of the inland blanket, followed by backward erosion in the aquifer due to high local flow velocities. Whether piping occurs, highly depends on local geo-hydrological circumstances which are uncertain due...

Developments in levee reliability and flood risk analysis in the Netherlands

This paper presents and overview of advances in flood risk and levee reliability analysis in the Netherlands. It is described how new safety standards – in the form of a target failure probability – have been derived on the basis of nationwide flood risk assessments which taken into account both economic risk and risk to life. The process for...

Quantifying Statistical Uncertainty in Site Investigation

Due to limited information in site investigation, it is not possible to obtain the actual values for the mean, standard deviation, and scale of fluctuation of a soil property of interest. The deviation between the estimated values and actual values is called the statistical uncertainty. There are two schools of thoughts on how to model the...

Uncertainties in Redesigning an Existing Quay Wall

A feasibility study was carried out on the redesigning of an existing quay wall of a core harbor in the Netherlands, which was more than 45 years old. The geotechnical behavior of the existing quay wall, especially because of its age, as a response to the maximum load change is undoubtedly the uncertain parameter here. The design and redesign...

Computing the Reliability of Shallow Foundations with Spatially Distributed Measurements

In many geotechnical projects, field data is used to determine the soil parameters. In most instances, however, the statistical analysis is performed ad hoc and the spatial distribution of this data is not (expclitly) accounted for. A more formal statistical approach allows to make better use of the data and combine it in a consistent manner...

Modeling Geomorphic Features in Levee Reliability Analysis

It has long been understood that subsurface geology affects internal erosion potential in levee foundations. Geomorphic features associated with fluvial deposition environments are known to concentrate or block seepage, resulting in sand boils and internal erosion. However, incorporating the effects of geomorphic features into either...

Reliability of GBInSAR Monitoring in Ingelsberg Landslide Area (Bad Hofgastein, Austria)

The present work shows and discusses the GBInSAR measurements for the Ingelsberg area, where one of the most dangerous landslide of Salzburg region is located (Bad Hofgastein – Austria). It is a rockfall developing on an area of about 40000 m2 which is characterized by the outcropping of anti-dip stratified green and calc-mica schists. The...

Reliability-Based Design of Spatially Variable Undrained Slopes

Spatial variability and model uncertainty are considered the major sources of geotechnical uncertainty. The primary objective of this paper is to provide slope stability investigators with a robust reliability framework that takes into consideration the combined uncertainty of spatial variability and model uncertainty. To achieve this objective,...

Three Dimensional Discrete Failures in Long Heterogeneous Slopes

Long slopes with variable material properties have a variety of different failure modes that are affected by the correlation distances of the material properties and the geometry and total length of the slope. This work follows previous research examining the consequences of increasing slope length, in which analyses were limited by the...