The concept of using biological process in soil improvement which is known as bio-mediated soil improvement technique has shown greater potential in geotechnical engineering applications in terms of performance and en...The concept of using biological process in soil improvement which is known as bio-mediated soil improvement technique has shown greater potential in geotechnical engineering applications in terms of performance and environmental sustainability. This paper presents a review on the soil microorganisms responsible for this process, and factors that affect their metabolic activities and geometric compatibility with the soil particle sizes. Two mechanisms of biomineralization, i.e. biologically controlled and biologically induced mineralization, were also discussed. Environmental and other factors that may be encountered in situ during microbially induced calcite precipitation （MICP） and their influences on the process were identified and presented. Improvements in the engineering properties of soil such as strength/stiffness and permeability as evaluated in some studies were explored. Potential applications of the process in geotechnical engineering and the challenges of field application of the process were identified.展开更多
Geographic Information System(GIS)technology is more and more used even in the technical practice of a construction industry.In the preparatory phase of the construction,the problems of a spatial positioning(location)...Geographic Information System(GIS)technology is more and more used even in the technical practice of a construction industry.In the preparatory phase of the construction,the problems of a spatial positioning(location)of the construction have to be solved jointly with the checking of the feasibility and purposefulness,the traffic projects are worked out,and the alternative,more detailed solutions of technical problems are designed.At project development there are used various forms of initial documents,results of the actual data gathering and surveys,map sheets,photographs,previous documents referring to the problems solved,and appropriate legal and technical standards.The article presents the experience with the issue of GIS in construction in preparation of buildings,in the implementation phase of the construction in GIS.It presents a model of information system construction and technology of mobile GIS for data collection and use of mobile GIS in water management.展开更多
This study investigates the effects of nanofillers on the interfacial transition zone(ITZ)between aggregate and cement paste by using nanoindentation and statistical nanoindentation techniques.Moreover,the underlying ...This study investigates the effects of nanofillers on the interfacial transition zone(ITZ)between aggregate and cement paste by using nanoindentation and statistical nanoindentation techniques.Moreover,the underlying mechanisms are revealed through micromechanical modeling.The nanoindentation results indicate that incorporating nanofillers increases the degree of hydration in the ITZ,reduces the content of micropores and low-density calcium silicate hydrate(LD C-S-H),and increases the content of highdensity C-S-H(HD C-S-H)and ultra high-density C-S-H(UHD C-S-H).In particular,a new phase,namely nano-core-induced low-density C-S-H(NCILD C-S-H),with a superior hardness of 2.50 GPa and an indentation modulus similar to those of HD C-S-H or UHD C-S-H was identified in this study.The modeling results revealed that the presence of nanofillers increased the packing density of LD CS-H and significantly enhanced the interaction(adhesion and friction)among the basic building blocks of C-S-H gels owing to the formation of nano-core-shell elements,thereby facilitating the formation of NCILD C-S-H and further improving the performance of the ITZ.This study provides insight into the effects of nano fillers on the ITZ in concrete at the nanoscale.展开更多
In this article, the sediment transport processes in the Khuran Strait between the mainland Iran and Qeshm Island at North Central Persian Gulf are studied in regional scale in a comprehensive manner. The objectives o...In this article, the sediment transport processes in the Khuran Strait between the mainland Iran and Qeshm Island at North Central Persian Gulf are studied in regional scale in a comprehensive manner. The objectives of this study include defining the type and origin of the sediment, the influencing factors, and the dominant mode of sediment transport. Four possible scenarios of sediment processes in terms of sediment sources and influential environmental forces are examined. The results of the conceptual and 2D numerical model of MIKE21 applied for this purposes indicate that the sediment sources in the transport processes are mainly provided by the sediments suspended from the central and eastern zones of the strait bed. Other sources including input from rivers do not have direct influence on the processes. The results are applied to the study of morphological changes for engineering applications including the pattern and amount of deposit in the Rajaee port approach channel and harbor basin. The pattern and amount of annual sediment deposits in the approach channel predicted by the model is satisfactory, compatible with annual dredging records.展开更多
Coal tar,a by-product from the destructive distillation of coal in coking oven,is widely used in road engineering for its excellent adhesion and fuel resistance properties,especially for pavement surface treatments in...Coal tar,a by-product from the destructive distillation of coal in coking oven,is widely used in road engineering for its excellent adhesion and fuel resistance properties,especially for pavement surface treatments in gas stations and airports. However,coal tar has a high Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (or PAHs) content,which makes it toxic. In 1985,the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has proved that coal tar is carcinogenic to humans. Research showed that Coal Tar-based Sealers (CTS) contribute to the majority of PAHs pollution in the water environment.Because of this environmental concern,CTS are not allowed in many developed countries in the USA and Europe. In contrast,coal tar is still used for road engineering in China and is even used increasingly.This paper gives a literature review on the general information and research about environmental concern of using coal tar in road engineering. Based on the review,some possible alternatives to replace coal tar are described. These alternatives include nano-clay/epoxy modified bitumen/bitumen emulsion and waterborne polyurethane/epoxy resin,which are environmental friendly. They have the potential to perform as well as CTS,and even better in some special applications.展开更多
The objective of this paper is to demonstrate necessity to inform relevant parties about engineering-geological conditions for various practical purposes, especially including appropriate land-use planning. However, t...The objective of this paper is to demonstrate necessity to inform relevant parties about engineering-geological conditions for various practical purposes, especially including appropriate land-use planning. However, the relationship between relevant geological information and the geological environment is vital for foundation engineering purposes, especially where demanding structures are involved. This information is most conveniently structured when accumulated information concerning engineering-geological zones is utilized. This necessarily includes knowledge of rock workability and also of the pre-Quaternary bedrock, and these characteristics were then related to the current built-up area and future development according to the land-use plans in a case study are from the Petrvald Region （Czech Republic）. The geological environment of area has been severely influenced by anthropogenic effects of deep black coal mining. Results of this research showed that future development should be founded on spoil banks, dumps, and settling basins. According to the land-use plan, this zone occupies 44.9% of the area of interest, and its materials predominantly emanate from mining in the Ostrava-Karvina Coal District. For future foundation structures planned there, it is imperative to consult detailed engineering-geological study. However, attention to and reliance on this necessity is not reflected in the existing land-use plan.展开更多
An important aspect in the restoration of longitudinal connectivity in rivers and streams is the implementation of fish migration systems at the upstream of the functional hydraulic structures(weirs,drop structures or...An important aspect in the restoration of longitudinal connectivity in rivers and streams is the implementation of fish migration systems at the upstream of the functional hydraulic structures(weirs,drop structures or river sills).The diversity of these existing structures as well as the different locations of these weirs within the river,watershed and riparian zone challenge the design engineers to find new holistic solutions for fish migration systems.The Azuga River study area requires a new synergistic fish migration design system.Being a mountain area,rapid increase in water level is quite frequent,especially after heavy or prolonged rainfalls and during spring snow melt.Therefore,it is necessary to design a specific system for fish migration to meet this location’s requirements.Due to the characteristics in this location of the Azuga river,the classic fish migration systems would not be functional.The indigenous/mountain trout is considered as the target species in this paper.Although this is a good swimming species,the use of classical systems could,due to exhaustion,prevent and/or reduce the movement of fish upstream of the two weirs(also known as river sills).This new,comprehensive solution,presented in this paper includes:(i)the restoration and stabilization works of the right bank in the weir study area by using biotechnical measures and(ii)the upstream migration system itself-for supporting the migration of fish on the Azuga River.展开更多
The constant amplitude loading fatigue tests were carried out on the 6061/7075 aluminum alloy TIG fillet welded lap specimens in this study,and the weld seam cross-section hardness was measured.The experimental result...The constant amplitude loading fatigue tests were carried out on the 6061/7075 aluminum alloy TIG fillet welded lap specimens in this study,and the weld seam cross-section hardness was measured.The experimental results show that most specimens mainly failed at the 7075 side weld toes even though the base material tensile strength of 7075 is higher than that of 6061.The maximum stress-strain concentration in the two finite element models is located at the 7075 side weld toe,which is basically consistent with the actual fracture location.The weld zone on the 7075 side experiences severe material softening,with a large gradient.However,the Vickers hardness value on the 6061 side negligibly changes and fluctuates around 70 HV.No obvious defects are found on the fatigue fracture,but a large number of secondary cracks appear.Cracks germinate from the weld toe and propagate in the direction of the plate thickness.Weld reinforcement has a serious impact on fatigue life.Fatigue life will decrease exponentially as the weld reinforcement increases under low stress.It is found that the notch stress method can give a better fatigue life prediction for TIG weldments,and the errors of the predicted results are within the range of two factors,while the prediction accuracy decreases under low stress.The equivalent structural stress method can also be used for fatigue life prediction of TIG weldments,but the errors of prediction results are within the range of three factors,and the accuracy decreases under high stress.展开更多
Treatment of peat soil foundation in Yunnan surrounding Dianchi and Erhai Lakes poses complex problems for engineering projects.It is insufficient to rely on ordinary cement to reinforce peat soil.In order to make the...Treatment of peat soil foundation in Yunnan surrounding Dianchi and Erhai Lakes poses complex problems for engineering projects.It is insufficient to rely on ordinary cement to reinforce peat soil.In order to make the reinforcement reliable,this experiment mixed(ultrafine cement)UFC into ordinary cement to form a composite solidify agent.This study aimed to analyze the influence of UFC proportion on the strength of cement-soil in the peat soil environment.Unconfined compressive strength(UCS)and scanning electron microscope(SEM)tests were conducted on samples soaked for 28 and 90 days,respectively.The test results show that without considering the effects of Humic Acid(HA)and Fulvic Acid(FA),incorporating UFC can significantly improve the UCS of cement-soil.The rapid hydration of the fine particles generates a large number of cementitious products,improves the cohesion of the soil skeleton,and fills the pores.However,when the proportion of UFC increases,the aggregate structure formed by a larger quantity of fine particles reduces the hydration rate and degree of cement hydration,making the UCS growth rate of cement-soil insignificant.In the peat soil environment,HA significantly weakened the UCS of cement-soil in both physical and chemical aspects.However,UFC can mitigate the adverse effect of HA on cement-soil by its small particle size,high surface energy,and solid binding ability.In addition,FA has a positive effect on the UCS of cement-soil soaked for 28 days and 90 days.The UFC addition could promote the enhancement effect of FA on cement-soil UCS.SEM test results showed that cement hydration products increased significantly with the increase of UFC proportion,and cementation between hydration products and soil particles was enhanced.The size and connectivity of cement-soil pores were significantly reduced,thereby improving cement-soil structural integrity.展开更多
Squeezing phenomena can lead to severe loads in deep tunnels,especially in the presence of a low ratio of surrounding rock strength to overburden pressure.For this reason,it is highly imperative to analyze and identif...Squeezing phenomena can lead to severe loads in deep tunnels,especially in the presence of a low ratio of surrounding rock strength to overburden pressure.For this reason,it is highly imperative to analyze and identify a suitable methodology to estimate the squeezing potential and select a proper support system of rock mass.This study aims to reveal the causes of failure of Tishreen tunnel in the west of Syria and develop remediation measures accordingly so as to bring the tunnel back into service.The tunnel in question was subjected to successive failures such as buckling and spalling of side walls,floor heave,and extremely large convergence reaching the failure state of the tunnel lining.In this study,an effective way was demonstrated to evaluate the squeezing potential of the tunnel lining and appropriate modeling of the long-term response of a tunnel excavated in weak rock.Specifically,the causes of failure of Tishreen tunnel were first evaluated by empirical approaches.Then,a numerical model was developed using a timedependent constitutive model to investigate the time-dependent response of the tunnel lining.On this basis,this study proposed an effective reinforcement schemes including steel ribs,grout injection,ground anchors,and new lining of reinforced concrete.The results show that the Burger viscoplastic model simulates effectively the resulting deformation and creep behavior of squeezing ground.It is also observed that using a combined heavy support system can provide efficient control over squeezing deformation and maintain the serviceability of the tunnel under study.展开更多
Fine debris is an important component of natural debris flows.Previous studies focused primarily on the clay minerals found in the fines,and non-clay minerals were often neglected.The effects of mineralogy of fines on...Fine debris is an important component of natural debris flows.Previous studies focused primarily on the clay minerals found in the fines,and non-clay minerals were often neglected.The effects of mineralogy of fines on debris-mass slurrying and flow behaviors of the resultant slurries are examined herein.The fines(≤0.04 mm)in the<5 mm fraction of the Dongyuege Creek debris-flow deposit is replaced with five other mineral powders with the same maximum particle size.Four types of separate and sequential experiments related to debris slurrying and slurry behaviors are carried out with the prepared clastic materials.The obtained slurrying index ranging from 0.08 to 0.18 shows that non-clay minerals also can function as the fine fractions of debris-flow materials,so long as the requirement of grain size distribution is met.Equidimensional,non-clay minerals making up fines of debris flows can increase the upper solid concentration limits of slurrying(with a maximum of 0.692)and peak values of relative excess water pressure(measured maximum mean peak value is 0.99),leading to higher momentum and higher competence,and thereby more destructive catastrophe.The sediments with platy non-clay mineral-dominated fines have potential for mobilizing into small-to medium-size debris flows with a relatively small competence.Clay minerals in the fines may indeed enhance the liquefaction potential of debris masses by expanding the difference between upper and lower solid concentration limits of slurrying(0.413 and 0.238,respectively,for pure kaolinite),but they significantly suppress the momentum,competence,and destructive power of potential debris flows by lowering upper solid concentration limit of slurrying of debris masses.Alpine catchments rich in non-clay minerals,notably those releasing dolomite into loose sediments,may be more prone to threatening and destructive debris flows.The basin producing clay minerals should be more susceptible to lowmagnitude/high-frequency debris flows with less devastating consequences.展开更多
The study presents the results of over 30,000 numerical analyses on the stability of lava tubes under lunar conditions.The research considered random irregularities in cave geometry and their impact on stability,with ...The study presents the results of over 30,000 numerical analyses on the stability of lava tubes under lunar conditions.The research considered random irregularities in cave geometry and their impact on stability,with a particular focus on the geometric characteristics of identified collapses.We propose a procedure for extracting the collapse areas and integrating it into the stability analysis results.The results were examined to assess the possibility of describing the geometry characteristics of collapses using commonly applied probability density distributions,such as normal or lognormal distribution.Our aim is to facilitate future risk assessment of lunar caves.Such an assessment will be essential prior to robotically exploring caves beneath the lunar surface and can be extended to be used for planetary caves beyond the Moon.Our findings indicate that several collapse characteristics can be represented by unimodal probability density distributions,which could significantly simplify the candidate selection process.Based on our results,we also highlight several key directions for future research and suggested implications related to their future exploration.展开更多
As prestressed concrete(PC)structures age,long-termeffects,e.g.,creep,shrinkage,and prestress losses,compromise their structural performance.Strengthening these aged PC beams has become a crucial matter.One effective ...As prestressed concrete(PC)structures age,long-termeffects,e.g.,creep,shrinkage,and prestress losses,compromise their structural performance.Strengthening these aged PC beams has become a crucial matter.One effective solution is to use externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer(FRP)sheets;however,limited research has been done on aged PC beams using the FRP,especially for beams with unbonded prestressing strands(UPC beams).Therefore,this research investigates the flexural strengthening efficacy of external FRP sheets on aged UPC beams with unbonded tendons.Aging minimally affected the failure modes of UPC beams,with nonstrengthened beams showing flexural failure via rebar yielding and concrete crushing,and FRP-strengthened beams failing due to FRP debonding and tensile reinforcement yielding,though tendons in the aged beams did not yield due to prestress losses,unlike the new beams.The U-wrap anchor curbed widespread debonding,leading to tensile reinforcement yielding and FRP rupture.Aging hastened crack growth and stiffness loss,increasing deflections and reducing load resistance,but FRP reinforcement mitigated these effects,enhancing cracking resistance by 14%over the unstrengthened aged beams and 7%over the new beams while boosting ultimate resistance by 9%above the non-strengthened new beams.Compared to the new FRP-strengthened beams,the aged counterparts had lower cracking resistance,stiffness and capacity—showing 20%higher deflections,7–9%lower serviceability loads,7%–17%reduced ultimate strength and 17%less deformability—due to prestress losses and premature FRP debonding.展开更多
Exploring alternative aggregates or recycled aggregates to substitute traditional concrete aggregates,particularly sand aggregates,which are becoming more limited and must comply with environmental protection standard...Exploring alternative aggregates or recycled aggregates to substitute traditional concrete aggregates,particularly sand aggregates,which are becoming more limited and must comply with environmental protection standards,is essential.Research has explored various alternative materials to sand in concrete,including concrete from demolished buildings,and broken glass from projects,among others.Investigating the use of recycled broken glass to substitute sand aggregates and implementing this research in compression columns is crucial.This paper examines the compressive behavior of reinforced concrete columns that utilize recycled glass particles as a substitute for sand in concrete.The research findings establish the relationships:load and vertical displacement,load and deformation at the column head,mid-column,and column base;the formation and propagation of cracks in the column,while considering factors such as the percentage of recycled glass,the arrangement of stirrups,and the amount of load-bearing steel influencing the performance of square reinforced concrete columns under compression.The feasibility of using recycled glass as a substitute for sand in column structures subjected to compression has been demonstrated,with the ideal replacement content for sand aggregate in reinforced concrete columns in this study ranging from 0%to 10%.The column’s load-bearing ability dropped from 250 kN to 150 kN when 100%recycled glass was used instead of sand.This is a 40%drop,and cracks started to show up sooner.The research will support recycling broken glass instead of using sand in building,improving the environment and reducing natural sand use.展开更多
The quasi-rectangular tunnel represents a novel cross-section design,intended to supersede the traditional circular and rectangular tunnel formats.Due to the limited capacity of the tunnel vault to withstand vertical ...The quasi-rectangular tunnel represents a novel cross-section design,intended to supersede the traditional circular and rectangular tunnel formats.Due to the limited capacity of the tunnel vault to withstand vertical loads,an interior column is often installed at the center to enhance its load-bearing capacity.This study aims to develop a hyperstatic reaction method(HRM)for the analysis of deformation and structural integrity in this specific tunnel type.The computational model is validated through comparison with the corresponding finite element method(FEM)analysis.Following comprehensive validation,an ensemble machine learning(ML)model is proposed,using numerical benchmark data,to facilitate real-time design and optimization.Subsequently,three widely used ensemble models,i.e.random forest(RF),gradient boosting decision tree(GBDT),and extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost)are compared to identify the most efficient ML model for replacing the HRM model in the design optimization process.The performance metrics,such as the coefficient of determination R2 of about 0.999 and the mean absolute percentage error(MAPE)of about 1%,indicate that XGBoost outperforms the others,exhibiting excellent agreement with the HRM analysis.Additionally,the model demonstrates high computational efficiency,with prediction times measured in seconds.Finally,the HRM-XGBoost model is integrated with the well-known particle swarm optimization(PSO)for the real-time design optimization of quasi-rectangular tunnels,both with and without the interior column.A feature importance assessment is conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of design input features,enabling the selection of the most critical features for the optimization task.展开更多
The effect of using 2%and 10%sodium hydroxide solution as surface treatment of rape straw on its water vapor adsorption properties is analyzed in the relative humidity(RH)range of 0%to 98%.Scanning electron microscopy...The effect of using 2%and 10%sodium hydroxide solution as surface treatment of rape straw on its water vapor adsorption properties is analyzed in the relative humidity(RH)range of 0%to 98%.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS),and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)are used to investigate the morphological,chemical and structural changes of the treated straw surface.The mineral particles formed on the surface after the treatment are analyzed using X-ray diffraction(XRD).The application of sodium hydroxide solution results in the disruption of the straw surface.As the concentration of sodium hydroxide increases,the disruption of the straw surface increases,and the ability of the straw to adsorb water vapor also increases over the entire RH range.In addition to the surface disruption and chemical changes caused by the alkaline treatment,the differences in the equilibrium moisture content of treated and untreated rape straw can also be attributed to the formation of minerals on the straw surface,namely calcite for the 2%sodium hydroxide solution,and gaylussite and thermonatrite for the 10%solution.展开更多
In soil dynamics,cyclic tests on sands have been extensively studied over the past several decades.Among the natural materials most susceptible to strength loss due to earthquakes,sands are commonly tested under varyi...In soil dynamics,cyclic tests on sands have been extensively studied over the past several decades.Among the natural materials most susceptible to strength loss due to earthquakes,sands are commonly tested under varying loading,frequency,and drainage conditions.Traditionally,it has been assumed that pore pressure increases with constant strength loss once the threshold for pore pressure build-up is reached.However,recent studies have revealed that at small strains,the material initially hardens despite the generation of pore pressure.This paper presents the response and degradation of uniformly graded Drava River sand(DrOS018),similar to well-known sands such as Toyoura,Nevada or Ottawa sands,and the initial hardening phenomena that occur around threshold strains.Tests were conducted using a triaxial cyclic device at three relative densities and cell pressures(100 kPa,200 kPa,and 400 kPa)under undrained conditions.Strain-controlled tests were conducted at 0.1 Hz and 0.05 Hz using sinusoidal loading,with samples prepared by under-compaction.After crossing the threshold,the sand initially shows hardening(degradation index greater than 1)with up to a 35%increase in pore pressure,followed by strength degradation at higher strains.This study is critical for seismic design and safety,particularly for fully saturated sands in coastal and high water table areas.The findings enhance our understanding of liquefaction potential and site response,aiding more informed engineering practices by contributing to enhanced knowledge in soil dynamics and improved predictive models.The results support effective mitigation strategies and infrastructure resilience in earthquake-prone regions such as Croatia.展开更多
When the interface of a multilayered saturated soil is rough with noticeable gaps, heat flow lines converge towards the actual contact points, causing thermal flow contraction. Conversely, in the interface between two...When the interface of a multilayered saturated soil is rough with noticeable gaps, heat flow lines converge towards the actual contact points, causing thermal flow contraction. Conversely, in the interface between two layers of soil with different properties, pore water flows slowly along the pore channels, demonstrating laminar flow phenomenon. To predict the thermal contact resistance and flow contact resistance at the interface, this paper constructs general imperfect thermal contact model and general imperfect flow contact model, respectively. Utilizing a thermo-hydro- mechanical coupling model, the thermal consolidation behavior of multilayered saturated soil under two-dimensional conditions is investigated. Fourier and Laplace transformations are applied to decouple the governing equations, yielding expressions for the temperature increment, pore water pressure, and displacement in multilayered saturated soil. The inverse Fourier-Laplace transformation is then used to obtain numerical solutions, which are compared with degeneration solutions to validate the computational accuracy. The differences in the thermal consolidation process under various thermal contact and flow contact resistance models are discussed. Furthermore, the impact of parameters such as the thermal resistance coefficient, partition thermal contact coefficient, flow contact resistance coefficient, and partition flow contact coefficient on thermal consolidation are investigated. Results indicate that thermal contact resistance creates a relative thermal gradient at the interface, leading to increased pore water pressure and reduced displacement nearby. In contrast, flow contact resistance generates a relative pore pressure gradient at the interface, resulting in increased displacement within the saturated soil with minimal effect on temperature increment distribution.展开更多
The importance of organic geochemistry and basin modeling is widely recognized and used to understand the source rock potential and hydrocarbon generation history of the Mangahewa Formation,and thereby given the found...The importance of organic geochemistry and basin modeling is widely recognized and used to understand the source rock potential and hydrocarbon generation history of the Mangahewa Formation,and thereby given the foundational role in the petroleum exploration.This study utilized the total organic carbon(TOC)content and hydrogen index(HI)to investigate the dominant kerogen type and hydrogen richness for the significance of petroleum generative potential.The Mangahewa coals and carbonaceous shales exhibit an excellent source rocks,with high total organic content(TOC)of more than 22%.The coals and carbonaceous shales were also characterised by Type Ⅱ‒Ⅲ kerogen with Type Ⅲ kerogen,promising oiland gas-prones.The Mangahewa Formation reached the main oil generation,with vitrinite reflectances between 0.53%and 1.01%.Vitrinite reflectance was also used in developing themal models and reveal the transformation(TR)of 10‒50%kerogen to oil during the Late Miocene.The models also showed that the Mangahewa source rock has a significant oil generation and little expulsion competency,with a TR of up to 54%.These findings support the substantial oil-generating potential in the Taranaki Basin's southern graben and can be used as a guide when developing strategies for an oil exploration program.展开更多
Machine learning(ML)models are widely used for predicting undrained shear strength(USS),but interpretability has been a limitation in various studies.Therefore,this study introduced shapley additive explanations(SHAP)...Machine learning(ML)models are widely used for predicting undrained shear strength(USS),but interpretability has been a limitation in various studies.Therefore,this study introduced shapley additive explanations(SHAP)to clarify the contribution of each input feature in USS prediction.Three ML models,artificial neural network(ANN),extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost),and random forest(RF),were employed,with accuracy evaluated using mean squared error,mean absolute error,and coefficient of determination(R^(2)).The RF achieved the highest performance with an R^(2) of 0.82.SHAP analysis identified pre-consolidation stress as a key contributor to USS prediction.SHAP dependence plots reveal that the ANN captures smoother,linear feature-output relationships,while the RF handles complex,non-linear interactions more effectively.This suggests a non-linear relationship between USS and input features,with RF outperforming ANN.These findings highlight SHAP’s role in enhancing interpretability and promoting transparency and reliability in ML predictions for geotechnical applications.展开更多
文摘The concept of using biological process in soil improvement which is known as bio-mediated soil improvement technique has shown greater potential in geotechnical engineering applications in terms of performance and environmental sustainability. This paper presents a review on the soil microorganisms responsible for this process, and factors that affect their metabolic activities and geometric compatibility with the soil particle sizes. Two mechanisms of biomineralization, i.e. biologically controlled and biologically induced mineralization, were also discussed. Environmental and other factors that may be encountered in situ during microbially induced calcite precipitation （MICP） and their influences on the process were identified and presented. Improvements in the engineering properties of soil such as strength/stiffness and permeability as evaluated in some studies were explored. Potential applications of the process in geotechnical engineering and the challenges of field application of the process were identified.
基金support of research task of M inistry of Education No.00216630519.
文摘Geographic Information System(GIS)technology is more and more used even in the technical practice of a construction industry.In the preparatory phase of the construction,the problems of a spatial positioning(location)of the construction have to be solved jointly with the checking of the feasibility and purposefulness,the traffic projects are worked out,and the alternative,more detailed solutions of technical problems are designed.At project development there are used various forms of initial documents,results of the actual data gathering and surveys,map sheets,photographs,previous documents referring to the problems solved,and appropriate legal and technical standards.The article presents the experience with the issue of GIS in construction in preparation of buildings,in the implementation phase of the construction in GIS.It presents a model of information system construction and technology of mobile GIS for data collection and use of mobile GIS in water management.
基金funding offered by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51978127 and 51908103)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(DUT21RC(3)039)。
文摘This study investigates the effects of nanofillers on the interfacial transition zone(ITZ)between aggregate and cement paste by using nanoindentation and statistical nanoindentation techniques.Moreover,the underlying mechanisms are revealed through micromechanical modeling.The nanoindentation results indicate that incorporating nanofillers increases the degree of hydration in the ITZ,reduces the content of micropores and low-density calcium silicate hydrate(LD C-S-H),and increases the content of highdensity C-S-H(HD C-S-H)and ultra high-density C-S-H(UHD C-S-H).In particular,a new phase,namely nano-core-induced low-density C-S-H(NCILD C-S-H),with a superior hardness of 2.50 GPa and an indentation modulus similar to those of HD C-S-H or UHD C-S-H was identified in this study.The modeling results revealed that the presence of nanofillers increased the packing density of LD CS-H and significantly enhanced the interaction(adhesion and friction)among the basic building blocks of C-S-H gels owing to the formation of nano-core-shell elements,thereby facilitating the formation of NCILD C-S-H and further improving the performance of the ITZ.This study provides insight into the effects of nano fillers on the ITZ in concrete at the nanoscale.
文摘In this article, the sediment transport processes in the Khuran Strait between the mainland Iran and Qeshm Island at North Central Persian Gulf are studied in regional scale in a comprehensive manner. The objectives of this study include defining the type and origin of the sediment, the influencing factors, and the dominant mode of sediment transport. Four possible scenarios of sediment processes in terms of sediment sources and influential environmental forces are examined. The results of the conceptual and 2D numerical model of MIKE21 applied for this purposes indicate that the sediment sources in the transport processes are mainly provided by the sediments suspended from the central and eastern zones of the strait bed. Other sources including input from rivers do not have direct influence on the processes. The results are applied to the study of morphological changes for engineering applications including the pattern and amount of deposit in the Rajaee port approach channel and harbor basin. The pattern and amount of annual sediment deposits in the approach channel predicted by the model is satisfactory, compatible with annual dredging records.
文摘Coal tar,a by-product from the destructive distillation of coal in coking oven,is widely used in road engineering for its excellent adhesion and fuel resistance properties,especially for pavement surface treatments in gas stations and airports. However,coal tar has a high Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (or PAHs) content,which makes it toxic. In 1985,the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has proved that coal tar is carcinogenic to humans. Research showed that Coal Tar-based Sealers (CTS) contribute to the majority of PAHs pollution in the water environment.Because of this environmental concern,CTS are not allowed in many developed countries in the USA and Europe. In contrast,coal tar is still used for road engineering in China and is even used increasingly.This paper gives a literature review on the general information and research about environmental concern of using coal tar in road engineering. Based on the review,some possible alternatives to replace coal tar are described. These alternatives include nano-clay/epoxy modified bitumen/bitumen emulsion and waterborne polyurethane/epoxy resin,which are environmental friendly. They have the potential to perform as well as CTS,and even better in some special applications.
基金Czech Science Foundation for their support of project(GACR-105/09/1631)
文摘The objective of this paper is to demonstrate necessity to inform relevant parties about engineering-geological conditions for various practical purposes, especially including appropriate land-use planning. However, the relationship between relevant geological information and the geological environment is vital for foundation engineering purposes, especially where demanding structures are involved. This information is most conveniently structured when accumulated information concerning engineering-geological zones is utilized. This necessarily includes knowledge of rock workability and also of the pre-Quaternary bedrock, and these characteristics were then related to the current built-up area and future development according to the land-use plans in a case study are from the Petrvald Region （Czech Republic）. The geological environment of area has been severely influenced by anthropogenic effects of deep black coal mining. Results of this research showed that future development should be founded on spoil banks, dumps, and settling basins. According to the land-use plan, this zone occupies 44.9% of the area of interest, and its materials predominantly emanate from mining in the Ostrava-Karvina Coal District. For future foundation structures planned there, it is imperative to consult detailed engineering-geological study. However, attention to and reliance on this necessity is not reflected in the existing land-use plan.
文摘An important aspect in the restoration of longitudinal connectivity in rivers and streams is the implementation of fish migration systems at the upstream of the functional hydraulic structures(weirs,drop structures or river sills).The diversity of these existing structures as well as the different locations of these weirs within the river,watershed and riparian zone challenge the design engineers to find new holistic solutions for fish migration systems.The Azuga River study area requires a new synergistic fish migration design system.Being a mountain area,rapid increase in water level is quite frequent,especially after heavy or prolonged rainfalls and during spring snow melt.Therefore,it is necessary to design a specific system for fish migration to meet this location’s requirements.Due to the characteristics in this location of the Azuga river,the classic fish migration systems would not be functional.The indigenous/mountain trout is considered as the target species in this paper.Although this is a good swimming species,the use of classical systems could,due to exhaustion,prevent and/or reduce the movement of fish upstream of the two weirs(also known as river sills).This new,comprehensive solution,presented in this paper includes:(i)the restoration and stabilization works of the right bank in the weir study area by using biotechnical measures and(ii)the upstream migration system itself-for supporting the migration of fish on the Azuga River.
基金Partially funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51065012)。
文摘The constant amplitude loading fatigue tests were carried out on the 6061/7075 aluminum alloy TIG fillet welded lap specimens in this study,and the weld seam cross-section hardness was measured.The experimental results show that most specimens mainly failed at the 7075 side weld toes even though the base material tensile strength of 7075 is higher than that of 6061.The maximum stress-strain concentration in the two finite element models is located at the 7075 side weld toe,which is basically consistent with the actual fracture location.The weld zone on the 7075 side experiences severe material softening,with a large gradient.However,the Vickers hardness value on the 6061 side negligibly changes and fluctuates around 70 HV.No obvious defects are found on the fatigue fracture,but a large number of secondary cracks appear.Cracks germinate from the weld toe and propagate in the direction of the plate thickness.Weld reinforcement has a serious impact on fatigue life.Fatigue life will decrease exponentially as the weld reinforcement increases under low stress.It is found that the notch stress method can give a better fatigue life prediction for TIG weldments,and the errors of the predicted results are within the range of two factors,while the prediction accuracy decreases under low stress.The equivalent structural stress method can also be used for fatigue life prediction of TIG weldments,but the errors of prediction results are within the range of three factors,and the accuracy decreases under high stress.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41967035)。
文摘Treatment of peat soil foundation in Yunnan surrounding Dianchi and Erhai Lakes poses complex problems for engineering projects.It is insufficient to rely on ordinary cement to reinforce peat soil.In order to make the reinforcement reliable,this experiment mixed(ultrafine cement)UFC into ordinary cement to form a composite solidify agent.This study aimed to analyze the influence of UFC proportion on the strength of cement-soil in the peat soil environment.Unconfined compressive strength(UCS)and scanning electron microscope(SEM)tests were conducted on samples soaked for 28 and 90 days,respectively.The test results show that without considering the effects of Humic Acid(HA)and Fulvic Acid(FA),incorporating UFC can significantly improve the UCS of cement-soil.The rapid hydration of the fine particles generates a large number of cementitious products,improves the cohesion of the soil skeleton,and fills the pores.However,when the proportion of UFC increases,the aggregate structure formed by a larger quantity of fine particles reduces the hydration rate and degree of cement hydration,making the UCS growth rate of cement-soil insignificant.In the peat soil environment,HA significantly weakened the UCS of cement-soil in both physical and chemical aspects.However,UFC can mitigate the adverse effect of HA on cement-soil by its small particle size,high surface energy,and solid binding ability.In addition,FA has a positive effect on the UCS of cement-soil soaked for 28 days and 90 days.The UFC addition could promote the enhancement effect of FA on cement-soil UCS.SEM test results showed that cement hydration products increased significantly with the increase of UFC proportion,and cementation between hydration products and soil particles was enhanced.The size and connectivity of cement-soil pores were significantly reduced,thereby improving cement-soil structural integrity.
文摘Squeezing phenomena can lead to severe loads in deep tunnels,especially in the presence of a low ratio of surrounding rock strength to overburden pressure.For this reason,it is highly imperative to analyze and identify a suitable methodology to estimate the squeezing potential and select a proper support system of rock mass.This study aims to reveal the causes of failure of Tishreen tunnel in the west of Syria and develop remediation measures accordingly so as to bring the tunnel back into service.The tunnel in question was subjected to successive failures such as buckling and spalling of side walls,floor heave,and extremely large convergence reaching the failure state of the tunnel lining.In this study,an effective way was demonstrated to evaluate the squeezing potential of the tunnel lining and appropriate modeling of the long-term response of a tunnel excavated in weak rock.Specifically,the causes of failure of Tishreen tunnel were first evaluated by empirical approaches.Then,a numerical model was developed using a timedependent constitutive model to investigate the time-dependent response of the tunnel lining.On this basis,this study proposed an effective reinforcement schemes including steel ribs,grout injection,ground anchors,and new lining of reinforced concrete.The results show that the Burger viscoplastic model simulates effectively the resulting deformation and creep behavior of squeezing ground.It is also observed that using a combined heavy support system can provide efficient control over squeezing deformation and maintain the serviceability of the tunnel under study.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41931294)the National Natural Science Foundation of China-Yunnan Joint Fund(U1502232,U1033601)。
文摘Fine debris is an important component of natural debris flows.Previous studies focused primarily on the clay minerals found in the fines,and non-clay minerals were often neglected.The effects of mineralogy of fines on debris-mass slurrying and flow behaviors of the resultant slurries are examined herein.The fines(≤0.04 mm)in the<5 mm fraction of the Dongyuege Creek debris-flow deposit is replaced with five other mineral powders with the same maximum particle size.Four types of separate and sequential experiments related to debris slurrying and slurry behaviors are carried out with the prepared clastic materials.The obtained slurrying index ranging from 0.08 to 0.18 shows that non-clay minerals also can function as the fine fractions of debris-flow materials,so long as the requirement of grain size distribution is met.Equidimensional,non-clay minerals making up fines of debris flows can increase the upper solid concentration limits of slurrying(with a maximum of 0.692)and peak values of relative excess water pressure(measured maximum mean peak value is 0.99),leading to higher momentum and higher competence,and thereby more destructive catastrophe.The sediments with platy non-clay mineral-dominated fines have potential for mobilizing into small-to medium-size debris flows with a relatively small competence.Clay minerals in the fines may indeed enhance the liquefaction potential of debris masses by expanding the difference between upper and lower solid concentration limits of slurrying(0.413 and 0.238,respectively,for pure kaolinite),but they significantly suppress the momentum,competence,and destructive power of potential debris flows by lowering upper solid concentration limit of slurrying of debris masses.Alpine catchments rich in non-clay minerals,notably those releasing dolomite into loose sediments,may be more prone to threatening and destructive debris flows.The basin producing clay minerals should be more susceptible to lowmagnitude/high-frequency debris flows with less devastating consequences.
基金The work was performed based on the research project no.2023/51/D/ST10/01956,financed by the National Science Center,Poland.
文摘The study presents the results of over 30,000 numerical analyses on the stability of lava tubes under lunar conditions.The research considered random irregularities in cave geometry and their impact on stability,with a particular focus on the geometric characteristics of identified collapses.We propose a procedure for extracting the collapse areas and integrating it into the stability analysis results.The results were examined to assess the possibility of describing the geometry characteristics of collapses using commonly applied probability density distributions,such as normal or lognormal distribution.Our aim is to facilitate future risk assessment of lunar caves.Such an assessment will be essential prior to robotically exploring caves beneath the lunar surface and can be extended to be used for planetary caves beyond the Moon.Our findings indicate that several collapse characteristics can be represented by unimodal probability density distributions,which could significantly simplify the candidate selection process.Based on our results,we also highlight several key directions for future research and suggested implications related to their future exploration.
基金support by the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam for this research,under grant no.B2023-MBS-02.
文摘As prestressed concrete(PC)structures age,long-termeffects,e.g.,creep,shrinkage,and prestress losses,compromise their structural performance.Strengthening these aged PC beams has become a crucial matter.One effective solution is to use externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer(FRP)sheets;however,limited research has been done on aged PC beams using the FRP,especially for beams with unbonded prestressing strands(UPC beams).Therefore,this research investigates the flexural strengthening efficacy of external FRP sheets on aged UPC beams with unbonded tendons.Aging minimally affected the failure modes of UPC beams,with nonstrengthened beams showing flexural failure via rebar yielding and concrete crushing,and FRP-strengthened beams failing due to FRP debonding and tensile reinforcement yielding,though tendons in the aged beams did not yield due to prestress losses,unlike the new beams.The U-wrap anchor curbed widespread debonding,leading to tensile reinforcement yielding and FRP rupture.Aging hastened crack growth and stiffness loss,increasing deflections and reducing load resistance,but FRP reinforcement mitigated these effects,enhancing cracking resistance by 14%over the unstrengthened aged beams and 7%over the new beams while boosting ultimate resistance by 9%above the non-strengthened new beams.Compared to the new FRP-strengthened beams,the aged counterparts had lower cracking resistance,stiffness and capacity—showing 20%higher deflections,7–9%lower serviceability loads,7%–17%reduced ultimate strength and 17%less deformability—due to prestress losses and premature FRP debonding.
文摘Exploring alternative aggregates or recycled aggregates to substitute traditional concrete aggregates,particularly sand aggregates,which are becoming more limited and must comply with environmental protection standards,is essential.Research has explored various alternative materials to sand in concrete,including concrete from demolished buildings,and broken glass from projects,among others.Investigating the use of recycled broken glass to substitute sand aggregates and implementing this research in compression columns is crucial.This paper examines the compressive behavior of reinforced concrete columns that utilize recycled glass particles as a substitute for sand in concrete.The research findings establish the relationships:load and vertical displacement,load and deformation at the column head,mid-column,and column base;the formation and propagation of cracks in the column,while considering factors such as the percentage of recycled glass,the arrangement of stirrups,and the amount of load-bearing steel influencing the performance of square reinforced concrete columns under compression.The feasibility of using recycled glass as a substitute for sand in column structures subjected to compression has been demonstrated,with the ideal replacement content for sand aggregate in reinforced concrete columns in this study ranging from 0%to 10%.The column’s load-bearing ability dropped from 250 kN to 150 kN when 100%recycled glass was used instead of sand.This is a 40%drop,and cracks started to show up sooner.The research will support recycling broken glass instead of using sand in building,improving the environment and reducing natural sand use.
基金funded by the Hanoi University of Mining and Geology(Grant No.T23-44)The research is also funded by the German Research Foundation(DFG e Project number 518862444)in collaboration with the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development(NAFOSTED)under grant number DFG.105e2022.03The third author was funded by the Postdoctoral Scholarship Program of the Vingroup Innovation Foundation(VINIF)(VINIF.2023.STS.15).
文摘The quasi-rectangular tunnel represents a novel cross-section design,intended to supersede the traditional circular and rectangular tunnel formats.Due to the limited capacity of the tunnel vault to withstand vertical loads,an interior column is often installed at the center to enhance its load-bearing capacity.This study aims to develop a hyperstatic reaction method(HRM)for the analysis of deformation and structural integrity in this specific tunnel type.The computational model is validated through comparison with the corresponding finite element method(FEM)analysis.Following comprehensive validation,an ensemble machine learning(ML)model is proposed,using numerical benchmark data,to facilitate real-time design and optimization.Subsequently,three widely used ensemble models,i.e.random forest(RF),gradient boosting decision tree(GBDT),and extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost)are compared to identify the most efficient ML model for replacing the HRM model in the design optimization process.The performance metrics,such as the coefficient of determination R2 of about 0.999 and the mean absolute percentage error(MAPE)of about 1%,indicate that XGBoost outperforms the others,exhibiting excellent agreement with the HRM analysis.Additionally,the model demonstrates high computational efficiency,with prediction times measured in seconds.Finally,the HRM-XGBoost model is integrated with the well-known particle swarm optimization(PSO)for the real-time design optimization of quasi-rectangular tunnels,both with and without the interior column.A feature importance assessment is conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of design input features,enabling the selection of the most critical features for the optimization task.
基金supported by the Czech Science Foundation,under project No.20-12166S.
文摘The effect of using 2%and 10%sodium hydroxide solution as surface treatment of rape straw on its water vapor adsorption properties is analyzed in the relative humidity(RH)range of 0%to 98%.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS),and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)are used to investigate the morphological,chemical and structural changes of the treated straw surface.The mineral particles formed on the surface after the treatment are analyzed using X-ray diffraction(XRD).The application of sodium hydroxide solution results in the disruption of the straw surface.As the concentration of sodium hydroxide increases,the disruption of the straw surface increases,and the ability of the straw to adsorb water vapor also increases over the entire RH range.In addition to the surface disruption and chemical changes caused by the alkaline treatment,the differences in the equilibrium moisture content of treated and untreated rape straw can also be attributed to the formation of minerals on the straw surface,namely calcite for the 2%sodium hydroxide solution,and gaylussite and thermonatrite for the 10%solution.
基金Project Research Infrastructure for Campus-based Laboratories at the University of Rijeka(RC.2.2.06-0001)funded by the Ministry of Science,EducationSports of the Republic of Croatia.This project has been co-funded by the European Fund for Regional Development(ERDF)The support is gratefully acknowledged.This research was partially supported by the project“Laboratory Research of Static and Cyclic Behavior at Landslide Activation”(uniri-tehnic-18-113)funded by the University of Rijeka,Croatia.
文摘In soil dynamics,cyclic tests on sands have been extensively studied over the past several decades.Among the natural materials most susceptible to strength loss due to earthquakes,sands are commonly tested under varying loading,frequency,and drainage conditions.Traditionally,it has been assumed that pore pressure increases with constant strength loss once the threshold for pore pressure build-up is reached.However,recent studies have revealed that at small strains,the material initially hardens despite the generation of pore pressure.This paper presents the response and degradation of uniformly graded Drava River sand(DrOS018),similar to well-known sands such as Toyoura,Nevada or Ottawa sands,and the initial hardening phenomena that occur around threshold strains.Tests were conducted using a triaxial cyclic device at three relative densities and cell pressures(100 kPa,200 kPa,and 400 kPa)under undrained conditions.Strain-controlled tests were conducted at 0.1 Hz and 0.05 Hz using sinusoidal loading,with samples prepared by under-compaction.After crossing the threshold,the sand initially shows hardening(degradation index greater than 1)with up to a 35%increase in pore pressure,followed by strength degradation at higher strains.This study is critical for seismic design and safety,particularly for fully saturated sands in coastal and high water table areas.The findings enhance our understanding of liquefaction potential and site response,aiding more informed engineering practices by contributing to enhanced knowledge in soil dynamics and improved predictive models.The results support effective mitigation strategies and infrastructure resilience in earthquake-prone regions such as Croatia.
基金Projects(52108347, 52179112, 52178371) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProjects(2020C01147, 2023C01165) supported by the Primary Research and Development Plan of Zhejiang Province,ChinaProject(LQ22E080010) supported by the Outstanding Youth Project of Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province,China。
文摘When the interface of a multilayered saturated soil is rough with noticeable gaps, heat flow lines converge towards the actual contact points, causing thermal flow contraction. Conversely, in the interface between two layers of soil with different properties, pore water flows slowly along the pore channels, demonstrating laminar flow phenomenon. To predict the thermal contact resistance and flow contact resistance at the interface, this paper constructs general imperfect thermal contact model and general imperfect flow contact model, respectively. Utilizing a thermo-hydro- mechanical coupling model, the thermal consolidation behavior of multilayered saturated soil under two-dimensional conditions is investigated. Fourier and Laplace transformations are applied to decouple the governing equations, yielding expressions for the temperature increment, pore water pressure, and displacement in multilayered saturated soil. The inverse Fourier-Laplace transformation is then used to obtain numerical solutions, which are compared with degeneration solutions to validate the computational accuracy. The differences in the thermal consolidation process under various thermal contact and flow contact resistance models are discussed. Furthermore, the impact of parameters such as the thermal resistance coefficient, partition thermal contact coefficient, flow contact resistance coefficient, and partition flow contact coefficient on thermal consolidation are investigated. Results indicate that thermal contact resistance creates a relative thermal gradient at the interface, leading to increased pore water pressure and reduced displacement nearby. In contrast, flow contact resistance generates a relative pore pressure gradient at the interface, resulting in increased displacement within the saturated soil with minimal effect on temperature increment distribution.
基金Supporting Project number(RSP2025R92)at King Saud University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia,for their support.
文摘The importance of organic geochemistry and basin modeling is widely recognized and used to understand the source rock potential and hydrocarbon generation history of the Mangahewa Formation,and thereby given the foundational role in the petroleum exploration.This study utilized the total organic carbon(TOC)content and hydrogen index(HI)to investigate the dominant kerogen type and hydrogen richness for the significance of petroleum generative potential.The Mangahewa coals and carbonaceous shales exhibit an excellent source rocks,with high total organic content(TOC)of more than 22%.The coals and carbonaceous shales were also characterised by Type Ⅱ‒Ⅲ kerogen with Type Ⅲ kerogen,promising oiland gas-prones.The Mangahewa Formation reached the main oil generation,with vitrinite reflectances between 0.53%and 1.01%.Vitrinite reflectance was also used in developing themal models and reveal the transformation(TR)of 10‒50%kerogen to oil during the Late Miocene.The models also showed that the Mangahewa source rock has a significant oil generation and little expulsion competency,with a TR of up to 54%.These findings support the substantial oil-generating potential in the Taranaki Basin's southern graben and can be used as a guide when developing strategies for an oil exploration program.
基金Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), VNU-HCM for supporting this study
文摘Machine learning(ML)models are widely used for predicting undrained shear strength(USS),but interpretability has been a limitation in various studies.Therefore,this study introduced shapley additive explanations(SHAP)to clarify the contribution of each input feature in USS prediction.Three ML models,artificial neural network(ANN),extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost),and random forest(RF),were employed,with accuracy evaluated using mean squared error,mean absolute error,and coefficient of determination(R^(2)).The RF achieved the highest performance with an R^(2) of 0.82.SHAP analysis identified pre-consolidation stress as a key contributor to USS prediction.SHAP dependence plots reveal that the ANN captures smoother,linear feature-output relationships,while the RF handles complex,non-linear interactions more effectively.This suggests a non-linear relationship between USS and input features,with RF outperforming ANN.These findings highlight SHAP’s role in enhancing interpretability and promoting transparency and reliability in ML predictions for geotechnical applications.
