Evaluation of the Effect of Vibratory Compaction on the Propagation of vibrations in soil: A Comprehensive Analytical Study

Abstract

Dynamic compaction by vibratory compaction is considered one of the most powerful and widely used soil improvement techniques in the practical engineering applications. However, this method generates vibrations which propagate through the surrounding soil in the form of different types of ground waves.

This research presents a numerical study using the finite element method to analyze the propagation of vibrations generated by dynamic compaction using vibratory compaction. Therefore, we propose a suitable numerical model that depends on the simulation of both the compaction force and the propagation site by using the software ABAQUS.

We validated the model using field measurements taken from previous studies, then we applied it to a typical example to study the propagation and damping of the vibrations caused by vibro-probe.

The results of the study allow the evaluation of the amplitude of vibrations at different distances, thus, assessing the probable effects and then taking appropriate mitigation measures.