Optimal design of soil dynamic compaction using genetic algorithm and fuzzy system

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Abstract

Computational intelligent techniques, such as fuzzy and genetic algorithm, have proven to be useful in modeling of complex nonlinear phenomena such as dynamic compaction. Dynamic compaction method is used to improve the mechanical behavior of underlying soil layers especially loose granular materials. The method involves the repeated impart of high-energy impacts to the soil surface using steel or concrete tampers with weights ranging 10–40 ton and with drop heights ranging 10–40 m. A relatively exact estimation of dynamic compaction level is of major concern to geotechnical engineers. This paper develops a fuzzy set base method for the analysis of dynamic compaction phenomenon. In this model, the input variables are tamper weight, height of tamper drop, print spacing, tamper radius, number of impact and soil layer geotechnical properties. The main shortcoming of this technique is uncertainty to locate the best sketch of dynamic compaction to gain maximum effect of this method of soil improvement. Therefore, this paper describes the incorporation of genetic algorithm methodology using fuzzy system for determining the optimum design of dynamic compaction. Subsequently, it will be shown that the genetic algorithm has some abilities in the optimization of dynamic compaction design. Also different manners of this algorithm are compared and then the optimized structure of genetic algorithm will be suggested for dynamic compaction.

Introduction

In recent years, the scarcity of land space necessary for new development has prompted a significant interest from local authorities in using various undesirable soils. Dynamic compaction method has been found to be useful to improve the mechanical behavior of underlying of soil layers, especially loose granular materials, in many projects [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. This method involves the repeated impact of high-energy impacts to the soil surface using steel or concrete tampers with weight ranging 10–40 ton and with drop heights ranging 10–40 m.

An appropriate estimation of dynamic compaction level is a major task for geotechnical engineers, in particular, if multilayer ground is encountered. Traditional methods are unable to estimate this level accurately and numerical methods may be powerful tools to deal with the complexity of this phenomenon. This research develops a fuzzy base method for dynamic compaction analysis. This method, as human brain, can interpret imprecise and incomplete sensory information and provides a systematic method to deal with the corresponding information linguistically. In this model, the input variables are tamper weight, height of tamper drop, print spacing, tamper radius, number of impact and soil layer geotechnical properties. The output involve depth of improvement which verified by database compiled from field tests and other researches. The proposed method is potentially useful for evaluation of improvement of loose granular soils due to dynamic compaction.

Genetic algorithm is a powerful and broadly applicable stochastic search and optimization techniques based on principles from the evolution theory. It has been shown to be suitably robust for a wide variety of problems [10], [11], [12]. This paper also uses this technique to show its abilities in optimizing the dynamic compaction design. This paper also compares different manner of this algorithm and then suggests the optimized structure of genetic algorithm for dynamic compaction phenomenon. Finally a procedure is proposed to achieve the greatest depth of soil improvement upon using dynamic compaction method. The recommended procedure based on the fuzzy modeling considers all involving parameters in dynamic compaction, some of which are tamper weight, dropped height, number of impact, tamper radius, print spacing and soil strength parameters. The best combination of these parameters will be introduced.

Section snippets

Fuzzy set concepts and modeling methods

An inexact phenomenon such as the mental process would effectively be analyzed by using a system such as fuzzy system or neural systems. In this paper, the learning structure analysis system and its practical case study and the effectiveness are explained using fuzzy system. This system is based on fuzzy logic which simulates human's comprehensive inference and judgement and solves the problems of fuzzy information processing which is hard to solve by normal methods. Fuzzy system has been

Genetic algorithm search

The genetic algorithm is a method for solving optimization problems that is based on natural selection, the process that drives biological evolution. In the past few years, the genetic algorithm community has turned much of its attention toward the optimization problems of industrial engineering.

The main differences between GAs and conventional optimization procedure which make GAs more amenable for application to a wide variety of problems are described below.

GAs work by directly manipulating

GA implementation

Fitness function of GA program in this paper is the fuzzy system of dynamic compaction which was introduced earlier to determine the level of improvement for the granular soils. Current GA program concentrates on the maximum depth of improvement, namely depth of low degree of improvement. The GA optimization technique was used to search for the dynamic compaction design which has the maximum output namely depth of low degree of improvement.

Each individual in generation contains four dependent

Case study (Asalooyeh site, Iran, 2005)

The presented method is applied to model DC performed in Asalooyeh Site, South of Iran. The soil deposit consists of 8 m loose sand overlying a layer of silty clay between 8 and 12 m depth. A 20 cm thick rock is at 4 m depth. The water table level is about 5 m below the ground surface. The standard penetration test results for this site are shown in Fig. 14. Three passes of DC using a 15.5 ton and 1 m circular tamper were carried out over a 4.6 by 4.6 m grid pattern. In the first pass, the tamper was

Conclusion

This paper has proposed a fuzzy system to determine the optimal design of soil dynamic compaction using genetic algorithm and fuzzy system analysis. The aim has been to obtain the most appropriate agreement with the field database. This presented system has six input parameters which are tamper weight, height of tamper drop, print spacing, tamper radius, number of impact, and soil layer cone resistance (qc). The outputs involve the degree and depth of improvement.

The main advantage of a fuzzy

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