The use of polyurethane foam-sand mixtures in sandy embankment design- predicting seismic response using FEM, catastrophe theory, B-spline method, and artificial neural networks

Abstract

High-permeability sand cannot control the water that is stored behind an embankment. In addition, if clay cannot be provided within a reasonable distance of the embankment construction site, an alternative method must be found. The study proposes using a polyurethane foam-sand mixture to construct an impermeable embankment. The main purpose of the paper was to predict the seismic stability of the embankment. The nonlinear finite element models (FEMs) are applied along with artificial neural networks (ANNs), and this research method applied was performed to investigate the main objectives of the research. Catastrophe theory was used to predict the mechanism of differential displacement in the Y direction at selected points of the embankment model. For model smooth functions, the basis spline (B-spline) method was applied to simulate the catastrophe progression index value. Results revealed that the suitability of the polyurethane foam-sand mixture controls the acceleration, displacement, strain, and stress of the model at points selected in different parts of the embankment. Moreover, it was found that the deformation pattern of the model was related to the polyurethane foam-sand mixture ratios. Furthermore, the main contribution was that the seismic response of the embankment model could be improved with the right percentage of polyurethane foam added to the sand. Results were validated by referencing those available in the literature.

Keywords

• Polyurethane foam
• Sand
• Embankment
• Catastrophe theory
• Seismic response
• Failure mode