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Title: Reliability-based foundation design for transmission line structures: Volume 3, Uncertainties in soil property measurement: Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7022741

This study presents a probability-based procedure for evaluating the uncertainties in in-situ measurements for transmission line foundation design. The steps in the procedure involve in-situ soil testing, estimating mean values of the in-situ parameters, and evaluating the uncertainties in these estimates. The uncertainties include inherent soil variability and measurement error. The resulting in-situ parameters then are combined with available prior information by using a Bayesian approach. With Bayesian updating, the final estimate of the in-situ parameters incorporates information obtained from all available sources. Models then are used to transform the in-situ parameters into the needed design soil properties. The analyses use data in the vertical direction, so they are useful primarily at a single structure site, where from one test boring or probe it is possible to evaluate the vertical variations in in-situ measurements. A general strategy for evaluating the uncertainties in undrained deep foundation design also is outlined, and the effects of the different uncertainties on the predictions are illustrated. The results show that the uncertainties are of major importance at shallow depths but, as the foundation depth increases, the uncertainties become less important. Measurement uncertainty is particularly important, and the results show that these influences should be minimized where possible. 47 refs., 29 figs., 8 tabs.

Research Organization:
Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA); Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA). Geotechnial Engineering Group
OSTI ID:
7022741
Report Number(s):
EPRI-EL-5507-Vol.3; ON: TI89001881
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English