ABSTRACT
The difficulty of predicting the load transfer response of geosystems has limited the effectiveness of the engineering community for decades. Several geosystems and geotechnical tests rely on the mechanics of load transfer, or soil – structure interaction, to properly perform. Currently, a deficit of knowledge exists with respect to how load transfer occurs adjacent to the interface. This study presents the results of an investigation into the local response of soil – structure interface evolution and behavior. Particle Image Velocimetry allowed the load transfer mechanisms occurring at the soil – structure interface to be quantified in terms of the 2-dimensional local displacements and strains within the specimens. The local interface response allowed characterization of three distinct zones of shear behavior, and quantification of soil – interface slip and maximum local shear strain. A simple interface framework is presented to estimate shear zone thickness based on normalized surface roughness with consideration to the adjacent deforming zones within the particle – interface system.
