Geomechanics Research Group

SAGE (Surrey Advanced Geotechnical Engineering) Lab is a geotechnical testing facility to carry out advanced laboratory testing of soils and scaled model tests of geotechnical problems. The following are our capabilities.  

1. Advanced Laboratory testing of soil: We are fully capable of carrying out all types of soil testing including Triaxial testing with local strain measurements (bender element), Cyclic Triaxial, Resonant column and Dynamic Simple Shear.
2. Scaled model tests for different geotechnical problems: Example problem studies are: behaviour of offshore wind turbines under cyclic and dynamic loading, behaviour of pipelines crossing a fault and other Dynamic Soil-Structure Interaction (DSSI) problems. We also can carry out vibration monitoring of small scale models using non-contact devices, shaking table tests for small scale models and also can develop of customized sensors (e.g. water proof MEMS accelerometers).

Click here for the SAGE Lab Leaflet

Some examples of advanced soil testing

• Cyclic Triaxial Apparatus: We can carry out element testing of soil to understand the cyclic behaviour including liquefaction susceptibility and also multi-stage test (for example cyclic testing of soil to liquefaction and then applying monotonic loading).
• Using the tests results we can construct bespoke p-y curves (Winkler Springs for pile-soil analysis) for any soils. Currently codes of practice provides methodology to constructy p-y curves for standard soils (such as sand, soft clay, stiff clay). We can construct continuous p-y curves for a soil from the element test data based on our published research.
• Resonant Column Apparatus: We can carry out Shear Modulus and Damping characteristics of soils.
• Dynamic Simple Shear Apparatus: We can carry out cyclic simple shear tests on soils applying hundreds of thousands of cycles.
• Triaxial with Local Measurement (Bender Element): Our monotonic triaxial apparatus is also equipped with bender element equipment and we can also carry out other local measurements.

Physical modelling in geotechnical engineering

We have two calibration chambers with transparent sides for visualization purposes-

1. Large Calibration Chamber: (2.4m × 1.4m × 2.6m) with a transparent front. This chamber has been used before to carry out shaking table tests.
2. Small Calibration Chamber: (450mm × 200mm × 400mm) with a transparent front. This has been used before to carry out 1-g and shaking table tests

Examples of small scale testing

• Small scale models of Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations: We carried out wind turbine model tests to understand the dynamic soil structure interactions as well as long term performance. Apart from standard measuring devices, we are able to monitor the structure frequency during shaking using non-contact device such as Laser Vibrometer. See the above photograph.
• Some examples of pipeline testing: Models to investigate the effects of fault movements or landslides on buried pipelines: we carried out model test to study the effect of fault movement (both reverse and thrust) on pipeline behaviour.
• Examples of Micro Mechanical Behaviour of Soil: We developed a custom made inter-particle friction apparatus. This has been used to carry out inter-partical friction test on irregular surface under different normal loads.
• Physical model of retaining wall: We are able to carry out shearing tests on granular material confined by a moving wall.