Deformation Characteristics of Bucket−Soil Interaction in Sand during Jacked Penetration
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This manuscript should be sent to another journal. The subject matter of this manuscript is strongly inconsistent with that of Coatings.
Author Response
Dear reviewers,
I am sorry to hear that, but you didn't give me any comments. I have revise my paper based on other review reports. Hope it can be accept now.
Reviewer 2 Report
This study focused on the analyses of force, displacement influences of sand density, diameter and spacing on the bucket-group effect and the influence of bucket grouping on soil plug formation during jacked penetration for bucket foundations. Overall the authors presented a nice work. However, minor revision is required before acceptance for the publications.
- Figure 1 test system of what? Please rewrite the caption by adding more info about the testing. Same for Table 2.
- The units in Figure 2 X and Y axis must be within the bracket.
- Please define in the relevant sections what is meant by X and Y in Figures 6 to 13. Also, what is the unit of the displacement values shown in these figures? And briefly discuss how these displacement, strain values and contour lines were obtained.
- In line 120, the symbol of effect efficiency is missing.
- It is not clear about the effect efficiency values in Table 2. These values are given for which number?
- Please add limitations and future research scope from the research work presented here in conclusion part.
Author Response
Dear reviewers,
Thank you very much for your advice and guidance on this paper, which has benefited me a lot. The following contents are the alterations based on reviewer’s comments, all of which have been highlighted with red in the article.
- Figure 1 test system of what? Please rewrite the caption by adding more info about the testing. Same for Table 2.
Reply: Figure 1 test system has been revised the experimental setup, Table 2 group efficiency has been revised text results for single bucket and grouped buckets.
- The units in Figure 2 X and Y axis must be within the bracket.
Reply: The units in Figure 2 X and Y axis has been within the bracket
- Please define in the relevant sections what is meant by X and Y in Figures 6 to 13. Also, what is the unit of the displacement values shown in these figures? And briefly discuss how these displacement, strain values and contour lines were obtained.
Reply: X and Y represent the coordinates of the soil in the horizontal and depth directions on the actual plane .
The unit of the displacement values represents the total displacement of soil particles.
Comparative analysis was performed by comparing pictures recorded at the beginning and different penetration depths during jacket penetration. Strain master-Davis 8.0 and tepclot 10 software were then used to generate a cloud map and contour map, respectively. The pixel coordinates on the image are converted to the actual physical coordinates by the actual size of the bucket diameter of 50mm. The arrow in the upper left corner of the figure is the displacement reference value, and the arrow represents the displacement magnitude and direction. The value in the contour map represents the displacement magnitude.
- In line 120, the symbol of effect efficiency is missing.
Reply: The symbol for effect efficiency of h has been added in line 120.
- It is not clear about the effect efficiency values in Table 2. These values are given for which number?
Reply: Ratio of single bucket penetration force to group buckets penetration force case with L/D of 2 and 4 for the same sand density and bucket diameter .
- Please add limitations and future research scope from the research work presented here in conclusion part.
Reply: Limitations and future research scope from the research work presented here in conclusion part has been added.
Reviewer 3 Report
The Authors utilized non-contact digital image correlation to carry out model testing of a group of two buckets during jacked penetration in sand. The study was used for clarification of the deformation pattern of the soil surrounding and within the buckets. The laboratory testing was comprehensive, but some major revisions are required for improvement of the quality of manuscript.
- Was the testing carried out under fully saturated condition or partially saturated condition? The water content has effect on deformation of sand.
The Authors should review the following literature related to the effect of unsaturated on soil settlement:
https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids6120423 - Soil properties play important role in the design of foundation. There are effects of variability and uncertainties which affects the strength of the soil. The Authors should review the following literature related to the uncertain parameters in foundation design: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-021-00588-7
- Define CCD in line 57.
- Please provide more detail explanation on the analyses of the image using The Strain master-Davis 8.0 image analysis system
- Please provide specification of load and displacement sensor used in Figure 1
- Please provide properties of sand used in the study, such as: friction angle, modulus elasticity, minimum and maximum void ratio, minimum and maximum dry density, what is the clasification of sand?
- Please provide more detail explanation on percentage sand density provided in Table 1. Density is mass over volume. Why is the unit percentage? Is this relative density, dry density or total density?
- Provide justification in the selection of 5 and 7.5 cm diameter of bucket in Table 1
- Provide justification of the selection in using H/D ratio of 2 and 3 in table 1
Provide justification of the selection in using L/D ratio of 1 - 4 in table 1 - Please add symbol for effect efficiency in line 120
- Equation 1 should be cited in the text
Author Response
Dear reviewers,
Thank you very much for your advice and guidance on this paper, which has benefited me a lot. The following contents are the alterations based on reviewer’s comments, all of which have been highlighted with red in the article.
- Was the testing carried out under fully saturated condition or partially saturated condition? The water content has effect on deformation of sand.
The Authors should review the following literature related to the effect of unsaturated on soil settlement:https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids6120423
Reply: The testing is not carried out under fully saturated condition or partially saturated condition, which is our subsequent research.
The literature related to the effect of unsaturated on soil settlement has been cited.
- Soil properties play important role in the design of foundation. There are effects of variability and uncertainties which affects the strength of the soil. The Authors should review the following literature related to the uncertain parameters in foundation design: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-021-00588-7
Reply:The literature related to soil properties playing important role in the design of foundation has been cited.
- Define CCD in line 57.
Reply: The CCD defines as Charge Coupled Device which has been added in the test.
- Please provide more detail explanation on the analyses of the image using The Strain master-Davis 8.0 image analysis system
Reply: The Strain master-Davis 8.0 is image analysis system developed by LaVision in Germany which is a noncontact optical mea-surement system, consists of one Imager E-lite 5M camera (LaVision, Ypsilanti, MI) with a resolution of 2,456 by 2,058 pixels and an embedded DIC software to analyze the relative movement between any two images. it’s workflow mainly includes the following aspects：Calibration、Acquisition、Calculation and Extract Data.
- Please provide specification of load and displacement sensor used in Figure 1
Reply: The specification of load and displacement sensor have been provided.
- Please provide properties of sand used in the study, such as: friction angle, modulus elasticity, minimum and maximum void ratio, minimum and maximum dry density, what is the clasification of sand?
Reply: The properties of sand has been added.
- Please provide more detail explanation on percentage sand density provided in Table 1. Density is mass over volume. Why is the unit percentage? Is this relative density, dry density or total density?
Reply: The Dr is relative density.
- Provide justification in the selection of 5 and 7.5 cm diameter of bucket in Table 1
Reply: Refer to scholars for model test size selection of plate anchor which is widely used marine suspension structures, and the ratio of the length of the model box to the diameter of the bucket is greater than 10 which Satisfies the boundary effect. (https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ20170430, https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000633).
- Provide justification of the selection in using H/D ratio of 2 and 3 in table 1
Provide justification of the selection in using L/D ratio of 1 - 4 in table 1
Reply: Scholars have carried out a large number of model tests case with H/D ratio of 1 – 12 and obtained good test results, which meet the actual engineering similarity ratio.
(https://doi.org/10.4043/10992-MS,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2014.03.022, https://doi.org/10.16285/j.rsm.2017.07.002).
Refer to Zhang carried out the experimental study on uplift behavior of group anchors case with the L/D ratio of 1 – 4, which meet the actual engineering similarity ratio. (https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ20170430)
- Please add symbol for effect efficiency in line 120.
Reply: The symbol for effect efficiency of h has been added in line 120.
- Equation 1 should be cited in the text
Reply: Equation 1 has been cited in the text.(https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ20170430).
Reviewer 4 Report
This research is related to a model experiment of jacked penetration based on suction. Not only the resistance at the penetration, but also the deformation of the ground and the interaction of the group foundation are systematically examined. The treatise is well written and easy to understand.
Two points were pointed out regarding the experimental conditions and experimental results.
■Matters that must be corrected
It is necessary to clearly show that the two foundations were penetrated at the same time in the group foundation experiment.
■Improvement points
It is better to clearly indicate the ground surface around the foundation and inside the foundation during the penetration process in the experimental results.
Author Response
Dear reviewers,
Thank you very much for your advice and guidance on this paper, which has benefited me a lot. The following contents are the alterations based on reviewer’s comments, all of which have been highlighted with red in the article.
■Matters that must be corrected
It is necessary to clearly show that the two foundations were penetrated at the same time in the group foundation experiment.
Reply:The two foundations were penetrated at the same time in the group foundation experiment has been added in the text.
■Improvement points
It is better to clearly indicate the ground surface around the foundation and inside the foundation during the penetration process in the experimental results.
Reply:The height difference of ground surface around the foundation between inside and outside the bucket is too small in some test conditions, therefore, the ground surface inside the baucket is not indicated, and your advice will be accepted for subsequent experimental research.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 3 Report
The Authors have provided reasonable responses and the manuscript has been revised significantly. the manuscript can be accepted as is now
