A probabilistic bidirectional nonlinear dynamic framework for vibratory compactor-soil interaction with mechanical inertance and hybrid contact

Probabilistic Engineering Mechanics, vol. 86, pp. 104061

Abstract

Vibratory compaction is widely used in road engineering to improve the mechanical stability and service performance of compacted soil layers, while its effectiveness depends strongly on the coupled dynamic response of the machine and soil. Existing compactor-soil models have clarified important vertical vibration mechanisms, but many formulations remain deterministic, unidirectional, or insufficiently equipped to describe mechanical inertance, intermittent contact, frictional interaction, and uncertainty-driven failure events within a unified framework. This study develops a probabilistic bidirectional nonlinear dynamic model incorporating mechanical inertance, nonlinear frame-drum suspension, hybrid loading, unloading, and separation behavior, tangential frictional contact, and work-controlled compaction evolution. Correlated colored stochastic processes are introduced to represent uncertain excitation and soil properties while preserving physically admissible parameter values. The resulting stochastic hybrid system is evaluated through first-passage separation, sliding, and compaction events, together with reliability, fragility, upper-tail response, spectral, recurrence, and stochastic-stability diagnostics. The framework provides a unified route for linking nonlinear dynamic response, uncertainty propagation, and performance-oriented risk measures in vibratory compaction.

Authors 1

1. Dong Feng corresponding Aachen Faculty of Civil Engineering

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Faculty of Civil Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Straße 1, Aachen, 52074, Germany