Undrained monotonic shear behavior of marine soft clay after long-term cyclic loading

Abstract

In the coastal area, nearshore and offshore structures have been or will be built in marine soft clay deposits that have experienced long-term cyclic loads. Therefore, the mechanical behavior of marine clay after long-term cyclic loading needs to be investigated. In this research, a series of monotonic and cyclic triaxial tests were carried out to investigate the postcyclic mechanical behavior of the marine soft clay. The postcyclic water pore pressure, shear strength and secant stiffness are discussed by comparing the results with the standard monotonic test (without cyclic loading). It is very interesting that the postcyclic behavior of marine soft clay specimen is similar to the behavior of overconsolidated specimen, that is, the specimen shows apparent overconsolidation behavior after long-term cyclic loading. Then relationship between the overconsolidation ratio and the apparent overconsolidation ratio is established on the basis of the theory of equivalent overconsolidation. Finally, a validation formula is proposed which can predict the postcyclic undrained shear strength of marine soft clay.     

南中国海神狐海域天然气水合物上覆地层不排水抗剪强度预测

浅层沉积物不排水抗剪强度（Su）是深水作业的关键参数之一。为了获取南海神狐海域首次海域天然气水合物试采区W18-19框体的基本工程地质特征，试采工程准备阶段开展了原位孔压静力触探测试（CPTU）及大量的室内实验。本文将主要基于CPTU计算不排水抗剪强度的基本模型，采用微型十字板、电动十字板、袖珍贯入仪及不固结不排水三轴实验，确定该区域不排水抗剪强度的基本模式，并提出适用于南海神狐钙质黏土层的不排水抗剪强度纵向分布规律计算模型，对该区域水合物上覆层的不排水抗剪强度进行预测。 结果表明，基于总锥端阻力、有效锥端阻力、超孔隙压力的模型系数分为13.8、4.2、14.4。综合考虑地层压实效应和含气情况，本文提出的分段函数预测模型与室内结果的一致性较好，可用于工程设计阶段进行工区不排水抗剪强度纵向分布规律的预测。另外，基于有效锥端阻力的不排水抗剪强度经验模型适应于浅层极软-较硬压实的钙质粘土层，基于超孔隙压力的不排水抗剪强度模型适用于较硬-坚硬的不含气层，而基于总锥端阻力的不排水抗剪强度计算模型则适用于坚硬含气的钙质黏土层。本文提出的分段函数模型有效的提高了经验模型在南海神狐水合物赋存区的适用性，计算结果可为工程安全评价提供支撑。     

The penetration experiment to predict liquefaction resistance of reclaimed soils

The liquefaction resistance of the soils used to be estimated through the in situ tests, such as standard penetration test and cone penetration test; or by means of cyclic triaxial test in laboratory. However, both in situ tests and cyclic triaxial test are time-consuming and costly; this study introduces a quick and cost-effective method to evaluate the liquefaction resistance of soils under certain confining pressure in laboratory. A particular device modified from the conventional triaxial compression test apparatus, namely “Triaxial Cone Penetration Test”, was developed to obtain the peak values of cone resistance in soils so as to correlate the liquefaction resistance of the reclaimed soils evaluated by cyclic triaxial tests. The test result indicates a good correlation between the peak value of cone resistance and the corresponding cyclic stress ratio (CSR) at the state of initial liquefaction, in which the correlation for loose samples is better than that for dense samples. Besides, both peak values of cone resistance and corresponding CSR increase with fine content of soils reaches 10% and decreased with fine content varying between 10% and 50%. By examining the compositions of the soils with scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, it is found that the proportion and characteristics of the fines plays an important role on the liquefaction resistance of the reclaimed soils.     

Interpretation of electric piezocone data of Chennai coast

Geotechnical engineers worldwide practice variety of in-situ techniques to obtain the physical and engineering properties of soil. Electric piezocone, which is an advanced version of cone penetrometer, is capable of measuring cone resistance, sleeve friction and penetration pore pressure. The piezocone test data not only provide valuable information on soil types but are also useful in deriving correlations with the engineering properties of soil for the purpose of analysis and design of foundations. In a view to establish a region-specific correlation between piezocone penetration resistance and soil properties, piezocone tests (CPTu), marine borings, and SPT tests were carried out at seven locations off Chennai, on the east coast of India. CPTu data was used for classifying soil; henceforth expounded that a reasonable classification of soil can be done using cone resistance, sleeve friction, and penetration pore pressure. The available charts to find out the drained shear strength from CPTu data was also verified for the region-specific use. Correlation between cone resistance (q_c), and N-value was established and compared with existing recommendations.     

Laboratory Investigation on the Effects of Overconsolidation and Saturation on Undrained Monotonic Shear Behavior of Granular Material

In order to study pore water response and static liquefaction characteristics of silty sand, which has previously experienced liquefaction, two series of monotonic triaxial tests were run on medium dense sand specimens (RD = 50%) at confining pressure of 100 kPa. In the first test series, the influence of the soil saturation under undrained static loading has been studied. It summarizes results of monotonic tests performed on Chlef sand at various values of the Skempton's pore pressure coefficient. Analysis of experimental results gives valuable insights on the effect of soil saturation on sand response to undrained monotonic paths. In the second series of tests, the overconsolidation influence on the resistance to the sands liquefaction has been realized on samples at various values of overconsolidation ratios (OCR). It was found that the increase of overconsolidation ratio (OCR) increases the resistance of sands to liquefaction.     

Physical and finite element modeling of lateral stability of offshore skirted gravity structures subjected to iceberg impact load

Static stability mainly against sliding of a typical, relatively large skirted gravity structure was investigated using three-dimensional finite element modeling. The numerical model was validated against centrifuge test results. A specific set of dimensions was chosen to model a typical skirted gravity structure in a centrifuge with two types of foundation soils: uniform saturated sand and a clay zone sandwiched between two sand layers. Soil shear strength parameters used in the finite element models were estimated from in-flight cone penetration resistance measurements obtained in the centrifuge. Numerical parametric studies were conducted using the validated finite element model. The parameters included were the depth and strength of the clay zone and the inclination of external load. It is shown that a relatively simple three-dimensional finite element model was effective in providing information that would be needed to design such a critical and expensive offshore structure. Basic Mohr-Coulomb strength parameters and moduli based on cone penetration resistance measurements and published empirical correlations were appropriate in modeling the soils in the finite element simulations.     

Field Evaluation of Undrained Shear Strength from Piezocone Penetration Tests in Soft Marine Clay

The use of the piezocone penetration test (CPTU) in a geotechnical site investigation offers direct field measurement on stratigraphy and soil behavior. Compared with some traditional investigation methods, such as drilling, sampling and field inspecting method or laboratory test procedures, CPTU can greatly accelerate the field work and hereby reduce corresponding operation cost. The undrained shear strength is a key parameter in estimation of the stability of natural slopes and deformation of embankments in soft clays. This paper provides the measurements of in situ CPTU, field vane testing and laboratory undrained triaxial testing of Lianyungang marine clay in Jiangsu province of China. Based on the literature review of previous interpretation methods, this paper presents a comparison of field vane testing measurements to CPTU interpretation results. The undrained shear strength values from both the field vane tests and cone penetration resistances are lowest at the mid-depths of the marine clay layers, and the excess pore water pressures are highest at the mid-depths of the marine clay layers, indicating that the marine clay layer is underconsolidated.     

Stress History Estimation Method of Underconsolidated Soil by Partial Piezocone Dissipation Tests

The paper discusses a new method to put forward to determine the initial pore pressure by extrapolating the last segment of measured pore pressure versus the inverse square root of time scale through incomplete pore pressure dissipation test. For underconsolidated soil, the estimated initial pore pressure is greater than the hydrostatic pore pressure. With the calculation of the initial pore pressure, the status of the consolidation of underconsolidated soil can be evaluated by calculating the apparent degree of consolidation which is defined as excess pore pressure generated by piezocone penetration divided by the difference between the total pore pressure measured by piezocone and in situ hydrostatic pore pressure. The apparent degree of consolidation is less than one as the soil is underconsolidated. The Northern Expressway Connection project of Chongqi Bridge is introduced as an example of practical application. In this case, the studied area is slightly underconsolidated, which is consistent with the results of the laboratory oedometer tests. Finally, compared with overconsolidation ratio (OCR) values from the oedometer tests, a new formula to estimate the OCR of underconsolidated soil using the apparent degree of consolidation was presented. It indicates that the OCR of underconsolidated soil can be proposed directly from partial piezocone dissipation tests.     

Laboratory investigation on the compressibility of Singapore marine clays

The compressibility characteristics of Singapore marine clay in reconstituted and undisturbed states were studied using oedometer, constant rate of strain, Rowe cell, and isotropic consolidation tests. The intrinsic compression curve of the reconstituted clay was found to be similar to that proposed earlier with some minor deviations at low vertical stresses of less than 100?kPa. The field and laboratory compression behaviors were found to be similar, hence the laboratory curve could be used as a reference for interpreting the field behavior. Factors affecting the measurements of compression index and yield stress were discussed. As the coefficient of lateral earth pressure at the top upper clay was close to 1, the compression curves of vertically and horizontally trimmed samples were almost similar. The yield stress was mainly controlled by the strain rate; i.e., the higher strain rate resulted in the higher yield stress. Constrained modulus as derived from cone penetration tests and flat dilatometer tests were also examined and compared with laboratory test results. The in situ tests showed the decrease in constrained modulus with depth and generally the dilatometer test was found to register a higher modulus value.     

In situ geotechnical characterization of sediments on the Nova Scotian Slope, eastern Canadian continental margin

A seabed 2-m-long cone penetrometer and coring system (Geotechnical Module) has been used at 17 stations in four transects on the Scotian Slope to characterise in situ shear strength and induced pore pressure on several different types of late Pleistocene and early Holocene failure. Study sites were selected using the SAR high-resolution deep-towed acoustic system equipped with a digital 160–190 kHz sidescan sonar and a 3.5 kHz subbottom profiler.

Several distinctive types of “geotechnical signature” were recognised from plots of cone resistance and induced pore pressure with depth in the sediment. Normally consolidated sediments show a progressive increase in cone resistance with depth (to about 75 kPa at 2 m subbottom). Holocene surficial muds show spectacular apparent overconsolidation, reaching a peak of 250 kPa at about 50 cm subbottom and then decreasing down to 1.5 m. This overconsolidation is associated with Zoophycos burrows. Late Pleistocene sediments exhumed by bedding plane slides show strong true overconsolidation consistent with the original depth of burial inferred from high-resolution seismic stratigraphy. Debris flows show only a slight shear stress gradient with depth (40–45 kPa over 0.5–1 m subbottom) with under-consolidation due to remoulding of sediment.     

Consolidation Properties and In-Situ Stress of the Marine Clay in Southern Korea

A very soft ground constructed by dredging and hydraulic fill has characteristics such as high water content, high initial void ratio, and very little effective stress. Estimating, with thorough considerations about consolidation properties and the initial stress associated with each layer's distinctive stress history, is essential in order to predict a reasonable consolidation settlement of soft ground. By investigating a construction project for national industrial complexes at a coastal area in southern Korea that experienced reclamation and ground improvement adapting PVD, various laboratory tests to find consolidation properties were performed with undisturbed samples collected from the entire depth of the marine clay fill layer and original clay layer. Through the investigation, this report suggests relationships of heterogeneity of permeability in both vertical and horizontal directions, void ratio-effective stress, and void ratio-permeability. Considering the fact that the original clay layer was under the process of consolidation by load due to hydraulic fill from the top, estimating the appropriate initial stress of each layer is critical to predict the future process of consolidation settlement determined by time. In order to obtain the initial stresses of two layers with different stress histories related to consolidation, cone penetration and dissipation tests were conducted.     

SPT-CPT Correlation and Its Application for Liquefaction Evaluation in China

The standard penetration test (SPT) and cone penetration test (CPT) are the two most commonly used in-situ tests. In this paper, SPT-CPT correlation is investigated using statistical and regression method based on a database of in-situ tests. Two correlation equations of the SPT N-value and the CPT cone tip resistance q_c are proposed. The equations are applied for the liquefaction potential evaluation. Three effect factors including the soil type, mean particle size, and fine content are investigated for SPT-CPT correlation. The simple correlation can be used for the preliminary site investigation with least data and information. The comprehensive one can give more accurate result with detailed data. These two correlation equations are useful for different purposes with different accuracies. The liquefaction evaluations using the proposed correlation method are compared with those from the Chinese code method. It is shown that the proposed correlation can be helpful for site investigation and geotechnical design in practice.     

海床式静力触探在黄河口海底土工程特性研究中的应用

海床式静力触探设备工作效率高,能够实现从垂向上对地层的连续探测,数据分辨率较好。通过对黄河口海域3个静力触探孔和1个地质钻孔的分析,将研究区20m以浅地层自上而下划分为粉土、粉质黏土、粉土夹粉砂或粉砂、粉质黏土、粉土五层,静力触探曲线对粉土层中的硬壳层和粉质黏土层中的贝壳夹层等特殊地质现象有很好的反映。对粉质黏土的静力触探参数与物理力学参数进行相关性分析,得到适合该区域的回归方程。采用基于CPT数据的液化判别法,对研究区表层粉土液化可能性进行评判,通过Seed简化法计算的周期应力比(CSR)与Olsen法计算的周期阻力比(CRR)的大小比较,得出当抗震设防烈度为7度时,研究区表层粉土不会液化,当抗震设防烈度为8度时,粉土层将发生液化,计算最大液化深度3.7m。     

Modified approach to evaluation of undrained shear strength from piezocone tests in soft clays

This paper proposes a modified-theoretical approach to interpreting the undrained shear strength from piezocone tests in clays. Assuming the shear and normal stresses on the cone face to be the friction at the cone–soil interface and the ultimate expansion pressure, respectively, an expression of the tip resistance is first derived at force equilibrium. The undrained shear strength is then determined by combining the derived expression of tip resistance with the formulation for pore pressure at the cone shoulder position. Many factors, such as the penetration rate and the cone roughness, are considered in this model. Different shaped model penetrometers, including cone- and ball-shaped ones, are adopted in centrifuge tests to investigate the validity of the proposed method. The undrained shear strength estimated from the piezocone test is found to agree well with that from ball penetrometer test. Case studies are also presented to show the application of the proposed method. Comparisons between the predicted and measured values of undrained shear strength indicate that the proposed approach is generally applicable for nonfissured clays, especially intact clays.     

An Approach to Evaluate Hydraulic Conductivity of Soil Based on CPTU Test

This article presents a new approach to estimate hydraulic conductivity of soil from cone penetration test with pore water pressure measurement (referred to as CPTU hereafter). The proposed approach is based on the test result of the spherical cavity expansion of the soil at the tip of a pile. During the piezocone penetration, the flow shape of pore water around the tip of the cone is assumed to be a spherical crown and induced excess pore water is assumed to dissipate from the crown surface. Based on this assumption, a bi-linear relation between the piezocone sounding metric (which is the product of the pore water pressure ratio B_q and the tip resistance Q_t) and the hydraulic conductivity index K_D is derived to estimate the hydraulic conductivity of the soil layer. The derived approach expands the applicable range of existing approaches in the literature. It is demonstrated that the proposed approach can cover the entire tip angles of the cone and the modified equation can fit the CPTU test data well.     

The effect of cyclic loading on the undrained shear strength of a silty clay

Abstract

The strength of saturated clays subjected to low‐frequency cyclic loading is of considerable importance in the design of offshore structures. A series of postcyclic undrained triaxial strength tests were carried out on samples of a silty clay (Keuper Marl), which had not failed under cyclic loading, to investigate the effect of this loading on the postcyclic monotonie effective stress path and strength of the soil. Undrained cyclic loading of normally consolidated and lightly overconsolidated samples by generating positive pore pressures caused the apparent degree of overconsolidation to increase. Samples subsequently subjected to monotonie testing followed effective stress paths commensurate with this apparent overconsolidation and failed on the “Hvorslev” surface on the “dry” side of the stable state boundary surface rather than on the critical state as would be expected of samples of this initial stress history. Samples which were initially heavily overconsolidated did not generate large pore pressures under cyclic loading and did not therefore exhibit large changes in postcyclic monotonie strength. The reduction in strength after cyclic loading therefore is greater for normally consolidated and lightly overconsolidated samples. The pore pressures generated under postcyclic monotonie loading are related to the degree of apparent overconsolidation achieved during cyclic loading.     

On Physical and Mechanical Behavior of Natural Marine Intermediate Deposits

Coastal structures may be built on natural sedimentary intermediate grounds, which mainly consist of silty soils and fine sandy soils. In this study, extensive field and laboratory tests were performed on the nattwal marine intermediate deposits to demonstrate the difference in behavior between natural marine clayey soils and natural marine intermediate deposits. The natural intermediate deposits have almost the same miles of natural water content to liquid limit as those of the soft natural marine clays, but the former have much higher in-situ strength and sensitivity than the latter. The research results indicate that grain size distributions of soils affect significantly tip resistance obtained in field cone penetration tests. The mechanical parameters of natural marine intermediate deposits are also significantly affected by sample disturbance due to their high sensitivity and relatively large permeability. Unconfined compression shear tests largely underestimate the strength of natural marine intermediate soils. The triaxial consohdated compression shear tests with simulated insitu confined pressure give results much better than those of uncomfined compression shear tests.     

电阻率法监测黄河口海床沉积物固结过程现场试验研究

为了研究黄河口海床沉积物固结过程中电阻率同工程力学性质指标的对应关系,探索海床土体固结过程的新型原位监测技术,本文在黄河刁口流路三角洲叶瓣潮坪上,现场取土配置黄河口快速沉积形成的流体状沉积物和观测研究粉质土海床的固结过程。利用静力触探、十字板剪切试验、孔隙水压力监测等原位土工测试手段,实时测定固结过程中海床土强度变化和孔隙水压力消散过程;同时通过埋置自行研制的环形电极探杆,实时测定海床土固结过程中的电阻率变化。通过对比分析海床土电阻率与工程力学性质指标的同步测定数据发现:黄河口饱和粉土的电阻率与微型贯入试验测得的土体贯入强度,静力触探试验测得的比贯入阻力,十字板剪切试验测得的不排水抗剪强度(峰值强度、残余强度)均呈乘幂关系,且相关性良好;海床沉积物在固结过程中的电阻率与孔隙水压力呈负线性相关性。     

海底管线区浅表层土孔压静力触探参数特征及应用

利用东海陆架海底输油管道路由调查获得的孔压静力触探数据和钻探资料等,采用统计分析的方法,对管道路由区5 m以浅土体的孔压静力触探曲线特征、土的分类方法鉴别作了探讨,结果表明:研究区5 m以浅黏性土的锥尖阻力(qc),侧摩阻力(fs)值较小,且随深度呈线性增加,粉质土的qc,fs值增大,但随深度线性增加规律不明显,砂类土的qc值急剧增大,但fs值变化不大;Robertson法和Eslami-Fellenius法两种土类划分方法均适用于研究区浅表层软土的土类划分,但Robertson法在判别粉质土时受到一定限制,Eslami-Fellenius法判别较为准确,应用简单。本研究可为我国在海底管线工程路由勘察中直接利用孔压静力触探(CPTU)参数划分土层和判别土类作铺垫。     

Assessment of CPTU and static load test methods for predicting ultimate bearing capacity of pile

For the static pressure pile, the most important is to determine the standard value of ultimate bearing capacity of single pile. At present, the bearing capacity of pile foundation is usually determined by the cone penetration test (CPT) test. The empirical formula was used in practice, but the effect of excess pore water pressure generated in the penetration on the measured cone-tip resistance and side friction is neglected. In this study, based on the field test results at Fengyu playground at Yancheng Institute of Technology by CPT and CPTU methods, the bearing capacity of pile was predicted by the standardized methods, the LCPC (France method) and CPTU direct prediction methods. The prediction was also compared with the results by the static load test method. The prediction accuracy of the CPTU method was then discussed as well. The results reveal that the accuracy of the CPTU method was the highest, which was consistent with the results obtained by the static load test method. It is the best method and worthy of being applied for predicting bearing capacity of piles in engineering applications.