Study of dilatancy behaviors of calcareous soils in a triaxial test

Abstract

In this article, the dilatancy of calcareous soil is studied systematically based on triaxial consolidation drainage shear tests, and the difference in dilatancy between calcareous soil and siliceous soil is also investigated. It was found that: ① Calcareous soil experience obvious dilated deformation. Dilatancy tendency increases with increasing related density and decreases with increasing confining pressure. ② The volumetric strain rate initially increases from negative to positive. After it reaches a maximum, there is a small decrease in the volumetric strain rate, but it is still greater than zero, and the stress-strain curves are of softening type. ③ For the same condition, the dilatancy deformation of calcareous sand begins later than that of siliceous sand, and the volume compression before dilatancy is also larger for calcareous sand. ④ The critical state alone cannot accurately describe the entire deformation process of soil, and it is proposed that the phase transformation state be added to the standard method used to assess soil dilatation and contraction. ⑤ Based on the statistical analysis of experimental data, mathematical relationships were established between void ratio, relative density, and effective confining pressure of phase transformation state and critical state, respectively.

• Highlights

• Reports results from a well-designed experiment that includes a good amount of samples and data.

• Effects of relative density and effective confining pressure on deformation mode and mechanical properties of calcareous sand are evaluated.

• The difference in dilatancy between calcareous sand and siliceous sand was compared

• The phase-transformation state and critical state were compared with the axial strain, volumetric strain and deviatoric stress.

• Using phase-transformation void ratio and critical void ratio to describe the whole deformation process of calcareous sand is proposed.

• The mathematical expressions of phase-transformation void ratio and critical void ration were given, respectively.

     

Undisturbed Strata Succession Sampling Technology and the Engineering Geological Characteristics of an Atoll in the Southern South China Sea

Coral reef calcareous sediment, a special category of rock-soil material, has representative geological structure and environmental characteristics. It is widely distributed in shallow areas of the tropical ocean; therefore the exploration instruments and technologies for engineering geology studies of coral reef calcareous sediments are very different from those used in land or deep-sea. Obtaining undisturbed cores from the Holocene unconsolidated stratum of coral reefs has been a key problem in the field of marine geology and environment surveying. The authors have designed a novel floating drilling platform equipped with a drilling machine, and successfully achieved undisturbed cores from both reef flats (with water depth 0.5 to 2 m) and a enclosed lagoon (with water depth 2–12 m) of Yongshu Reef (9°32–9°42 N, 112°52–113°04 E), southern South China Sea. Based on the detailed observation on the cores and the analysis from engineering geology, Yongshu Reef was split into reef three engineering geological zones: leading edge, reef flat (including outer reef flat, middle reef flat and inner reef flat) and lagoon. The sediments are classified in the stratum as fine sand, medium sand, coarse sand, gravel and weak-cemented reef limestone.     

Strength Behavior of Marine Sands at Elevated Confining Stresses

A testing program was initiated to determine the stress-strain and strength behavior of two very different marine sands (a calcareous sediment from South Australia and a siliceous sediment from the United Kingdom) at elevated confining pressures. The testing matrix consisted of a series of isotropically consolidated, undrained (CIU) and drained (CID), triaxial compression tests on samples of naturally deposited calcareous and siliceous sediment and remolded calcareous sediment. It was found that the calcareous samples displayed little cemented behavior during shear. For tests conducted at pressures up to 1.5 MPa, a significant amount of particle crushing occurred in the calcareous samples but not in the siliceous samples. Particle degradation and reorientation facilitates transitions from dilative to contractive behavior with increases in confining stress. The calcareous sediment exhibited contractive behavior at confining pressures above approximately 500 kPa and the siliceous sediment remained dilative at stresses up to 1 MPa during undrained loading. Comparison with data collected by the University of Sydney (CID tests with confining pressures up to 60 MPa) showed that most of the variations in strength behavior occurred within the low stress range (up to 2 MPa) tests conducted at URI. This was evident in the friction angle data and in the reloading Young's modulus data.     

Shear Strength and Dilatancy of Calcareous Sand in the South China Sea

The shear strength and dilatancy of typical uncemented calcareous sand from the South China Sea are investigated by soil lab tests. According to drained triaxial tests at various relative densities and confining stresses, it is found that the constant volume friction angle is approximated as 39° and the traditional Bolton’s equations can be modified to estimate the peak friction angle and dilation angle. The reliability of the equation proposed for the peak friction angle is verified in terms of calcareous sands from more onshore and offshore sites worldwide, while the errors of the predicted dilation angles scatter in a relatively large range. Totally, the dilation angles of sands in the South China Sea are estimated by the equation presented with an error of ±30%. The peak friction angle measured by the undrained is similar to that by the drained tests as the relative density smaller than 60%, while the former is slightly lower for denser samples.

     

南海东部海域表层沉积物类型的研究

南海东部海域表层沉积物可被分为11种类型:含岩块砾石黏土质粉砂、贝壳珊瑚砂、黏土质粉砂、钙质黏土、钙质软泥、有孔虫砂、深海黏土、含铁锰微粒粉砂质黏土、硅质黏土、含火山灰硅质黏土、含火山灰粉砂质黏土.这些类型按物源和成因可被分为陆源碎屑、钙质碎屑和硅质碎屑、火山碎屑3大类型,其中陆源碎屑分布面积约占50%,钙质碎屑占20%,硅质碎屑和火山碎屑各占15%.在物质来源、海底地形、火山作用、生物作用、水动力条件等因素影响和控制下,由于沉积环境的差异,故区内褐色类沉积物最多(60.68%),灰色类沉积物次之(38.20%),黄色类沉积物最少(1.12%).台湾省以南到17°N以北海区沉积物以陆源沉积物分布为主;巴士海峡以西海区沉积物较粗,常含砂岩块和砾石;东沙群岛以东海区钙质生物碎屑沉积丰富;中、西部海区以含铁锰微粒沉积物为主;中、南部海区水深大,主要分布硅质沉积物;南部海区、礼乐滩北缘沉积物受礼乐滩珊瑚碎屑影响大,沉积物类型为钙质软泥.     

未胶结钙质砂静力和循环强度的单剪试验研究

通过等体积的单调和循环单剪试验研究南海未胶结钙质砂的静、动力反应,讨论应力水平和相对密实度对钙质砂静、动力强度的影响,并与典型的石英砂性质进行比较。在单调单剪试验中,中密和密实钙质砂在100～400 k Pa范围的初始竖向应力下都表现出应变硬化的性质,有效内摩擦角随剪应变增大。在循环单剪试验中,钙质砂的反应与相对密实度和初始竖向应力密切相关,但中密和密实钙质砂中的等效孔压都能达到初始竖向应力的85%～90%,此时剪应变突增,试样发生破坏。与相近密实度的石英砂相比,钙质砂抵抗液化的能力更强。提出了南海钙质砂动强度的归一化表达式,建立了不排水静强度、不排水动强度和循环次数之间的关系。     

Gradation affects basic mechanical characteristics of Chinese calcareous sand as airport subgrade of reefs

Abstract

Construction of the reefs in the South China Sea is a significant foundation to the secure stability and economic development of China. The construction of an airport runway is necessary for this realization. The calcareous sand is the main primary material in the runway construction. A certain type of calcareous sand near a certain reef of the South China Sea was studied in this paper. To investigate this specific calcareous sand, quartz sand was used as a reference for comparison. Microscopic 3-D imaging, compression and triaxial tests were conducted to test the micro, squeezing and shear properties. The effect mechanism of gradation on the calcareous sand’s compressibility and shear characteristics are discussed from a mesoscopic viewpoint using 3-D morphology. Calcareous sand particles are multiangular and flatter in comparison with quartz sand. The larger the particle sizes are, the more different the two sands’ morphologies are. The compressibility of calcareous sand is greater, and the effect of the coarse fraction (5–1?mm) content in the gradation plays the most significant role in this feature. When the coarse particles’ content is less than 25% and the mass ratio of the middle and fine particles (M) is constant, there is the worst coarse fraction content causing the calcareous sand to be most likely compressed. The worst coarse fraction content decreases with the increase in M, and an empirical formula is proposed. When the gradation, relative density and confining pressure are the same, the peak shear stress and strain of calcareous sand are all at a high level. The effect of confining pressure is manifested in calcareous sand. The shear strength and dilation of calcareous sand are also most affected by the medium coarse fraction (5–0.25?mm) content.     

剪切作用下Cu(100)扭转晶界塑性行为研究

本文采用分子动力学方法研究了在剪切载荷作用下,Cu(100)扭转晶界对Cu柱屈服强度的影响.模拟结果发现,在加载过程中,低角度扭转晶界形成的位错网发生位错形核与扩展,位错之间的塞积作用提高了Cu柱的屈服强度;对于高角度扭转晶界,晶界发生滑动降低了Cu柱的屈服强度.同时发现,随着扭转角度的增加,Cu柱的屈服强度先增大,当扭转角度大于临界角度时,Cu柱的屈服应力逐渐减小.这表明剪切载荷作用下,两种不同的机理主导Cu柱的屈服,对于小于临界角度的扭转晶界,Cu柱的屈服由晶界位错形核和扩展机理主导,对于大于临界角度     

Characteristics of resuspended sediment from Georges Bank collected with a sediment trap

A sediment trap was deployed 3 m from the bottom at a water depth of 62 m on the southern flank of Georges Bank (41°02·2′N, 67°33·5′W) from 30 September 1978 to 10 March 1979 to qualitatively determine the size of sediments resuspended from the bottom by winter storms and to determine if seasonal changes in the phytoplankton could be observed in the trapped sediment.Bulk X-ray analyses of the trapped sediment showed layers of distinctly different textures preserved in the collection vessel. The median grain size of sampled layers ranged from 2·7 to 6·5 φ (fine sand to silt), but all layers contained a pronounced mode in the 3 φ (fine sand) range. Nine layers containing relatively large amounts of sand were present. The sand content was 75% in the coarest layers and about 32% in the fine layers. The median grain size of bottom sediments at the deployment site was considerably coarser than the trap samples, although the dominant grain size was also 3 φ.Average bottom-current speeds during the deployment period were about 30 cm s^?1 with a range of 10 to 50 cm s^?1. Bottom stress, computed from the observed currents and waves, suggest that 11 storms caused sufficient stress to resuspend 3 φ-sized sediments, in good agreement with the nine layers of relatively coarse sediments collected in the trap. Surface waves had to be included in the calculation of bottom stress because the bottom currents alone were insufficient to cause the resuspension of 3 φ-sized sediment.The trapped sediments contain numerous diatoms and coccoliths that are typical of late fall and winter assemblages. No clear seasonal difference in the flora was noted among sampled layers, probably due to the large influx of resuspended material and a reduced primary flux during this period. An undescribed species of Thalassiosira (G. Fryxell, personal communication), and siliceous scales of unknown systematic position were observed at all levels.     

Effect of angle between initial and cyclic shear stress on behaviors of marine clay

An angle exists between the initial static shear stress and cyclic shear stress when embankment and retaining walls are subjected to cyclic loadings. To investigate the influence of this angle on the dynamic properties of marine soft clay, tests were performed on Wenzhou soft clay. When the angle was varied from 0° to 90°, the shear strain and excess pore pressure decreased as θ increased while increased as θ increased from 120° to 180°. Shear strain developed more rapidly when θ was 120°, 150°, or 180° than that when θ was 0°, 30°, or 60°. These results indicate that the number of cycles to failure at the larger angles was greater than at the smaller angles. When θ was 90°, the strain in the x-axis direction increased as the number of cycles increased. The development of the excess pore pressure associated with specimen failure was different for different cyclic shear stress ratios and shearing angles. The effect of θ on the strain and excess pore pressure increased as the cyclic shear stress ratio increased.     

Experimental study on the coefficient of lateral pressure at rest for calcareous soils

Abstract

The coefficient of lateral pressure at rest (k₀) is a key parameter required to determine the horizontal stress distribution on subsoils. In this paper, k₀ was measured from consolidation test for calcareous and siliceous sand, and the effect of water contents on k₀ of calcareous sand was also discussed. Comparison of k₀ values measured and calculated based on empirical formulas were carried on. Results indicated that (1) the reduction rate of k₀ for calcareous sand with an increase in relative density was less than that of siliceous sand. The k₀ at low water content was generally smaller than that of siliceous sand, and it was similar to that of siliceous sand for high-water content; (2) the k₀ of calcareous sand increased with increasing initial water content initially, and then decreasing. However, the magnitude of variation was small. So the impact of water content on the k₀ of calcareous sand was limited; (3) the formulas proposed by Abdelhamid and Krizek (1976 Abdelhamid, M. S., and R. J. Krizek. 1976. At-Rest Lateral Earth Pressure of Consolidating Clay. Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division 102 (7): 721–738. [Google Scholar]) for estimation of the k₀ was highly applicable to calcareous fine sand.

• Highlights

• The k₀ of calcareous fine sand was investigated.

• The k₀ of calcareous and siliceous sand were compared.

• Shape parameters of sand particles for calcareous and siliceous sand were analyzed.

• Effects of related density and initial water content on the k₀ were discussed, respectively.

• The applicability of various empirical formulas for calculating k₀ of calcareous fine sand was evaluated.

     

Experimental study on the cyclic behavior of loose calcareous sand under linear stress paths

Abstract

Hollow cylinder torsional shear tests on loose isotropically and anisotropically consolidated calcareous sand were conducted to investigate the cyclic behavior under three different linear stress paths, including horizontal line, oblique line, and vertical line stress paths, in a coordinate system of the normal stress difference and the horizontal shear stress. The dominant strain components of the isotropically consolidated specimens are affected by the stress paths. With increasing consolidation stress ratio, axial strain gradually becomes the dominant strain component under the three different stress paths. The cyclic strength of the isotropically consolidated specimens under the three different stress paths are almost the same, while for the anisotropically consolidated specimens, the cyclic strengths are strongly affected by the stress paths. These results indicate that conventional cyclic triaxial tests may overestimate cyclic strength in some cases. Irrespective of the stress paths and cyclic stress ratios, the terminal residual excess pore pressure ratio decreases with increasing consolidation stress ratio. Moreover, an empirical equation is proposed to describe the relationship between the normalized shear work and the normalized residual excess pore pressure ratio. The comparative study reveals that the relationship proposed for silica sand is not suitable for the dynamic analyses of calcareous sand.     

Undrained stability analysis of trenches for buried submarine pipelines

Abstract

The stability of trenches for buried submarine pipelines (TBSPs) during excavation and/or prior to backfilling has not received enough attention in the literature. In this study, the undrained stability of TBSPs in horizontal and inclined seabeds with shear strengths increasing linearly with depth is investigated using the lower and upper bound finite element limit analysis (FELA). The surcharge due to excavated soils and trenching machines is reasonably considered. Extensive parametric studies are performed on the trench slope angle β, normalized width of trenching machine L/H, dimensionless strength gradient Hk/s_u0 and the volume ratio R (for inclined seabed only) of the excavated soil stacked on the upside and downside of trenches. The actual results are accurately bracketed by the computed upper and lower bound solutions. For the trench with horizontal seabeds, the maximum stability can be obtained under β?=?70°–80°. For inclined seabeds, the global stability of TBSPs roughly reaches peak value for different combinations of L/H and β when R?=?0.15–0.3.     

深水井口导管管土界面摩擦退化试验研究

深水井口导管在黏土中的贯入阻力与导管土体界面的黏性摩擦系数密切相关。在导管安装过程中,管土界面会产生大位移剪切,使得导管-黏土界面剪切力产生退化。本文针对传统剪切试验装置小位移剪切的限制,无法正确描述井口导管贯入时导管-黏土界面大位移剪切时的退化机理,采用GDS多功能界面剪切试验仪在恒应力条件下进行大位移单调剪切试验,研究法向应力对导管管土界面摩擦退化机理的影响规律。试验结果表明,大位移单调剪切时,界面剪应力随剪切位移先增大后减小,最终趋于稳定,界面表现出剪应力退化现象,随着法向应力的增大界面峰值应力与残余应力均增大;土样法向位移随着剪切位移、法向应力的增加而增大最终趋于稳定。最后在对试验数据分析的基础上,基于剪应力随无量纲位移的退化规律,提出了界面剪应力随累积位移退化的计算方法。并结合算例对比分析了井口导管在贯入80 m深度处,由于界面摩擦退化效应导致导管贯入阻力降低了28.48%。     

Characteristics and genesis of the polygonal fault system in southern slope of the Qiongdongnan Basin,South China Sea

Based on 3D seismic data, the polygonal fault system (PFS) discovered in the southern slope of the Qiongdongnan (QDN) Basin was studied through fine seismic interpretation and coherent cube analysis. The results show that: ① the PFS is mostly composed of small plate-type faults, with fault length of 1–3 km, maximum fault throw of 20–40 m and dip angle of 25°–45°; ② the PFS is mainly observed in the Huangliu Formation, deposited in the early stage of fast slope depression; ③ the PFS is layer-bound and can be separated into two tiers by T31′ interface with obvious channel incision features; ④ the PF of tier2 exhibit “y” structural style, including two parallel faults, master fault and associated fault, dipping in opposite directions. Their intersection relationship can be divided into three classes, and 14 sub-classes based on the fault intersection relationship of master fault and its associated fault; ⑤ the PFS is dominated by two strikes: NE60° and NW150°, indicating that it was controlled by tensile stress produced by differential settlement between the Xisha uplift and QDN basin; and ⑥ its genesis was jointly controlled by the syneresis of clay minerals and overpressure cyclical dehydration.     

Sedimentological parameters and erosion behaviour of submarine coastal sediments in the south-western Baltic Sea

The aim of this study was to evaluate the erodibility of submarine coastal sediments for the purpose of modelling sediment dynamics in Mecklenburg Bay, south-western Baltic Sea. Erosion thresholds derived from experiments with a device microcosm on cores of fine sand (n=5, mean grain size=132 µm) and mud (n=5, medium silt size, mean=21 µm), collected at different times of the year, were compared to theoretical critical shear stress velocities based on grain-size measurements. For this purpose, a sedimentological map of natural surface sediments was constructed for the study area. Calculated values for critical shear stress velocities (u* _{cr-Hjulström} ) are 1.2 cm s^?1 for fine sand, and 3.75 cm s^?1 for cohesive mud. At the mud station, erosion experiments showed an initial transport of the fluffy surface layer (u* _cr-initial ) at a mean critical shear stress velocity of 0.39 cm s^?1. Initial rolling transport at the fine sand station for single sand grains was recorded at values of 0.5 cm s^?1. At higher shear stress velocities, the two sediment types showed diverging erosion behaviour. Measurable erosion (ε>5.0×10^?6 kg m^?2 s^?1) of fine sand starts at a mean critical shear stress velocity (u* _cr-erosion ) of 1.15 cm s^?1 whereas fluffy surface material on mud cores was eroded at mean u* _cr-erosion of 0.62 cm s^?1. This indicates that measured erosion thresholds at the fine sand site fit well to calculated critical shear stress velocities whereas calculated erosion thresholds for cohesive mud are roughly 6 times higher than measured values. As erosion behaviour at the mud station was dominated by fluffy surface material, the comparability of measured and calculated threshold values may be reduced. The underlying silt-sized sediment itself was stable due to cohesive effects. This behaviour has to be taken into consideration by using sediment types instead of mean grain sizes for mapping and modelling sediment dynamics. A comparison of the near-bottom hydrodynamic conditions in the study area and experimentally derived critical shear stress velocities suggests that particle transport is controlled by storm events whereas under calm conditions shear stress velocities do not exceed the critical values.     

Numerical analysis of bearing capacity of drilled displacement piles with a screw-shaped shaft in sand

Drilled displacement (DD) piles with a screw-shaped shaft (referred to as DD piles) are installed using a continuous full thread hollow rod (without a displacement body) inserted and advanced in the soil by both a vertical force and a torque. As a type of newly developed pile, current understanding of the bearing mechanism of DD piles is unsatisfactory, which restricts their further applications in engineering. The primary aim of this paper is to study the bearing mechanism of this type of pile using a numerical method. First, a numerical model for calculating the bearing capacity of the DD piles was created and validated by a laboratory test. Then, the effects of the parameters of pile–soil interface, soil strength, and pile geometrical parameters on the bearing mechanism of the DD piles were investigated in parametric studies. The results of parametric studies show that the limit shear stress on the pile–soil interface, the friction angle of surrounding sand, screw pitch, and thread width significantly influence the bearing capacity of the DD piles, whereas the friction coefficient at the pile–soil interface and the thread thickness have little effect. Based on the results of the parametric studies, the failure mechanism of the DD piles under vertical load is analyzed. Finally, an equation for predicting the ultimate bearing capacities of helical piles based on cylindrical shear failure was used for estimating the bearing capacity of the DD piles, and the calculated results were verified with the numerical results.     

印度洋钙质软泥和硅质软泥稀土元素组成和富集机制

本文针对采自印度洋深海中最常见的两类生物成因沉积物——钙质软泥和硅质软泥,开展了全岩样和不同粒级组分中常微量元素、稀土元素和Y（REY）含量的系统分析,探讨了两类沉积物中REY的组成特征、物质来源和富集机制。研究表明,钙质软泥以富含CaO和Sr为主要特征,硅质软泥则富集SiO₂、Al₂O₃、Fe₂O₃等。钙质软泥中∑REY平均含量为40.56×10-6,轻稀土元素（LREE）略有富集,REY有向细粒沉积物中富集的特征,PAAS标准化后全岩样和不同粒级组分均表现为Ce负异常、Eu和Y正异常;REY以自生来源为主,继承了海水的组成特征,同时也受到了热液流体物质和洋底玄武岩风化产物的影响。硅质软泥中∑REY的含量为248.54×10-6,LREE相对富集,REY在4φ以细的沉积物中富集;研究站位沉积物中∑REY含量处于边界品位附近,但在细粒级沉积物中重稀土元素（HREY）含量则达到了工业品位;该类沉积物细粒组分中REY主要来自陆源或火山碎屑组分中黏土矿物和铁锰氧化物吸附作用,粗粒组分中REY来源则主要与生物作用相关;硅质软泥中REY的富集与沉积物中磷灰石等矿物相关,部分不同来源的REY可能是在沉积之后的成岩过程中再次分配向磷灰石、钙十字沸石等矿物中富集。     

低围压水平下砂的排水行为(英文)

采用干样沉降法制备样品 ,选用静三轴仪对松砂和密砂样在 10 k Pa至 10 0 k Pa的低围压下的排水行为进行了实验研究 ,并对实验结果作了橡皮膜校正 ,在围压为 10 k Pa的密砂实验中 ,轴向应力的校正值可达到 12 %。实验研究表明低围压下松砂的剪胀性非常明显 ,且存在剪应力极值 ;围压越低 ,松砂和密砂的剪应力极值越小 ,达到最大剪应力所对应的剪应变越小。同时还表明低围压范围内相对密度不同 ,砂的应力应变特性不同 ;此外 ,低围压下砂的内摩擦角高于高围压下的值 ,从而在工程上应重视低围压水平下砂土工程参数的合理选取     

南海北部陆坡神狐海域晚中新世以来沉积物中生物组分变化及意义

对南海北部陆坡神狐海域4口钻孔(BY1、BY2、BY3、BY4)岩心沉积物中微体古生物的研究表明晚中新世以来该区沉积物中硅质和钙质生物组分丰度具有较大时间和空间变化。从时间上看,硅质生物在晚中新世—上新世几乎缺失,中更新世以来约40万年(0～24m)才较多出现,18万年以后繁盛,大于0.15mm粗粒级有孔虫在晚中新世期间丰度很低,而在更新世—上新世丰度很高;空间上的差异表现在不同的钻井岩心中生物丰度变化范围较大。根据硅质生物丰度变化可推测晚中新世—上新世—早更新世时海水表层古生产力极低,而中更新世以来古生产力相对较高。南海北部钙质生物丰度的变化主要受控于陆源物质的输入量,在钻探区可识别2个可能具有不同物质来源的小区块,如BY1、BY2孔晚中新世—上新世陆源物质的输入量高于更新世,BY3和BY4孔更新世陆源物质的输入量高于上新世。2007年本区钻探结果揭示的一个令人惊奇和十分独特的现象,水合物以高达20%～49%饱和度状态分散在细粒沉积物(黏土粉砂)孔隙中,本研究发现这些矿层富含钙质生物组分(钙质超微化石和有孔虫),而硅质组分贫乏。由此初步推测,大量钙质生物组分的存在可能增加了黏土粉砂沉积物的孔隙空间,从而为大...