Analysis of wave-induced liquefaction in seabed deposits of silt

The dynamic stress introduced in half elastic space by wave loading is characterized by the equation between the magnitude of half cyclic axial stress and cyclic torsion shear stress and the principal stress,whose direction rotates continuously and compression stress on seabed can be calculated by the use of small amplitude wave theory.With relationship curves of saturated silt of liquefaction cycles and cyclic stress ratios obtained by cyclic triaxial-torsional coupling shear tests and curve fitting method to different data points of relative density,it is suggested that the cyclic stress ratio corresponding to constant liquefaction impedance be taken as the critical cyclic stress ratio which implies liquefaction.There exists a linear relationship between critical cyclic stress ratio and relative density under different relative densities.Empirical formula for critical cyclic stress ratios of seabed liquefaction induced by wave loading under different relative densities is established.The possibility of seabed silt liquefaction and its influence factors are analyzed based on the small-amplitude wave theory and the data acquired in laboratory tests.     

Effects of frequency and cyclic stress ratio on creep behavior of clay under cyclic loading

The mechanical behavior of clay subjected to cyclic loading is important to consider in the design of the foundations of many types of structures that must resist cyclic loading, such as subgrades and offshore foundations, because clay undergoes greater settlement under cyclic loading than under static loading. The difference in settlement between these two loading patterns due to creep behavior is affected by the cyclic frequency and the cyclic stress ratio. This study investigated the effects of the frequency and cyclic stress ratio of cyclic loading on the creep behavior of a natural clay in China using stress-controlled triaxial tests. The assessed the following parameters: three frequencies, four cyclic stress ratios, and six vertical stresses. The test results indicate that the soft clay displays accelerated creep behavior under dynamic loads. A specific “limit frequency” (in this case, 0.2 Hz) and a “safe load” at which the strain of the soft clay increases very slowly were observed. The effect of the effective axial stress on the creep behavior increases with the increase in the cyclic stress ratio. Based on the tests, the critical cyclic stress ratio is 0.267 at a certain effective axial stress and frequency.     

Assessment of cyclic response to suction caisson in clay using a three-dimensional displacement approach

An investigation was made to present analytical solutions of cyclic response to suction caisson subjected to inclined cyclic loadings in clay using a three-dimensional displacement approach. A model representing the relationship between vertical load and vertical displacement and that between lateral load and lateral displacement along the skirt of suction caisson subjected to cyclic loadings is proposed for overconsolidated clay. For the effect of vertical load on cyclic load capacity of suction caisson, using the Mindlin solution in the case of a vertical point load, the vertical stress of soil under the base of suction caisson is presented. For the stress state of soil beneath the base of suction caisson subjected to cyclic loading, the Mohr–Coulomb failure line and critical state line are presented and the relationship between total stress, effective mean principal stress, stress difference, and pore-pressure is elucidated. The comparison of results predicted by the present method for a suction caisson subjected to cyclic loadings in clay has shown good agreement with those obtained from field tests. Cyclic behavior of clay up to failure is made clear from the relationship between cyclic tensile load, vertical and lateral displacements, and rotation and that between depth, vertical, and lateral pressures.     

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.     

Behavior of Marine Clay Subjected to Cyclic Loading with Sustained Shear Stress

Foundations of offshore structures are designed to withstand a combination of static and cyclic loads due to ocean waves. Wave action on offshore structures can cause a significant amount of cyclic horizontal and vertical forces to be transmitted to the soil through the foundation. In all these cases, these cyclic loads are considered to be superimposed over the initial sustained static stress due to the self-weight of structures. This study considers various factors that influence the development of deformation and pore water pressure in a typical cemented marine clay. These results show that the sustained static shear stress significantly influences the strength and deformation behavior of marine clay under cyclic loading. Up to a certain range of sustained static stress, there is an improvement in strength during cyclic loading and the cyclic strains are greatly reduced.     

Behavior of Marine Clay Subjected to Cyclic Loading with Sustained Shear Stress

Foundations of offshore structures are designed to withstand a combination of static and cyclic loads due to ocean waves. Wave action on offshore structures can cause a significant amount of cyclic horizontal and vertical forces to be transmitted to the soil through the foundation. In all these cases, these cyclic loads are considered to be superimposed over the initial sustained static stress due to the self-weight of structures. This study considers various factors that influence the development of deformation and pore water pressure in a typical cemented marine clay. These results show that the sustained static shear stress significantly influences the strength and deformation behavior of marine clay under cyclic loading. Up to a certain range of sustained static stress, there is an improvement in strength during cyclic loading and the cyclic strains are greatly reduced.     

Stiffness Degradation of Undisturbed Saturated Soft Clay in Yangtze Estuary under Complex Stress Conditions

Stiffness degradation will occur due to the generation of accumulated pore pressure in saturated soft clays under cyclic loading. The soil static-dynamic multi-purpose triaxial and torsional shear apparatus in Dalian University of Technology was employed to perform different types of test on saturated soft marine clay in the Yangtze estuary. Undisturbed samples of the clay were subjected to undrained cyclic vertical and torsional coupling shear and cyclic torsional shear after three-directional anisotorpic consolidation with different initial consolidation parameters. Investigated were the effects of the initial orientation angle of the major principal stress, initial ratio of deviatoric stress, initial coefficient of intermediate principal stress and continuous rotation of principal stress axes on the stiffness degradation. It is found that the degradation index decreases (or degradation degree increases) significantly with increasing initial orientation angle of the major principal stress and initial ratio of deviatoric stress. Compared to the effects of the initial orientation angle of the major principal stress and initial ratio of deviatoric stress, the effect of initial coefficient of intermediate principal stress is less evident and this trend is more clearly reflected by the results of the cyclic torsional shear tests than those of the cyclic coupling shear tests. At the same cycle number, the degradation index obtained from the cyclic torsional shear test is higher than that from the cyclic coupling shear test. The main reason is that the continuous rotation in principal stress directions during cyclic coupling shear damages the original structure of the soil more than the cyclic torsional shear does. Based on a series of experiments, a mathematical model for stiffness degradation is proposed and the relevant parameters are determined.     

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。     

Dynamic characteristics of marine soft clay under variable phase difference and initial static shear stress

Abstract

Under seismic loading, the soil layer is subjected to multidirectional cyclic shear stress with different amplitudes and frequencies because of the coupling of multiple shear waves and the soil element within a slope or behind a retaining wall is subjected to initial static shear stress before subjected to cyclic loading. Due to the complexity of seismic loading propagation, a phase difference exists between the initial static shear stress and cyclic shear stress. To investigate the influence of the phase difference and initial static shear stress on cyclic shear strain, cyclic modulus, and cyclic strength, a series of laboratory tests are performed on Wenzhou marine soft clay by multi-directional simple shear system, which can simulate the actual state better by controlling the horizontal cyclic stress in the x and y directions simultaneously. As the phase difference varies from 0° to 90°, the dynamic shear modulus increases and cyclic strain accumulation decreases with an increasing number of cycles. The shear strain increases with the initial shear stress.     

Cyclic behavior of natural organic clay under variable confining pressure that match traffic loading conditions

ABSTRACT

One-way cyclic loading is more typical for traffic loading and cyclic triaxial test has been recognized as a useful method for solving many engineering problems. Under traffic loading, the influence of variable confining pressure on cyclic behavior of natural organic clay subjected to cyclic traffic loading is rarely reported in the literature. In this study, a laboratory investigation on undrained cyclic behavior of natural organic clay is presented and conducted by cyclic triaxial apparatus. Tests are conducted by both constant confining pressure and variable confining pressure, to simulate the loading conditions induced by passing vehicles in actual engineering. Different stress levels are also considered in this study. By comparing between the results of constant confining pressure tests and variable confining pressure tests, it shows that the one-way cyclic behavior of organic clay is influenced significantly by variation of confining pressure, in terms of pore water pressure, permanent axial strain and stress–strain hysteretic loops.     

Monotonic and cyclic behaviors of loose anisotropically consolidated calcareous sand in torsional shear tests

ABSTRACT

The behavior of loose anisotropically consolidated calcareous sand obtained from an island in the South China Sea was investigated under undrained monotonic and cyclic loading in a hollow cylinder torsional apparatus. The tests were conducted on specimens which consolidated under various initial effective confining pressures and consolidation stress ratios. The monotonic test results show that the failure and phase transformation line are essentially independent of the consolidation conditions, while the initial contractive tendency of the specimens decreases with an increasing consolidation stress ratio. During monotonic loading of the anisotropically consolidated specimens, a same major principal stress direction is observed at the constant stress ratio lines up to the phase transformation line, irrespective of initial effective confining pressure. The cyclic strength of the sand increases with an increasing consolidation stress ratio. Moreover, a pronounced stress dependence is observed in the sand with higher consolidation stress ratio. During cyclic loading, the generated excess pore water pressure presents considerable fluctuations. The normalized terminal excess pore water pressure is described as a function of consolidation stress ratio. The tests show that the particle shape, rather than particle crushing, plays an important role in the monotonic and cyclic behaviors of the calcareous sand.     

循环应力下饱和黏土剪切变形特性试验研究

针对饱和重塑黏土,利用土工静力-动力液压三轴-扭转多功能剪切仪,在不固结不排水(UU)条件下进行了应力控制式循环扭剪和竖向-扭转耦合试验,通过对试验结果的对比分析探讨了初始预剪应力和应力反向对应力-应变关系特性的影响,并阐述了不同加荷模式下孔隙水压力发展特性。以此为基础,综合考虑剪切变形和正向偏差变形的共同效应,同时为了能够反映平均残余变形和循环变形的影响,建议了一个综合应变破坏标准的算式。进而通过利用试验数据与目前常用的应变标准比较,表明这种破坏标准具有普遍适用性和较好的稳定性,适用于判定各种应力条件下黏土试样破坏及其强度。     

Undrained strength behaviour of a cemented marine clay under monotonic and cyclic loading

The paper presents the results of a series of monotonic and cyclic triaxial shear tests carried out to study the influence of the strain effect and load cycles on the undrained shear strength of a cemented marine clay from the East coast of India. The undrained shear strength of Indian coastal marine clay has been established from a detailed shear testing carried out in three phases. Undisturbed soil samples taken out from the seabed were used in the test. In the first part, a comprehensive monotonic shear testing has been carried out under both stress-controlled and strain rate-controlled conditions. In the second phase on identical soil specimen, undrained cyclic shear tests were carried out at various cyclic stress ratios (CSR) and these stress levels are chosen in such a way so that no failure occurred during testing. In the final phase post cyclic monotonic shear testing was conducted to qualitatively evaluate the damage caused by cyclic loading. The monotonic shear test results bring out the influence of cementation that can be detected by the stress-controlled test. The cyclic stress results are analysed in terms of CSR. Further, the results are correlated in terms of stress path.     

Effect of Cyclic Loading Frequency on Undrained Behaviors of Undisturbed Marine Clay

Based on a series of cyclic triaxial tests, the effect of cyclic frequency on the undrained behaviors of undisturbed marine clay is investigated. For a given dynamic stress ratio, the accumulated pore water pressure and dynamic strain increase with the number of cycles. There exists a threshold value for beth the accumulated pore water pressure and dynamic strain, below which the effect of cyclic frequency is very small, but above which the accumulated pore water pressure and dynamic strain increase intensely with the decrease of cyclic frequency for a given number of cycles. The dynamic strength increases with the increase of cyclic frequency, whereas the effect of cyclic frequency on it gradually diminishes to zero when the number of cycles is large enough, and the dynamic strengths at different frequencies tend to the same limiting minimum dynamic strength. The test results demonstrate that the reasons for the frequency effect on the undrained soil behaviors are beth the creep effect induced by the loading rate and the decrease of sample effective confining pressure caused by the accumulated pore water pressure.     

Estimation of Undrained Bearing Capacity for Offshore Soft Foundations with Cyclic Load

The degradation strength of soils under cyclic loading is studied and a method for deter-mining the cyclic degradation strength with cyclic triaxial tests is given in the paper.Furthermore,a dum-my static method for estimating the undrained bearing capacity for offshore soft foundation under waveloads is developed.It can consider the effect of the difference of cyclic stress for different parts of the foun-dation on both the degradation strength of the foundation soil and the bearing capacity so that the esti-mated result can better reflect the real condition of foundation under cyclic loading.The method can be ap-plied to plane and space problem.     

杭州湾浅层粉土动力特性研究

选用杭州湾广泛分布的浅层粉土为研究对象,进行了一系列动三轴加载试验,研究了结构性、加载频率及动应力对杭州湾海底浅层粉土动应变、临界循环应力比和动强度的影响。试验结果表明,同一加载条件下,重塑样比原状样在更小振次内达到破坏,原状样动强度大于重塑样;结构性是影响土样动强度的重要因素,结构性对土样强度的影响随着动应力的增大而增强,随着频率的增大而减弱;加载频率的变化也对试样动力特性有较大影响,随着频率的增大,试样达到破坏所需振次加大,试样临界循环应力比也随之增大。     

Analysis Procedure of the Cyclic Bearing Capacity for Suction Anchors in Soft Clays

This article presents a procedure to calculate the bearing capacity of suction anchors subjected to inclined average and cyclic loads at the optimal load attachment point using the undrained cyclic shear strength of soft clays based on the failure model of anchors proposed by Andersen et al. The constant average shear stress of each failure zone around an anchor is assumed and determined based on the static equilibrium condition for the procedure. The cyclic shear strength of each failure zone is determined based on the average shear stress. The cyclic bearing capacity is finally determined by limiting equilibrium analyses. Thirty-six model tests of suction anchors subjected to inclined average and cyclic loads were conducted, which include vertical and lateral failure modes. Model test results were predicted using the procedure to verify its feasibility. The average relative error between predicted and test results is 1.7%, which shows that the procedure can be used to calculate the cyclic bearing capacity of anchors with optimal loading. Test results also showed that the anchor was still in vertical failure mode under combined average and cyclic loads if an anchor was in vertical failure mode under static loads. The anchor failure would depend on the vertical resistance degradation under cyclic loads if an anchor was in lateral failure mode under static loads. Cyclic bearing capacities associated with the number of load cycles to failure of 1000 were about 75% and 80% of the static bearing capacity for vertical failure anchors and lateral failure anchors, respectively.     

Non-linear analysis of undrained cyclic strength of soft marine clay

Iwan models are used to simulate the non-linear and hysteretic behaviour of soils under cyclic loading conditions. However, the model in its original form cannot take into account the stiffness degradation which is observed during cyclic loading of soft clays. Studies show that the stiffness reduction (expressed as degradation index) can be represented as a function of the number of cycles and of a degradation parameter depending on the strain amplitude in the case of strain controlled cyclic loading tests. This degradation index has been incorporated into Iwan's series–parallel model as a single fatigue parameter to account for the degradation during cyclic loading. The comparisons made with the existing results of two marine clays tested under undrained cyclic triaxial and simple shear conditions provided an opportunity to understand the capability of the one dimensional model.     

Cumulative Deformation of Soft Clay Under Cyclic Loading

Reconstituted specimens are prepared by means of vacuum preloading. Both static and cyclic triaxial tests are carried out, with the specimens consolidated under different principal stress ratios. A finite element method is put forward for calculating the cumulative deformation of soft clay under cyclic loading.     

The effect of periodic intermittency on the cyclic behavior of marine sedimentary clay

Abstract

For subway systems built in coastal areas, the marine sediments are subjected to regular load sequences of waves and intermittencies, resulting in more complex reactions in their cyclic behaviors compared with those under the uniform cyclic loading applied in common studies. This research involved a series of experimental investigations into the undrained behavior of undisturbed saturated marine sedimentary clay subjected to cyclic loading with periodic intermittency considering the initial deviator stress and the conventional uniform cyclic triaxial tests for comparison. The results indicate that periodic intermittency significantly increases cyclic resistance, manifested by weakening of the long-term response and decreases in the number of vibration times required to achieve a steady state. The effect is greater with longer intermittency durations. Furthermore, changes in the pore water volume during cyclic loading were analyzed via nondestructive detection based on nuclear magnetic resonance. A conversion from bound water to free water was observed, referring to vibration magnitude and times. Lastly, the macroscopic results observed in triaxial tests and the microscopic results obtained in the nuclear magnetic resonance test appear to be closely related, indicating that the use of the variation in pore water is an applicable approach to delineate microchanges.