Undrained deformation behavior of saturated soft clay under long-term cyclic loading

Subgrade soils of traffic infrastructures are subjected to large numbers of load applications at a stress level below their shear strength. It is therefore of great practical relevance to study the deformation behavior of soft clay under long-term cyclic loading. In this study, a series of monotonic triaxial tests and long-term cyclic (50,000 cycles) triaxial tests have been carried out to investigate the undrained deformation behavior of undisturbed soft clay from Wenzhou, China. The stress–strain hysteretic loop, resilient modulus and permanent strain of the tested samples were found significantly dependent on CSR and confining pressure. With an increase of CSR and confining pressure, the resilient modulus decreases more significantly with increasing number of cycles and the accumulation rate of permanent strain increases. Furthermore, the shape of the stress–strain hysteretic loop almost remains unchanged and the resilient modulus tends to a steady value after a large number of cycles. Based on the experimental results, two equations are established for the prediction of long-term resilient modulus and permanent strain. Finally, a new critical value of 0.65 is suggested for CSR. When CSR>0.65, the resilient modulus for large number of cycles is reduced to a so called “asymptotic stiffness” and the accumulation rate of permanent strain significantly increases.     

不同应力水平下结构性黏土动力特性试验研究

对天津滨海地区典型结构性软黏土进行了压缩试验和不同固结应力下的循环三轴试验。结果表明:结构性软黏土的静力变形特性以先期固结应力和结构屈服应力为分界点可分为3个阶段;不同固结应力下的动应变-振次关系曲线上存在着一个临界动应力比,且该值随着围压的增大而降低;孔隙水压力的变化以结构屈服应力为转折点呈现出不同的变化规律;当振动频率为2Hz时固结应力的改变对轴向动应变的影响不明显。     

循环荷载作用下红黏土累积变形研究

通过GDS动三轴设备对赣南红黏土进行了一系列排水条件下的大次数循环试验,研究不同循环应力比、固结应力比及围压对赣南红黏土累积变形特性的影响。结果表明：在不同固结应力比、固结压力和循环应力比条件下,红黏土的累积应变都呈现出先迅速累积,后增长变缓,最终稳定的趋势;在一定的循环次数之后,不同初始固结应力和不同初始应力比条件下累积应变与循环次数之间的变形规律呈现为线性关系,且初始固结应力和初始固结应力比越小,其线性相关性越好;不同循环应力比下赣南红黏土的平均累积应变速率与循环次数之间也呈现出明显的线性关系。此外,基于以上关系建立了赣南红黏土在长期循环荷载作用下的累积变形预测模型,并通过对比验证了该模型的可行性。     

Evaluation of shear strength of rock joints subjected to cyclic loading

Variation of the shear strength of rock joints due to cyclic loadings is studied in the present paper. Identical joint surfaces were prepared using a developed moulding method with special mortar and shear tests were performed on these samples under both static and cyclic loading conditions. Different levels of shear displacement were applied on the samples to study joint behaviour before and during considerable relative shear displacement. It was found that the shear strength of joints is related to rate of displacement (shearing velocity), number of loading cycles and stress amplitude. Finally, based on the experimental results, mathematical models were developed for evaluation of shear strength in cyclic loading conditions.     

Factors affecting shear modulus degradation of cement treated clay

Cement stabilization is often used to improve the bearing capacity and compressibility of soft clays. The present paper aims to investigate the shear modulus degradation of cement treated clay during cyclic loading. A series of cyclic triaxial test was conducted on artificially cement treated marine clay to study the factors affecting the shear modulus degradation. The parameters considered for the study are cement content (2.5–7.5%), curing days (7–28), cyclic shear strain amplitude (0.3–1%), number of loading cycles (1–100) and loading frequency (0.1–0.5 Hz). As in the case of natural clays, cement treated clays exhibit stiffness degradation which depends on mix ratio, curing days and loading conditions. The results show that the shear modulus degradation decreases with increase in the shear strain amplitude, cement content and curing days. It is also noted that irrespective of the mix ratio and curing conditions, the degradation decreases with increase in loading frequency. An empirical relationship is proposed to predict the shear modulus degradation based on Idriss׳s degradation model. The performance of the proposed empirical model is validated with the present experimental results.     

主应力轴持续旋转条件下饱和松砂的振动孔隙水压力特性

利用新研制的“土工静力-动力液压三轴-扭剪多功能剪切仪”,针对福建标准松砂,在三向非均等固结条件下,进行了能够模拟海洋波浪荷载作用下主应力轴连续旋转的循环耦合剪切试验。通过试验着重探讨了初始主应力方向、振动过程中主应力方向连续变化对不排水条件下砂土的振动孔隙水压力增长特性的影响。实验研究表明:在振动过程中主应力轴连续旋转的条件下,初始主应力方向对砂土的动孔压比与振次比之间关系具有显著的影响,随着初始大主应力与竖向之间夹角的增大,动孔压比的增长速度明显加快,具有较好的规律性;归一化孔压比与广义剪应变之间的关系基本上与初始主应力方向角和振动剪应力幅值无关。     

Simulation of torsional shear test results with neuro-fuzzy control system

In the first part of this study, a series of stress-controlled hollow cylinder cyclic torsional triaxial shear tests were conducted on loose to medium dense saturated samples of clean Toyoura sand to investigate its liquefaction behavior. A uniform cyclic sinusoidal loading at a 0.1 Hz frequency was applied to air-pluviated samples where confining pressure and relative density was varied. Cyclic shear stress–strain changes, the number of cycles to reach liquefaction and pore pressure variations were recorded. Results indicate that the liquefaction resistances of uniform sands are significantly affected by the method of sample preparation and initial conditions.     

Shear modulus degradation model for cohesive soils

One of the key issues in cyclic behaviour of soft clays is gradual degradation of shear modulus. In most of the cyclic soil models such degrdation of shear modulus of soil with the progression of loading cycle was incorporated, addition to the standard non-linear backbone curves. Such cyclic degradation was usually represented by a parameter, degradation index, which is a function of loading cycles and cyclic shear strain amplitude. However it is well understood from the past experimental studies that the degradation index depends on various other factors as well. The present paper aims to develop a simple empirical model involving degradation index as a function of number of loading cycles, plasticity index, cyclic shear strain, overconsolidation ratio, loading frequency based on the experimental results. It is then fitted with the hyperbolic hysteretic model to estimate the modulus degradation for different cycles. Finally the damping ratio is calculated based on Masing rule with correction factors and validated through experimental results.     

Particle breakage of artificially crushable materials subject to drained cyclic triaxial loading

Upon cyclic loading, particle breakage of constituent granular materials occurs when the resulting local stresses exceed their strength, which has a significant influence on the deformation of the embankment, foundation and pavement structures. In this study, the artificially crushable materials were tested to investigate the particle breakage properties of these structures when subjected to drained cyclic triaxial loading. Twelve sets of samples were tested at the confining pressures of 100, 125, 150 and 175 kPa and a frequency of 1.0 Hz using a GCTS triaxial system. The cyclic test results indicate that at the same confining pressure, the residual volumetric strain increases with decreasing maximal deviatoric stress q_max at a given ratio of the number of cycles (N) to the number of cycles of failure (N_f). The cumulative crushing ratio R_cc decreases with increasing q_max, leading to a reduction in N_f. The internal frictional angle decreases with increasing R_cc, and R_cc increases with increasing N_f. Furthermore, the confining pressure, maximal cyclic deviatoric stress and N have significant influences on the degree of particle breakage, which leads to volumetric contraction during the cyclic loading process. Finally, the resilient modulus at failure increases linearly with increasing R_cc.     

重复循环荷载作用下原状黄土动力特性试验研究

为探究重复循环荷载作用下含水率、固结压力对原状黄土动力特性、变形性状的影响规律,利用英国GDS双向动态三轴试验系统模拟交通荷载,对海东地区原状黄土进行动三轴试验研究。试验结果表明：单一重复循环动荷载作用下,在加载初期,海东地区原状黄土的轴向动应变随着循环次数的增大急剧增加,后期缓慢增加至趋于稳定,即发生应变硬化现象。在加载初期,含水率、固结压力对原状黄土的轴向动应变无明显影响,当循环次数N>400时,原状黄土的轴向动应变随含水率的升高而增加,随固结压力的增大而减小。动剪切模量随循环次数的增加出现先减小后增加再减小的变化,随含水率的升高有较大幅度的降低。动阻尼比随循环次数的增加先增加后减小,随含水率的升高而增大。表明海东地区原状黄土所具有的大孔隙架空结构使其在重复循环荷载作用下易发生振动变形。     

复杂应力条件下饱和松砂单调与循环剪切特性的比较研究

本文利用大连理工大学新引进与开发的“土工静力-动力液压-三轴扭转多功能剪切仪”,针对福建标准砂,在不排水条件下同时进行了单调剪切试验与循环剪切试验,进而对其进行了对比分析。通过比较表明,应力-应变关系的应变软化和硬化特性与流滑变形和循环流动特性密切相关,当循环剪切应力水平高于单调剪切过程中应变软化阶段最小强度时将会发生流滑变形。无论在单调剪切中,还是在循环剪切中,稳定状态时的有效偏应力比随着大主应力方向与竖向之间夹角的增大而减小,在中主应力系数相同的条件下,循环剪切中呈现显著剪胀时的有效偏应力比和最终稳定状态时的有效偏应力比峰值分别与单调剪切中达到相变状态时的有效偏应力比和最终稳定有效偏应力比基本上一致。然而不排水条件下单调与循环剪切过程中孔隙水压力的增长特性却并不相同,循环剪切中的最大孔隙水压力随着初始主应力方向角的增大而减小,单调剪切中的最大孔隙水压力却随着主应力方向角的增大而增大。     

Pore water pressure increment model for saturated Nanjing fine sand subject to cyclic loading

Three groups of dynamic triaxial tests were performed for saturated Nanjing fine sand subjected to uniform cyclic loading. The tested curves of the excess pore water pressure (EPWP) ratio variation with the ratio of the number of cycles are provided. The concept of the EPWP increment ratio is introduced and two new concepts of the effective dynamic shear stress ratio and the log decrement of effective stress are defined. It is found that the development of the EPWP increment ratio can be divided into three stages: descending, stable and ascending. Furthermore, at the stable and ascending stages, a satisfactory linear relationship is obtained between the accumulative EPWP increment ratio and natural logarithm of the effective dynamic shear stress ratio. Accordingly, the EPWP increment ratio at the number of cycles N has been deduced that is proportional to the log decrement of effective stress at the cycle number N-1, but is independent of the cyclic stress amplitude. Based on the analysis, a new EPWP increment model for saturated Nanjing fine sand is developed from tested data fitting, which provides a better prediction of the curves of EPWP generation, the number of cycles required for initial liquefaction and the liquefaction resistance.     

循环荷载下南京片状细砂的动应力——应变关系

以片状颗粒成分为主的片状结构砂与常用的圆形颗粒标准石英砂相比,在物理力学特性上有显著的差异。循环荷载作用下,饱和砂土振动孔压上升会导致土体刚度发生软化,当振动孔压累积达到一定水平时,会产生液化现象,从而引起土体结构发生破坏。采用英国WFI动三轴仪,研究了南京片状细砂在循环荷载作用下,静偏应力水平、循环应力比水平和循环次数对其动应力一应变关系的影响,考虑每一次循环过程中动应力—应变关系滞回曲线的卸载及再加载割线动剪切模量Gsec和最大割线模量Gmax的变化特性,建立了动剪模量软化的经验公式;静偏应力水平对动剪模量软化有显著影响,随着循环次数的增加,动应力—应变滞回圈逐渐向应变累积方向滑移和向应变轴方向倾斜,且彼此分离;考虑循环软化特性,采用修正的Masing准则,描述了循环荷载下南京片状细砂的动应力—应变关系。     

不同应力分量耦合模式下天津滨海饱和黏性土变形特性研究

地基土单元体在地震荷载作用下将产生主应力轴连续旋转,不同的应力耦合模式对土的强度、孔压以及变形等特性影响显著。利用GCTS空心圆柱扭剪仪,对天津滨海软土场地饱和黏性土进行K0固结下的不同应力耦合模式的循环剪切试验。着重对比相同应力路径下竖向和扭剪双向耦合加载模式,内外围压和扭剪的三向耦合加载模式以内外围压、竖向和扭剪的四向耦合加载模式条件下饱和黏性土的变形特性、循环软化特性。试验结果表明:在相同的动强度下,四向耦合应力模式更容易破坏且变形特性以及软化特性较双向、三向耦合下发展更加迅速;剪应力分量对试样软化变形特性的影响更加显著。     

沿深度强度增加软土中吸力锚循环承载力模型试验

采用分层底部真空预压技术,在模型试验箱内制备强度沿深度增加的模型试验土层;进而利用自行开发的电动伺服加载装置,在荷载控制方式下,针对水平破坏模式,进行两种直径的吸力锚在最佳系泊点受倾斜方向静荷载与循环荷载共同作用下的承载力模型试验。试验结果表明,循环荷载作用过程中锚的循环变形没有明显增加,导致锚破坏的是循环累积变形。强度沿深度增加软土和均一强度软土中吸力锚循环承载力的相对变化规律一致,当循环破坏次数为100时,循环承载力是静承载力的90%左右;当循环破坏次数增加至2 000时,循环承载力减小至静承载力的70%左右。锚径的变化只影响循环承载力的大小,不影响其相对变化。强度沿深度增加土层中的吸力锚,其循环荷载下竖向阻力弱化程度大于水平阻力弱化程度,这与均一强度土层中吸力锚受循环荷载作用时的性态一致。     

复杂应力条件下松砂振动孔隙水压力与体变特性的试验研究

利用新研制的土工静力-动力液压三轴-扭转多功能剪切仪,在5种初始主应力方向角与5种中主应力系数相组合的初始固结条件下,对饱和松砂进行了不排水循环扭剪试验。讨论了初始固结条件对不排水条件下饱和松砂孔隙水压力变化规律及对剪胀、剪缩、卸荷体缩等体积变化过程的影响。试验研究表明：（1）分别以稳定残余孔隙水压力和破坏时循环次数归一化后的残余孔隙水压力比和循环次数比之间的关系可以用双曲线模式表达。其参数主要依赖于初始主应力方向,中主应力系数对参数的影响并不显著。归一化后的孔隙水压力比与广义剪应变之间的关系也可以用双曲线模式表达,其中的2个待定参数依赖于初始主应力方向,与中主应力系数无关;（2）在三向非均等固结条件下的不排水循环扭剪试验中,饱和松砂表现出卸荷体缩特性,不同初始主应力方向时,饱和松砂剪缩、剪胀、卸荷体缩呈现出不同的交替变化模式。     

Post-cyclic settlement and tilting potential of mat foundations

A simplified procedure for the estimation of cyclic shear stresses on foundation soil layers due to interactions of seismic excitation, foundation mat and overlying structural system, incorporating both kinematic and inertial aspects was described earlier in Cetin et al. [1], [2]. This simplified procedure is now used, along with laboratory-based cyclic shear and volumetric strain relationships for the assessment of cyclically induced settlement and tilting potential of mat foundations. The proposed methodology is calibrated by well-documented seismic foundation performance case histories of 3–6 story, relatively rigid residential structures with no basements. Immediately after 1999 Kocaeli and Duzce, Turkey earthquakes, foundation settlements of these case history buildings were carefully mapped relative to available elevation benchmarks, such as relatively rigid concrete pavements, drainage pipes and ditches, and entrance stairs, located in the immediate vicinity of the buildings. Tilt angles of these buildings were also mapped in orthogonal multi-directions. Relative settlement and tilt angle values vary in the range of 0–60 cm and 0–5.5 rad, respectively. As part of subsurface characterization studies, SPT and seismic CPTU were performed. For the retrieved disturbed and undisturbed samples, an intensive laboratory testing program including sieve analysis, Atterberg Limit, hydrometer, oedometer, static and cyclic triaxial and cyclic simple shear tests was executed. The foundation soil profiles generally consist of silty soils, sand–silt mixtures and silt–clay mixtures of SPT-N values varying in the range of 2–5 blows/30 cm in the upper 5 m and gradually increases up to a maximum value of 25 blows/30 cm beyond depths of 5–8 m. As part of the proposed framework, displacement potential indices, defined as the product of induced-cyclic strains and the thickness of soil sub-layers, were estimated, the sum of which produce settlement and tilting potentials. Then, these settlement and tilting potentials were calibrated against recorded settlement and tilt values through a statistically based calibration scheme. The proposed simplified procedure is shown to reliably and precisely capture both deviatoric and volumetric components of post-cyclic settlements, as well as tilting responses of mat foundations.     

Dynamic shear modulus and damping ratio of frozen compacted sand subjected to freeze–thaw cycle under multi-stage cyclic loading

Frozen soil plays an important role on the stability of railway and highway subgrade in cold regions. However, the dynamic properties of frozen soil subjected to the freeze–thaw cycles have rarely been investigated. In this study, cryogenic cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on frozen compacted sand from Nehe, Heilongjiang Province in China which was subjected to the closed-system freeze–thaw cycles. A modified Hardin hyperbolic model was suggested to describe the backbone curves. Then, dynamic shear modulus and damping ratio versus cyclic shear strain were analyzed under the different freeze–thaw cycles, temperatures, initial water contents, loading frequencies and confining pressures. The results indicate that the freeze–thaw process plays a significant effect on the dynamic shear modulus and damping ratio, which slightly change after one freeze–thaw cycle. Dynamic shear modulus increases with increasing initial water content, temperature, loading frequency and confining pressure. Damping ratio increases with increasing initial water content, while decreases with increasing temperature and loading frequency. The effect of confining pressure on the damping ratio was found not significant. Furthermore, the empirical expressions were formulated to estimate dynamic shear modulus and damping ratio of the frozen compacted sand. The results provide guidelines for evaluating the infrastructures in cold regions.     

Effects of load irregularity on the cyclic behaviour of sand

In an effort to investigate the effects of irregular nature of load application on the behaviour of soils during earthquakes, a series of uni-directional irregular loading tests were performed on saturated Fuji river snad under undrained condition using a simple shear test apparatus. The samples prepared to three different densities in this test device were subjected to twelve irregular time histories of shear stress alteration. For comparison purposes, the conventional type of constant amplitude cyclic simple shear tests were also conducted on samples prepared under identical conditions. On the basis of the test results, values of coefficients allowing for the effect of load irregularity were elucidated for the samples with three different densities. It was then suggested that the values of coefficient thus determined be used to facilitate the evaluation of the soil strength under actual seismic loading conditions, on the basis of the cyclic shear strength obtained from the conventional type of constant-amplitude triaxial tests.