On the THM behaviour of a sheared Boom clay sample: Application to the behaviour and sealing properties of the EDZ

In this study the effect of the temperature increase on the hydro-mechanical properties of sheared Boom clay samples is investigated. Two samples of Boom clay are resaturated in a new hollow cylinder triaxial cell with a short drainage path and then sheared by performing an axisymmetric triaxial loading. The effect of the undrained heating under deviatoric stress is studied on the first sample. It is shown that undrained temperature increase leads to an increase of pore water pressure and consequently to a decrease of the effective mean stress which brings the sample to failure. For an initially sheared sample, the failure occurs along the existing shear band which behaves as a weakness plane in the sample. The responses of the local strain measurement transducers clearly show the sliding of rigid blocks when failure occurs in the sample.The effect of the presence of a shear band on the permeability of the other Boom clay sample is investigated at ambient temperature and at 80 °C. It is shown that the presence of a shear band does not affect significantly the permeability. These results confirm the good self sealing properties of Boom clay at ambient and at high temperature.     

Thermally induced volume change and excess pore water pressure of soft Bangkok clay

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation carried out to study thermally induced volume changes under drained heating condition and thermally induced excess pore water pressures under undrained heating condition of soft Bangkok clay. The clay was heated up from room temperature (25 °C) to 90 °C using a modified oedometer and a triaxial test apparatus, respectively. The clay was found to exhibit temperature induced volume changes and temperature induced excess pore water pressures, in the range of temperatures investigated, depending mainly on the stress history. A theoretical microstructure mechanism that can interpret the thermally induced volume change behaviour at different stress conditions is presented in this study. Furthermore, the thermally induced excess pore water pressure behaviour at different stress conditions is explained using the unloading–reloading hysteresis of the typical soil consolidation curve. The results of this study provide additional data that can enhance the understanding of the thermo-mechanical behaviour concepts of saturated clays.     

长期循环荷载作用下排水条件对饱和软黏土动力特性影响

由于软黏土渗透系数很小,目前针对饱和软黏土的循环荷载试验绝大多数都是在不排水条件下进行的。但对交通荷载而言,软黏土承受经年累月的长期循环荷载作用,实际的排水条件应该是部分排水的。基于此,通过对温州原状饱和软黏土进行不同循环应力比下的不排水和部分排水大周数（50 000次）循环三轴试验,分析了长期循环荷载作用下排水条件对饱和软黏土动力特性的影响。研究结果表明与不排水条件相比,部分排水条件下软黏土试样的动力特性表现出很大的不同。随着循环次数的增加,部分排水条件下的孔压随先增加后降低,存在一个峰值;经过较大的循环次数后,回弹应变逐渐减小,应力-应变滞回圈逐渐缩短,面积也明显减小。为了准确预测交通荷载作用下的长期沉降,采用部分排水条件进行试验是十分必要的。     

Experimental study of thermal effects on the mechanical behaviour of a clay

The paper presents the results of an experimental study of thermal effects on the mechanical behaviour of a saturated clay. The study was performed on CM clay (Kaolin) using a temperature-controlled triaxial apparatus. Applied temperatures were between 22 and 90°C. A comprehensive experimental program was carried out, including: (i) triaxial shear tests at ambient and high temperatures for different initial overconsolidation ratios; (ii) consolidation tests at ambient and high temperatures; and (iii) drained thermal heating for different initial overconsolidation ratios. The obtained results provide observations concerning a wide scope of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of clays. Test results obtained at 90°C were compared with tests performed at ambient temperature. Based on these comparisons, thermal effects on a variety of features of behaviour are presented and discussed. Focus is made on: (i) induced thermal volume change during drained heating; (ii) experimental evidence of temperature influence on preconsolidation pressure and on compressibility index; (iii) thermal effects on shear strength and critical state; and (iv) thermal effects on elastic modulus. Thermal yielding is discussed and yield limit evolution with temperature is presented. The directions of the induced plastic strains are also discussed. Several remarks on the difference in the mechanical behaviour at ambient and high temperatures conclude the paper. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Thermal Volume Changes of the Callovo–Oxfordian Claystone

There are very few data on the thermoplastic behaviour of claystones, while their knowledge is necessary in understanding long-term behaviour of high-level radioactive waste confining systems. In this paper, a number of thermomechanical parameters of the Callovo–Oxfordian claystone, the possible host rock of radioactive waste in France, are presented. These parameters were obtained from experiments performed on a hollow cylinder cell. The short drainage path of this device allows a good saturation in a reasonably short time; also, the good drainage conditions and reasonable homogeneity of pore pressure during the tests in such a low-permeability material. The saturation procedure was performed under in-site stresses prior to testing to reduce the swelling effect during hydration. The thermomechanical experimental programme conducted here evidenced a plastic contraction of the claystone during drained heating under in-situ stress conditions, like in normally consolidated soils. Previous loading induced a dilating–contracting response comparable to that of overconsolidated clays. Finally, whereas the elastic response appeared to be temperature independent, the plastic compressibility investigated through a drained isothermal isotropic compression test at 80 °C increased compared to that at 25 °C. These first results should be confirmed by further thermomechanical investigation on claystones.     

循环围压对饱和软黏土永久变形的影响

通过对温州典型饱和软黏土进行一系列不同应力路径下的部分排水循环动三轴试验,研究了部分排水条件下循环围压对饱和软黏土变形特性的影响。试验结果表明：部分排水条件下,与常规的围压保持恒定,偏应力单独循环作用下的三轴试验结果相比,循环围压的存在对饱和软黏土的永久体应变和永久轴向应变均产生了的显著的影响。在相同循环应力比和循环次数下,试样的永久体应变和永久轴向应变均随着循环围压幅值的增大而增大,说明常规的恒定围压循环三轴试验会低估高速交通荷载作用下路基土体的沉降。基于试样第10 000圈的永久体应变和永久轴向应变,分别建立了可以量化部分排水条件下循环围压对饱和软黏土永久体应变和永久轴向应变影响的经验公式,并用于预测饱和软黏土在交通荷载这种包含循环偏应力和循环围压耦合作用的复杂应力条件下产生的永久变形。     

Investigation into water retention and gas permeability of Opalinus clay

Opalinus clay (OPA) is currently being investigated as a potential host rock for radioactive waste repository. The construction of this repository will lead to an excavation-damaged zone (EDZ) in the surrounding. Its sealing ability is crucial for the safety assessment of the geological repository. The sealing ability of OPA has a close relationship with its water retention and gas permeability behaviours. For this purpose, the water retention and gas permeability of OPA and its comparison with the artificial barrier (i.e. bentonite) were investigated in this study. The results show that OPA absorbed less water than granular bentonite material with equal suction. Compared with the other two similar materials (Boom clay and COx argillite), which were selected as natural engineering barriers for nuclear waste storage in Belgium and France, the suction behaviours of OPA are similar to those of COx argillite but notably different from those of Boom clay. The gas permeability tests show that OPA sample is quite sensitive to the changes in confining pressures but is less sensitive to applied gas pressures. Further, it is found that the OPA is more permeable than bentonite barrier after 10.5 years of hydration. Then, the OPA samples were artificially water-saturated. We find that the sealing ability can be recovered after long-time water saturation. However, when comparing with bentonite barrier, it is still a weak zone. This indicates that the EDZ should be paid more attention for the assessment the performance of the nuclear repository.     

Evaluation of shear strength of cohesionless soil due to excess pore water pressure

The shear strength of cohesionless soil is reduced as the water pressure inside the pores of the soil mass increases. The mathematical relationship between the shear strength and the pore water pressure was derived using Mohr–Coulomb failure criteria as a function of the confining pressure and the effective angle of friction. Experimentally, a series of consolidated drained triaxial tests with back pore water pressure was run on samples of saturated uniform dense sand. The tests were conducted at different confining pressures in the range of 100–400 kPa with an increment of 100 kPa. At each level of confining pressure, the tests were repeated at different values of back pore water pressure in the range of 0–100 kPa with an increment of 25 kPa. For each test, the initial applied back pore water pressure was kept constant during the test for comparing the results at the same effective confining pressure. This study concludes that the mathematical relationship gives accurate results at any level of confining pressure and/or pore water pressure as a function of the effective angle of friction that can be evaluated using single consolidated drained triaxial test at zero back pore water pressure.     

基于细观分析的黏土本构模型

根据黏性土在固结排水条件下的加、卸载变形特征,分析了孔隙水,固体骨架在不同变形阶段的力学响应行为,按照细观力学分析中的自洽方法,建立了在固结排水条件下的黏土损伤本构模型。模型中考虑了孔隙水和固体骨架在加、卸载阶段的不同特性,认为在损伤阶段整体剪切模量的降低是由固体骨架颗粒接触面滑移而引起,与骨架中滑动相的体积百分比和滑动相的剪切模量有关,并给出了求解整体变形模量的解析方法,最后将模型预测与不同初始固结压力,不同应力路径的排水试验结果作了比较,证明该模型是合理的。     

非饱和黏土动力特性及等价黏弹性模型的试验研究

针对非饱和重塑黏土,利用改进的非饱和土静力-动力液压三轴-扭转多功能剪切仪,在固结排水（CD）条件下进行了应力控制式分级加载的循环三轴试验,通过对试验结果的对比分析,探讨了初始固结压力和基质吸力(孔隙气压力Ua与孔隙水压力Uw之差)对非饱和土动应力-动应变关系特性的影响。以此为基础,将Hardin-Drnerich等价黏弹性模型和Masing加卸载准则进行了改进,并得到了可以考虑基质吸力的非饱和黏土的等价黏弹性模型。进而对试验数据与模型预测结果进行比较,结果表明这种改进的非饱和土等价黏弹性模型能较好预测各种基质吸力下非饱和土的动应力-动应变关系。     

冲击作用下饱和土性状的试验研究

在三轴条件下,对饱和土（砂土和黏土）进行排水与不排水条件下的冲击试验及冲击后再固结试验,对比研究了不同渗透性土在不同排水条件下的冲击动力响应和冲击后再固结性状。结果表明：饱和黏土不排水冲击时的孔隙水压力随冲击击数增加而升高并逐渐稳定,排水冲击时的孔隙水压力则是先达到峰值然后有所下降;砂土不排水冲击时的冲击能量对孔隙水压力影响最明显;饱和砂土不排水冲击时的轴向应变与冲击击数呈近似线性关系,饱和黏土冲击及饱和砂土排水冲击则呈近二次曲线关系;饱和砂土不排水冲击后再固结阶段的孔隙水压力立即消散为0,同时体变迅速增大到一定值;饱和黏土在冲击后再固结阶段的孔隙水压力在一定时间内逐渐消散完毕,同时体变逐渐增大;饱和黏土排水冲击时,冲击阶段产生的体变占冲击引起总体变的39%～49%,冲击后再固结阶段产生的体变占51%～61%;砂土和黏土的总体变均表现为排水冲击明显大于不排水冲击,改善冲击时的排水条件有利于提高加固效果。     

Mathematical modelling of monotonic and cyclic undrained clay behaviour

The proposed general analytical model describes the anisotropic, elasto-plastic, path-dependent, stress-strain-strength properties of inviscid saturated clays under undrained loading conditions. The model combines properties of isotropic and kinematic plasticity by introducing the concept of a field of plastic moduli which is defined in stress space by the relative configuration of yield surfaces. For any loading (or unloading) history, the instantaneous configuration is determined by calculating the translation and contraction (or expansion) of each yield surface. The stress-strain behaviour of clays can thus be determined for complex loading paths and in particular for cyclic loadings. The stress-strain relationships are provided for use in finite element analyses. The model parameters required to characterize the behaviour of any given clay can be derived entirely from conventional triaxial or simple shear soil test results. The model's extreme versatility is demonstrated by using it to formulate the behaviour of the Drammen clay under both monotonic and cyclic loading conditions. The parameters are determined by using solely the results from monotonic and cyclic strain-controlled simple shear experimental tests, and the model's accuracy is evaluated by applying it to predict the results of other tests such as (1) cyclic stress-controlled simple shear tests, (2) monotonic triaxial loading compression and unloading extension tests, and (3) cyclic stress- and strain-controlled triaxial tests on, this same clay. The theoretical predictions are found to agree extremely well with the experimental test results.     

地铁行车荷载作用下淤泥质黏土累积特性的试验研究

中国上海地区地铁隧道一般位于第④层淤泥质黏土层中,在地铁行车荷载作用下隧道周围土体变形引起隧道轴线沉降,有些区段隧道轴线沉降量已超过20cm,引起了一系列环境地质问题.本文以上海第④层原状淤泥质黏土为研究对象,通过室内循环三轴试验,模拟地铁运营过程中产生的振动荷载,研究荷载作用下上海淤泥质黏土的累积应变、孔隙水压力及再...     

不同温度应力路径下饱和黏土剪切特性

在精准温控动三轴试验系统上开展了不同温度及不同升温路径饱和黏土剪切试验研究,探讨了不同温度对饱和软黏土不排水剪切特性的影响,分析不同升温固结方式对饱和软黏土孔压发展、体变、强度以及模量的影响规律。试验结果显示：在4～76 ℃试验研究范围内,环境温度升高导致饱和软黏土的不排水剪切强度有所减少,但温度升高对土体模量增加影响明显,温度T和模量ET关系可用ET = 2.69T 0.3表达;升温变化时正常固结黏土产生超孔隙水压力并随着温度增大而增大,升温热固结后土的剪切强度将明显提高,且排水状态下升温固结对土剪切强度增长小于升温完成后再固结情况;土体从26 ℃分别升高20、40 ℃时,升温引起的超孔压比分别为0.41、0.61,剪切峰值强度分别增加8.23%、22.37%。研究表明：升温幅值增大会使土体热固结程度越大,升温分级越多,热固结也越充分,其对应的体变、强度增长率则越大;同时最终温度及热固结路径对其剪切相转换特征存在影响,升温越高、热固结路径越多其剪胀性越明显,但温度变化范围、固结分级、热固结路径总体上对孔隙水压力的发展基本不产生影响。     

Strength Anisotropy of Compacted Decomposed Granite Soils

In order to investigate the strength and deformation anisotropy of compacted decomposed granite soils, a series of drained triaxial compression tests was performed on unsaturated and saturated decomposed granite soils. The specimens were subjected to compression tests such that the angle δ of the direction of the major principal stress, σ ₁, during triaxial compression relative to the compaction plane (bedding plane) varies, with δ = 0°, 45° and 90°. Test results indicated that the compressive strain of the specimens subjected to isotropic consolidation was influenced strongly by the angle δ. In addition, the effect of the angle δ on the triaxial compressive strength and deformation was more evident in unsaturated specimens than in saturated specimens. Based on the test results, a procedure which can be used to estimate the shear strength of unsaturated soils taking into account various angles δ was proposed.     

基坑开挖卸荷土体变形的试验研究

对武汉地区某深基坑工程的20个粉质粘土原状饱和试样在K0状态下进行不排水卸荷试验,对其应力-应变关系进行分析研究。研究的目的在于了解该种土在卸荷条件下试验应力-应变的变化规律,探索弹性模量方程的形式。研究结果表明：卸荷条件下该土的试验应力-应变曲线仍可用双曲线形式模拟,且与常规三轴压缩试验应力-应变曲线相似,它们之间可用一个常量来表达,而其弹性模量表达式却有各自不同的形式。     

基于数字图像测量技术的砂土剪切带分析

在进行土工试验时,土样端部摩擦效应和初始缺陷都可以引起试样的不均匀变形,进而形成宏观的剪切带。基于数字图像测量技术改进了GDS多功能三轴仪,进行砂土的固结排水三轴试验,获得了试样在不同时刻的应变等值线云图和局部应力-应变全曲线,研究了试样端部的摩擦效应。结果表明,端部摩擦显著地影响试样的力学特性,对径向应变的影响可达10%。通过在砂土试样中放置粉质黏土块的方法获得了宏观不均匀土样,并测试其剪切带的形成过程。测试结果表明,试样在两种材料的界面处形成不连续刚度,引起变形的不均匀发展,进而形成宏观的剪切带而破坏。     

部分排水时饱和粉质黏土变围压循环三轴试验研究

围压循环变化将引起土体孔压累积,加剧土体累积塑性应变,导致地基灾变事故。为研究围压循环变化对饱和粉质黏土变形特性的影响,利用GDS双向振动三轴仪,进行部分排水时饱和粉质黏土的变围压循环三轴试验,研究不同应力路径斜率和循环动应力比时饱和粉质黏土的孔压、轴向累积塑性应变和体应变发展规律,建立部分排水条件时考虑循环围压和循环动应力耦合作用的地基粉质黏土累积应变数学模型。试验结果表明：部分排水时饱和粉质黏土孔压、轴向累积塑性应变和体应变均随循环动应力比和应力路径斜率的增大而增大;动孔压比随着振动次数的增加明显分为急剧增加、快速下降和持续平稳3个阶段;轴向累积塑性应变和体应变均随振动次数的增加而增大。当加载次数超过2 500次时,粉质黏土孔压趋于平稳,变形速率略有降低,但变形持续增加。补充试验结果表明,所建立模型与试验结果具有较高的一致性。研究结果将为交通循环荷载导致的地基灾变控制技术提供理论依据。