Utilization of Lime for Stabilizing Soft Clay Soil of High Organic Content

This paper presents the results of geotechnical and mineralogical investigations on lime-treated soft clay soil from Idku City, Egypt, where high organic matters of about 14% exist. Lime was added in the order of 1%, 3%, 5% and 7% by weight and laboratory experiments after 7, 15, 30 and 60 days were conducted including the mineralogical and microstructural examinations, grain size analysis, plasticity limits, unconfined compressive tests, vane shear tests and oedometer tests. The results indicate that soft clay soil of high organic content of 14% can be stabilized satisfactorily with the addition of 7% lime. The results also demonstrate that the changes in the mineralogical contents and soil fabric of high organic lime-treated soft clay improve soil plasticity, strength and compressibility.     

An evaluation of the osmotic method of controlling suction∗

Experimental techniques of testing the mechanical properties of unsaturated soils are complex and difficult to conduct. As a consequence, complete sets of parameters that characterise the behaviour of unsaturated soils remain scarce and necessary. In this context, it has been found useful to gather the information obtained after some years of practice of the osmotic technique of controlling suction. As compared to the more documented axis-translation technique, the osmotic technique has its own advantages and drawbacks that are discussed in this paper, together with some potential future developments.

The osmotic method has been developed by soil scientists in the 1960s and adapted to geotechnical testing in the early 1970s. This paper presents the osmotic technique and comments on its advantages (including suction condition close to reality and higher suctions easily attained) and drawbacks (including some concern with the membrane resistance and some membrane effects in the suction/concentration calibration). Various applications to geotechnical testing are presented such as the determination of the water retention curve, oedometer and triaxial testing procedures and the determination of the permeability of unsaturated soils. Recent developments, that include the extension of the method up to high suctions (10 MPa) are also described, together with some recent and novel applications such as data from high controlled suction oedometer compression test and the determination of the oil/water retention properties of oil reservoir chalks.     

Temperature effects on the hydraulic behaviour of an unsaturated clay

The influence of temperature on the hydraulic properties of unsaturated clays is of major concern in the design of engineered barriers in underground repositories for high-level radioactive waste disposal. This paper presents an experimental study centred on the investigation of the influence of temperature on soil hydraulic properties related to water retention and permeability. Laboratory tests were conducted on artificially prepared unsaturated fabrics obtained from a natural kaolinitic-illitic clay. Special attention is given to the testing procedures involving controlled suction and temperature oedometer cells and the application of the vapour equilibrium technique at high temperatures. Retention curves at different temperatures show that total suction tends to reduce with increasing temperatures at constant water content. Temperature influence on water permeability is more relevant at low matric suctions corresponding to bulk water preponderance (inter-aggregate zone). Below a degree of saturation of 75% no clear effect is detected. Experimental data show that temperature dependence on permeability at constant degree of saturation and constant void ratio is smaller than what could be expected from the thermal change in water viscosity. This behaviour suggests that phenomena such as porosity redistribution and thermo-chemical interactions, which alter clay fabric and pore fluid, can be relevant.     

荆门非饱和膨胀土的变形与强度特性试验研究

通过压力板试验,对比分析了荆门原状膨胀土与石灰改良土持水特征的差异性;应用非饱和土三轴仪,开展了原状膨胀土、石灰改良膨胀土与重塑膨胀土的变形及强度特性试验。结果表明：①石灰改良膨胀土与原状膨胀土相比,其进气值有显著降低,残余含水率显著升高,土-水特征曲线两个特征点的斜率较为平缓,说明其水稳定性较好,土体性状更为稳定;②原状膨胀土和石灰改良膨胀土在非饱和与饱和状态的应力-应变关系曲线均呈应变软化型,随净围压的增大,应变软化的程度趋缓;随含水率的减小,峰值应力增大,应力峰值点有所提前,应变软化现象更加显著。饱和重塑膨胀土的应力-应变关系呈应变强化型,非饱和重塑膨胀土则呈现为应变软化型,但其应变软化的程度较前两类土大为趋缓;③经石灰改性后,膨胀土强度参数值有大幅度提高,即使在湿化饱和后,石灰改良膨胀土仍保持了相对稳定的力学性质和较高的抗剪强度参数值。相比之下,无论是重塑膨胀土,还是原状膨胀土,对湿化作用均十分敏感,其强度参数值或波动较大,或整体水平较低。     

Comparison of testing techniques and models for establishing the SWCC of riverbank soils

The soil water characteristic curve (SWCC), also known as soil water retention curve (SWRC), describes the relationship between water content and soil suction in unsaturated soils. Water content and suction affect the permeability, shear strength, volume change and deformability of unsaturated soils. This paper presents results of the laboratory determination of the SWCC for soil samples obtained from the riverbank of the Lower Roanoke River in North Carolina. Six different testing methods were used to establish the SWCC including the filter paper, dewpoint potentiameter, vapor equilibrium, pressure plate, Tempe cell and osmotic methods. It is concluded that each suction measurement technique provides different measurable ranges of suction values, and the combined results from the different tests provide continuous SWCCs. Three widely available models were also shown to adequately fit the experimental SWCC data, particularly for matric suction values under 1500 kPa. These results will be valuable to practitioners in deciding which methods to use to establish the SWCC, and which empirical relationship to use for modeling the SWCC of riverbank soils.     

A density‐dependent elastoplastic hydro‐mechanical model for unsaturated compacted soils

This paper presents a three‐dimensional elastoplastic constitutive model for predicting the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soils. It is based on experimental results obtained from a series of controlled‐suction triaxial tests on unsaturated compacted clay with different initial densities. Hydraulic hysteresis in the water‐retention behaviour is modelled as an elastoplastic process, with the elastic part modelled by a series of scanning curves and the elastoplastic part modelled by the main drying and wetting curves. The effect of void ratio on the water‐retention behaviour is studied using data obtained from controlled‐suction wetting–drying cyclic tests on unsaturated compacted clay with different initial densities. The effect of the degree of saturation on the stress–strain‐strength behaviour and the effect of void ratio on the water‐retention behaviour are considered in the model, as is the effect of suction on the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour. The initial density dependency of the compacted soil behaviour is modelled by experimental relationships between the initial density and the corresponding yield stress and, thereby, between the initial density and the normal compression line. The model is generalized to three‐dimensional stress states by assuming that the shapes of the failure and yield surfaces in the deviatoric stress plane are given by the Matsuoka–Nakai criterion. Model predictions of the stress–strain and water‐retention behaviour are compared with those obtained from triaxial tests with different initial densities under isotropic compression, triaxial compression and triaxial extension, with or without variation in suction. The comparisons indicate that the model accurately predicts the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of unsaturated compacted soils with different initial densities using the same material constant. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Swelling behaviour of expansive soil treated with fly ash–GGBS based binder

In this article, the potential of a binder developed by admixing fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) to stabilise expansive soils is evaluated. Laboratory tests included determination of free swell index, swell potential and swelling pressure tests of the soil/binder mixtures at different mixing ratio. The test results showed decrease in the swelling behaviour of the soil with increase in binder content. The percent swell–time relationship was observed to fit the hyperbolic curves enabling us to predict the ultimate percent swell from few initial test results. Addition of 1% of lime to the binder showed further improvement in reducing swelling. A good linear relationship is established between percent oedometer swell and modified free swell index (MFSI) for soil/binder mixtures without lime but the same has not been observed in the presence of lime. The compressibility characteristics of the soil/binder mixtures reduced nominally with increase in binder content but in the presence of lime, the compressibility reduced significantly. Binder used in this study has been found to be effective and economic to stabilise expansive soils with lesser amount of chemical additives such as lime.     

不同类型黏土的强度特性及其预测

强度特性是非饱和土力学中基础性的研究内容。目前对广吸力范围内非饱和黏土强度的预测研究相对较少。本文首先基于文献中粉质黏土、Madrid黏土和南阳弱膨胀土的非饱和强度特性进行了对比与分析。将不同类型非饱和黏土的强度特性大致分为3种类型:（1）在某一吸力范围试样出现强度峰值,并随着吸力值的进一步增大而降低;（2）达到某一吸力值后其强度几乎维持不变,不受吸力值的影响;（3）其强度随着吸力值的增大而增大。此外,基于现有考虑吸附水膜和毛细水作用的方法拟合广吸力范围内不同类型土的土水特征曲线,并将土水特征曲线分离成吸附土水特征曲线和毛细土水特征曲线。在非饱和土的抗剪强度公式中,认为吸力引起的非饱和强度增强部分主要由毛细水作用决定的,故将非饱和抗剪强度公式中吸力引起非饱和增强项的有效应力系数（即饱和度或有效饱和度）用毛细水对应的饱和度替代。最后,利用修正后的非饱和抗剪强度公式对3种较广吸力范围内非饱和土的强度进行了预测。预测结果表明过渡区段内的强度预测效果较好,但高吸力段非饱和强度的预测还有待进一步研究。     

Application of Hysteretic Trends in the Preconsolidation Stress of Unsaturated Soils

This paper involves an evaluation of a relationship describing the evolution in yield stress of unsaturated soils during hydraulic hysteresis, and an application of this relationship in an elasto-plastic framework to predict the compression curves of unsaturated soils under drained (free outflow of air and water with constant suction) or undrained (constant water content with no outflow of water and varying suction) conditions. The yield stress was quantified as the apparent mean effective preconsolidation stress obtained from compression tests reported in the literature on specimens that had experienced different hydraulic paths. It was observed that the preconsolidation stress does not follow a hysteretic path when plotted as a function of matric suction, but does when plotted as a function of the degree of saturation. Accordingly, an existing logarithmic relationship between the preconsolidation stress and matric suction normalized by the air entry suction was found to match the experimental preconsolidation stress results. This same relationship was also able to satisfactorily predict the trends in preconsolidation stress with degree of saturation by substituting the hysteretic soil–water retention curve (SWRC) into the place of the matric suction. The relationship between preconsolidation stress and suction was combined with an elasto-plastic framework to predict the compression curves of soils during drained compression, while the wetting-path relationship between preconsolidation stress and degree of saturation was combined with the framework to predict the compression curves of soils during undrained (constant water content) compression. A good match was obtained with experimental data from the literature, indicating the relevance of considering the hysteretic SWRC and preconsolidation relationships when simulating the behavior of unsaturated soils following different hydro-mechanical paths.     

全吸力范围生物炭−黏土混合土的土−水特性

土−水特征曲线在研究非饱和土的水力与力学特性中发挥着重要的作用。生物炭具有多孔结构、高比表面积和强吸附的特性。将生物炭改性土应用于垃圾填埋场上覆盖层,因受自然环境因素的影响会使其水力特性发生改变。为了研究全吸力范围内生物炭掺量对生物炭−黏土混合土保水特性的影响,利用蒸汽平衡法（吸力范围 3～368 MPa）、滤纸法（吸力范围 0 ～40 MPa）和压力板法（吸力范围 0～1.5 MPa）控制土样的吸力,测定吸力平衡后土样的含水率和饱和度,得到全吸力范围内生物炭−黏土混合土的土−水特征曲线。试验结果表明：（1）3种吸力测试方法很好地表达了生物炭−黏土混合土全吸力范围内的土−水特征曲线。（2）生物炭能够影响黏土的保水性,但在一定的吸力范围内,生物炭−黏土混合土的保水性还与孔隙结构和孔隙中水的形态相关。（3）通过压力板法测得,试样的进气值随着生物炭掺量的增加而减小。当吸力值小于进气值时,曲线出现水平段,土样始终处于饱和状态,生物炭掺量越大,试样的保水性越好。（4）由生物炭−黏土混合土微观孔隙结构以及生物炭在黏土中的分布形态来解释生物炭改性黏土的保水能力随生物炭掺量的变化关系。     

Coupled modelling of hydro‐mechanical behaviour of unsaturated compacted expansive soils

The Barcelona basic model cannot predict the mechanical behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils, whereas the Barcelona expansive model (BExM) can only predict the stress–strain behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils without the water‐retention behaviour being incorporated. Moreover, the micro‐parameters and the coupling function between micro‐structural and macro‐structural strains in the BExM are difficult to determine. Experimental data show that the compression curves for non‐expansive soils under constant suctions are shifted towards higher void ratios with increasing suction, whereas the opposite is true for expansive soils. According to the observed water‐retention behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils, the air‐entry value increases with density, and the relationship between the degree of saturation and void ratio is linear at constant suction. According to the above observation, an elastoplastic constitutive model is developed for predicting the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils, based on the existing hydro‐mechanical model for non‐expansive unsaturated soil. The model takes into consideration the effect of degree of saturation on the mechanical behaviour and that of void ratio on the water‐retention behaviour. The concept of equivalent void ratio curve is introduced to distinguish the plastic potential curve from the yield curve. The model predictions are compared with the test results of an unsaturated expansive soil, including swelling tests under constant net stress, isotropic compression tests and triaxial shear tests under constant suction. The comparison indicates that the model offers great potential for quantitatively predicting the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

膨胀土与红黏土石灰改性对比试验研究

为探讨石灰改性膨胀土与红黏土的强度发展规律,以生石灰与消石灰改性的南阳膨胀土与郴州红黏土为研究对象,进行了无侧限抗压、固结快速直剪和固结压缩试验的对比研究。研究发现：在1 a养生龄期内,石灰改性的南阳膨胀土与郴州红黏土无侧限抗压强度与养生龄期的对数基本呈线性关系;按大于最佳含水率3%制样的强度在养生28 d以后高于按最佳含水率制样;生石灰改性效果比消石灰改性效果好,由于矿物成分不同,石灰改性南阳膨胀土的效果比石灰改性郴州红黏土好     

Moisture Movement Through Cracked Clay Soil Profiles

A continuum mechanics approach is used for the formulation of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity functions and the water storage functions for fractured or cracked clay soils in this parametric study. Suggested procedures are based on available research literature related to the behavior of cracked unsaturated porous media. The soil–water characteristic curve, hydraulic conductivity and water storage functions take on the character of bi-modal unsaturated soil property functions. The bimodal character arises out of the independent behavior of the cracks and the intact clay soil. Matric suction changes beneath a slab-on-grade foundation placed on a cracked clay soil profile are modeled for varied surface flux conditions using the proposed unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and water storage functions. The impact of various levels of surface cracking on soil suction distributions is discussed. Suction distribution patterns are dependent on the initial soil surface suction. In particular, the results are dependent upon whether the initial matric suction is less than or greater than the air entry of the cracked clay. There is an extremely wide range of possible conditions that could be modeled but the parametric study results presented in this paper are limited to a series of selected crack widths and densities for an exfiltration case and an infiltration case.     

固化淤泥压缩特性的试验研究

淤泥固化技术在国内已经进入到工程应用阶段,明确固化淤泥的压缩特性对于指导淤泥固化工程的设计具有重要意义。通过单因素试验方案对不同初始含水率、不同水泥添加量、不同养护龄期的固化淤泥的压缩特性进行了研究。结果发现,固化淤泥压缩特性的最大特点是存在固结屈服应力,当荷载小于固结屈服应力时固化淤泥的压缩性非常小,而固化淤泥屈服之后的压缩性是屈服前压缩性的20倍以上,并且远大于未处理淤泥的压缩特性。淤泥本身是高压缩性的土,固化处理以后变为中等压缩性和低压缩性的土体。固化淤泥的固结屈服应力随水泥量增加线性增大,龄期越长、含水率越低固结屈服应力越大。固化淤泥的这种在固结屈服应力处发生突变的压缩特性和天然沉积结构性土类似,可以用双对数压缩模式来表示固化淤泥的这种压缩特性。     

Shear strength of a compacted scaly clay in variable saturation conditions

Scaly clays are stiff and highly fissured clays often used as construction materials. This paper presents the results of triaxial compression tests carried out on saturated and unsaturated samples of a compacted scaly clay. Complementary investigation on the microstructural features and their evolution with the amount of water stored into the material are also presented in order to shed light on the evolution of the micro- and macroporosity with suction. The water retention behaviour of the compacted scaly clay is also addressed. The results from the controlled suction triaxial tests are used to discuss the applicability of a single-shear strength criterion to compacted double-structured clays when the effective stress concept for unsaturated soils is used. The choice of the degree of saturation to be included in the effective stress definition for obtaining a satisfactory representation of the shear strength is addressed. It is shown that the best results are obtained when the macropore degree of saturation is considered along with its evolution during the applied stress path.     

粉煤灰和二灰对桂林红黏土力学性质的影响

为了研究粉煤灰和二灰掺量及养护时间对桂林红黏土的改良效果,进行了直剪试验、固结试验以及电镜扫描试验。试验结果表明,粉煤灰的掺入提高了红黏土的抗剪强度,但超过一定量（18%粉煤灰掺量）反而会降低红黏土黏聚力,各掺量粉煤灰红黏土随养护龄期的延长,抗剪强度呈先增后缓趋势。二灰改良红黏土,在早期强度剧增,且强度随养护时间增长而大幅增加,一定龄期内,二灰红黏土黏聚力随二灰掺量呈先增后减趋势。粉煤灰和二灰的掺入均增大了红黏土的压缩模量,且随养护时间的延长而逐渐增大。红黏土中随粉煤灰、石灰的加入,发生一系列物理化学反应,从微观结构分析得知土中孔隙减少,结构性较素红黏土好。     

The Flat Dilatometer Test in an Unsaturated Tropical Soil Site

The site characterization of unsaturated soils is well stablished based on laboratory tests, which are expensive and time-consuming. In-situ testing methods, such as the flat dilatometer test (DMT), are an alternative to the traditional approach of drilling, sampling, and laboratory testing. The literature on DMT interpretation is well established on saturated and well-behaved soils. Only few studies deal with DMT interpretation in unusual soils, and little is known about the influence of soil suction on this test. This paper presents and discusses the influence of soil suction on four DMT campaigns carried out in an unsaturated tropical soil site, also incorporating the soil suction influence on the DMT interpretation. Soil suction was estimated by the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) and water content profiles. The water content profiles range from 11.3 to 19.7% which corresponds to a suction range estimated by SWCCs mostly between 6 and 200 kPa. Soil suction significantly influenced DMT data up to 5 m depth at the studied site (the unsaturated active zone) increasing the intermediate DMT parameters. The average horizontal stress index (K_D) was equal to about 1.7 and the average dilatometer modulus (E_D) was about 4.7 MPa in the active zone and practically doubled their values due to in situ soil suction. The estimated peak friction angle (?) was 20–30% higher due to soil suction influence on DMT assuming the soil behaves as a sand like material. Soil suction must be considered to assess the behavior of the investigated soil by the DMT. The suction influence should be incorporated in the effective stress and this approach considerably improved the site characterization of the studied site.

     

The consolidation characteristics of an unsaturated compacted soil

The compacted soils are extensively employed as mineral liners or a sealing system, constructed under municipal solid waste and other containment hazardous materials to prevent or minimize the leakage of pollutant liquids and gases into ground water and sublayers. This article presents a detailed experimental study on settlement characteristics, which are required for the construction of a sealing system. For the experimental study where a compacted unsaturated soil taken from Adana in Turkey has been used, a special equipped consolidation cell has been designed and constructed. The matric suction adopted as independent stress-state variables has been controlled by using the axis translation technique. The consolidation tests have been performed under constant matric suction. Furthermore, the pressure plate tests for various net vertical stresses have been conducted. The test results have indicated that the settlement characteristics of a compacted soil as mineral liners and covers are highly affected by matric suction. The water retention capacity of mineral liners, an important factor for hydraulic conductivity, also changes with the vertical load. The compressibility decreases as the matric suction increases. It has been observed that there exists an exponential relationship between the compressive indexes (C _t, D _t) and matric suction.     

非饱和填土侧限压缩变形特性试验研究及应用初探

为研究吸力及压实度对非饱和压实填土压缩变形特性的影响,并建立脱湿（吸力增长）状态下的填方土体工后沉降变形修正计算应用模型,开展了控制吸力和压实度的一维非饱和土侧限压缩试验。结果表明：压缩曲线平缓段随压实度和吸力的提高而增长,表明土样的结构屈服强度同步得到提高;在比容v变化差值序列上,饱和土压缩土样最大、常规压缩土样次之、脱湿土样最小,并且吸力越大,比容v变化差值越小。经历脱湿（吸力增长）后的压实土压缩性降低,定义和建立了吸力压缩系数 及其经验模型,用以表征和度量吸力和压实度对压缩特性的影响规律及程度,发现 随竖向应力增加呈现指数型衰减。对模型参数与压实土相关参量间的关联性进行了分析探讨,同一压实度土样不同吸力所对应的参数 均值随压实水平提高而线性减小,参数λ总体上随吸力的增加而增大,但随压实度的提高吸力对于土体抗压性增强的贡献水平降低且参数 试验数值点靠拢线性趋近线,土样的压缩性随压实度和吸力大小变化而动态调整。基于分层总和法的基本原理初步构造建立了高填方非饱和填土压缩变形修正计算模型（MS）,其应用途径应建立在进一步对非饱和压实填土受荷状态下脱湿土-水特征关系的研究基础之上。     

Research of soil–water characteristics and shear strength features of Nanyang expansive soil

Nanyang expansive soil is investigated in its unsaturated state in this paper. The wetting–drying cycle tests of soil–water characteristics of Nanyang expansive soil have been performed in the laboratory. The test results show that the soil–water characteristic curve of the pre-load specimen can well reflect the soil property function of expansive soil. The strength features of the different suction states of the unsaturated expansive soil are also investigated. The hyperbolic model of the suction strength is presented and the parameters of this model are easily determined by tri-axial tests of unsaturated soils. The hyperbolic model is conveniently applied to predict suction strength of an unsaturated soil.