Evaluation of the degree of saturation using Skempton coefficient B

ABSTRACT

Skempton coefficient B is commonly used to evaluate the saturation of a sample before the shearing stage in a triaxial test. For unsaturated soils, measuring the degree of saturation Sr at the end of the consolidation stage is very difficult whereas measuring Skempton coefficient B is very simple. Using this coefficient to obtain S_r of a sample in a triaxial apparatus without complex procedures might be an improvement, especially as regards testing procedures for unsaturated soils. Different authors have proposed a relationship between these two parameters based on the hypothesis that a variation of B coefficient with S_r is mostly due to the compressibility of air in the pores. However, the presence of air as a fluid phase gives rise to suction after the equilibrium is reached inside the sample leading to an increase in stiffness. Based on this observation, this article presents a new relationship that enables S_r to be evaluated with a given Skempton coefficient taking into account not only the initial void ratio and the isotropic elastic modulus but also the suction and the elastoplastic behaviour of the soil. The results of the proposed approach are then confronted with the original relationship and compared to experimental data.     

Field and Laboratory Tests Investigating Settlements of Foundations on Weathered Keuper Marl

Measured settlements of buildings on the weathered Keuper Marl appeared to be much smaller than calculated settlements, which were based on stiffness modulus from standard oedometer tests. Therefore, both special triaxial K ₀-tests and oedometer tests were carried out for an accurate determination of stiffness moduli. Modulus obtained in the triaxial K ₀-tests were at least two to three times the values obtained in the oedometer tests. To verify observations from the laboratory tests, the loads and the settlements of two single footings on weathered Keuper mudstone have been measured during construction of a building over 1 year. Also, a large scale footing load test with measurements of deformations were conducted on the weathered Keuper mudstone. The measured settlements of the two single footings and the tested foundation were compared with the settlements based on conventional calculations with moduli from oedometer tests and triaxial K ₀-tests. Up to a foundation pressure of σ_v = 500 kN/m2 the calculated settlement based on E _S-modulus obtained from triaxial K ₀-tests was found to correspond well to the measured deformation. For foundation pressure beyond 500 kN/m2, the foundation response was highly non-linear and it could not be described any more with the linear-elastic model. Therefore the footing load test was also simulated by FEM analyses.     

Stress-path dependent behavior of a weathered clay crust

Triaxial compression and oedometer consolidation tests are commonly performed to evaluate the strength and deformation behavior of soils. However, in the field, the stress paths imposed by various engineering works may deviate from the stress paths conventionally used in laboratory tests. Moreover, the stress-paths followed by different soil elements under a foundation are different. To obtain representative soil parameters, the laboratory stress path should be similar to that followed in the field. In this study, a significant number of stress-path triaxial tests, with stress probes in various directions, have been conducted to study the stress-path dependent behavior of an overconsolidated weathered crust of Champlain clay in Eastern Ontario. Both undrained and drained tests have been conducted for samples isotropically consolidated to the in situ vertical stress and anisotropically consolidated to in situ state of stress. The yield locus of the clay crust has been defined. It has been observed that the strength-deformation and yielding behavior of this weathered clay crust highly depends on the stress-path as well as on the in situ stress history.     

重塑上海软土的压缩和剪切变形特性试验研究

根据典型上海软土重塑土样的等向压缩试验,测K0与不测K0的单向压缩试验结果,得到不同试验条件下的压缩指数Cc和膨胀指数Cs,并分析了它们之间的关系。进行三轴排水剪切试验,得到了重塑上海软土在不同超固结比和围压下的变形和强度特性,并计算出重塑上海软土的内摩擦角。最后,根据一组不同荷载下的长期单向压缩试验结果,得到重塑上海软土的次压缩系数C?与荷载之间的关系。上述研究得到的初步结论及相关参数可为工程实践、超固结上海软土本构模型的建立提供参考数据。     

堆石料等应力比路径四模量增量非线性模型

已有研究表明,土石坝内堆石料在施工填筑期的应力路径可近似为主应力比为常数的路径。根据大型三轴仪上进行的两种应力路径排水试验,即等向压缩的固结试验和等应力比值的剪切试验,提出了一个四模量增量非线性模型。模型除给出了堆石料体积模量K和剪切模量G的表达式外,对剪应力产生的体积应变和平均主应力产生的剪切应变也分别采用了交叉模量J1、J2表达。通过与试验数据的对比表明,四模量增量非线性模型能够较好地预测堆石料在等应力比路径下的应力-应变关系。     

Hydromechanical behavior of Tournemire argillites: Measurement of the poroelastic parameters and estimation of the intrinsic permeability by œdometric tests

Knowledge of shale poromechanical behavior is proven to be essential for various environmental issues such as deep geological storage of CO₂, high level radioactive waste storage, oil field abandonment and so forth… This paper sets out the key points of shale experimental characterization within the framework of Biot's mechanics of fluid saturated porous solids. Shales are well known to present a more or less transverse isotropy. This paper describes a full methodology for ?dometric tests on such sensitive and weakly permeable material. To illustrate this methodology, measurements carried out on Tournemire argillite are proposed. A transverse isotropic poroelastic model is also used to give a more in depth understanding of the hydromechanical coupling. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydraulic Conductivity and Coefficient of Consolidation of Two Sulphide Clays in Sweden

The variation and anisotropy in hydraulic conductivity and the coefficient of consolidation was investigated for two Swedish sulphide clays. A series of constant rate of strain oedometer tests was performed on samples trimmed in the vertical and horizontal direction. A methodology to evaluate the horizontal coefficients of consolidation c _h via the horizontal hydraulic conductivity k _h and the vertical compression modulus M _v is proposed. Laboratory evaluations of c _h are also compared with determinations of c _h from in situ piezometer measurements in vertically drained sulphide clay. Furthermore, the validity of the empirical correlation between hydraulic conductivity change index C _k and initial void ratio e ₀, C _k  = 0.5e ₀ (Tavenas et al. in Can Geotech J 20(4):645–660, 1983b), was investigated for the sulphide clays. The results from the investigation show large ranges in measured hydraulic conductivities and coefficients of consolidation. However, the results indicate that the correlation C _k  = 0.5e ₀ is valid. The anisotropy in hydraulic conductivity and the coefficient of consolidation of the sulphide clays tested seems to be small. For design purposes, multiple tests for assessment of hydraulic conductivity and the coefficient of consolidation should be made, and a partial factor of safety, depending on the requisite level of safety and the spatial variability of the parameters, should be introduced. For design purposes in this type of clay, k _h  = k _v and c _h  = c _v are suggested.     

Geotechnical properties of municipal sewage sludge

The geotechnical properties of municipal sewage sludge, in particular those pertinent to the handling and landfilling of the material, are presented. Index, drying, compaction, shear strength and consolidation tests were conducted on the material at different states of biodegradation. The organic content and specific gravity of solids were found to be inversely related, with typical organic contents of 50–70% and specific gravity of solids values of 1.55–1.80. The density of the compacted material was low in comparison with mineral soils. Standard Proctor compaction yielded a maximum dry density of 0.56 tonne/m³ at 85% water content. Laboratory vane-shear and triaxial compression tests indicated that, below about 180% water content, the shear strength of the sludge material increased exponentially with reducing water content. Consolidated-undrained triaxial compression tests on the pasteurised sludge material indicated an effective angle of shearing resistance of 32° for the moderately degraded material and 37° for the strongly degraded material. Biogas was produced at rates of up to 0.33 L/day/kg slurry due to ongoing biodegradation and the resulting pore pressure response must be taken into account in any stress analysis. Consolidation tests using the hydraulic consolidation cell, oedometer and triaxial apparatus indicated that the sludge material was highly compressible although practically impermeable, for example the coefficient of permeability for the moderately degraded slurry was of the order of 10⁻⁹m/s. However, creep deformation was significant with typical coefficient of secondary compression values of 0.02–0.08 for the compacted material. A more free-draining material was produced at higher states of biodegradation.     

Experimental investigation of the effect of grading characteristics on the liquefaction resistance of various graded sands

The liquefaction susceptibility of various graded fine to medium saturated sands are evaluated by stress controlled cyclic triaxial laboratory tests. Cyclic triaxial tests are performed on reconstituted specimens having global relative density of 60%. In all cyclic triaxial tests; loading pattern is selected as a sinusoidal wave form with 1.0 Hz frequency, and effective consolidation pressure is chosen to be 100 kPa. Liquefaction resistance is defined as the required cyclic stress ratio which caused initial liquefaction in 10 cycles during the cyclic triaxial test. The results are used to draw relationship between grading characteristics (e.g. coefficient of uniformity and coefficient of curvature) and the liquefaction resistance of various graded sands. It is found that a relationship between cyclic resistance and any of the size (i.e. D₁₀, D₃₀ or D₆₀) would be more realistic than to build a relation between grading characteristics and the cyclic resistance.     

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.     

Identification of constitutive parameters of soil using an optimization strategy and statistical analysis

The paper at hand investigates a strategy to calibrate different constitutive models for soils via back analysis. The efficiency and reliability of the parameter identification for soil models is worked out. In order to demonstrate of how to utilise identification procedures, results from optimisation against conventional oedometer and drained triaxial compression tests on natural Pappadai clay are presented and discussed. The aim of geotechnical optimisation problems is to obtain a set of model parameter values that provide the best match between soil model simulations and appropriate measurements. For the parameter identification process, a constrained population-based algorithm is chosen, namely the Particle Swarm Optimiser. The identification is carried out in an initial step separately on each test and then simultaneously on oedometer and triaxial tests. The evaluation is performed employing three different constitutive models of varying complexity and number of constitutive parameters.A subsequent residual analysis and the computation of confidence intervals for the parameters provide valuable results to assess the quality of the identified parameters in correlation with the evaluated data. Therefore, criteria of the utility and reliability of the mathematical models for further prognosis computations can be estimated.     

Deformation properties of frozen soils

This paper gives a brief account of the results of a series of oedometer tests and triaxial creep tests on frozen soils.

The oedometer tests are performed on artificially frozen sand, silt and clay. The tests also include ice as a reference material. The results are given by parameters describing the tangent deformation modulus and the time resistance against creep.

The triaxial creep tests are carried out on the artificially frozen clay, and on a permafrost clay from Spitsbergen. The data are interpreted in accordance with Hult's theory. The artificially frozen clay shows much higher creep resistance than the permafrost clay.

In addition to deformation moduli and creep parameters the routine data of the materials tested are also included.     

重塑黏土的高压次固结特性初探

利用自行研制的高压固结试验系统,对重塑黏土试样进行了竖向压力从0.25 MPa到12.00 MPa的一维固结试验;并利用三轴设备对该土样进行了0.3～2.5 MPa的等向固结试验。试验结果表明：一维固结试验获得的各级压力固结曲线均有明显的次固结阶段,重塑黏土的次固结系数随竖向压力增大而非线性变化;具体而言,当固结压力小于2 MPa,次固结系数随竖向压力增大而显著减小,当固结压力大于2 MPa后,次固结系数则几乎不变;等向固结试验获得的次固结系数则远小于一维固结试验获得的相应值,其随固结压力的变化规律也与一维固结不同。此外,从微观角度对试验结果进行的分析表明,高压下黏土次固结变形的物理机制不同于低压。即低压下黏土次固结变形的主因是颗粒间的相对滑移,而高压下则是结合水膜的蠕变;而且低压下偏应力对次固结变形有控制性影响,但高压下其影响很小。     

残积土特殊应力路径的三轴试验研究

利用先进的GDS应力路径三轴仪,探讨了花岗岩残积土在特殊应力路径下的三轴试验特性。做了2种应力路径下的三轴排水剪切试验：平均应力等于常数、偏应力变化的剪切试验以及偏应力等于常数、平均应力变化的剪切试验。试验结果表明：平均应力等于常数的试验其偏应力-轴应变曲线为双曲线型,偏应力等于常数的试验其平均应力-轴应变曲线为幂函数型;发现花岗岩残积土具有剪缩特性,回弹体积模量随偏应力增大而显著提高。     

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。     

Quasi-static deformation due to two-dimensional seismic sources embedded in an elastic half-space in welded contact with a poroelastic half-space

The Biot linearized theory of fluid saturated porous materials is used to study the plane strain deformation of a two-phase medium consisting of a homogeneous, isotropic, poroelastic half-space in welded contact with a homogeneous, isotropic, perfectly elastic half-space caused by a two-dimensional source in the elastic half-space. The integral expressions for the displacements and stresses in the two half-spaces in welded contact are obtained from the corresponding expressions for an unbounded elastic medium by applying suitable boundary conditions at the interface. The case of a long dip-slip fault is discussed in detail. The integrals for this source are solved analytically for two limiting cases: (i) undrained conditions in the high frequency limit, and (ii) steady state drained conditions as the frequency approaches zero. It has been verified that the solution for the drained case (ω → 0) coincides with the known elastic solution. The drained and undrained displacements and stresses are compared graphically. Diffusion of the pore pressure with time is also studied.     

上海第4层黏土力学特性的弹塑性本构模拟

上海第4层黏土是典型的结构性海相软土,用一个本构模型统一地模拟不同应力路径下的力学特性对数值计算具有重要意义。对UNIFIED模型的结构性及超固结发展函数进行了改进,并提出了一种确定原状土材料参数和初始状态的方法。为了验证修正模型的正确性,用块状取土法取得上海第4层原状土样,进行了固结试验和三轴排水、不排水剪切试验。通过比较试验结果和本构模拟结果,明确了新的本构模型仅用一组材料参数就能统一地模拟上海第4层黏土在固结、排水及不排水三轴试验得到的应力-应变关系。模拟结果揭示了上海第4层黏土的结构比较稳定,即使在经历三轴剪切发生35%轴应变后仍能保持较高位的结构性。     

Micromechanics approach to poroelastic behavior of a jointed rock

The formulation of macroscopic poroelastic behavior of a jointed rock is investigated within the framework of a micro–macro approach. The joints are modeled as interfaces, and their behavior is modeled by means of generalized poroelastic state equations. Starting from Hill's lemma extended for a jointed medium and extending the concept of strain concentration to relate the joint displacement jump to macroscopic strain, the overall poroelastic constitutive equations for the jointed rock are formulated. The analysis emphasizes the main differences and similarities of the resulting behavior with respect to that characterizing ordinary porous media. It is shown that, unlike ordinary porous media, conditions on the poroelastic parameters of joints are required for the macroscopic drained stiffness to entirely define the poroelastic behavior. This is achieved, for instance, if the joint network is characterized by a unique Biot coefficient. Extension of the analysis to non‐linear poroelasticity is also outlined. Finally, the theoretical formulation is applied to two particular cases of jointed rock for which explicit expressions of the overall poroelastic parameters are derived. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

三轴试样钻孔灌砂固结排水效果试验研究

对渗透性较差的重黏土样进行固结排水试验时,其饱和、固结、剪切过程时间较长。为提高固结排水试验效率,改进了三轴排水工艺,提出在试样中钻孔灌砂形成竖向排水通道,并进行了针对黏土样的固结排水试验的验证。试验结果表明,1 %～3 %置换率的砂井对固结排水试验应力-应变无影响,并有利于加速三轴试样的饱和、固结排水、孔压消散、剪切排水过程,可使试验效率提高5倍以上;试样周边、顶面、底面粘贴滤纸条,再结合试样内部钻孔灌砂,是改善三轴试验排水路径的一种科学合理的、高效的方法,能够获得准确、可靠的E-B模型参数。