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.     

Settlement and Stability Analysis on Soft Clay Under Cyclic Loading

The results of undrained cyclic triaxial tests on three types of clays are collected and a relationship among the accumulated strain, the initial stress state, cyclic stress in the soil, as well as the number of cycles is established based on the experimental data. With this relationship, a procedure is proposed for subsidence and stability analysis on soft clay under the action of cyclic loads.     

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.     

Strength Behavior of Naturally Cemented Marine Clay Due to Change in Ground Water Level

The change in strength and deformation behavior of a typical marine clay deposit formed under shallow water is presented and discussed for the conditions of changing water table. This is a costal marine clay deposit with moderate carbonates along the east coast of India. The soil samples were taken from tidal flats where the sea had receded some time back, and the behavior of this deposit had been studied for the conditions of 1976, with high water table, and for the conditions of 2001, with depleted water table. Undisturbed soil samples were taken from sheeted open test pits. Standard consolidation and triaxial shear tests were conducted. Consolidation tests conducted on the samples taken for 1976 conditions with high water contents indicate that cementation effect are erased out under moderate stresses. Beyond this stress range, it behaves like soft, normally consolidated clay. In contrast, the results obtained from samples taken during 2001, with depleted water table, clearly indicate that the soil behaves like an over-consolidated one, and the improvement in the system is due to the chemical bonding and desiccation.     

Field Evaluation of Undrained Shear Strength from Piezocone Penetration Tests in Soft Marine Clay

The use of the piezocone penetration test (CPTU) in a geotechnical site investigation offers direct field measurement on stratigraphy and soil behavior. Compared with some traditional investigation methods, such as drilling, sampling and field inspecting method or laboratory test procedures, CPTU can greatly accelerate the field work and hereby reduce corresponding operation cost. The undrained shear strength is a key parameter in estimation of the stability of natural slopes and deformation of embankments in soft clays. This paper provides the measurements of in situ CPTU, field vane testing and laboratory undrained triaxial testing of Lianyungang marine clay in Jiangsu province of China. Based on the literature review of previous interpretation methods, this paper presents a comparison of field vane testing measurements to CPTU interpretation results. The undrained shear strength values from both the field vane tests and cone penetration resistances are lowest at the mid-depths of the marine clay layers, and the excess pore water pressures are highest at the mid-depths of the marine clay layers, indicating that the marine clay layer is underconsolidated.     

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.     

Laboratory and Field Observations for Golden Horn Marine Clay

Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and one of the major metropolitan areas in the world, cleaned one of its environmentally polluted areas—Golden Horn—by dredging 5 million m³ of the bottom sediments and pumping the resulting sludge to a storage area behind a dam built at an abandoned rock quarry site in Alibey district. The reclamation of the land that formed over the storage area of Golden Horn dredged material is socially and economically very desirable. In this paper, results from experimental studies that are focused on determining the shear strength behavior of the dredge material and undisturbed soil are presented. Slurry consolidometer test, large model tests and small model tests are used to consolidate the dredged soil samples from Halic to simulate the natural consolidation behavior of these soils. Shear strength parameters are determined by laboratory vane tests; unconfined compression tests; undrained-unconsolidated (UU) and consolidated-undrained (CU) triaxial tests on samples that are obtained through in situ undisturbed samples and laboratory model tank and slurry consolidation. Moreover, the effects of fly ash and lime additives on the undrained shear strength were determined by mixing the materials with the dredged clay from Golden Horn during the model experiments conducted in the laboratory. Based on these findings, equations are proposed that govern the relationships between undrained shear strength and water content value.     

Determination of Shaft Capacity for Pile under Cyclic Axial Loading in Clay

For load-controlled and displacement-controlled test data of piles cyclically axially loaded in clay, the displacement conditions are suggested for determining the shaft capacity. According to the suggested displacement conditions, not only the results of shaft capacity from laboratory model piles are close to those from in-situ piles, but also the results of load-controlled tests are in satisfactory agreement with those of displacement-controlled tests. Moreover, based on the test data of laboratory model piles in combination with the test data published, the paper suggests the values of the normalized shaft capacity of piles under a variety of static and cyclic loading combinations.     

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.     

Assessment of Unconfined Compressive Strength of Cement Stabilized Marine Clay

Two aspects of deep mixing method, the difference relating strength gain in dry jet mixing (DJM, reagent powder introduced into the ground) and cement deep mixing (CDM, reagent slurry introduced into the ground), and prediction of unconfined compressive strength of cement stabilized marine clay, are discussed in this paper. The first part of this paper concentrates on the difference between DJM and CDM on strength gain, and suggests a guideline for DJM and CDM selection. An indicator in terms of water content ratio, which is defined as the ratio of water content to the liquid limit of the soil, is presented by statistical analysis from the laboratory and field test data as a guideline for the selection of DJM or CDM. Based on the laboratory test data, a mathematical model relating strength gain of cement stabilized marine clay to related variables is developed. A new simple index designated as total water-cement ratio, which is defined as the ratio of water weight in the soil-cement to the weight of cement in dry state, is proposed for interpretation of test data of soil-cement. The proposed method is then verified with available test data published by other different researchers.     

Influence of Frequency on the Behaviour of Plate Anchors Subjected to Cyclic Loading

This article reports the response of embedded circular plate anchors to varying frequencies of cyclic loading. The effects of time period of loading cycles and pre-loading on movement of anchors and post-cyclic monotonic pullout behavior are studied using a model circular (80 mm diameter) plate anchor, buried at embedment ratio of six in a soft saturated clay. The frequencies of loading cycles have showed considerable effect on movement of anchors. For given duration of loading, higher frequency cycles cause more movement of anchor than lower frequency cycles. Pre-loading reduces the movement of anchors in subsequent loading stages. When anchors are recycled at a load ratio level less than the pre-cycling load, the movement of anchor in recycling phase are very much reduced, but if the recycling is done at a higher load ratio level, the effect is not that much pronounced and the anchors behave as if they were not subjected to any cycling load in the past. Anchor subjected to cyclic loading and then monotonic pullout shows an increase in initial stiffness, whereas the peak pullout load was found to decrease marginally over that of an anchor not subjected to any cyclic loading. For the present test conditions, the relative post-cyclic stiffness of anchors is found to vary from 1.169 to 1.327.     

Assessment of Unconfined Compressive Strength of Cement Stabilized Marine Clay

Two aspects of deep mixing method, the difference relating strength gain in dry jet mixing (DJM, reagent powder introduced into the ground) and cement deep mixing (CDM, reagent slurry introduced into the ground), and prediction of unconfined compressive strength of cement stabilized marine clay, are discussed in this paper. The first part of this paper concentrates on the difference between DJM and CDM on strength gain, and suggests a guideline for DJM and CDM selection. An indicator in terms of water content ratio, which is defined as the ratio of water content to the liquid limit of the soil, is presented by statistical analysis from the laboratory and field test data as a guideline for the selection of DJM or CDM. Based on the laboratory test data, a mathematical model relating strength gain of cement stabilized marine clay to related variables is developed. A new simple index designated as total water-cement ratio, which is defined as the ratio of water weight in the soil-cement to the weight of cement in dry state, is proposed for interpretation of test data of soil-cement. The proposed method is then verified with available test data published by other different researchers.     

Anisotropic Drained Deformation Behavior and Shear Strength of Natural Soft Marine Clay

The deformation behavior and shear strength of soft marine clays subjected to wave or traffic loads are different from that in triaxial loading due to the changes of major principal stress direction β and intermediate principal stress coefficient b. To investigate the anisotropy affected by β and b in natural soft marine clay, a series of drained tests were conducted by hollow cylinder apparatus. The principal stress direction relative to vertical direction were maintained constant under an increasing shear stress, with fixed intermediate principal stress coefficient b. The influence of the b and β on anisotropy of typically Wenzhou intact clay is discussed. It was found that octahedral stress–strain relationships expressed anisotropy with different b and β. The friction angle and deviator stress ratio with different b and β were presented to provide guidance for engineering projects in the coastal zone.     

Influence of Frequency on the Behaviour of Plate Anchors Subjected to Cyclic Loading

This article reports the response of embedded circular plate anchors to varying frequencies of cyclic loading. The effects of time period of loading cycles and pre-loading on movement of anchors and post-cyclic monotonic pullout behavior are studied using a model circular (80 mm diameter) plate anchor, buried at embedment ratio of six in a soft saturated clay. The frequencies of loading cycles have showed considerable effect on movement of anchors. For given duration of loading, higher frequency cycles cause more movement of anchor than lower frequency cycles. Pre-loading reduces the movement of anchors in subsequent loading stages. When anchors are recycled at a load ratio level less than the pre-cycling load, the movement of anchor in recycling phase are very much reduced, but if the recycling is done at a higher load ratio level, the effect is not that much pronounced and the anchors behave as if they were not subjected to any cycling load in the past. Anchor subjected to cyclic loading and then monotonic pullout shows an increase in initial stiffness, whereas the peak pullout load was found to decrease marginally over that of an anchor not subjected to any cyclic loading. For the present test conditions, the relative post-cyclic stiffness of anchors is found to vary from 1.169 to 1.327.     

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.     

Evaluation of the Strength Increase of Marine Clay under Staged Embankment Loading: A Case Study

This article presents a case history of the performance of a full-scale test embankment constructed on a marine soft clay deposit improved by prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) in the east of China. For analyzing the subsoil behavior, a 2D FEM model is established, in which the PVD-improved effect is considered by a simplified method of equivalent vertical hydraulic conductivity. The calculated results can predict the settlement behavior well; however, the FEM gives an underestimate for the value of excess pore pressures and it predicts similar values for the dissipation rate of excess pore pressures. The measured undrained shear strength of subsoil, C_u, is compared with the predicted value based on Ladd’s empirical equation and the Modified Cam-Clay model (MCC). The shear strength predicted by Ladd’s equation agrees well with the measured value, whereas the MCC overestimates the ability to improve subsoil shear strength during consolidation. The undrained shear strength of subsoil, C_u, increased as the construction progressed, and the shear strength incremental ratio, ΔC_u/Δp′, decreased slightly with the degree of consolidation, U.     

Experimental simple shear study of composite soil with cemented soil core

Abstract

Cement soil mixing piles are an effective treatment method for marine soft clay. To investigate the static and dynamic characteristics of the composite soil with cemented soil core, a series of experiments are carried out by using the cyclic simple shear test. The result shows that, the static shear strain showed strain hardening, cemented soil core can improve static shear strength of composite soil, vertical stress can enlarge reinforcement of cemented soil core. The tendency of strain development of composite soil with different area replacement ratios under cyclic loading is the same as that of pure clay, existing critical cyclic stress ratios corresponding to different area replacement ratios. In addition, improving area replacement ratio can increase cyclic strength. At same time, adding of cemented soil core does not change shape of hysteresis curve compared with it for clay either. Moreover, cemented soil core can also obstruct stiffness softening. Through regression analysis of the experimental data, relationship between cyclic number and soil softening index is proved to be linear. The results can give a reference for the dynamic characters of the marine soft clay foundation with cement soil mixing piles.     

Consolidation Properties and In-Situ Stress of the Marine Clay in Southern Korea

A very soft ground constructed by dredging and hydraulic fill has characteristics such as high water content, high initial void ratio, and very little effective stress. Estimating, with thorough considerations about consolidation properties and the initial stress associated with each layer's distinctive stress history, is essential in order to predict a reasonable consolidation settlement of soft ground. By investigating a construction project for national industrial complexes at a coastal area in southern Korea that experienced reclamation and ground improvement adapting PVD, various laboratory tests to find consolidation properties were performed with undisturbed samples collected from the entire depth of the marine clay fill layer and original clay layer. Through the investigation, this report suggests relationships of heterogeneity of permeability in both vertical and horizontal directions, void ratio-effective stress, and void ratio-permeability. Considering the fact that the original clay layer was under the process of consolidation by load due to hydraulic fill from the top, estimating the appropriate initial stress of each layer is critical to predict the future process of consolidation settlement determined by time. In order to obtain the initial stresses of two layers with different stress histories related to consolidation, cone penetration and dissipation tests were conducted.     

Settlement Prediction of Surcharge Preloaded Low Embankment on Soft Ground Subjected to Cyclic Loading

This article studies the effect of dynamic cyclic loading and surcharge preloading method on the post-construction settlement of low embankments. Soil samples obtained from the soft ground under an embankment were consolidated by surcharge preloading followed by static and dynamic cyclic loading in the odometer. The results show that the consolidation deformation of the soil samples is independent of the frequency of the dynamic cyclic loading, which was simulated to follow the half-sine wave, and this is consistent with the energy concept. The post-construction settlement increases with increasing amplitude of cyclic load and the effectiveness of surcharge preloading depends on the difference between magnitude of surcharge and amplitude of the cyclic load. Based on the consolidation theory combined with the test results, a formula has been proposed to compute the post-construction settlement of a low embankment under cyclic loading.     

Behavior of Pile Group with Elevated Cap Subjected to Cyclic Lateral Loads

The pile group with elevated cap is widely used as foundation of offshore structures such as turbines, power transmission towers and bridge piers, and understanding its behavior under cyclic lateral loads induced by waves, tide water and winds, is of great importance to designing. A large-scale model test on 3×3 pile group with elevated cap subjected to cyclic lateral loads was performed in saturated silts. The preparation and implementation of the test is presented. Steel pipes with the outer diameter of 114 mm, thickness of 4.5 mm, and length of 6 m were employed as model piles. The pile group was cyclic loaded in a multi-stage sequence with the lateral displacement controlled. In addition, a single pile test was also conducted at the same site for comparison. The displacement of the pile cap, the internal forces of individual piles, and the horizontal stiffness of the pile group are presented and discussed in detail. The results indicate that the lateral cyclic loads have a greater impact on pile group than that on a single pile, and give rise to the significant plastic strain in the soil around piles. The lateral loads carried by each row of piles within the group would be redistributed with loading cycles. The lateral stiffness of the pile group decreases gradually with cycles and broadly presents three different degradation patterns in the test. Significant axial forces were measured out in some piles within the group, owing to the strong restraint provided by the cap, and finally lead to a large settlement of the pile group. These findings can be referred for foundation designing of offshore structures.