Effect of Cement Type on the Mechanical Behavior of a Gravely Sand

The behavior of a cemented gravely sand was studied using triaxial compression tests. Gypsum, Portland cement and lime were used as the cementing agents in sample preparation. The samples with different cement types were compared in equal cement contents. Three cement contents of 1.5%, 3.0% and 4.5% were selected for sample preparation. Drained and undrained triaxial compression tests were conducted in a range of confining pressures from 25 kPa to 500 kPa. Failure modes, shear strength, stress–strain behavior, volume and pore pressure changes were considered. The gypsum cement induced the highest brittleness in soil among three cement types while the Portland cement was found to be the most ductile cementing agent. In lower cement contents and lower confining pressures the soil cemented with Portland cement showed the highest shear strength. However, in the same range of cement content, the soil cemented with gypsum showed highest shear strength for highest tested confining stress. For higher cement contents the shear strength of soil cemented with Portland cement is higher than that for the two other cement types for the range of confining pressures tested in the present study. The samples cemented with lime had the least peak and ultimate shear strength and the highest pore pressure generation in undrained tests. Contrary to the soil cemented with lime, the brittleness of soil cemented with gypsum and Portland cement reduces in undrained condition. Finally it was found that the effect of cement type on the shear strength of cemented soils is more profound in drained condition compared to undrained state.     

Tailings composition effects on shear strength behavior of co-mixed mine waste rock and tailings

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of mine tailings composition on shear behavior and shear strength of co-mixed mine waste rock and tailings (WR&T). Crushed gravel was used as a synthetic waste rock and mixed with four types of tailings: (1) fine-grained garnet, (2) coarse-grained garnet, (3) copper, and (4) soda ash. Co-mixed WR&T specimens were prepared to target mixture ratios of mass of waste rock to mass of tailings (R) such that tailings “just filled” interparticle void space of the waste rock (i.e., optimum mixture ratio, R _opt). Triaxial compression tests were conducted on waste rock, tailings, and mixed waste at effective confining stresses (\(\sigma_{\text{c}}^{{\prime }}\)) ranging from 5 to 40 kPa to represent stresses anticipated in final earthen covers for waste containment facilities. Waste rock and co-mixed WR&T specimens were 150 mm in diameter by 300 mm tall, whereas tailings specimens were 38 mm in diameter by 76 mm tall. Shear strength was quantified using effective stress friction angles (?′) from undrained tests: ?′ for waste rock was 37°, ?′ for tailings ranged from 34° to 41°, and ?′ for WR&T mixtures ranged from 38° to 40°. Thus, shear strength of co-mixed WR&T was comparable to waste rock regardless of tailings composition. Shear behavior of WR&T mixtures was a function of R and tailings composition. Tailings influenced shear behavior for R < R _opt and when tailings predominantly were silt. Shear behavior was influenced by waste rock for R ≥ R _opt and when tailings predominantly were sand or included clay particles.     

Laboratory Investigation of the Resistance of Tailings and Natural Sediments to Cyclic Loading

A number of cyclic triaxial tests were carried out on mine tailings and natural sediment samples under undrained conditions to investigate their resistance to cyclic loading. The tests were performed on more than 100 samples with a cyclic shear stress ratio ranging from 0.10 to 0.40 under varying void ratio and the same confining pressure. It was observed that the axial strain and excess pore water pressure increased with the number of loading cycles while the effective stress decreased with increasing number of loading cycles. The liquefaction resistance of the tailings was also observed to be higher than that of natural soils with similar particle size distribution, void ratio and plasticity index. It was observed that the influence of specific gravity on the cyclic strength of mine tailings is significant. The results showed that the cyclic resistance of the tailings was not strongly influenced by plasticity index for low plasticity tailings. A boundary relationship between void ratio and normalized cyclic resistance ratio was established based on the results.     

增湿时黄土的抗剪强度特性分析

采用固结不排水剪切方法,对非饱和原状Q3黄土进行了增湿情况下的三轴剪切试验,得到了湿陷性黄土的极限强度与初始含水量及围压的关系曲线,分析了增湿过程中黄土抗剪强度的变化规律。结果表明,原始含水量下非饱和原状黄土的强度包线是由两条直线组成的折线,高含水量时的强度包线仍符合莫尔-库仑理论准则。非饱和黄土的黏聚力随初始含水量的增大而迅速降低,而内摩擦角受初始含水量变化的影响较小。随初始含水量的增大,总应力指标始终小于相应的有效应力指标;并发现非饱和黄土的有效黏聚力 与初始含水量w之间的关系能较好地拟合为指数函数。最后简要分析了初始含水量和围压对抗剪强度指标的影响。     

Geotechnical characterization and facies change detection of the Bogacay coastal plain (Antalya,Turkey) soils

The Bogacay Plain is well known tourist site in Turkey, which is famous for its wide beaches. However, almost 60% of the area is now occupied by buildings, and some of the high-rise buildings suffer from foundation settlement and tilting. Soils of the plain are of lagoonal origin; all of the facies which are typical of the lagoonal environment are present in the geological profile. Because of variation in grain size and development of a weathered crust, the fine-grained soils of the central-lagoon environment are highly variable with regard to their engineering properties. The compression indices of clays range from 0.25 to 0.55 and correlate relatively well with initial void ratio, liquid limit, and moisture content. Over consolidation ratio varies between 1.4 and 10 and decreases from the surface down to the base of the weathered-crust zone. The undrained shear strength of clays decreases with depth for the first 6 m; this behaviour is because of apparent overconsolidation in the weathered-crust zone. Sedimentary facies and their boundaries can be detected using CPT data; moreover, for profiling and facies-boundary detection, SPT and seismic sounding are not as effective as CPT.     

汶川地震区崩滑堆积体强度现场直剪试验研究

以汶川震区漩口一带地震诱发的松散堆积体为研究对象,开展碎石土原状样和重塑样的现场直剪对比试验,探讨不同法向应力、不同粒度组成和不同含水率等条件下碎石土的剪切强度特性。研究结果表明,地质成因和岩土体结构相似、粒度组成不同且级配不良的碎石土的剪切强度特性具有相似性;原状样剪切强度明显高于相同干密度和含水率的重塑样;级配良好的碎石土应变硬化程度略高于级配不良的碎石土,当粒径大于5 mm的粗颗粒含量大于42.9%时,随粗颗粒含量增加,碎石土的内摩擦角增加,而粘聚力则先减小后增大;抗剪强度指标与含水率呈线性负相关关系,随着含水率增高,碎石土抗剪强度降低,其中粘聚力较内摩擦角下降更明显。综合前人研究和本次试验结果,建议汶川震区类似结构组分碎石土天然状态下的剪切强度指标c值取15±3 k Pa,φ值取30°±2°。     

不同垂直荷重对风化砂改良膨胀土抗剪强度影响研究

本文以风化砂改良膨胀土的抗剪强度指标为研究对象,通过室内直接剪切试验,研究了在不同垂直荷重作用下,不同掺砂比例及不同含水率对改良膨胀土抗剪强度指标c、值的影响规律及各种不同垂直荷重下的-关系。影响直接剪切试验结果的两个关键因素是试验时的垂直荷重和剪切速率,而现行规范对剪切速率是有明确规定的,但对垂直荷重只有一个推荐性的取值。本文对膨胀土掺入了10%、20%、30%、40%、50%的风化砂,分别配以6%、8%、10%、12%、14%的水,然后在I级垂直荷重(12.5～50kPa)、Ⅱ级垂直荷重(62.5～100kPa)、Ⅲ级垂直荷重(100～400kPa)作用下,进行剪切试验。通过试验研究得知:垂直荷重对改良后膨胀土抗剪强度指标影响较大,随着垂直荷重的减小,掺砂后的膨胀土内摩擦角逐渐增大,黏聚力逐渐减小; 在各级垂直荷重下,在同一含水率状态下,黏聚力均随着掺砂比例的增大而逐渐减小,而内摩擦角均是先增大后减小; 在同一掺砂比例下,黏聚力及内摩擦角均随着含水率的增大而先增大后减小。本试验的研究成果为风化砂改良膨胀土用作公路路基填料提供了试验依据。     

The Speeton Clay of North Yorkshire, England: An investigation of its geotechnical properties

The Lower Cretaceous in North Yorkshire is represented by a marine succession termed the Speeton Clay. The principal minerals in these clays consist of quartz, mica and clay minerals, although pyrite, glauconite and siderite are notable in some beds. The proportions of clay minerals change within the Speeton Clay and generally illite becomes more important in the younger horizons.

The Speeton Clay is a silty clay which generally has a high plasticity, the latter being influenced by the proportion of clay fraction present. All the clays tested were inactive although they would appear to have a potential for expansion. Neither the plasticity nor the moisture content were affected by depth.

In terms of its undrained shear strength, most of the Speeton Clay could be regarded as a stiff clay. It was also insensitive with generally a low slake-durability index. Its coefficients of volume compressibility were characteristic of overconsolidated and heavily overconsolidated days.     

Effect of grading characteristics on the undrained shear strength of sand: review with new evidences

In this paper, the shear strength of saturated pure sand and sand–silt mixture is evaluated by monotonic undrained triaxial tests that were carried out on reconstituted specimens at same relative densities and a constant confining pressure (σ ₃?=?300 kPa). The test results were used to conclude on the effect of low non-plastic contents (0–20 %) and grading characteristics on the liquefaction resistance of the sand. The test results indicate that the undrained residual strength reduced with the increase of non-plastic fine content. Also, shear strength of gap-graded sand mixed with low non-plastic fine content increases with decrease in effective size (D ₅₀). In other words, in this state, we can use the D ₅₀ as a parameter to control of silty sand’s undrained resistance. Besides, the undrained residual strength of pure sand specimens with same effective size increases due to increase of coefficient of uniformity (C _u).     

Slope failures and stability analysis of shallow water prodeltas in the active margins of Western Greece,northeastern Mediterranean Sea

Sediment instabilities are common on the prodeltas of the seismically active continental margins of Western Greece. Sediment failures on the low-angle (0.5°–2°) prodelta slopes manifest themselves as successions of peripheral rotational block slumps restricted to the foresets of the late highstand systems tract (HST). The individual slump blocks are about 80–150 m long and are bounded by growth faults acting as curved slip planes that extend to a mean depth of 10–15 m below seafloor. Shear planes develop in the lower part of muddy and/or gas charged HST foresets. Deeper basal transparent muddy layers of the early HST bottomset, together with the late Pleistocene transgressive systems tract sequences (TST), are mostly unaffected. On the steeper (2^°–6^°) fan delta slopes of the western Gulf of Corinth debris flows and avalanches with a significant retrogressive component dominate slope destabilisation. Sediment cores taken from landslide scarps and slide planes penetrated gas bubble releasing sediments thereby indicating that failure planes are in the late HST foresets/upper part of the early HST bottomsets gas charged zone. The foresets of the HST prodelta deposits display high water content (30–80%), low bulk density (1.4–1.9 g cm⁻³) and relatively low values of undrained shear strength (3–20 kPa). The water content of the HST distal muddy bottomsets is relatively higher (50–110%) and bulk density relatively lower (1.3–1.7 g cm⁻³) with low values of shear strength (2–10 kPa). The shear strength of the gas releasing sediment layer displays lower values (2–9 kPa) relative to the overlying, post failure, muddy sediments of the late 100–300 years. Slope stability was calculated using the normalised soil parameter (NSP) method under undrained conditions for normally consolidated prodelta sediments. This analysis indicates that instabilities could be induced by critical earthquake ground accelerations of 26.6–29.6% g for the HST foresets and 12.4–14.1% g for the basal transparent layer belonging to the early HST bottomsets. Consequently the early HST bottomsets has to be considered a potentially unstable layer since the regional peak ground accelerations (PGAs) for the next 50 years are expected to range from 19 to 30% g. Moreover, our results show that new glide planes in the prodeltaic sediment bodies of the seismically active continental margins of Western Greece will likely develop from the gas charged sediments of the lower part of the HST foresets to the upper part of early HST bottomsets.     

Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of the Old Tailings Dam,Australia: Evaluating the effectiveness of a water cover for long-term AMD control

Establishing a shallow water cover over tailings deposited in a designated storage facility is one option to limit oxygen diffusion and retard oxidation of sulfides which have the potential to form acid mine drainage (AMD). The Old Tailings Dam (OTD) located at the Savage River mine, western Tasmania contains 38 million tonnes of pyritic tailings deposited from 1967 to 1982, and is actively generating AMD. The OTD was constructed on a natural gradient, resulting in sub-aerial exposure of the southern area, with the northern area under a natural water cover. This physical contrast allowed for the examination of tailings mineralogy and geochemistry as a function of water cover depth across the OTD. Tailings samples (n = 144, depth: ≤ 1.5 m) were collected and subjected to a range of geochemical and mineralogical evaluations. Tailings from the southern and northern extents of the OTD showed similar AMD potential based on geochemical (NAG pH range: 2.1 to 4.2) and bulk mineralogical parameters, particularly at depth. However, sulfide alteration index (SAI) assessments highlighted the microscale contrast in oxidation. In the sub-aerial zone pyrite grains are moderately oxidized to a depth of 0.3 m (maximum SAI of 6/10), under both gravel fill and oxidized covers, with secondary minerals (e.g., ferrihydrite and goethite) developed along rims and fractures. Beneath this, mildly oxidized pyrite is seen in fresh tailings (SAI = 2.9/10 to 5.8/10). In the sub-aqueous zone, the degree of pyrite oxidation demonstrates a direct relationship with cover depth, with unoxidized, potentially reactive tailings identified from 2.5 m, directly beneath an organic-rich sediment layer (SAI = 0 to 1/10). These findings are broadly similar to other tailings storage facilities e.g., Fox Lake, Sherritt-Gordon ZnCu mine, Canada and Stekenjokk mine, Sweden where water covers up to 2 m have successfully reduced AMD. Whilst geotechnical properties of the OTD restrict the extension of the water cover, pyrite is enriched in cobalt (up to 2.6 wt%) indicating reprocessing of tailings as an alternative management option. Through adoption of an integrated mineralogical and geochemical characterization approach for tailings assessment robust management strategies after mine closure can be developed.     

连云港海相软土不排水强度特征

连云港地区软土为碱性环境下沉积的非均质海积软土,软土抗剪强度具有固有各向异性。采用三轴不固结不排水剪切（UU）试验、无侧限抗压强度（UTC）试验、快剪试验和原位十字板剪切（FVT）试验4种方法,对连云港地区软土的不固结不排水抗剪强度特征进行了研究。结果表明：土体水平剪切面强度最低,竖直面抗剪强度最高;土体制样采用垂直方向的切取试样方式时,土体强度最高。根据三轴UU试验得出的黏聚强度和内摩擦角基于土体单元极限平衡理论恢复了土体剪切破坏时的应力状态,计算出土体实际抗剪强度。三轴UU试验得出的抗剪强度平均值约为13.13 kPa,试样破裂面与水平面的夹角在45.1°~45.7°区间最为集中。UTC试验测得的土体平均抗剪强度近似等于三轴UU试验测得的平均抗剪强度。FVT试验测得软土抗剪强度平均值为19.72 kPa,与三轴UU试验和UTC试验得出的抗剪强度平均值相比高了约6.60 kPa,这种现象与室内试验试样的机械扰动、土体应力状态改变和剪切面特征有关。     

Experimental Study of Undrained Shear Strength of Silty Sand: Effect of Fines and Gradation

Two strong earthquakes occurred in the region of Chlef (north western part of Algeria) during the last century. From the geological context, there were several great masses of sandy soil ejections on to the ground surface level and severe damages to civil and hydraulic structures. These damages were due to the soil liquefaction phenomenon. The objective of this laboratory investigation is to study the effect of low plastic fines and gradation characteristics on the undrained shear strength (liquefaction resistance) response of sand-silt mixture samples. For this purpose, a series of undrained monotonic triaxial tests were carried out on reconstituted saturated silty sand samples with different fines content ranging from 0 to 50?% at two initial relative densities (D_r?=?20 and 91?%). The initial confining pressure was kept at 100?kPa. The evaluation of the data indicates that the undrained shear strength at the peak (q_peak) can be correlated to the undrained residual strength (S_us), the excess pore pressure (Δu), the fines content (F_c) and the intergranular void ratio (e_s). The test results indicate also that the undrained shear strength at the peak decreases with the increment of the coefficient of uniformity and fines content as well as with the decrement of the mean grain size in the range of 0–50?% fines content for both relative densities (D_r?=?20 and 91?%).     

A semi-empirical approach for estimation of bed shear stress in a tailings pond

Wind-driven waves and currents exert shear stress on the bed of a tailings pond. A semi-empirical approach for estimating this bed shear stress is presented in this paper. For the first time in a mine tailings storage facility, the current-induced component of the bed shear stress was obtained using 1,200-kHz acoustic Doppler current profiler measurements of in situ currents and a log-law fit to the mean velocity profiles, while the wave-induced portion was calculated using empirical wave hindcasting equations. The total bed shear stress was obtained by non-linear addition of wave and current components using a wave–current interaction approach. The study was conducted in the middle cell of the Shebandowan tailings storage facility, northern Ontario, Canada. The measured currents facilitated the visualization of the complex near-bed circulatory flow pattern in the pond. The estimated combined wave–current bed shear stress varied from 0.0006 to 0.16 Pa with an average value of 0.028 Pa. The results also showed that linear addition of bed shear stresses due to waves and currents could underestimate the total bed shear stress. A comparison of the results of the present work to those of previous studies suggests that it is more reliable to obtain current-induced bed shear stress from field measurements than to estimate it from empirical equations.     

尾矿坝筑坝模袋力学性能试验研究

模袋法是解决上游法细粒尾矿堆坝难的一种新方法。为研究模袋法尾矿坝筑坝模袋的基本力学性能,采用与云南省某尾矿坝施工现场一样的土工布和尾砂,通过斜坡滑移、直剪、无侧限压缩试验,对固结不同时间的小尺寸尾矿坝筑坝模袋进行了摩擦和受压性能的试验研究。斜坡滑移试验表明,若含水率相对较低,则模袋间的摩擦系数较大;直剪试验测得固结8 d的模袋间内摩擦角约为28º,黏聚力约为40 kPa;在无侧限压缩条件下,固结1 d和3 d的模袋在受压过程中,其弹性模量都表现为“大-小-大”的变化形式。由于土工布和尾砂的共同作用,模袋的极限抗压强度远大于单纯尾砂堆积体的极限抗压强度。当压应力达到模袋所能承受的极限荷载时,通常会在模袋底部靠近模袋边缘处发生土工布的撕裂破坏,采用主动土压力理论分析了发生破坏的原因。本试验研究可以为模袋法尾矿坝的实践提供理论指导。     

砂与粘土接触界面的力学特性试验

利用DSJ-2型电动四联等应变直剪仪分别进行了不同粒径砂和粘土(方案1)、不同含水量砂和粘土(方案2)的直剪试验,揭示了其接触面的力学特性。试验结果表明:法向应力(σ_n)、砂粒径大小、砂含水量对接触面的力学特性有着重要的影响。方案1和方案2接触面的抗剪强度和达到剪切应力峰值时的剪切位移随着法向应力的增大而增大,当σ_n为100 kPa时,粘土和不同粒径砂的接触面剪切应力和水平剪切位移(τ-δ)关系曲线呈现应变软化现象;方案1接触面抗剪强度随砂粒径的减小而降低,方案2在σ_n为100 kPa时,接触面抗剪强度随砂含水量增加而降低,σ_n>100 kPa时,接触面抗剪强度随砂含水量增加先降低后变大;方案2在低法向应力下,接触面抗剪强度对应的含水量敏感区间为[10%,15%],且较明显。      

钱塘江冲海积粉土剪胀性三轴试验研究

钱塘江两岸广泛分布着冲海积粉土.通过大量的三轴固结不排水CU和固结排水CD试验,探讨饱和粉土的应力应变性状和剪胀特性。试验表明,钱塘江冲海积粉土显著的特性之一是在剪切中膨胀,剪胀主要与粉土的密度和围压有关。CU试验中密(e=0.739～0.866)的原状样在围压600kPa范围内剪切膨胀,稍密(e=0.890～0.906)的击实样在围压低于400kPa剪切膨胀。由于粉土膨胀的本质不排水强度在剪切中保持增加,对于这种情况就没有惟一的"不排水强度";CD试验稍密(e=0.889～0.945)的击实样在围压低于400kPa时剪切膨胀。钱塘江冲海积粉土的剪切破坏要经历一个大的变形过程,固结排水剪切过程的应力应变性状可分为4个阶段。取应变继续而没有进一步体积变化的临界状态做破坏标准,确定粉土排水剪切强度指标较合理。     

黄土−砂浆块界面剪切特性试验及本构模型研究

构筑物与土体接触面力学行为是岩土工程研究的热点之一。基于一系列直剪试验,研究不同法向压力、土体含水率条件下黄土?水泥砂浆块界面剪切特性。结果表明,(1) 在土体含水率为9.2和13.1%条件下,法向压力为50、100 kPa时黄土?沙浆块界面剪切应力?位移曲线表现为应变软化型,且可分为峰值前、峰值后及残余阶段三部分,在法向压力为200、300 kPa时表现为应变硬化型;在土体含水率为17.1、20.8%条件下,不同法向压力时黄土?砂浆块界面剪切应力?位移曲线均为应变硬化型;(2) 黄土?砂浆块界面的抗剪强度包络线符合摩尔?库仑准则,随着含水率的增大,界面黏聚强度降低显著,摩擦强度略有增加,整体抗剪强度降低。当土体含水率由9.2%增加至20.8%时,界面黏聚力由41.5 kPa下降至3.6 kPa,界面摩擦系数由0.50增大至0.58。用非线性模型对界面剪切应力?位移曲线关系进行拟合,结果表明非线性模型可较好反映黄土?砂浆块界面的剪切特性。     

Three-dimensional undrained tunnel face stability in clay with a linearly increasing shear strength with depth

The undrained tunnel face stability in clay with a linearly increasing shear strength with depth was investigated by three-dimensional finite element analysis. Three parametric studies were performed to study the effects of the cover depth ratio, overburden stress factor and linear strength gradient ratio on the load factor of the undrained tunnel face stability. The influence of the linear strength gradient ratio on the predicted failure mechanism of the undrained face stability was discussed and examined. An approximate closed-form solution was proposed for three-dimensional undrained tunnel face stability in clays with constant or linearly increasing shear strength profiles with depth.     

In-situ geotechnical experimentation and stability evaluation of an instrumented 180 m×70 m×12.5 m fill dike constructed on laminated soft ground

 An instrumented trial-fill dike was constructed on soft, laminated soils of the Lisan Peninsula foreshore of the Dead Sea. The earthwork had base dimensions of 180 m by approximately 70 m wide and was raised in two stages to a maximum height of 12.5 m above original ground level. The geotechnical data of the dike were monitored in order to: assess the short- and long-term strength of the foundation, obtain and analyze the pore-pressure response of the foundation soils for potential use in construction control, obtain data on embankment settlement in order to refine end-of-construction and post-construction settlement assessments, and optimize the height of the dike to be constructed by providing information on the construction sequence for use in calculation of capital costs and alternative layouts and dike heights. The successful completion of the trial dike has demonstrated that steep-side dikes up to 12.5 m high can be constructed rapidly on soft soils. The construction of the trial dike has therefore proved a very substantial benefit to the evaluation of the likely performance of a dike constructed along the Lisan shore. The key factor which made this fast construction possible was the unexpected, very rapid consolidation of the majority of the foundation soil which has been shown to occur. The principal observations from the trial dike were: (1) end of construction settlements may be calculated using drained stiffnesses where E′/s_{u initial} has a value of around 65; (2) post-construction settlements can be calculated using a coefficient of secondary compression, Cα equal to 0.015; (3) a rapid increase in undrained shear strength occurred when loading the soil up to a value of s_u equal to around 30 kPa. The value of s_u/σ_v′ was as high as 0.5 at this stage. With further loading the strength increase was more modest and s_u/σ_v fell to around 0.25 for a vertical effective stress of 160 kPa; (4) for the undrained stability analyses of the trial dike, the mean vane shear-strength profile provided an appropriate assessment of the short-term factor of safety against failure, 5) For the drained stability analyses of the trial dike, lower bound effective strength parameters for the foundation and embankment fill (c′=0, φ′=30° and c′=2 kN/m², φ′=33°, respectively), combined with field measurements of end of construction pore water pressures provided an analysis which was broadly compatible with the undrained analysis; and (6) the trial dike has been stable, pre- and post-construction, because of the well drained nature of its foundation which prevented the build up of high pore water pressures and led to rapid consolidation. Received: 22 June 1998 · Accepted: 30 October 1998