Expansive bentonite-sand mixtures in cyclic controlled-suction drying and wetting

Expansive clay buffers in radioactive waste disposal designs experience cyclic drying and wetting paths during different stages of their design life. Clayey soils subjected to these processes develop swelling and shrinkage deformations, which give rise to the accumulation of compression or expansion strains during suction cycles. Experimental studies were undertaken using oedometer tests on an artificially prepared bentonite-sand mixture (80% bentonite by dry mass). In order to study these processes and to identify the most important features controlling soil behaviour, several wetting-drying cycles with suctions ranging between 130 and 4 MPa were applied using vapour equilibrium technique and covering a wide range of overconsolidation ratios (OCR). The tested samples showed cumulative shrinkage strains along the successive cycles, which became more significant at increasing vertical net stresses (low OCR values). However, no accumulation of expansion strains was detected at elevated OCR values. Test results were interpreted and predicted within the context of an elastoplastic model proposed by Alonso et al., 1999, [Alonso, E.E., Vaunat, J., Gens, A., (1999). Modelling the mechanical behaviour of expansive clays. Engineering Geology, 54, 173-183.] which takes into account the accumulation of strains. A good correspondence between measured soil response and model predictions was observed. The paper also presents the methodology to derive the constitutive parameters.     

The impact of cyclic wetting and drying on the swelling behaviour of stabilized expansive soils

Black cotton soil (BCS) deposits, stabilized with waste materials-wood-ash and organic matter (leaves, grass, etc.) exist in BCS areas of North Karnataka, India. These ash-modified soils (AMS) are apparently stabilized by hydrated lime produced by biochemical, dissolution, and hydration reactions. The influence of cyclic wetting and drying on the swelling behaviour of wood-ash-modified BCS and laboratory lime-treated BCS specimens are examined in this study. Such a study is required to assess the long-term behaviour of chemically stabilized soils in geotechnical applications. Cyclic wetting and drying caused the AMS specimens to become more porous and less saturated. Consequently, the cyclically wetted and dried (or desiccated) AMS specimens collapsed significantly at the experimental flooding pressures. The beneficial effects of lime-stabilization of the BCS specimens were also partially lost in cyclically wetting and drying them. The clay contents of the lime-treated BCS specimens increased on cyclic wetting and drying. The increased clay contents in turn, affected their Atterberg limits and swell–shrink potentials. Partial loss of inter-particle cementation, increased porosity, and reduced degree of saturation, also imparted small to moderate collapse potentials to the desiccated lime-treated BCS specimens.     

Mechanical behaviour of expansive soils after several drying and wetting cycles

This paper presents results from an experimental study performed on natural and compacted expansive soils in different loose and dense states using principally osmotic oedometers. The loose soils showed significant shrinkage, while the dense soils produced a swelling accumulation during the suction cycles. These cycles induced an equilibrium stage, which indicates an elastic behaviour of the samples under suction cycles. At the end of suction cycles, a loading/unloading test was performed on all samples at different constant suctions to define LC (loading collapse) yield curve as well as the newly defined SC (saturation curve) yield curve. Generally, the suction cycles for the looser soils approached the LC and SC yield curves while they became the same at the equilibrium state. For the denser soils producing the swelling strain accumulation, the unique LC and SC curves were activated together. Additionally, we found that at the equilibrium stage, both initially loose and dense samples presented the same mechanical parameters. In other words, the LC or SC yield curves superimposed for different initial states of the samples at the equilibrium stage. Moreover, these compression curves provided sufficient data to propose a simplified model for the mechanical behaviour of the swelling soils at the equilibrium stage.     

Zarka shakedown modelling of expansive soils subjected to wetting and drying cycles

Unsaturated expansive soils subjected to wetting and drying cycles result in huge differential settlements of structures built on these materials. The existed models for these materials present large number of parameters that lead to time-consuming procedure to characterise their mechanical behaviour during wetting–drying cycles. In this context, Zarka shakedown theory previously applied to the mechanical loading of granular materials has been used for expansive soils subjected to suction cycles. The parameters of this shakedown-based model were calibrated for two different expansive soils. The comparisons between the experimental results and the calculations for the different tests, demonstrate the capacity of Zarka shakedown theory to simulate the mechanical behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils.     

膨胀土强度干湿循环试验研究

通过南宁地区原状膨胀土干湿循环试验,探讨了膨胀土抗剪强度与含水率、循环次数、循环幅度等循环控制参数的关系。研究结果表明：膨胀土抗剪强度随干湿循环次数增加而衰减,最终趋于稳定,强度稳定值与稳定时所需循环次数均随含水率变化幅度的增加而减小。在此基础上,利用压汞试验测定了膨胀土干湿循环过程中的孔径分布,发现干湿循环对土的粒间联结产生不可逆的削弱,使得土体形成更大的孔隙空间,在高含水率时主要表现为集聚体间孔体积增加,在低含水率时集聚体内孔体积增加,从而降低土的抗剪强度。     

Influence of cyclic wetting and drying on swelling behavior of mudstone in south west of Iran

Mudstone experience periodic swell and shrink behavior due to alternate wetting and drying cycles at arid and semi-arid regions with distinctive seasonal changes. This paper examines the influence of cyclic wetting and drying on swelling strain and swelling pressure to simulate the behavior of such rocks under heavy structures (such as building foundations) and behind the stiff support systems (such as concrete linings). Mudstone samples from Bakhtiari formation of Masjed-Soleiman region in south west of Iran were chosen to perform the laboratory tests. The swelling strain under different dead pressures and also swelling pressure under oedometeric condition were measured over time. The maximum swelling strain and pressure increased with each cycle but it had a bound. Increasing the number of wetting and drying cycles reduces the time required to reach ultimate swelling of mudstone. This is a very important conclusion which helps to determine ultimate swelling behavior in a faster way as opposed to performing standard swelling tests for very long periods. The laboratory’s results are also in good correspondence with field measurements.     

干湿循环对合肥马鞍山路膨胀土强度特性的影响

膨胀土属高塑性黏土,是一种典型的非饱和土,性质极不稳定,其吸水膨胀、失水收缩、干缩裂隙发育等特性常常使建筑物产生不均匀的胀缩变形,造成在膨胀土地基上的建筑物位移、开裂、倾斜,甚至破坏,是一种典型的工程灾害性地质土。另外,膨胀土边坡也常由于雨水的作用失稳,造成不必要的损失。近年来,对膨胀土的强度和变形特性的研究已成为热点。其最大的特点是：在季节气候的影响下其强度特性具有明显的规律变动。通过模拟土体季节性的干缩湿胀,测定其自由膨胀率、液塑限、抗剪强度和无侧限抗压强度,并与掺入7％石灰后的改良土的试验数据及其他试验资料对比,探讨干湿循环效应对膨胀土强度的影响。     

干湿循环作用下膨胀土裂隙演化规律试验研究

对南阳膨胀土在反复干湿循环作用下的裂隙演化规律进行了室内试验研究。试验中采用烘干法模拟脱湿过程,采用抽气饱和法模拟饱和过程。在脱湿过程中,定时对土样进行称重、定点拍照,以记录裂隙发育状况。利用矢量图技术对裂隙照片进行矢量化处理,以提取裂隙的各种几何要素,继而进行裂隙度计算。裂隙度变化规律分析结果表明,影响裂隙张开程度的关键因素并非土体含水率,而是含水率梯度,而脱湿速率的空间分布、土块渗透特性以及土块尺寸大小则是决定含水率梯度大小的关键因素;膨胀土裂隙在干湿循环的作用下会逐步发育,主要体现在裂隙总面积与总长度的增加,但此作用有限,裂隙的发育达到一定程度以后便会因为土块尺寸过小而停止;反复干湿循环会使土体产生范性变形,该范性变形与完整土块的胀缩特性并无直接联系,其主要成因是裂隙的发育与土体完整性的破坏,裂隙越发育,土体范性变形量越大     

干湿循环条件下煤矿砂岩分离式霍普金森压杆试验研究

由于降雨、季节引起地下水位升降等原因,地壳中岩体常处于干湿循环状态。为研究干湿循环对岩石动态力学性能的影响,以安徽恒源煤矿北风井-259 m处砂岩为研究对象,采用?50 mm变截面分离式霍普金森压杆试验装置,对长径比为0.5的煤矿砂岩试件经干湿循环作用后实施单轴冲击压缩试验,获得了砂岩动态单轴压缩应力-应变曲线。研究发现,由于自由水的Stefan效应,干湿循环1次对砂岩具有增强作用,单轴动态抗压强度最高;其后,随着干湿循环次数的增加,砂岩受水侵蚀物理弱化作用,砂岩动态单轴抗压强度呈乘幂关系降低,砂岩试件的冲击破碎块度逐渐变小。试验结果表明,干湿循环12次时砂岩动态抗压强度比干湿循环1次降低约24%,表现出较强的劣化效应。     

Silica fume stabilization of an expansive clay subgrade and the effect of silica fume-stabilised soil cushion on its CBR

ABSTRACT

Expansive soil subgrades, which are subjected to dual swell-shrink problem consequent upon absorption and evaporation of water, need to be improved by chemical stabilization or compacted cushion or geosynthetic reinforcement in order that pavements constructed over them are even, stable and safe. This paper presents extensive experimental data on plasticity, free swell index (FSI) and compaction characteristics of a highly swelling expansive clay stabilized with varying silica fume contents. In another series of tests on a laterite soil to be used as a cushion over the expansive clay subgrade, plasticity properties, compaction characteristics and strength characteristics were determined at varied silica fume contents. Further, CBR of the expansive clay subgrade was determined in the laboratory stabilizing it with varied silica fume contents and providing a cushion of 50 mm thickness of silica fume-stabilized lateritic soil. Liquid limit (LL), plasticity index (PI) and free swell index (FSI) of the expansive clay decreased with increasing silica fume contents. The compaction and strength characteristics of both the soils improved with silica fume stabilization. The CBR of the expansive clay provided with silica fume-stabilized cushion improved significantly.     

粘土干湿循环中裂缝演变过程的数值模拟

在非饱和土简化固结理论基础上,对粘土在干湿过程中,表面裂缝从形成、发展到闭合的发展过程进行了数值模拟,模拟结果说明,本文采用的基于非饱和简化固结理论的计算方法是可行、实用的.     

软土中桶型基础水平循环承载力的模型试验

利用真空预压方法制备了一个大尺寸软黏土模型试验土池,进行了不同竖向静荷载与水平循环荷载共同作用下软土中单桶基础承载力的模型试验,研究了竖向静荷载与水平循环荷载对基础承载力的影响。结果表明,基础的水平循环承载力小于静承载力;导致基础破坏的循环荷载与循环次数取决于竖向静荷载。竖向静荷载越大,与同一循环破坏次数对应的循环荷载就越小。依据模型试验土的循环强度变化关系,采用弹塑性有限元计算方法对模型试验进行了数值模拟,计算与试验结果基本吻合,表明可以依据软黏土的循环强度变化关系,通过弹塑性有限元数值计算评价软土地基中桶型基础的水平循环承载力。     

橡胶砂动剪模量和阻尼比循环单剪试验研究

对7种不同配比的橡胶颗粒-砂混合物（简称橡胶砂）进行了循环单剪试验,得出了4种不同竖向固结压力p下不同配比橡胶砂的动剪模量和阻尼比的变化规律。研究表明：同一固结压力下,橡胶颗粒的增多使得应力-应变曲线明显降低,动剪模量衰减,阻尼比和隔震消能能力提高;同一配比下,橡胶砂的应力-应变曲线和动剪模量随固结压力的增大而增大,而阻尼比则随着固结压力的增大略有降低;橡胶颗粒含量的增加,会使得动剪模量归一化 曲线衰减更早,更有利于橡胶砂的隔震应用;与已有研究的对比分析表明,该试验结果与已有文献的试验结果吻合良好,橡胶砂混合物的动剪模量和阻尼比受试验方法的影响不大。     

Implicit and explicit integration schemes in the anisotropic bounding surface plasticity model for cyclic behaviours of saturated clay

Two integration algorithms, namely the implicit return mapping and explicit sub-stepping schemes, are adopted in the anisotropic bounding surface plasticity model for cyclic behaviours of saturated clay and are implemented into finite element code. The model is a representative of a series of bounding surface models that have typical characteristics, including isotropic and kinematic hardening rules and a rotational bounding surface to capture complex but important cyclic behaviours of soils, such as cyclic shakedown and degradation. However, there is no explicit current yield surface in the model to which the conventional implicit algorithm returns the stress state back or the sub-stepping integration corrects the drift of the stress state. Hence, necessary modifications have been made for both of the integration schemes. First, the image stress point is mapped or corrected to the bounding surface instead of mapping back or correcting the stress state to the yield surface. Second, the unloading–loading criterion is checked to determine the image stress point rather than checking the yield criterion after giving the trial stress state in a conventional way. Comparative studies on the accuracy, stability and efficiency of the two integration schemes are conducted not only at the element level but also in solving boundary value problems of monotonic and cyclic bearing behaviours of rigid footings on saturated clay. For smaller strain increments, there is no significant difference in the accuracy between the two integration schemes, but the explicit integration shows a higher efficiency and accuracy. For relatively larger increments, the implicit return mapping algorithm presents good accuracy and more robustness, while the sub-stepping algorithm shows deteriorating accuracy and suffers the convergence problem. With the tolerance used in the present model, the bearing capacity of the rigid footing predicted by the return mapping algorithm is closer to the available analytical and numerical solutions, while the bearing capacity predicted by the sub-stepping algorithm shows a marginal increase.     

A coupled analysis of cavity and pore volume changes for pulse tests conducted in soft clay deposits

This paper presents a new interpretation method for pulse tests, a field permeability test that allows for rapid measurements of hydraulic conductivity k in aquitards. This new method applies to soft clay deposits. To initiate a pulse test, a known volume of water is injected into the sand filter of a monitoring well isolated by a packer. The resulting pressure increase yields an outward movement of the sand filter cavity wall. After presenting the usual interpretation methods and their limits, this paper proposes a new interpretation method based on a coupled analysis of the pressure and displacement fields in the soil using the Biot–Darcy formulation. A series of analytical and numerical non‐dimensional velocity graphs, normalized plots of the mean hydraulic head difference versus its rate of change, are given. For a linear elastic material, these type curves show relatively small variations with the sand filter aspect ratio and the Poisson ratio of the tested clay. The type curves are also found to be independent of the clay compressibility (m_v) and k, an important result. A series of pulse tests conducted in a soft marine clay deposit near Montreal, Canada, are interpreted with the proposed method. The hydraulic conductivity values calculated from these tests are closely correlated with independent estimates obtained using long‐duration variable‐head tests. Compared with previous interpretation methods, the proposed method allows soil volume changes to be reconciled with cavity expansion phenomena and the range of type curves available for the interpretation of test data to be constrained. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An upscaling method and a numerical analysis of swelling/shrinking processes in a compacted bentonite/sand mixture

This paper presents an upscaling concept of swelling/shrinking processes of a compacted bentonite/sand mixture, which also applies to swelling of porous media in general. A constitutive approach for highly compacted bentonite/sand mixture is developed accordingly. The concept is based on the diffuse double layer theory and connects microstructural properties of the bentonite as well as chemical properties of the pore fluid with swelling potential. Main factors influencing the swelling potential of bentonite, i.e. variation of water content, dry density, chemical composition of pore fluid, as well as the microstructures and the amount of swelling minerals are taken into account. According to the proposed model, porosity is divided into interparticle and interlayer porosity. Swelling is the potential of interlayer porosity increase, which reveals itself as volume change in the case of free expansion, or turns to be swelling pressure in the case of constrained swelling. The constitutive equations for swelling/shrinking are implemented in the software GeoSys/RockFlow as a new chemo‐hydro‐mechanical model, which is able to simulate isothermal multiphase flow in bentonite. Details of the mathematical and numerical multiphase flow formulations, as well as the code implementation are described. The proposed model is verified using experimental data of tests on a highly compacted bentonite/sand mixture. Comparison of the 1D modelling results with the experimental data evidences the capability of the proposed model to satisfactorily predict free swelling of the material under investigation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

黏土中两种不同直径单桩水平循环加载模型试验与分析

为探讨海上风机在风、浪等水平往复循环荷载下大直径单桩基础的循环弱化特性,设计了稳定输出长期循环荷载的机械加载装置,开展了软黏土中长期水平循环荷载下海上风电大直径单桩基础和传统长桩基础的模型试验对比研究。根据API给出的骨干曲线和Masing二倍准则构建循环荷载下的p-y（荷载-位移）曲线,并借鉴前人工作,采用累积塑性应变描述软黏土的不排水抗剪强度弱化,提出了分析大周数水平循环荷载下单桩基础循环弱化的理论方法。该方法将循环荷载次数、幅值等外界条件与桩周土体的循环弱化特性建立联系,以适应海洋环境复杂多变的水平循环荷载形式。通过模型试验和理论研究认为,大直径单桩基础因刚度较大,在同样的水平力循环荷载条件下,其抵抗循环荷载的能力明显优于传统长桩。在海上风机大直径单桩的设计中采用基于黏土残余强度的循环后稳定水平承载力更为合理。     

小截面静压预制短桩的桩底注浆试验研究

通过对桩端置于含泥圆砾卵石层超短静压预制桩桩底注浆及注浆前后静载试验,分析了桩竖向极限承载力的提高机理。试验表明,桩底注浆可较大幅度地提高以砂卵石为持力层的静压预制桩的竖向承载力。     

下垫面蒸发和云中凝结分馏对降水稳定同位素影响的数值试验——时间变化的比较(以长沙降水同位素为例)

利用稳定同位素大气水平衡模式（iAWBM）的模拟数据,分析了在不同的下垫面蒸发和不同的凝结分馏条件下降水中δ¹⁸O的时间变化、降水量效应、负温度效应和大气水线。并通过与长沙站5年实测数据的比较以及模拟试验结果之间的相互比较,揭示下垫面蒸发水汽中稳定同位素的季节性变化和云中稳定同位素分馏对降水中稳定同位素变化的可能影响,增进对季风区水稳定同位素效应的理解和认识。iAWBM给出的4个模拟试验均很好地再现了监测站降水中δ¹⁸O的时间变化,模拟出季风区降水中稳定同位素在暖半年被贫化、在冷半年被富集的基本特点。与平衡分馏相比,动力分馏下降水中稳定同位素被贫化的程度加强、季节差和离散程度减小;由下垫面蒸发水汽中稳定同位素δ_e季节性变化所引起的降水中稳定同位素的变化在不同季节完全相反：在长沙,暖半年降水中δ¹⁸O更低,冷半年降水中δ¹⁸O更高,使得降水中稳定同位素季节差和离散程度增大。4个模拟试验均很好地再现了季风区的降水量效应和负温度效应。与平衡分馏相比,动力分馏下模拟的降水量效应和负温度效应的斜率相对较小;δ_e季节性变化导致模拟的降水量效应和负温度效应的斜率增大。利用iAWBM,模拟出季风区湿热气候条件下的MWL。动力分馏以及δ_e季节变化均使模拟得到的MWL的斜率和截距减小。