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.     

Cyclic liquefaction screening of sand with non-plastic fines:Critical state approach

There have been significant advances in the application of critical state,CS,in liquefaction potential assessment.This was done by comparing state parameter,j with estimated characteristic cyclic stress ratio,CSR due to an earthquake.A cyclic resistance ratio,CRR curve,which can be determined from cyclic liquefaction tests,separates historical liquefied and non-liquefied data points(j,CSR).On the other hand,the concepts of equivalent granular state parameter,j*,which was developed for sands with fines,can be used in lieu j to provide a unifying framework for characterizing the undrained response of sands with non/low plasticity fines,irrespective of fines content(fc).The present work combines these two propositions,and by merely substituting j*for j into the aforementioned CS approach to capture the influence of fc.A series of static and cyclic triaxial tests were conducted,separately and independently of the concept of j*,for sand with up to fc of 30%.The clean sand was collected from Sabarmati river belt at Ahmedabad city in India which was severely affected during the Bhuj earthquake,2001.The experimental data gave a single relation for CRR and j*which was then used to assess liquefaction potential for a SPT based case study,where fc varies along the depth.The prediction matched with the field observation.     

Prediction of cyclic resistance ratio for silty sands and its applications in the simplified liquefaction analysis

Liquefaction resistance of granular soils is commonly characterized by the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR) in the simplified shear stress procedure of liquefaction potential assessment. This parameter is commonly estimated by cyclic tests on reconstituted samples or empirical correlations between liquefied/non-liquefied case histories. The current study employs results of cyclic triaxial tests on reconstituted soil specimens and presents a predictive equation for cyclic resistance ratio (CRR) of clean and silty sands. The CRR equation is a function of relative density, effective mean confining pressure, non-plastic fines content, number of harmonic cycles for liquefaction onset, and some other basic soil properties. It is demonstrated that the developed relationship obtains reasonable accuracy in the prediction of laboratory-based CRR. Based on the developed CRR model, new relationships are then presented for the coefficient of effective overburden pressure (K_σ) and magnitude scaling factor (MSF), two important modification factors in the simplified shear stress procedure. These new modification factors are then compared with those recommended by previous researchers. Finally, the possible application of the proposed CRR model in field condition is shown for a specific case. This study provides a preliminary insight into the liquefaction resistance of silty sands prior to the complementary laboratory studies.     

Experimental study of the grading characteristic effect on the liquefaction resistance of various graded sands and gravelly sands

The liquefaction vulnerability of fine- to coarse-graded saturated sand and gravelly sand is evaluated by stress control cyclic triaxial laboratory tests. Cyclic triaxial test on reconstituted specimens is carried out with relative density of 45 %. Cyclic triaxial tests performed by sinusoidal wave form with 1-Hz frequency and with the effective consolidation pressure equal to 100 kPa. Cyclic stress ratio which caused initial liquefaction in 15 cycles recognized as the liquefaction resistance in cyclic triaxial test of present study. The result had been used to find a relationship between liquefaction resistance and the grading characteristics (e.g., coefficient of curvature and coefficient of uniformity) of various graded sands and gravelly sands. Then, it is realized that a relationship between liquefaction resistance and any of the sizes (i.e., D ₁₀, D ₃₀, D ₅₀, D ₆₀) appears to be more practical.     

Influence of plastic fines content on the liquefaction susceptibility of sands: cyclic loading

Acta Geotechnica - The paper presents an experimental study on the effect of plastic fines content on the undrained behavior and liquefaction susceptibility of sand-fines mixtures under cyclic...     

Computational study on the modification of a bounding surface plasticity model for sands

The accurate simulation of complex dynamic phenomena requires the availability of advanced constitutive models capable of simulating a wide range of features of soil behaviour under cyclic loading. One possible strategy is to improve the capabilities of existing bounding surface plasticity models, as this framework is characterised by its modularity and flexibility. As a result, specific components of the formulation of this type of model may be adjusted to improve the reproduction of any aspect of soil behaviour deemed essential to the problem being analysed. In this paper, a series of computational studies are performed in order to establish the impact of expanding a bounding surface plasticity model for sands on its modelling capabilities and to suggest ways of mitigating the associated increase in complexity. Changes to three distinct aspects of the selected constitutive model are examined: the shape of the Critical State Line in p′ − e space, the expression used for calculating the hardening modulus and the form of the yield surface. It is shown that the introduced changes have the potential to increase significantly the ability to control how certain aspects of soil response, such as degradation of stiffness and flow liquefaction with limited deformation, are reproduced by the model. Moreover, this paper presents a systematic approach to the expansion of this type of constitutive model, establishing how alterations to the formulation of a model may be assessed in terms of improved accuracy and potential benefits.     

Insight into the effects of clay mineralogy on the cyclic behavior of silt–clay mixtures

Results of a systematic testing program showed that the cyclic behavior of silt–clay mixtures is greatly influenced by the dominant clay minerals in the mixture. In particular, it was demonstrated that given the same amount of clay/clay mineral and/or same value of plasticity index, the montmorillonitic soils have the highest cyclic strength, followed by the illitic soils, and then by the kaolinitic soils. Moreover, the rate of increase in cyclic strength with increasing % clay mineral and PI is again the highest in the montmorillonitic soil, lowest in the kaolinitic soil and intermediate in the illitic soil. Therefore, without considering clay mineralogy, the % clay fraction, % clay mineral and plasticity index are unreliable indicators of the liquefaction susceptibility of fine-grained soils. The differing adhesive bond strength each clay mineral develops with the silt particles is deemed to largely explain the observed differences in the response of the three different soil mixtures to cyclic loading.     

Experimental evidence of a unique flow rule of non-cohesive soils under high-cyclic loading

The presented results of cyclic triaxial tests on sand demonstrate that the cumulative effects due to small cycles obey a kind of flow rule. It mainly depends on the average stress ratio about which the cycles are performed. This so-called “cyclic flow rule” is unique and can be well approximated by flow rules for monotonic loading. Amongst others it is shown that the cyclic flow rule is only moderately influenced by the average mean pressure, by the strain loop (span, shape, polarization), the void ratio, the loading frequency, the static preloading and the grain size distribution curve. A slight increase of the compactive portion of the flow rule with increasing residual strain (due to the previous cycles) was observed. These experimental findings prove that the cyclic flow rule is an essential and indispensable concept in explicit (N-type) accumulation models.     

Index test for the degradation potential of carbonate sands during hydraulic transportation

Carbonate sands undergo degradation when transported hydraulically from a dredging vessel to the reclamation site. Risks involved in the production of fines during hydraulic transport are a deterioration of the mechanical properties of the fill in certain areas of the reclamation area where these fines concentrate. In order to assess sand degradation in the concrete and road construction industry, the Micro-Deval test for fine aggregates was developed in France and Canada. During Micro-Deval testing, aggregates degrade when tumbled in a rotating steel drum with water and steel balls. In the Canadian standard, the steel charge is lower than in the French standard and balls have the diameter of the smallest balls used in the French test. During testing, the quantity of fines produced is measured. This makes the Micro-Deval test an option for assessing the degradation of sand during hydraulic transportation of slurries in the dredging industry. Three sands are tested: two shelly carbonate sands and one quartzic river sand for comparison. The carbonate sands were sampled on reclaimed land and had been subjected to hydraulic transportation in pipeline before artificial deposition. Due to differences in particle shape, the carbonate sands and the quartz sand have a different number of contacts with the steel charge in the drum of the Micro-Deval and are not exposed to the same degradation forces during testing. It was found that the quartzic sand suffers relatively much degradation as compared to the carbonate sands, despite its greater hardness and resistance to crushability. The French test appears to create turbulence that promotes floatation of the curved shells of the carbonate sands instead of shell grinding at the bottom of the drum by contact with the steel balls. Microscopic observations of sand samples before and after testing showed that the French Micro-Deval test is too destructive. The test leads to the fragmentation by impact of the quartz sands and the destruction of certain particle types that had survived hydraulic transportation. With respect to the Canadian test, microscopic examination of sand grains before and after testing shows there is still much fragmentation of quartz grains. A lower rotational speed combined with a limited steel charge made of uniform balls of a smaller diameter, reduces turbulence, shell floatability and last but not the least, impact forces. It produces the desired result: a high Micro-Deval loss for the carbonate sands in comparison to that for the quartz sands and a very limited fragmentation of the quartz grains. Once the slurry reaches its destination, the grain size distribution of the fines fraction will influence the mechanical behaviour of mixed sands. A procedure is proposed to measure the particle size distribution of the fines fraction produced during Micro-Deval testing.Field validation is needed to validate preliminary laboratory results.     

A numerical model for the transient analysis of offshore foundations under cyclic loading

A comprehensive numerical model for the analysis of offshore foundations under a general transient loading is presented here. The theoretical basis of the model lies on the Swansea formulation of Biot’s equations of dynamic poroelasticity combined with a constitutive model that reproduces key aspects of cyclic soil behaviour in the frame of the theory of generalised plasticity. On the practical side, the adoption of appropriate finite element formulations may prevent the appearance of spurious numerical instabilities of the pore pressure field. In this respect, the use of a coupled enhanced-strain element is here proposed. On the other hand, the practicality of the presented model depends ultimately on its computational efficiency. Some practical recommendations concerning the solution strategies, the matrix storage/handling procedures and the parallel multi-processor computation are here provided. Finally, the performance of the model with a benchmark study case and its practical application to analyse the soil–structure interaction of an offshore monopile under a realistic transient storm loading are discussed.     

Influence of plastic fines content on the liquefaction susceptibility of sands: monotonic loading

Acta Geotechnica - The paper presents an experimental study on the effect of plastic fines content on the undrained behavior and liquefaction susceptibility of sand–fines mixtures under...     

Experiments on the entrainment threshold of well-sorted and poorly sorted carbonate sands

Few studies have examined the hydrodynamic behaviour of carbonate sediments. The data presented here are the result of preliminary research on entrainment in well- and poorly sorted carbonate sands. Experiments were performed using naturally occurring sediments in a tilting, recirculating freshwater flume. Results indicate that when of similar size, shape and density, the transport threshold of carbonate sands is similar to that of quartz. However, owing to their lower density and often platy or irregular shape, skeletal sands require a lower shear stress to initiate transport. Because the density of carbonate particles may increasingly vary with grain size, the threshold of motion in coarse carbonate grains may differ more markedly from that of quartz. In poorly sorted samples, results show that the coarse-grained constituents move before the finer-grained components. Grain properties and boundary-layer dynamics are believed to explain this phenomenon. Rollability of the larger grains combined with physical trapping and immersion within a low velocity sublayer are believed to prevent finer particles from moving. Given the appropriate sediments and flow conditions, it may therefore be possible to deposit and preserve fine-grained sediments in a flow regime typically thought to transport such materials.     

The liquefaction of clayey soils under cyclic loading

This paper seeks to investigate the liquefaction of clayey soils, a phenomenon that has been the trigger for many natural disasters in the last few decades, including landslides. Research was conducted on artificial clay-sand mixtures and natural clayey soils collected from the sliding surfaces of earthquake-induced landslides. The undrained response of normally consolidated clayey soils to cyclic loading was studied by means of a ring-shear apparatus. For the artificial clay-sand mixtures, it was found that the presence of a small amount of bentonite (≤ 7%) would cause rapid liquefaction, while a further increase in bentonite content (≥ 11%) produced the opposite effect of raising soil resistance to liquefaction by a significant degree. It was demonstrated that the bentonite-sand mixture was considerably more resistant to liquefaction than the kaolin-, and illite-mixtures, given the same clay content. The test results of plastic soils revealed the significant influence of plasticity on the liquefaction resistance of soil. The microfabric of clayey soil was investigated by means of a scanning electron microscope. The analysis showed that the liquefaction potential of soil was strongly related to certain particle arrangements. For example, soil vulnerable to liquefaction had an open microfabric in which clay aggregations generally gathered at the sand particle contact points, forming low-strength “clay bridges” that were destroyed easily during cyclic loading. On the other hand, the microfabric of soil that was resistant to liquefaction appeared to be more compact, with the clay producing a matrix that prevented sand grains from liquefying. In the case of the natural soils, the obtained results indicated that their cyclic behavior was similarly influenced by factors such as clay content, clay mineralogy and plasticity. The relation between the liquefaction potential of natural soil and its microfabric was thus also established. On the basis of the obtained results, the authors posited an explanation on the mechanism of liquefaction for clayey soil.     

Exploring influence of sectional flexural yielding on experimental pile response analysis and applicability of distributed plastic hinge model in inelastic numerical simulation for laterally loaded piles

This study used model pile load testing and numerical analysis to investigate the experimental analysis results of pile and soil responses for lateral load testing due to the flexural yielding of a pile, and to examine the applicability of the distributed plastic hinge model to the numerical simulation of inelastic pile response. A lateral load test on an aluminum model pile in sand was conducted as an analysis case. The pile was loaded to a large lateral pile-head displacement, a displacement under which some of the pile sections yielded and thus the pile had inelastic flexural deformation. The test results showed that before the pile yielded, the depth of maximum moment increased with increasing load due to soil nonlinearity; after the pile yielded, the depth of maximum moment varied less and the plastic region expanded upward and downward around this depth with increasing pile displacement. In deducing the responses of the pile and soil for the pile-soil system, the actual nonlinear flexural rigidity of the pile section built based on the bending test was essential to retrieve rational ones. In addition, the distributed plastic hinge model was shown to be effective to model the inelastic pile responses and capture the development of plastic zones in the pile.     

饱和砂土液化特性的可视化试验研究

针对目前散粒体液化细观机制研究的局限性,对C.K.C型动态三轴仪进行改进,研制了可用于研究散粒体细观组构特征的动三轴可视化试验系统。利用该系统对循环荷载作用下标准砂的颗粒运动规律及细观组构特征进行初步探讨,从颗粒的运动规律、定向性、配位数和孔隙率等细观角度分析了循环荷载作用下饱和砂土发生液化的细观机制,认为液化的发生是土体在循环荷载作用下颗粒不断运动、重新排列的结果,指出颗粒长轴方向、配位数和孔隙率等细观组构参量是反映循环荷载作用下饱和砂土液化宏观响应的重要参量     

剪切作用下钙质砂颗粒破碎试验研究

钙质砂是一种海洋沉积物,与陆源砂比起来,钙质砂受力后易产生颗粒破碎,从而使其力学性质发生变化。对取自南沙群岛永暑礁附近海域的钙质砂进行了不同围压、不同应变下的三轴剪切试验,对试验前后的试样进行了颗粒大小分析试验。试验结果表明,钙质砂在三轴剪切作用下颗粒破碎十分严重,同时用Hardin模型对其破碎进行了度量,并就围压、剪切应变与破碎之间的关系进行了分析。     

Non‐coaxial elasto‐plasticity model and bifurcation prediction of shear banding in sands

Numerous constitutive models built on coaxial theory and validated under axi‐symmetric condition often describe the stress–stain relationships and predict the inceptions of shear banding in sands inaccurately under true triaxial condition. By adopting an elaborated Mohr–Coulomb yield function and using non‐coaxial non‐associated flow rule, a 3D non‐coaxial elasto‐plasticity model is proposed and validated by a series of true triaxial tests on loose sands. The bifurcation analysis of true triaxial tests on dense sands predicts the influence of the intermediate principal stress ratio on the onset of shear band accurately. The failure of soils is shown to be related to the formation of shear band under most intermediate principal stress ratio conditions except for those which are close to the axi‐symmetric compression condition. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

辽西地区风积砂土振动液化特性的试验研究

本文对辽西地区风积砂土地震液化特性进行了实验研究,对围压、固结比、密度和细粒含量进行了分析,得出了它们对抗液化强度的影响规律,同时分析了不同细粒含量和干密度对砂土振动孔压发展模式的影响规律.在偏压固结情况下,振动孔压的发展趋势可以用双曲线对其进行模拟;在均压固结条件下,振动孔压的发展趋势和H.B.Seed、张建民等人研究的振动孔压发展趋势的曲线形态相一致.通过实验分析表明细粒含量、密度等都会对孔压的增长规律有一定影响.     

分级循环动荷载下水泥土动力特性试验研究

随着车辆载重的变化,其荷载幅值也会随之变化。然而,已有的研究大多关注恒定动荷载下水泥土动力特性,对分级循环荷载作用下水泥土的动态特性研究较少。利用GDS动三轴仪,开展一系列水泥土动三轴试验,探讨分级荷载条件下静偏应力和围压等因素对水泥土动力特性的影响。试验结果表明：水泥土的轴向塑性应变随着围压和静偏应力比的增加而增加。水泥土轴向应变在0.1%～0.5%范围,其应变发展属于稳定型,分级加卸载对应变发展过程影响较大,对最终应变影响较小。建立了考虑水泥土加卸载条件、围压和静偏应力比的塑性应变的经验模型,分级卸载的相关系数大于0.95,而分级加载的相关系数在0.8～0.9之间。分级卸载时,第一级荷载对应变发展起主导作用,而分级加载时,最大动应力比无法主导前几级荷载较小时的应变发展。在分级加卸载条件下,水泥土的骨干曲线表现为2种模式：上升型和下降型,可将其简化为多段直线,利用建立的累积塑性应变计算方法,提出了确定多段直线分界点的方法,并验证了其可行性。     

Modeling cyclic shearing of sands in the semifluidized state

Liquefaction is associated with the loss of mean effective stress and increase of the pore water pressure in saturated granular materials due to their contractive tendency under cyclic shear loading. The loss of mean effective stress is linked to loss of grain contacts, bringing the granular material to a “semifluidized state” and leading to development and accumulation of large cyclic shear strains. Constitutive modeling of the cyclic stress-strain response in earthquake-induced liquefaction and post-liquefaction is complex and yet very important for stress-deformation and performance-based analysis of sand deposits. A new state internal variable named strain liquefaction factor is introduced that evolves at low mean effective stresses, and its constitutive role is to reduce the plastic shear stiffness and dilatancy while maintaining the same plastic volumetric strain rate in the semifluidized state. This new constitutive ingredient is added to an existing critical state compatible, bounding surface plasticity reference model, that is well established for constitutive modeling of cyclic response of sands in the pre-liquefaction state. The roles of the key components of the proposed formulation are examined in a series of sensitivity analyses. Their combined effects in improving the performance of the reference model are examined by simulating undrained cyclic simple shear tests on Ottawa sand, with focus on reproducing the increasing shear strain amplitude as well as its saturation in the post-liquefaction response.