Laboratory Investigation into the Effects of Silty Fines on Liquefaction Susceptibility of Chlef (Algeria) Sandy Soils

In a number of recent case studies, the liquefaction of silty sands has been reported. To investigate the undrained shear and deformation behaviour of Chlef sand–silt mixtures, a series of monotonic and stress-controlled cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on sand encountered at the site. The aim of this laboratory investigation is to study the influence of silt contents, expressed by means of the equivalent void ratio on undrained residual shear strength of loose, medium dense and dense sand–silt mixtures under monotonic loading and liquefaction potential under cyclic loading. After an earthquake event, the prediction of the post-liquefaction strength is becoming a challenging task in order to ensure the stability of different types of earth structures. Thus, the choice of the appropriate undrained residual shear strength of silty sandy soils that are prone to liquefaction to be used in engineering practice design should be established. To achieve this, a series of undrained triaxial tests were conducted on reconstituted saturated silty sand samples with different fines contents ranging from 0 to 40 %. In all tests, the confining pressure was held constant at 100 kPa. From the experimental results obtained, it is clear that the global void ratio cannot be used as a state parameter and may not characterize the actual behaviour of the soil as well. The equivalent void ratio expressing the fine particles participation in soil strength is then introduced. A linear relationship between the undrained shear residual shear strength and the equivalent void ratio has been obtained for the studied range of the fines contents. Cyclic test results confirm that the increase in the equivalent void ratio and the fines content accelerates the liquefaction phenomenon for the studied stress ratio and the liquefaction resistance decreases with the increase in either the equivalent void ratio or the loading amplitude level. These cyclic tests results confirm the obtained monotonic tests results.     

饱和砂土液化后大变形机制的离散元细观分析

采用颗粒流软件模拟了饱和砂土在不排水条件下的循环剪切试验,研究了不同因素对液化的影响,并进一步分析了饱和砂土液化后宏观变形的基本规律。在此基础上,从孔隙分布角度解释了砂土液化后的大变形的细观物理机制。通过自编程序对颗粒排列和孔隙分布的演化过程进行定量描述,给出孔隙率标准差作为液化后体积收缩势的度量,并研究了孔隙率标准差与液化后大变形的关系。离散元细观数值模拟再现了室内试验中的宏观现象,证实了室内试验中饱和砂土液化后的有限剪切大变形是客观真实的材料响应。土体体积收缩势的累积所导致的孔隙均匀化以及土颗粒间自由空隙增大正是饱和砂土液化后循环剪应变逐渐增大的细观机制。孔隙率标准差作为孔隙均匀化的量化指标,与循环剪应变各周次幅值有良好的相关性。     

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.     

Triaxial tests on the fluidic behavior of post-liquefaction sand

Liquefaction-induced ground deformation is a major cause of structural damage during earthquakes. However, a better understanding of seismic liquefaction is needed to improve earthquake hazard analyses and mitigate structural damage. In this paper, a dynamic triaxial test apparatus was employed to investigate the fluidic characteristics of post-liquefaction sand. The specimens were vibrated to the point of liquefaction by dynamic loading, and then the liquefied sand was further sheared by triaxial compression in an undrained manner. It was found that a non-Newtonian fluid model can accurately describe the shear stress and the shear strain rate of post-liquefaction sand during undrained triaxial compression. The apparent viscosity, a major parameter in a constitutive model of a non-Newtonian fluid, decreases with an increase in the shear strain rate.     

A unified plasticity model for large post-liquefaction shear deformation of sand

Based on previous experimental findings and theoretical developments, this paper presents the formulation and numerical algorithms of a novel constitutive model for sand with special considerations for cyclic behaviour and accumulation of large post-liquefaction shear deformation. Appropriate formulation for three volumetric strain components enables the model to accurately predict loading and load reversal behaviour of sand, fully capturing the features of cyclic mobility. Compliance with the volumetric compatibility condition, along with reversible and irreversible dilatancy, allows for physically based simulation of the generation and accumulation of shear strain at zero effective stress after initial liquefaction. A state parameter was incorporated for compatibility with critical state soil mechanics, enabling the unified simulation of sand at various densities and confining pressures with a same set of parameters. The determination methods for the 14 model parameters are outlined in the paper. The model was implemented into the open source finite-element framework OpenSees using a cutting-plane stress integration scheme with substepping. The potentials of the model and its numerical implementation were explored via simulations of classical drained and undrained triaxial experiments, undrained cyclic torsional experiments, and a dynamic centrifuge experiment on a single pile in liquefiable soil. The results showed the model’s great capabilities in simulating small to large deformation in the pre- to post-liquefaction regime of sand.     

Multi-directional modeling for prediction of fabric anisotropy in sand liquefaction

Anisotropy in the onset of liquefaction and post liquefaction under cyclic loading condition causes the change in response behavior of the soil. The proposed model operates within the integration of sliding/opening/closing framework of 17 predefined planes as local deformation. This leads to the use of better stress/strain multilaminate histories with many directional effects on soil behavior specifically internal mechanism during pre and post-liquefaction. The ability of multilaminate model for fabric anisotropy has been proven by comparison with the experimental results under drain and undrained conditions and monotonic and cyclic loading. The effects of induced anisotropy was also investigated.     

An experimental database for the development,calibration and verification of constitutive models for sand with focus to cyclic loading: part II—tests with strain cycles and combined loading

For numerical studies of geotechnical structures under earthquake loading, aiming to examine a possible failure due to liquefaction, using a sophisticated constitutive model for the soil is indispensable. Such model must adequately describe the material response to a cyclic loading under constant volume (undrained) conditions, amongst others the relaxation of effective stress (pore pressure accumulation) or the effective stress loops repeatedly passed through after a sufficiently large number of cycles (cyclic mobility, stress attractors). The soil behaviour under undrained cyclic loading is manifold, depending on the initial conditions (e.g. density, fabric, effective mean pressure, stress ratio) and the load characteristics (e.g. amplitude of the cycles, application of stress or strain cycles). In order to develop, calibrate and verify a constitutive model with focus to undrained cyclic loading, the data from high-quality laboratory tests comprising a variety of initial conditions and load characteristics are necessary. It is the purpose of these two companion papers to provide such database collected for a fine sand. Part II concentrates on the undrained triaxial tests with strain cycles, where a large range of strain amplitudes has been studied. Furthermore, oedometric and isotropic compression tests as well as drained triaxial tests with un- and reloading cycles are discussed. A combined monotonic and cyclic loading has been also studied in undrained triaxial tests. All test data presented herein will be available from the homepage of the first author. As an example of the examination of an existing constitutive model, the experimental data are compared to element test simulations using hypoplasticity with intergranular strain.     

An experimental database for the development,calibration and verification of constitutive models for sand with focus to cyclic loading: part I—tests with monotonic loading and stress cycles

For numerical studies of geotechnical structures under earthquake loading, aiming to examine a possible failure due to liquefaction, using a sophisticated constitutive model for the soil is indispensable. Such a model must adequately describe the material response to a cyclic loading under constant volume (undrained) conditions, amongst others the relaxation of effective stress (pore pressure accumulation) or the effective stress loops repeatedly passed through after a sufficiently large number of cycles (cyclic mobility, stress attractors). The soil behaviour under undrained cyclic loading is manifold, depending on the initial conditions (e.g. density, fabric, effective mean pressure, stress ratio) and the load characteristics (e.g. amplitude of the cycles, application of stress or strain cycles). In order to develop, calibrate and verify a constitutive model with focus to undrained cyclic loading, the data from high-quality laboratory tests comprising a variety of initial conditions and load characteristics are necessary. The purpose of these two companion papers was to provide such database collected for a fine sand. The database consists of numerous undrained cyclic triaxial tests with stress or strain cycles applied to samples consolidated isotropically or anisotropically. Monotonic triaxial tests with drained or undrained conditions have also been performed. Furthermore, drained triaxial, oedometric or isotropic compression tests with several un- and reloading cycles are presented. Part I concentrates on the triaxial tests with monotonic loading or stress cycles. All test data presented herein will be available from the homepage of the first author. As an example of the examination of an existing constitutive model, the experimental data are compared to element test simulations using hypoplasticity with intergranular strain.     

DEM analysis of the onset of flow deformation of sands: linking monotonic and cyclic undrained behaviours

This study explores the link between the monotonic and cyclic undrained behaviour of sands using the discrete element method (DEM). It is shown that DEM can effectively capture the flow deformation of sands sheared under both monotonic and cyclic undrained loading conditions. When subjected to cyclic shearing, flow-type failure is observed for a loose sample, while cyclic mobility is observed for a dense sample. A strong correlation between the monotonic and cyclic loading behaviour that has been revealed experimentally is also confirmed in DEM simulations: (a) flow deformation occurs in the compressive loading direction when the cyclic stress path intersects the monotonic compression stress path prior to the monotonic extension stress path, and vice versa; (b) the onset of flow deformation in q–\(p^{\prime }\) space is located in the zone bounded by the critical state line and the instability line determined from monotonic simulations. Hill’s condition of instability is shown to be effective to describe the onset of flow failure. Micro-mechanical analyses reveal that flow deformation is initiated when the index of redundancy excluding floating particles drops to below 1.0 under both monotonic and cyclic loading conditions. Flow deformation induced by either monotonic or cyclic loading is characterized by an abrupt change of structural fabric which is highly anisotropic. The reason why the dense sample dilated during monotonic loading but showed cyclic mobility (temporary liquefaction) during cyclic loading is attributed to the repeating reversal of loading direction, which leads to the periodic change of microstructure.     

Numerical simulation of liquefaction behaviour of granular materials using Discrete Element Method

In this paper, numerical simulation of 3-dimensional assemblies of 1000 polydisperse sphere particles using Discrete Element Method (DEM) is used to study the liquefaction behaviour of granular materials. Numerical simulations of cyclic triaxial shear tests under undrained conditions are performed at different confining pressures under constant strain amplitude. Results obtained in these numerical simulations indicate that with increase in confining pressure there is an increase in liquefaction resistance.     

纤维加筋砂土抗液化试验与数值模拟

砂土液化是导致重大地震灾害的主要原因之一。本研究探讨了天然纤维加筋砂土在循环荷载作用下的抗液化性能。在不排水条件下,对具有不同纤维含量的加筋砂土试样进行了一系列循环三轴试验,研究了饱和砂土的液化特性以及循环剪应变幅值、纤维含量对饱和砂土抗液化性能的影响。此外,通过模拟已完成的循环三轴试验,建立了二维有限元数值模型,并对具有不同纤维含量的加筋砂土进行了参数标定。研究结果表明:(1)增加循环剪应变幅值将促进超孔压累积,使得滞回曲线斜率和平均有效应力减小速度加快;(2)纤维的存在能够减缓超孔压的累积,随着纤维含量增加,加筋砂土抗液化能力得到明显提高;(3)标定后的本构模型参数能可靠地用于模拟纤维加筋砂土的液化响应。研究结果为饱和砂土抗液化问题与纤维加筋砂土的数值模拟提供了有价值的参考。     

Discrete element modelling of cyclic behaviour of granular materials

Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) of cyclic behavior of granular material has been attempted to understand liquefaction behavior of sands. A series of cyclic biaxial tests in both undrained and drained conditions with constant stress and strain amplitudes were performed on assemblage of loose and dense systems. Tests are conducted on monodisperse (uniform) and polydisperse (well graded) samples. From this study, it has been shown that DEM can simulate the cyclic behavior of sands very satisfactorily. Characteristic features, i.e., occurrence of large plastic strains and changing over from contractile to dilative behavior beyond the phase transformation angle, anisotropy of reduced strength on the extension side etc are very well reflected in numerical simulations. Liquefaction of loose assemblage seems to be mainly due to continued and cumulative loss of co-ordination number under each cycle as there is a reversal of loading direction and hence a continuous reorientation of fabric. There is no cumulative loss of co-ordination number in dense states because the stress ratios are mostly higher than the phase transformation level where the fabric has reached a limiting orientation. Micro mechanical explanations to the macroscopic behavior of the disc assemblage under cyclic loading are presented in terms of the force and fabric anisotropy coefficients.     

常剪应力路径下含气砂土的三轴试验

天然气水合物完全分解时,产生的气体使得能源土孔隙压力急速增加,有效应力减小,进而引起土体液化破坏。此时深海能源土斜坡的应力状态与静力液化失稳过程可简化为含气土在常剪应力排水(或不排水)应力路径下的破坏问题。以此为背景,提出了制备含气砂土试样的改进充气管法,并开展了含气砂土的常剪应力路径三轴试验。22组试验结果表明:同一孔隙比的含气密砂在不同围压与常剪应力下具有相同的失稳线;含气砂土试样失稳时的应力比和体变均随初始相对密实度的增大而增大;含气密砂在常剪应力路径下饱和度对失稳特征影响的规律性在排水与不排水条件下均不明显,但在不排水条件下含气砂土的孔压(或体变)对变形的敏感性降低;含气密砂在常剪应力路径到达失稳点之后,排水条件下是瞬变的液化鼓胀破坏,不排水条件下是渐变的剪切破坏。     

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.     

Large post-liquefaction deformation of sand, part I: physical mechanism, constitutive description and numerical algorithm

This paper presents a theoretical framework for predicting the post-liquefaction deformation of saturated sand under undrained cyclic loading with emphasis on the mechanical laws, physical mechanism, constitutive model and numerical algorithm as well as practical applicability. The revealing mechanism behind the complex behavior in the post-liquefaction regime can be appreciated by decomposing the volumetric strain into three components with distinctive physical background. The interplay among these three components governs the post-liquefaction shear deformation and characterizes three physical states alternating in the liquefaction process. This assumption sheds some light on the intricate transition from small pre-liquefaction deformation to large post-liquefaction deformation and provides a rational explanation to the triggering of unstable flow slide and the post-liquefaction reconsolidation. Based on this assumption, a constitutive model is developed within the framework of bounding surface plasticity. This model is capable of reproducing small to large deformation in the pre- to post-liquefaction regime. The model performance is confirmed by simulating laboratory tests. The constitutive model is implemented in a finite element code together with a robust numerical algorithm to circumvent numerical instability in the vicinity of vanishing effective stress. This numerical model is validated by fully coupled numerical analyses of two well-instrumented dynamic centrifuge model tests. Finally, numerical simulation of liquefaction-related site response is performed for the Daikai subway station damaged during the 1995 Hyogoken-Nambu earthquake in Japan.     

Mechanical properties of cementitious sand and sand with small cyclic shear strain to assess aging effects on liquefaction

Liquefaction damage from earthquakes frequently indicates effects of sand aging on liquefaction resistance: Liquefaction damage in natural or aged reclaimed ground has been much less than that in young reclaimed ground. However, the mechanisms underlying aging effects remain unclear. Cementation and stress history of sand strongly influence aging effects: Cementation raises liquefaction resistance, whereas liquefaction history sometimes reduces liquefaction resistance. Small cyclic shear strain, from which the induced density change is almost negligible, was adopted as representing the stress history. To evaluate liquefaction resistance, initial shear modulus, and deformation characteristics of sand, we prepared specimens by adding cement and by applying a small cyclic shear strain. In cementitious sand, liquefaction resistance increased when cement contents exceeded 0.3% by mass. The initial shear modulus apparently increased at the same degree of cement addition as that which increased the liquefaction resistance. For sand with a small cyclic shear strain, the liquefaction resistance increased when the applied cyclic axial strain exceeded 0.01%. Application of small cyclic shear strain only slightly increased the initial shear modulus, but the linear elastic region tended to expand to greater shear strain. Shear properties of sand with small cyclic shear strain resembled those found for sand that had been consolidated for a long time.

     

循环荷载下砂土液化特性颗粒流数值模拟

利用PFC2D常体积循环双轴试验条件,对砂土在不排水循环荷载作用下的液化特性进行了颗粒流数值模拟,数值模拟按等应力幅加荷方式进行。颗粒流数值模拟的优点在于得到试样液化宏观力学表现的同时,通过不同循环加荷时刻试样内细观组构参量（包括配位数、接触法向分布、粒间法向接触力、粒间切向接触力）的演化规律,分析砂土液化过程中细观组构变化与宏观力学响应之间的内在联系,从而可进一步探讨砂土液化的细观力学机制。数值模拟研究结果表明,砂土液化现象在宏观力学表现上反映为超静孔隙水压力的累积上升和平均有效主应力的不断减小,在细观组构上对应于配位数的累积损失和粒间接触力的不断减小。砂土液化细观机制分析表明,试样配位数的减少与循环加荷过程中组构各向异性滞后于应力各向异性有关。     

复杂加载条件下珊瑚砂抗液化强度试验研究

循环加载方式与应力路径对砂土的抗液化强度有很大的影响。利用GDS空心圆柱扭剪仪对南海珊瑚砂进行了一系列复杂加载条件下均等固结不排水循环试验,探讨了90°突变应力路径下主应力方向角对珊瑚砂抗液化强度的影响。试验结果发现：以循环应力比（CSR）作为应力水平指标,当不控制中主应力系数b的变化时,主应力方向角 对珊瑚砂的抗液化强度并无显著影响;当控制b始终保持0.5时,珊瑚砂的抗液化强度随着 的增加呈现出先减小后增大的趋势,且在 45°时的抗液化强度最低。基于分析循环荷载引起的土单元大、小循环主应力 、 变化,定义了单元体循环应力比（USR）作为一个新的物理指标,发现不同循环加载方式与应力路径条件下施加于珊瑚砂试样的USR与引起液化所需的循环次数NL存在事实上的唯一性关系。通过引自文献的4种无黏性土原始试验数据的再处理,独立地验证了以USR表征砂类土液化强度的适用性。     

砂土液化大变形模型在FLAC3D中的开发与应用

通过FLAC3D二次开发平台,在VC++环境下实现了基于砂土液化大变形机制的变动映射中心边界面弹塑性模型的二次开发。基于饱和砂土液化大变形本构理论,该模型符合三维应力空间边界面映射规则,并引入临界状态变量,可实现对不同密度和围压状态下砂土液化大变形分析。针对FLAC3D程序混合离散技术与数据调用模式和模型的体积相容性条件,测试分析了将模型采用不同植入方案的计算稳定性,开发了在FLAC3D混合离散技术下不同子区共享映射中心,进入与离开液化状态保持同步的开发方案,并给出模型开发的关键技术与实施方法。利用开发的模型,对饱和砂土开展了不排水/排水/循环三轴试验与不排水循环扭剪试验模拟,及三维地基的动力反应分析。计算结果表明,模型及所开发程序具有很好的模拟与分析砂土液化后大变形的能力。     

Simulation of liquefaction of unsaturated soil using critical state soil model

Several researchers have reported that the mean effective stress of unsaturated soils having a relatively high degree of saturation gradually decreases under fully undrained cyclic loading conditions, and such soils can be finally liquefied like saturated soils. This paper describes a series of simulations of fully undrained cyclic loading on unsaturated soils, conducted using an elastoplastic model for unsaturated soils. This model is a critical state soil model formulated using effective stress tensor for unsaturated soils, which incorporates the following concepts: (a) the volumetric movement of the state boundary surface containing the critical state line owing to the variation in the degree of saturation; (b) the soil water characteristic curve considering the effects of specific volume and hydraulic hysteresis; and (c) the subloading surface concept for considering the effect of density. Void air is assumed to be an ideal gas obeying Boyle's law. The proposed model is validated through comparisons with past results. The simulation results show that the proposed model properly describes the fully undrained cyclic behavior of unsaturated soils, such as liquefaction, compression, and an increase in the degree of saturation. Finally, the effects of the degree of saturation, void ratio, and confining pressure on the cyclic strength of unsaturated soils are described by the simulation results. The liquefaction resistance of unsaturated soils increases as the degree of saturation and the void ratio decrease, and as the confining pressure increases. Furthermore, the degree of saturation has a greater effect on the liquefaction resistance than the confining pressure and void ratio. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.