Constitutive modelling of fine-grained gassy soil: A composite approach

Fine-grained marine sediments containing large undissolved gas bubbles are widely distributed around the world. Presence of the bubbles could degrade the undrained shear strength (s_u ) of the soil, when the gas pressure u_g is relatively high as compared with the effective stress in the saturated soil matrix. Meanwhile, the addition of bubbles may also increase s_u when the difference between u_g and pore water pressure u_w becomes smaller than the water entry value, causing partial water drainage from the saturated matrix into the bubbles (bubble flooding) during globally undrained shearing. A new constitutive model for describing the two competing effects on the stress-strain relationship of fine-grained gassy soil is proposed within the framework of critical state soil mechanics. The gassy soil is considered as a three-phase composite material with compressible cavities, which allows water entry from the saturated matrix. Bubble flooding is modelled by introducing an additional positive volumetric strain increment of the saturated clay matrix, which is dependent on the difference between pore gas and pore water pressure based on experimental observations. A modified hardening law based on that of the modified Cam clay model is employed, which in conjunction with the expression for bubble flooding, can describe both the detrimental and beneficial effects of gas bubbles on soil strength and plastic hardening in shear. Only two extra parameters in addition to those in the modified Cam clay model are used. It is shown that the key features of the stress-strain relationship of three fine-grained gassy soils can be reproduced satisfactorily.     

Nonparametric Estimation of Undrained Shear Strength for Normally Consolidated Clays

For decades, various well-known empirical correlations have been established and commonly used to estimate the undrained shear strength of normally consolidated clays in geotechnical practice. However, there are still many contradictory cases regarding the validity of these correlations, so their applicability and reliability are questionable. In this study, an extensive geotechnical database for normally consolidated clays has been compiled. Next, a Bayesian nonparametric method is exploited to identify the most critical soil index properties in inferring the undrained shear strength and a new predictive model is proposed. Finally, the performance of the proposed predictive model is assessed and compared with two well-known correlations using an independent testing database. It confirms that the proposed model not only possesses high predictability, but also provides superior performance over other existing empirical correlations.     

Factors influencing undrained strength of fine-grained soils at high water contents

Understanding the undrained strength of fine-grained soils has been of interest to geotechnical researchers from many practical considerations. In several civil engineering applications, water content of soil is quite high being near or above the liquid limit of soils, and understanding the factors responsible for imparting the strength of soil at high water contents is of great significance. Recently, it has been reported in the literature that the shear strength of soils at these limiting water contents has significant variation. However, the reasons and the factors that probably influence for this variation have not been reported in the literature. This experimental investigation is an attempt in the direction of understanding the reasons for the variation in the undrained strength at higher limiting water content, namely liquid limit considering the various influencing factors like clay mineralogy and fine-sand content present in soil used for determining liquid limit. The results from this study are quite revealing and have been explained based on the mechanisms controlling the undrained strength at liquid limit.     

Significance of infiltrated clays within the Lower Permian Yellow Sands of north-east England

The Permian Yellow Sands are preserved as nine aeolian ridges in north-east England. The sands are soft and friable and locally contain large amounts of interstitial detrital clays, which are interpreted as the product of early mechanical clay infiltration. Features within the sands considered to be due to mechanical clay infiltration include grain coatings, meniscus and geopetal fabrics. The infiltrated clays mask crystal nucleation sites on grain surfaces and often amalgamate into lenses or form continuous clay-rich layers. Calcite and quartz cement growth has consequently been limited and often confined to the coarser, generally clay-free horizons. The meniscus and geopetal fabrics were formed early during accretion of the dunes and helped to bind and stabilize the sediment, which restricted reworking during the Zechstein transgression to the uppermost few decimeters.     

含盐量对水泥土强度影响的室内试验研究

通过含盐量对非有机质土加固强度影响的试验研究,得到了含盐量对水泥土强度的提高或减小的阈值为3.5%。当盐渍土的含盐量低于这个阈值时,盐渍土的加固强度会因可溶性盐的结晶膨胀作用,提高水泥土的强度;相反当盐渍土的含盐量高于该阈值时,盐渍土的强度会因可溶性盐的过多的结晶膨胀作用,使水泥土的结构遭到破坏,从而使水泥土的强度大大降低。同时分析了可溶性硫酸盐、镁盐和氯盐对水泥土的浸蚀性作用,并从盐类对水泥土强度的影响从机理上进行了阐释,提出了高含盐量对水泥土破坏作用的对策。     

Field verification of a theoretical model to predict the dynamic response of a soft clay deposit

A 40-m thick clay deposit was subjected to sinusoidal excitations using a foundation block and an eccentric mass type vibrator. The response of the foundation block and the surrounding soil was measured using geophones inside the soil and on the surface. The phase shift between the excitation signal and the response signal, the accelerations of the foundation block and the particle velocities in the soil are compared with those obtained from a frequency-dependent numerical model based on the exact analytical solution for the boundary value problem of a rectangular foundation resting on a linear elastic halfspace.     

云南禄丰煤岩与围岩中富勒烯（C60）物质的初步探索

中国云南煤中是否存在富勒烯还没有科学定论。本工作运用高效液相色谱方法，对中国云南禄丰晚三叠世煤岩及其围岩中是否存在天然富勒烯物质的问题进行了探索性研究；同时发展了适于从复杂地质样品中分离纯化富勒烯和定性与定量检测富勒烯的一套技术方法。结果显示，从定性角度有两个样品确实存在富勒烯。本文据此提出，富勒烯的赋存与煤岩／围岩交互相上的含煤碳质泥岩有着密切的关系。下一步研究应着重调查比煤岩与顶板和底板界面层并大力研究其中天然富勒烯的地学成因。本工作的意义还在于为今后我国加入和独立开展以富勒烯类物质（如C60／C70）及其衍生物质（如He C60 C70)作为地球化学示踪物的古地球突变大事件的研究，奠定了实验方法学基础。     

Influence of rainfall on the deformation and stability of a slope in overconsolidated clays: a case study

The behaviour of an instrumented unstable slope in a profile of weathered overconsolidated clay has been analysed. Available field investigation data and laboratory tests were integrated in a coupled hydromechanical model of the slope. Particular attention was given to the unsaturated soil conditions above the water table and to the influence of the rainfall record. Recorded pore-water pressures helped to identify the hydrogeological conditions of the slope. The coupled model was used to compute slope deformations and the variation of safety with time. Actual rainfall records were also integrated into the analysis. Comparison of measurements and calculations illustrate the nature of the slope instability and the complex relationships between mechanical and hydraulic factors. Electronic Publication