Experimental Study on the Dynamic Characteristics of Saturated Soft Clay Under Bi-Directional Cyclic Loading

Author(s):  
Gong-xun Liu ◽  
Mao-tian Luan ◽  
Xiao-wei Tang ◽  
Qing Yang

A series of stress-controlled bi-directional cyclic shear tests under isotropic consolidation conditions were conducted for simulating the cyclic stress induced by wave loading. The area bounded by the elliptical stress path was kept unchanged, while the ratio (R) of the axial cyclic shear stress and the torsional cyclic shear stress was changed in order to research the effect of varied two cyclic stress components on the pore water pressure, strength and deformation behaviors of saturated soft clay. The test results show that with a decrease in R, the residual pore water pressure decreases at first and then increases, and it reaches the lowest at R=1 at the same cycle number, while the amplitude of fluctuated pore water pressure decreases all along. The relationship curves between normalized ratio of pore water pressure and ratio of cycle number have significant differences with different R. The cycle number at failure increases at first and then decreases with decreasing R. It reaches the maximum at R=1, indicating that the dynamic strength is the highest when the stress path is close to a circle. The dynamic stress-strain relationship curves with different R indicate that both the axial and the torsional strains caused by the bi-directional cyclic loadings are mainly the cyclic strains, at the same time, the residual strains appear. With decreasing R, the amplitude of axial cyclic strain decreases and the ratio of axial residual strain and cyclic strain increases firstly and then decreases, while the amplitude of torsional cyclic strain increases. The cyclic shear strain is basically symmetric at R=1, while the residual shear strains appear under other conditions.

2013 ◽  
Vol 438-439 ◽  
pp. 1171-1175
Author(s):  
Zhi Li Sui ◽  
Zhao Guang Li ◽  
Xu Peng Wang ◽  
Wen Li Li ◽  
Tie Jun Xu

Dynamic consolidation method has been widely used in improving soft land, but always inefficient to saturated soft clay land, which is hard to improve, and even leads to rubber soil. Dynamic and drain consolidation method will deal with it well, with drainage system, pore-water can be expelled instantly from saturated soft clay as impacting. The pore-water pressure and earth pressure test in construction, the standard penetration test, plate loading test, geotechnical test after construction, which are all effective methods for effect testing. There is a comprehensive detection through different depth of soil layer with different detecting means on construction site. The results show that improving saturated soft clay land with dynamic and drain consolidation method has obtained good effect, and the fruit can be guidance for such construction in the future.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 755
Author(s):  
Lei Sun

The effect of variable confining pressure (VCP) on the cyclic deformation and cyclic pore water pressure in K0-consolidated saturated soft marine clay were investigated with the help of the cyclic stress-controlled advanced dynamic triaxial test in undrained condition. The testing program encompassed three cyclic deviator stress ratios, CSR=0.189, 0.284 and 0.379 and three stress path inclinations ηampl=3,1 and 0.64. All tests with constant confining pressure (CCP) and variable confining pressure (VCP) have identical initial stress and average stress. The results were analyzed in terms of the accumulative normalized excess pore water pressure rqu recorded at the end of each stress cycle and permanent axial strain, as well as resilient modulus. Limited data suggest that these behavior are significantly affected by both of the VCP and CSR. For a given value of VCP, both of the pore water pressure rqu and permanent axial strains are consistently increase with the increasing values of CSR. However, for a given value of CSR, the extent of the influence of VCP and the trend is substantially depend on the CSR.


1985 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Folkes ◽  
J. H. A. Crooks

Current methods of predicting the response of soft clays to surface loading are often unsuccessful because the assumed constitutive relationships, including effective stress path behaviour, are incorrect. In particular, the transition from small-strain to large-strain behaviour (i.e. yielding) is frequently not taken into account. Recent laboratory testing has demonstrated that the behaviour of soft clays is largely controlled by yielding. The locus of effective stress states causing yield is known as the yield envelope (YE).The effective stress paths (ESP's) in soft clay foundations below the centre of six fills were determined from computed total stresses and measured pore-water pressures. Yield behaviour is clearly indicated by ESP shapes. The yield envelopes inferred from analyses of field data are similar to those obtained from laboratory testing. Effective stress path shapes vary widely, depending on a variety of factors, including imposed stress level, rate of construction, and boundary drainage conditions. This finding contradicts an earlier conclusion that soft clay behaviour can be characterized by a single ESP. Because of the wide range of possible ESP shapes, the parameters [Formula: see text] does not provide an adequate basis for determining the effective stress state in a soft clay.The ESP/YE analyses indicate that yield can occur either during loading or during excess pore-water pressure dissipation following completion of loading. Yield of sensitive soils during loading is usually followed by strain softening. However, in some soils, dilatant behaviour appears to occur. Yield during dissipation of excess pore-water pressure is characterized by a dramatic change in cv and increased compressibility. Key words: soft clay, yield, effective stress paths, field behaviour, strain softening, rate of consolidation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 275-277 ◽  
pp. 295-298
Author(s):  
Gang Yang ◽  
Qing Yang ◽  
Wen Hua Liu

The cyclic behavior of normally consolidated silty clays was investigated by conducting a series of cyclic simple shear tests on one-dimensionally and isotropically consolidated reconstituted samples. The critical cyclic stress ratio was obtained by the normalized axial strain. Based on hysteretic curve of pore water pressure versus strain, dynamic characteristics of silty clay were investigated. The results showed that with increasing of cyclic loading, soil stress state can be divided into steady state, critical state and failure state based on the critical cyclic stress ratio. The hysteresis curve of pore water pressure versus strain was divided into two parts by cross point A. Compared with two parts, the variation law was obtained. When the upper part area was bigger than the lower part area, pore water pressure and axial strain continuously increase with cycle number; when the upper part area was smaller than the lower part area, pore water pressure and axial strain tended to be steady with cycle number.


Author(s):  
Trần Thanh Nhàn

In order to observe the end of primary consolidation (EOP) of cohesive soils with and without subjecting to cyclic loading, reconstituted specimens of clayey soils at various Atterberg’s limits were used for oedometer test at different loading increments and undrained cyclic shear test followed by drainage with various cyclic shear directions and a wide range of shear strain amplitudes. The pore water pressure and settlement of the soils were measured with time and the time to EOP was then determined by different methods. It is shown from observed results that the time to EOP determined by 3-t method agrees well with the time required for full dissipation of the pore water pressure and being considerably larger than those determined by Log Time method. These observations were then further evaluated in connection with effects of the Atterberg’s limit and the cyclic loading history.


2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (9) ◽  
pp. 1460-1473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dharma Wijewickreme ◽  
Achala Soysa

The cyclic shear response of soils is commonly examined using undrained (or constant-volume) laboratory element tests conducted using triaxial and direct simple shear (DSS) devices. The cyclic resistance ratio (CRR) from these tests is expressed in terms of the number of cycles of loading to reach unacceptable performance that is defined in terms of the attainment of a certain excess pore-water pressure and (or) strain level. While strain accumulation is generally commensurate with excess pore-water pressure, the definition of unacceptable performance in laboratory tests based purely on cyclic strain criteria is not robust. The shear stiffness is a more fundamental parameter in describing engineering performance than the excess pore-water pressure alone or shear strain alone; so far, no criterion has considered shear stiffness to determine CRR. Data from cyclic DSS tests indicate consistent differences inherent in the patterns between the stress–strain loops at initial and later stages of cyclic loading; instead of relatively “smooth” stress–strain loops in the initial parts of loading, nonsmooth changes in incremental stiffness showing “kinks” are notable in the stress–strain loops at large strains. The point of pattern change in a stress–strain loop provides a meaningful basis to determine the CRR (based on unacceptable performance) in cyclic shear tests.


2011 ◽  
Vol 368-373 ◽  
pp. 2795-2803
Author(s):  
Heng Hu ◽  
Yan Li ◽  
Zhi Liang Dong ◽  
Yan Luo ◽  
Gong Xin Zhang

All the time, security control method of loading is an important research part in the surcharge preloading, which is directly related to safety of the construction process. Starting from the stress path, discussing the variation of excess pore water pressure and relationship between stress path and security, and bringing forward the control method with a safety factor Fs based on the stress path. By measuring the change of excess pore water pressure, the control method with a safety factor Fs can reflect quantitatively the security status of soil and achieve the purpose of the process control, finally the security control method including the safety factor of loading and speed control is put forward to monitor construction safety. The safety factor of loading Fs is verified and back analyzed with the finite-element software, getting the correction factor from 0.90 to 1.20.


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