Effect of Freeze–Thaw Cycling on Stress–Strain Characteristics and Volume Change of a Till Subjected to Repetitive Loading

1971 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Culley

To assess benefits to be gained from increasing compaction specifications for subgrades, a laboratory program was performed to determine the effect of closed-system freeze–thaw cycling on resilient and residual strains, resilient moduli, and volume changes of till specimens that had been compacted to various densities and water contents and subjected to repetitive loading in a constant triaxial stress system.The study showed that if compaction of this soil was increased to a higher density at a lower water content, strains, modulus, and freeze–thaw effects would be improved to such an extent that a significant reduction in pavement structure would be possible. It also showed that the extent to which a reduction could be made was dependent on the ability of the subgrade to maintain the compaction density and water content throughout its design life.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Rui Zhu ◽  
Ying-hao Huang ◽  
Zhu Song ◽  
Feng Zhou

The complex environment in northern China is the main reason for degradation of expansive mudstone below the canals, which resulted in instability and damage of canal slopes. In this study, a serial of laboratory tests was conducted to explore the volume changes and mechanical behaviors of expansive mudstone below the canals in Xinjiang. The experimental program includes wet-dry (WD) and wet-dry-freeze-thaw (WDFT) tests, volume measurement, and unconfined compression tests. The test results show that during the WD cycles, the volume changes of expansive mudstones with a higher dry range would be more significant. The freeze-thaw process in the WDFT cycles resulted in a decrease of volume change ranges when the expansive mudstones had a relatively smaller dry range and a slight increase of volume change ranges when the expansive mudstones had a relatively larger dry range. In the meantime, the stress-strain relationships of expansive mudstones with different dry ranges all presented strain softening under the cycles of WD or WDFT. The first cycle resulted in a significant decrease of failure strength. After seven WD/WDFT cycles, the failure strength of expansive mudstones with different dry ranges decreased by 37.2%∼59.1%. In addition, the freeze-thaw process in the WDFT cycles promoted the softening of the stress-strain relationships and aggravated the failure strength attenuation of expansive mudstones. Through this study, we expect to provide a preliminary basis for the construction and maintenance of expansive mudstone canals in Xinjiang.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 556-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Zhang ◽  
Jianting Kang ◽  
Tianhe Kang ◽  
Guanxian Kang ◽  
Guofei Zhao

Abstract Understanding the interaction of CH4 with kaolinite is significant for researchers in the fields of coalbed CH4 and shale gas. The diffusion behaviors of CH4 in kaolinite with water contents ranging from 0 to 5 wt% have been analyzed by molecular dynamics simulations. The results of the simulations indicate that CH4 molecules can jump between adjacent holes in the kaolinite matrix. CH4 diffusion coefficient was very low (3.28 × 10−9 m2/s) and increased linearly with the increasing of water content. As the water content decreased, the value of radial distribution function first peak between CH4 and oxygen was larger, meaning that with lower water content, the interaction energy between CH4 and oxygen in kaolinite is stronger. The interaction between CH4 and water is linearly positively correlated with water content, in contrast, the interaction energy between kaolinite and water as well as between kaolinite and CH4 decreased linearly with increasing water content. On the other hand, the diffusion of CH4 molecules adsorbed on the surfaces also can be accelerated by the fast diffusion of water molecules in the middle micropore of the kaolinite.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisi Lin ◽  
Guillermo Hernandez Ramirez

<p>Thaw-induced N<sub>2</sub>O emissions have been shown to account for 30-90% of N<sub>2</sub>O emissions in agricultural fields. Due to the climate change, increased precipitatio is expected in fall and winter seasons for certain regions. As a result, this would in turn enhance the thaw-induced N<sub>2</sub>O emissions and aggravate climate change. A mesocosm study was conducted to investigate N<sub>2</sub>O production and sources from soils under elevated soil moisture contents in response to a simulated fall-freeze-thaw cycle. Treatments included two levels of N addition (urea versus control) and two different management histories [with (SW) and without (CT) manure additions]. Our results showed that at least 92% of the N<sub>2</sub>O emissions during the study were produced during the simulated thawing across all treatments. The thaw-induced N<sub>2</sub>O emissions increased with increasing soil water content. The fall-applied urea increased the soil-derived N<sub>2</sub>O emissions during thawing, indicating an excessive mineralization of soil organic N. Compared to the CT soils, the SW soils induced more soil-derived N<sub>2</sub>O emissions. This could be because the SW soil had more easily decomposable organic matter which was likely due to historical manure additions. Regarding to the daily primed N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes, different soil water contents impacted the dynamics of daily priming effect. At the high water content, the soils experienced a shift in daily primed N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes from positive to negative and eventually back to positive throughout the simulated thawing, while the soils at lower water contents underwent positive primed fluxes in general. The shift in daily primed fluxes was probably driven by the preference of soil microbes on the labile N substrates. When the microbes switched from easily to moderately decomposed substrates (e.g., from dissolved organic N to plant residuals), they started to uptake inorganic N from the soil due to a relatively high C:N ratio of plant residuals. Therefore, a net N immobilization and negative primed N<sub>2</sub>O production occur in the short term in the soils at the high water content.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 71 (1&2) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Jiang Haibo ◽  
Jin Jin ◽  
Qin Zhipeng

In order to quantify the migration rule of water in composite lining canal foundation soil during the freeze-thaw process, the outdoor prototype test is performed to prove the change rules of water in different positions and depths of the rigidflexible mixed composite lining canal foundation during the whole freeze-thaw cycle. The prototype observation test shows that during the freezing period, the water content within the 0~80cm depth of the canal foundation soil increases with the depth, and that within the depth of 80~160cm decreases gradually with the depth. In the freezing period, water accumulates in the depth of 60 ~ 80cm, with a maximum water transfer amount of +13.2%, which occurs at the canal bottom. In the thawing period, the maximum water content also occurs at the canal bottom, with a maximum water transfer amount of -11.0%. Through the laboratory test of soil samples, the water migration development and change rules of the canal foundation soil, under different moisture contents and temperature gradients are studied in unilateral pattern. In the case of the same top plate control temperature, soil samples with similar initial water contents have similar water transfer amounts. The samples with higher initial water content have higher water transfer amount, with higher water accumulation, normally accumulating in the depth of 16~18cm. The results indicate that high water contents make it easy to gather water in soil samples during the freezing period.


2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-50
Author(s):  
Dwi Dian Praptanto ◽  
Kurnia Herlina Dewi ◽  
Bosman Sidebang

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of drying time in weight and water content, combination effect of drying time and size of the material, and consumer acceptance to the product in the wet processing of chili blocks production. Method used in the research is completely randomized design (CRD) with two factorials are material size and drying time. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and further analysis using DMRT at 5% significance level. Organoleptic test result was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Tukey test for further analysis. Application of the equal drying time to two different size of material: rough and finest block chili, showed the result that water content of the rough block chili is lower than the finest block chilli. Application of the different drying time duration to the same size of chili showed the lower water content with increasing duration of drying time. The water content of the material tends to decrease with increasing duration of drying time. The level of consumer’s preferences to the product of wet processing of chili blocks production is equal for scents, but it’s different for color, texture and overall preferences.


Author(s):  
MUHAMMAD ASLAM ALI ◽  
SANJIT CHANDRA BARMAN ◽  
MD. ASHRAFUL ISLAM KHAN ◽  
MD. BADIUZZAMAN KHAN ◽  
HAFSA JAHAN HIYA

Climate change and water scarcity may badly affect existing rice production system in Bangladesh. With a view to sustain rice productivity and mitigate yield scaled CH4 emission in the changing climatic conditions, a pot experiment was conducted under different soil water contents, biochar and silicate amendments with inorganic fertilization (NPKS). In this regard, 12 treatments combinations of biochar, silicate and NPKS fertilizer along with continuous standing water (CSW), soil saturation water content and field capacity (100% and 50%) moisture levels were arranged into rice planted potted soils. Gas samples were collected from rice planted pots through Closed Chamber technique and analyzed by Gas Chromatograph. This study revealed that seasonal CH4 emissions were suppressed through integrated biochar and silicate amendments with NPKS fertilizer (50–75% of the recommended doze), while increased rice yield significantly at different soil water contents. Biochar and silicate amendments with NPKS fertilizer (50% of the recommended doze) increased rice grain yield by 10.9%, 18.1%, 13.0% and 14.2%, while decreased seasonal CH4 emissions by 22.8%, 20.9%, 23.3% and 24.3% at continuous standing water level (CSW) (T9), at saturated soil water content (T10), at 100% field capacity soil water content (T11) and at 50% field capacity soil water content (T12), respectively. Soil porosity, soil redox status, SOC and free iron oxide contents were improved with biochar and silicate amendments. Furthermore, rice root oxidation activity (ROA) was found more dominant in water stress condition compared to flooded and saturated soil water contents, which ultimately reduced seasonal CH4 emissions as well as yield scaled CH4 emission. Conclusively, soil amendments with biochar and silicate fertilizer may be a rational practice to reduce the demand for inorganic fertilization and mitigate CH4 emissions during rice cultivation under water stress drought conditions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 189-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beibei Zhou ◽  
Xiaopeng Chen

The poor water retention capacity of sandy soils commonly aggregate soil erosion and ecological environment on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Due to its strong capacity for absorption and large specific surface area, the use of nanocarbon made of coconut shell as a soil amendment that could improve water retention was investigated. Soil column experiments were conducted in which a layer of nanocarbon mixed well with the soil was formed at a depth of 20 cm below the soil surface. Four different nanocarbon contents by weight (0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1%) and five thicknesses of the nanocarbon- soil mixture layer ranging from 1 to 5 cm were considered. Cumulative infiltration and soil water content distributions were determined when water was added to soil columns. Soil Water Characteristic Curves (SWCC) were obtained using the centrifuge method. The principal results showed that the infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration increased with the increases of nanocarbon contents, to the thicknesses of the nano carbon-soil mixture layer. Soil water contents that below the soil-nano carbon layer decreased sharply. Both the Brooks-Corey and van Genuchten models could describe well the SWCC of the disturbed sandy soil with various nano carbon contents. Both the saturated water content (θs), residual water content (θr) and empirical parameter (α) increased with increasing nano carbon content, while the pore-size distribution parameter (n) decreased. The available soil water contents were efficiently increased with the increase in nanocarbon contents.


Solid Earth ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 1025-1045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas K. Kronenberg ◽  
Hasnor F. B. Hasnan ◽  
Caleb W. Holyoke III ◽  
Richard D. Law ◽  
Zhenxian Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract. Previous measurements of water in deformed quartzites using conventional Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) instruments have shown that water contents of larger grains vary from one grain to another. However, the non-equilibrium variations in water content between neighboring grains and within quartz grains cannot be interrogated further without greater measurement resolution, nor can water contents be measured in finely recrystallized grains without including absorption bands due to fluid inclusions, films, and secondary minerals at grain boundaries.Synchrotron infrared (IR) radiation coupled to a FTIR spectrometer has allowed us to distinguish and measure OH bands due to fluid inclusions, hydrogen point defects, and secondary hydrous mineral inclusions through an aperture of 10 µm for specimens > 40 µm thick. Doubly polished infrared (IR) plates can be prepared with thicknesses down to 4–8 µm, but measurement of small OH bands is currently limited by strong interference fringes for samples < 25 µm thick, precluding measurements of water within individual, finely recrystallized grains. By translating specimens under the 10 µm IR beam by steps of 10 to 50 µm, using a software-controlled x − y stage, spectra have been collected over specimen areas of nearly 4.5 mm2. This technique allowed us to separate and quantify broad OH bands due to fluid inclusions in quartz and OH bands due to micas and map their distributions in quartzites from the Moine Thrust (Scotland) and Main Central Thrust (Himalayas).Mylonitic quartzites deformed under greenschist facies conditions in the footwall to the Moine Thrust (MT) exhibit a large and variable 3400 cm−1 OH absorption band due to molecular water, and maps of water content corresponding to fluid inclusions show that inclusion densities correlate with deformation and recrystallization microstructures. Quartz grains of mylonitic orthogneisses and paragneisses deformed under amphibolite conditions in the hanging wall to the Main Central Thrust (MCT) exhibit smaller broad OH bands, and spectra are dominated by sharp bands at 3595 to 3379 cm−1 due to hydrogen point defects that appear to have uniform, equilibrium concentrations in the driest samples. The broad OH band at 3400 cm−1 in these rocks is much less common. The variable water concentrations of MT quartzites and lack of detectable water in highly sheared MCT mylonites challenge our understanding of quartz rheology. However, where water absorption bands can be detected and compared with deformation microstructures, OH concentration maps provide information on the histories of deformation and recovery, evidence for the introduction and loss of fluid inclusions, and water weakening processes.


1998 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 463-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. W. Pammenter ◽  
Valerie Greggains ◽  
J. I. Kioko ◽  
J. Wesley-Smith ◽  
Patricia Berjak ◽  
...  

AbstractThe drying rate of whole seeds of Ekebergia capensis (Meliaceae) was shown to influence the response to desiccation, with rapidly dried seeds surviving to lower water contents. Short-term rapid drying (to water contents higher than those leading to viability loss) actually increased the rate of germination. The form of the time course of decline of axis water content varied with drying rate; slow drying could be described by an exponential function, whereas with rapid drying initial water loss was faster than predicted by an exponential function. These observations suggest that slow drying brought about homogeneous dehydration and that the rapid drying was uneven across the tissue. This raised the possibility that the different responses to dehydration were a function of different distributions of water in the axis tissue under the two drying regimes. However, ultrastructural observations indicated that different deleterious processes may be occurring under the different drying treatments. It was tentatively concluded that a major cause of viability loss in slowly dried material was likely to be a consequence of aqueous-based processes leading to considerable membrane degradation. Uneven distribution of tissue water could not be rejected as a contributory cause of the survival of rapidly dried seeds to low bulk water contents. The differential response to dehydration at different drying rates implies that it is not possible to determine a ‘critical water content’ for viability loss by recalcitrant seeds.


1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (19) ◽  
pp. 1994-1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter L. Tobiessen ◽  
Nancy G. Slack ◽  
Keith A. Mott

The response of photosynthesis and respiration to drying was measured in four species of epiphytic mosses, Ulota crispa (Hedw.) Brid., Neckera pennata Hedw., Anomodon rugellii (C. Mull.) Keissl., and Plagiomnium cuspidatum (Hedw.) T. Kop., from habitats along a desiccation gradient. There was little difference among the mosses in these responses. The relationship of water content to water potential did differ among the mosses, with Plagiomnium, the facultative epiphyte, showing a typical response of more mesic species and the other three showing a more xeric response, i.e., water potential does not begin to fall steeply until a lower water content is reached in Ulota, Neckera, and Anomodon. Both photosynthesis and respiration in all four moss species were quite sensitive to moderate water stress.


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