scholarly journals The prediction of total heave of a slab-on-grade floor on Regina clay

1983 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. T. Yoshida ◽  
D. G. Fredlund ◽  
J. J. Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
General Theory ◽  
Pore Water ◽  
Unsaturated Soils ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Swelling Pressure ◽  
Practical Method ◽  
Industrial Building ◽  
Floor Slab

Several analytical methods for the prediction of total heave of desiccated, expansive soils have been proposed for various geographic regions. The proposed method herein is based on a general theory for unsaturated soil. The in situ stress conditions, as assessed from the corrected swelling pressure and the required soil moduli, are deduced from the constant volume oedometer test.Verification of the proposed method was accomplished using data accumulated from the monitoring of movements of a floor slab in a light industrial building in north-central Regina, Saskatchewan. A leak in a water line buried under the floor slab resulted in a maximum heave of about 106 mm. Of the three final pore-water pressure distributions assumed, the one where pressure is constant with depth and equal to atmospheric pressure appears to be representative of the field conditions corresponding to the maximum measured heave. The measured heave represents 89% of the predicted heave for the zero pore-water pressure distribution. It is concluded that the proposed method of analysis, based upon a general theory for unsaturated soils, provides a practical method to accurately assess total heave.

Model for the simulation of swelling-pressure measurements on expansive soils

1998 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fangsheng Shuai ◽  
D G Fredlund
Keyword(s):  
Pore Water ◽  
Volume Change ◽  
Unsaturated Soil ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Swelling Pressure ◽  
Oedometer Test ◽  
Free Swell

Numerous laboratory swelling tests have been reported for the measurement of swelling pressure and the amount of swell of an expansive soil. These test methods generally involve the use of a conventional one-dimensional oedometer apparatus. Few attempts, however, have been made to formulate a theoretical framework to simulate the testing procedures or to visualize the different stress paths followed when using the various methods. The simulation of the oedometer tests on expansive soils is required to fully understand the prediction of heave. The correct measurement of swelling pressure is required for an accurate prediction of heave. It is further anticipated that some information on unsaturated soils property functions may be approximated from the back-analysis of the data. A theoretical model is proposed to describe the pore-water pressures with time and depth in a specimen as well as the volume changes during various oedometer swell tests. The model is formulated based on equilibrium considerations, constitutive equations for an unsaturated soil, and the continuity requirement for the pore fluid phases. The transient water flow process is coupled with the soil volume change process. The model can be used to describe the volume-change behaviour, pore-water pressure, and vertical total stress development in an unsaturated soil during an oedometer test performed by any one of several test procedures. The model has been put into a finite element formulation using the Galerkin technique. All the parameters required to run the model can be obtained by performing independent, common laboratory tests. The proposed model was used to simulate the results from free-swell, constant-volume, constant water content, and loaded-swell oedometer tests. Computed values of volume change, vertical total stress, and pore-water pressure are in good agreement with measured values.Key words: unsaturated soil, expansive soil, swelling pressure, theoretical simulation, constant-volume oedometer test, free-swell oedometer test, loaded-swell oedometer test.

Aspects of the behaviour of compacted clayey soils on drying and wetting paths

2002 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 1341-1357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Marie Fleureau ◽  
Jean-Claude Verbrugge ◽  
Pedro J Huergo ◽  
António Gomes Correia ◽  
Siba Kheirbek-Saoud
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Pore Water ◽  
Unsaturated Soils ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Dry Density ◽  
Clayey Soils ◽  
Maximum Dry Density ◽  
Optimum Water Content ◽  
Optimum Water

A relatively large number of drying and wetting tests have been performed on clayey soils compacted at the standard or modified Proctor optimum water content and maximum density and compared with tests on normally consolidated or overconsolidated soils. The results show that drying and wetting paths on compacted soils are fairly linear and reversible in the void ratio or water content versus negative pore-water pressure planes. On the wet side of the optimum, the wetting paths are independent of the compaction water content and can be approached by compaction tests with measurement of the negative pore-water pressure. Correlations have been established between the liquid limit of the soils and such properties as the optimum water content and negative pore-water pressure, the maximum dry density, and the swelling or drying index. Although based on a limited number of tests, these correlations provide a fairly good basis to model the drying–wetting paths when all the necessary data are not available.Key words: compaction, unsaturated soils, clays, drying, wetting, Proctor conditions.

Mini suction probe for matric suction measurements

2002 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 1427-1432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge Meilani ◽  
Harianto Rahardjo ◽  
Eng-Choon Leong ◽  
Delwyn G Fredlund
Keyword(s):  
Pore Water ◽  
Unsaturated Soils ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Matric Suction ◽  
Lateral Direction ◽  
Triaxial Apparatus ◽  
Specimen Height ◽  
Pressure Changes ◽  
Accurate Reading

A modified triaxial apparatus with mini suction probes was fabricated to study the matric suction along the specimen height during unsaturated triaxial testing. Three mini suction probes were placed at 3/4, 1/2, and 1/4 height of the specimen, each at 120° apart in the lateral direction. This paper presents the development of the mini probe for matric suction measurements. Evaluation of the performance shows that the fabricated mini probe provides a rapid response and accurate reading under negative and positive pore-water pressure changes. Matric suctions as high as 400 kPa were successfully measured on soil specimens over a time span of 15 h. On the other hand, the mini suction probes were also found to be able to measure a matric suction of 200 kPa for a longer period of 155 h.Key words: matric suction, mini suction probe, triaxial, unsaturated soils, mid-height pore-water pressure measurement.

Experimental verification of the theory of consolidation for unsaturated soils

1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 749-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harianto Rahardjo ◽  
Delwyn G. Fredlund
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Pore Water ◽  
Unsaturated Soils ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Matric Suction ◽  
Water Volume ◽  
Loading Tests ◽  
Undrained Loading

An experimental program was designed to study the behavior of unsaturated soils during undrained loading and consolidation. A Ko cylinder was designed and built for the testing program. Simultaneous measurements of pore-air and pore-water pressures could be made throughout a soil specimen using this Ko cylinder. Four types of tests were performed on a silty sand. These are (1) undrained loading tests where both the air and water are not allowed to drain, (2) constant water content tests where only the water phase is not allowed to drain, (3) consolidation tests where both the air and water phases are allowed to drain, and (4) increasing matric suction tests. Undrained loading tests or constant water content loading tests were conducted for measuring the pore pressure parameters for the unsaturated soil. Drained tests consisting of either consolidation tests or increasing matric suction tests were conducted to study the pore pressure distribution and volume change behavior throughout an unsaturated soil during a transient process. The experimental pore pressure parameters obtained from the undrained loadings and constant water content leadings agreed reasonably well with theory. The pore-air pressure was found to dissipate instantaneously when the air phase is continuous. The pore-water pressure dissipation during the consolidation test was found to be faster than the pore-water pressure decrease during the increasing matric suction test. The differing rates of dissipation were attributed to the different coefficients of water volume change for each of the tests. The water volume changes during the consolidation test were considerably smaller than the water volume changes during the increasing matric suction tests for the same increment of pressure change. Key words : consolidation, Ko loading, matric suction, pore-air pressures, pore-water pressures, unsaturated soils

scholarly journals Swelling phenomena and effective stress in compacted expansive clays

2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Mašín ◽  
Nasser Khalili
Keyword(s):  
Pore Water ◽  
Effective Stress ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Swelling Pressure ◽  
Constitutive Modelling ◽  
Dry Density ◽  
Expansive Clay ◽  
Experimental Database ◽  
Clay Aggregates

The central aim of this paper is to discuss the applicability of the effective stress principle as defined by Terzaghi (total stress minus pore-water pressure) to predict the behaviour of expansive clay aggregates. Phenomena occurring between individual clay minerals are reviewed first at the molecular level obtained in the colloid science research. In particular, it is noted that, for interparticle distances higher than approximately 1.5 nm, the pore-water pressure in the bulk equilibrium solution forms an additive component of the interparticle disjoining pressure. It is concluded that for these distances Terzaghi’s effective stress principle should be adequate to describe the clay behaviour. To support these developments, an extensive experimental database of nine different sodium and calcium bentonites available in the published literature was analysed. With the aid of double structure constitutive modelling, procedures were developed to extract information about the behaviour of clay aggregates from the experimental measurements. It was then shown that unconfined water retention curves, swelling pressure tests, swelling under constant load tests, and mechanical unloading tests are all uniquely related in terms of the dependency of dry density (or void ratio) of clay aggregate versus mean effective stress. By considering reversibility of aggregate behaviour and full saturation of aggregates, this implies that the effective stress principle is a valid way of predicting expansive clay aggregate volumetric deformation.

A steady state model for flow in saturated–unsaturated soils

1984 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. T. Papagianakis ◽  
D. G. Fredlund
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Steady State ◽  
Pore Water ◽  
Unsaturated Soils ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Pressure Head ◽  
Flow Equation ◽  
Coefficient Of Permeability ◽  
Steady State Model

A model is proposed describing continuous flow between saturated and unsaturated soil. The flow is assumed to be two dimensional and under steady state conditions. In the unsaturated zone, the coefficient of permeability is treated as a function of pore-water pressure head. The nonlinear differential equation governing the flow is solved using an iterative finite element scheme. The flow equation for an element is derived using the Galerkin weighed residuals method. Several example problems are solved and compared with flow net solutions. The proposed flow model is superior to traditional models, which consider flow only in the saturated zone. The results show that the zero pressure isobar is not an upper flow boundary. The finite element solution is shown to be relatively insensitive to the function used to express the relationship between the coefficient of permeability and the pore-water pressure head. Key words: saturated–unsaturated, pore-water pressure, head, phreatic line.

One-dimensional consolidation theory: unsaturated soils

1979 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 521-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delwyn G. Fredlund ◽  
Jamshed U. Hasan
Keyword(s):  
Partial Differential Equations ◽  
Differential Equations ◽  
Pore Water ◽  
Unsaturated Soils ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Partial Differential ◽  
Total Load ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Consolidation Theory

A one-dimensional consolidation theory is presented for unsaturated soils. The assumptions made are in keeping with those used in the conventional theory of consolidation for saturated soils, with the additional assumption that the air phase is continuous. Two partial differential equations are derived to describe the transient processes taking place as a result of the application of a total load to an unsaturated soil.After a load has been applied to the soil, air and water flow simultaneously from the soil until equilibrium conditions are achieved. The simultaneous solution of the two partial differential equations gives the pore-air and pore-water pressures at any time and any depth throughout the soil. Two families of dimensionless curves are generated to show the pore-air and pore-water dissipation curves for various soil properties.For the case of an applied total load, two equations are also derived to predict the initial pore-air and pore-water pressure boundary conditions. An example problem demonstrates the nature of the results.

A numerical study of coupled consolidation in unsaturated soils

1998 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 926-937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tai T Wong ◽  
Delwyn G Fredlund ◽  
John Krahn
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Pore Water ◽  
Unsaturated Soils ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Characteristic Curve ◽  
Soil Column ◽  
Pressure Response ◽  
Soil Water Characteristic Curve

This paper first describes the numerical implementation of the coupled formulation for the theory of consolidation of unsaturated soils. The developed computer code is verified using the Mandel-Cryer problem and then is applied to the solution of coupled multidimensional consolidation problems. Using a parametric study, it is demonstrated that, in unsaturated soils, the Mandel-Cryer effect is suppressed and the consolidation process in unsaturated soils is affected significantly by the shape of the soil-water characteristic curve. Finally, the developed model is used to analyze the consolidation of an unsaturated-saturated soil column. Analysis results indicate that the classical "undrained" pore-water pressure response to an externally applied load only occurs in the saturated zone while the pore-water pressure response is subdued in the unsaturated zone. This paper also shows a method of deriving one of the two additional material parameters required for the analysis of unsaturated soils from laboratory test results.Key words: coupled consolidation, unsaturated soils, Mandel-Cryer effect, soil-water characteristic curve.

Pore-water pressure and water volume change of an unsaturated soil under infiltration conditions

2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 1509-1531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge Meilani ◽  
Harianto Rahardjo ◽  
Eng-Choon Leong
Keyword(s):  
Pore Water ◽  
Volume Change ◽  
Unsaturated Soils ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Volumetric Strain ◽  
Confining Pressure ◽  
Matric Suction ◽  
Water Volume ◽  
Infiltration Tests

Triaxial shearing–infiltration tests were conducted to study the pore-water pressure and volume change of unsaturated soils subjected to infiltration conditions. A modified triaxial apparatus with three Nanyang Technological University (NTU) mini suction probes along the specimen height was used for the experimental program. Elastic moduli were obtained for the soil structure with respect to changes in net confining pressure (E) and matric suction (H). Water volumetric moduli associated with changes in net confining pressure (Ew) and matric suction (Hw) were also obtained from the shearing–infiltration tests. Water volumetric strain and pore-water pressure during the shearing–infiltration tests were computed based on volume change theory. This paper presents the significance of obtaining the parameter Hw from an appropriate scanning curve of a soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) for the computation of water volumetric strain and pore-water pressure changes during a shearing–infiltration test. The appropriate scanning curve should be obtained from the wetting curve of the SWCC at the matric suction where the infiltration test commences.Key words: infiltration, matric suction, triaxial, unsaturated soils, pore-water pressure, water volume change.

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