The importance of disturbance and remoulding to the alteration of mechanical properties of sensitive soils has been well documented in the geotechnical literature both in terms of laboratory and field behaviours. Man-made transient dynamic input such as dynamite blasting, heavy vehicles, and train movement have been suspected of being capable of causing a reduction in the in situ strength parameters of sensitive clays. A laboratory test program was undertaken to determine whether dynamic loading at peak stress levels below normal failure strength caused similar changes in the mechanical properties, and specifically to quantify the phenomena.In order to simulate highly overconsolidated conditions most of the tests were carried out under conditions of no confining pressure, although supplemental data were obtained from consolidated undrained tests. Some of the variables examined in this program were confining pressure, mean deviatoric stress, cyclic deviatoric stress, cyclic strain, number of applications, frequency, and reference strength. In order to compare the effect of dynamic input with the long-term creep phenomena, a simultaneous constant load program was undertaken.In general terms, the study indicates that under the prestated laboratory test conditions no major reduction in peak strength was found under dynamic loading, and that failure would occur at comparative stress levels under dead-load conditions, but required a greater time. In addition, examination of the sample after failure revealed that any remoulding of the sample appeared to be restricted to the area adjacent to the shear zone.
Dynamic Characteristics of Saturated Soft Clay under Constant Confining Pressure Cyclic Loading
