Effects of net stress and suction history on the small strain stiffness of a compacted clayey silt

2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Vassallo ◽  
Claudio Mancuso ◽  
Filippo Vinale
Keyword(s):  
Shear Stiffness ◽  
Small Strain ◽  
Resonant Column ◽  
Stress History ◽  
Small Strain Stiffness ◽  
Maximum Value ◽  
Clayey Silt ◽  
Triaxial Cell ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Suction History

An experimental study was carried out to investigate the effects of the mean net stress and suction history on the initial shear stiffness, G0, of a compacted clayey silt. Isotropic tests were performed using two suction-controlled devices, a triaxial cell and a resonant column torsional shear (RCTS) cell, so as to investigate the volumetric behaviour of this material. As for saturated soils, one can expect to find a strong correlation among stress history, volumetric state, and G0. Initial shear stiffness was measured almost continuously along various isotropic stress paths, including compressions and drying–wetting single stages or cycles, by using the RCTS cell. The collected data demonstrate a strong dependency of G0 on mean net stress (p – ua) and suction (ua – uw). Cycles of suction, in particular increasing suction beyond the past maximum value, induce significant accumulation of irreversible strains and increase of stiffness, confirming that G0 is not univocally related to the stress state (p – ua, ua – uw).Key words: unsaturated, compacted, small strain, stiffness, volumetric behaviour, stress history.

Small strain stiffness for granite residual soil: effect of stress ratio

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianwei Zhang ◽  
Xinyu Liu ◽  
Lingwei Kong ◽  
Gang Wang ◽  
Cheng Chen
Keyword(s):  
Stress Ratio ◽  
Small Strain ◽  
Residual Soil ◽  
Resonant Column ◽  
Residual Soils ◽  
Column Tests ◽  
Small Strain Stiffness ◽  
Deviator Stress ◽  
Granite Residual Soil ◽  
Stress Ratios

Most previous studies have focused on the small strain stiffness of sedimentary soil while little attention has been given to residual soils with different properties. Most studies also neglected the effects of the deviator stress, which is extensively involved in civil engineering. This note considers the effects of the deviator stress on the small-strain stiffness of natural granite residual soil (GRS) as established from resonant column tests performed under various stress ratios. Although increasing the stress ratio results in a greater maximum shear modulus for both natural and remolded residual soils, remolded soil is more sensitive to changes in the stress ratio, which highlights the effects of soil cementation. The data herein offers new insights to understand the stiffness of residual soil and other weathered geomaterials.

Effects of stress paths on the small-strain stiffness of completely decomposed granite

2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 1200-1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Wang ◽  
C WW Ng
Keyword(s):  
Shear Strain ◽  
Shear Stiffness ◽  
Stress Path ◽  
Small Strain ◽  
Bender Elements ◽  
Small Strain Stiffness ◽  
Small Strains ◽  
Average Shear ◽  
Decomposed Granite ◽  
Completely Decomposed Granite

Research on the small-strain (0.001%–1%) characteristics of sedimentary soils and sands has advanced to the stage where it has been utilized in engineering analysis and design for some time. Despite the progress, the stiffness characteristics of weathered materials such as completely decomposed granite (CDG) at small strains have still attracted relatively little research attention. This paper describes a systematic laboratory investigation of the small-strain characteristics of intact CDG subjected to various triaxial stress paths, including drained compression and extension tests. The small-strain stiffness was measured using bender elements and internal local transducers. Measurements from bender elements illustrate that the elastic shear modulus of CDG increases as the mean effective stress increases and the void ratio decreases. Significant nonlinear shear stiffness – shear strain and bulk modulus – volumetric strain relationships were observed. At 0.01% shear strain, the measured average shear stiffness obtained from the extension tests was about 60% higher than that from the compression tests. The average shear stiffness for the tests with a 90° rotation of the stress path was about 50%–70% higher than that of tests without a change in the direction of the stress path after saturation.Key words: completely decomposed granite, nonlinearity, small strains, extension, compression, recent stress history.

Small-strain stiffness of Zenoz kaolin in unsaturated conditions

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahnoosh Biglari ◽  
Anna d’Onofrio ◽  
Claudio Mancuso ◽  
Mohammad Kazem Jafari ◽  
Ali Shafiee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shear Stiffness ◽  
Stress Path ◽  
Small Strain ◽  
Complex Stress ◽  
Resonant Column ◽  
Wetting And Drying ◽  
Isotropic Compression ◽  
Remarkable Effect ◽  
Constant Suction

An experimental study has been carried out to investigate the effects of isotropic compression, wetting, and drying on the initial shear stiffness of Zenoz kaolin, an unsaturated lean clay, both in normally consolidated and overconsolidated conditions. The proposed study was conducted using fixed–free resonant column – torsional shear (RCTS). Specimens were compacted using the undercompaction technique. Initial shear stiffness was measured almost continuously along complex stress paths including (i) an initial equalization stage to a suction value of 0, 50, 150, and 300 kPa; (ii) an isotropic compression stage at constant suction, up to a net stress high enough to move the loading collapse line; (iii) an isotropic unloading stage at constant suction; (iv) a wetting and (or) drying path. The mentioned stress path allowed elimination or determination of the overconsolidation effect on the initial shear stiffness measured. The behavior observed is qualitatively similar to that of saturated soil, while wetting data clearly indicate that G0 depends significantly on volumetric behavior. In normally consolidated samples where wetting is accompanied by collapse, reduction in suction has no remarkable effect on G0. Conversely, in overconsolidated samples G0 reduces significantly as suction decreases.

Modelling the influence of stress–strain history on the initial shear stiffness of an unsaturated compacted silt

2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 463-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Vassallo ◽  
Claudio Mancuso ◽  
Filippo Vinale
Keyword(s):  
Unsaturated Soil ◽  
Shear Stiffness ◽  
Small Strain ◽  
Complex Stress ◽  
Strain History ◽  
Strain Behaviour ◽  
Observed Behaviour ◽  
Suction History ◽  
Simple Stress

This is the follow-up paper to Vassallo et al. (2007), which discussed the experimentally observed small-strain behaviour of an unsaturated compacted silt. The influence that suction and, more in general, mean net stress – suction history has on the initial shear stiffness was analysed and ascribed to the accumulation of irreversible volumetric strains. In this study, a model able to predict the observed behaviour is proposed, based on classical unsaturated soil volumetric hardening elastoplastic formulations. Starting from the interpretation of the results relative to simple stress paths, such as preliminary equalization and loading–unloading compression, the results of "complex" stress paths, such as those including drying–wetting cycles, have subsequently been modelled by introducing some additional parameters.Key words: unsaturated, compacted, small strain, stiffness, volumetric behaviour, stress history.

scholarly journals Small strain stiffness in overconsolidated Pliocene clays

2013 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Markowska-Lech ◽  
Mariusz Lech ◽  
Marek Bajda ◽  
Alojzy Szymański
Keyword(s):  
Shear Modulus ◽  
Shear Wave ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Shear Wave Velocity ◽  
Cohesive Soil ◽  
Small Strain ◽  
Soil Parameters ◽  
Small Strain Stiffness ◽  
Triaxial Apparatus ◽  
Triaxial Cell

Abstract Small strain stiffness in overconsolidated Pliocene clays. A huge development of technical infrastructure, including the construction of many high-rise buildings, roads, railroads and extension of subway lines, took place over the recent years in Poland. Therefore, numerous planned investment projects require geotechnical data documenting the variation of soil parameters found in the subsoil. The shear wave velocity is one of the most important input parameters to represent the stiffness of the soil deposits. This paper focuses on the methods and devices using measurements of the shear wave velocity to estimate the initial shear modulus in cohesive soil. It is preferable to measure VS by in situ wave propagation tests, however it is often economically not feasible in all regions of Poland. Hence, a reliable correlation between shear wave velocity and parameters measured in triaxial cell or static penetration parameters would be a considerable advantage. This study shows results obtained from the bender elements tests and field techniques - seismic cone penetration test and seismic flat dilatometer, performed on overconsolidated cohesive soils in Warsaw. On the basis of the test results possible correlations between shear wave velocity (initial shear modulus), mean effective stress and void ratio are considered and four original empirical relationships are proposed. Moreover, the proposed formulas by two different techniques using triaxial apparatus and also RCPT cone were examined. The proposed formulas show a reasonable agreement with direct shear wave velocity profiles for clays and might be incorporated into routine laboratory and field practice

Effects of current suction ratio and recent suction history on small-strain behaviour of an unsaturated soil

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.W.W. Ng ◽  
J. Xu
Keyword(s):  
Shear Modulus ◽  
Unsaturated Soil ◽  
Unsaturated Soils ◽  
Small Strain ◽  
Triaxial Tests ◽  
Stress History ◽  
Reduction Curve ◽  
Small Strain Shear Modulus ◽  
Suction History ◽  
Modulus Reduction

Although the small-strain shear modulus of saturated soils is known to be significantly affected by stress history, consisting of the overconsolidation ratio (OCR) and recent stress history, the effects of suction history on the small-strain shear modulus of unsaturated soils have rarely been reported. In this study, the effects of suction history, which refers to current suction ratio (CSR) and recent suction history, on both the very-small-strain shear modulus (G0) and shear modulus reduction curve of an unsaturated soil, are investigated by carrying out constant net mean stress compression triaxial tests with bender elements and local strain measurements. In addition, the effect of suction magnitude on G0 and the shear modulus reduction curve is also investigated. At a given suction, G0, elastic threshold strain (εe), and the rate of shear modulus reduction all increase with CSR. On the other hand, the effect of recent suction history on G0 is not significant. The effect of direction of recent suction path (θ) on the shear modulus reduction curve is not distinct. However, the magnitude of recent suction path (l) affects the shear modulus reduction curve significantly when θ = –90°.

Small strain behavior of a silty sand in controlled-suction resonant column – torsional shear tests

2002 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Mancuso ◽  
Roberto Vassallo ◽  
Anna d'Onofrio
Keyword(s):  
Shear Stiffness ◽  
Small Strain ◽  
Bulk Water ◽  
Silty Sand ◽  
Resonant Column ◽  
Soil Behavior ◽  
Soil Response ◽  
Strain Behavior ◽  
Torsional Shear ◽  
Constant Suction

An experimental study has been carried out using a new resonant column – torsional shear cell to investigate the small strain behavior of an unsaturated compacted silty sand. The device, recently developed at the Dipartimento di Ingegneria Geotecnica di Napoli (Italy), is fitted for controlled-suction testing using the axis-translation technique. Both optimum and wet of optimum compacted specimens have been tested to analyze the effects of suction and fabric on soil behavior. Shear stiffness measurements have been taken during constant-suction tests. Collected data indicate an S-shaped initial shear stiffness versus suction variation, which can be explained considering the progressive change from a bulk-water regulated soil response to a menisci-water regulated soil response. A model is proposed to account for the observed trend. Results highlight significant effects of suction and fabric on soil behavior.Key words: compacted soil, small strain behavior, shear stiffness, suction, soil fabric.

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