Assessing Relations Between Electrical and Geotechnical Properties of Sand-Clay Mixtures Using Jonscher Fractal Power Law Model

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-85
Author(s):  
Fred Kofi Boadu ◽  
Samuel Ampadu

The geotechnical properties of unconsolidated geo-materials such as soils are influenced by modifications of their micro-structure, texture, mineralogy, water content and imposed effective stress levels. Fundamental relations between the characteristic electrical parameters describing the electrical responses soils based on a fractal power law model with scaling properties, and parameters influencing their geotechnical behavior are investigated. Low frequency electrical conductivity laboratory measurements were performed on sand and clay mixtures subjected to varying effective stress levels with concurrent measurements of their geotechnical properties. The conductivity spectra of the mixtures were described using a Jonscher fractal power law model characterized with three characteristic parameters, the dc conductivity ( σ dc ), the characteristic frequency ( f c ) and an exponent ( n). Changes in effective stress, water content, clay content, and other engineering properties of the mixture such as dry density, porosity, pore size and intergranular void ratio are discussed with respect to changes in the electrical parameters. The dc conductivity and characteristic frequency decrease with an increase in effective stress levels. The exponent, however, has the opposite behavior and increases with an increase in effective stress. As the water content increases, σ dc and f c increase while n decreases for all mixtures. With increasing stress levels, the average pore size of the mixtures decreases which results in a decrease in σ dc and f c but an increase in the values of the exponent. An increase in dry density of the mixtures leads to a decrease in σ dc and f c whilst n increases. Both σ dc and f c increase with increase in the intergranular void ratio of the mixture whilst the exponent values decrease with an increase in the intergranular void ratio. This study serves as a contribution to our quest in utilizing electrical geophysical methods, to assess and monitor non-invasively, the geotechnical properties of the subsurface in a less expensive and faster manner.

Geophysics ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 76 (5) ◽  
pp. F329-F338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred Kofi Boadu

Frequency-dependent electrical measurements of soils contain useful information about their texture and structure that can be linked to their engineering and transport properties. We performed frequency-dependent electrical measurements on 29 natural soils with wide variability in physical and textural properties in a laboratory environment at a constant stress level and in the frequency range of 0.01 Hz–10 kHz. The engineering and hydraulic properties of these soils, that is, the hydraulic conductivity [Formula: see text], void ratio [Formula: see text], fines content [Formula: see text], intergranular void ratio [Formula: see text] and the dry density [Formula: see text] are concurrently measured. The electrical behaviors of the soils are modeled with an equivalent circuit model, which are described by six circuit parameters. Relationships between the circuit parameters and the soil properties (geotechnical engineering and hydraulic) are investigated. Crossplots of frequency exponent [Formula: see text] and resistivity [Formula: see text] and that of [Formula: see text] and grain percent resistivity [Formula: see text] clusters soils with high and low values of hydraulic conductivity, whereas crossplots of relaxation time [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] clusters soils with high and low intergranular void ratio. Regression models are developed using the parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] to predict the hydraulic conductivity with [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] to predict the intergranular void ratio with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] to predict the dry density with [Formula: see text].


1983 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Liang ◽  
C. W. Lovell

The reported research established the relationships among the compaction variables (dry density, water content, roller type, and number of passes) and the shearing behavior of a residual clay (St. Croix) from sandstone and shale. Compacted material was tube sampled from test pads, and subjected to two test series: unconsolidated-undrained (UU), and saturated consolidated-undrained [Formula: see text] triaxials. Both test series were run at various confining pressures to approximate the end of construction and long-term conditions for several embankment depths.The UU tests showed an increase in strength with an increase in density or a decrease in water content. For the as-compacted samples, significant volume changes occurred during shear. The volumetric strain at failure decreased with increasing prestress effected by the roller.In the [Formula: see text]testing program, sample behavior after saturation under confinement was interpreted in terms of initial compacted conditions (and confinement). The effective stress strength parameters were functions of the compacted water content and void ratio. For a given initial void ratio, as the compaction water content increased, c′ increased and [Formula: see text] decreased. The volumetric strain upon saturation varied with the compacted water content, dry density, compactive energy, and the level of confinement. Skempton's A factor at undrained shear failure was dependent upon the initial void ratio and the degree to which the sample had been prestressed by the roller.Statistically valid regression equations for these dependent variables, viz., as-compacted strength, percent volume change due to saturation and consolidation, Skempton's A parameter at failure, and the effective stress strength parameters, were developed for field compacted St. Croix clay. Uses for such equations are given.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongtao Zhang ◽  
Yuqing Liu ◽  
Huiwu Luo ◽  
Peishuai Chen ◽  
Dejie Li ◽  
...  

AbstractIn engineering practice, the measured bearing capacity of a sand pile composite foundation in a mucky soil layer is much larger than the design value. Based on the sand pile construction and the load application process, a method of calculating the bearing capacity of the foundation based on the effective stress was proposed. Cavity diameter expansion in sand pile construction was simplified into a planar problem, and the cavity expansion theory was used to establish the expression of the rate of displacement and the horizontal stress increase. Based on the e–p curve and the calculation of the degree of consolidation, the relationships between the horizontal and vertical effective stress and the void ratio were obtained. According to the close relationship between the bearing capacity of the foundation in a mucky soil layer and the water content, an expression describing the relationships between the bearing capacity of the foundation, effective stress, void ratio, and water content was established. For the temporary engineering foundation treatment project, which needs a high bearing capacity but allows large foundation deformation, the design of sand pile composite foundations uses these relationships to take the consolidation effect of mucky soil into consideration, thereby reducing the replacement rate and lowering the construction cost.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thi Nu NGUYEN ◽  
Thanh Duong NGUYEN ◽  
Truong Son BUI

Soft marine soil deposit is distributed under the sea with many special properties. This type ofsoil is rarely researched in Vietnam because of the difficult geotechnical investigation under the sea level.In this paper, the experimental laboratories were performed to investigate the geotechnical properties ofsoft marine soil at Chan May port, Vietnam. The field investigation results indicate that the thickness ofsoft soil varies from a few meters to more than ten meters. Soft soil has a high value of water content,void ratio, and compressibility and a low value of shear strength. The compression index has a goodrelationship with water content, liquid limit, and dry unit weight. The unit weight, shear strength, and preconsolidationpressure increase with the increase of depth. These results show that the soil in the studyarea is unfavorable for construction activities.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Zabielska-Adamska

Cohesive and non-cohesive soils show a number of properties typical of a given category. Cohesive soils are characterized by cohesion, and the properties of compacted soils closely depend on moisture at compaction. However, many researchers have found the existence of so-called mixed or transitional soils. Compacted transitional soils, macroscopically recognized as non-cohesive, are characterized by mechanical properties and hydraulic conductivity which are strictly dependent on the moisture content at compaction. The aim of this work is to show the influence of the content of fine particles in fly ash on the variation of California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values as a parameter strictly dependent on initial compaction. The CBR values were interpreted in terms of moisture at compaction, void ratio and intergranular void ratio. Three different research samples were selected with fine contents of 45%, 55% and 70%; all samples corresponded in terms of grading with sandy silt. Fly ash containing only non-plastic fines behaved as cohesive soils despite the lack of plasticity. The CBR values decreased with increasing moisture at compaction or void ratio. The CBR values, plotted as a function of the intergranular void ratio, have lower penetration resistance together with fine content.


2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1335-1342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostefa Belkhatir ◽  
Hanifi Missoum ◽  
Ahmed Arab ◽  
Noureddine Della ◽  
Tom Schanz

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peishuai Chen ◽  
Huiwu Luo ◽  
Dejie Li ◽  
Enlong Liu ◽  
Benliang Yang

Abstract In engineering practice, the measured bearing capacity of a sand pile composite foundation in a mucky soil layer is much larger than the design value. Based on the sand pile construction and the load application process, a method of calculating the bearing capacity of the foundation based on the effective stress was proposed. Cavity diameter expansion in sand pile construction was simplified into a planar problem, and the cavity expansion theory was used to establish the expression of the rate of displacement and the horizontal stress increase. Based on the e–p curve and the calculation of the degree of consolidation, the relationships between the horizontal and vertical effective stress and the void ratio were obtained. According to the close relationship between the bearing capacity of the foundation in a mucky soil layer and the water content, an expression describing the relationships between the bearing capacity of the foundation, effective stress, void ratio, and water content was established. For the temporary engineering foundation treatment project, which needs a high bearing capacity but allows large foundation deformation, the design of sand pile composite foundations uses these relationships to take the consolidation effect of mucky soil into consideration, thereby reducing the replacement rate and lowering the construction cost.


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