Collapse Compression of Fills on Inundation

Abstract

Translate Article

Many partly saturated soils undergo a reduction in volume when their moisture content is increased. The phenomenon, which can occur without any change in applied total stress, was termed ‘collapse compression’ because it was considered to be associated with a collapse of the soil structure. It has also been termed ‘hydrocompression’, ‘hydrocompaction’, ‘hydroconsolidation’, and ‘saturation shrinkage’, but collapse compression remains the most widely adopted expression. Soils with a potential for collapse are referred to as ‘collapsible’ or ‘metastable’. The process causing the increase of moisture content has been described as inundation, permeation, saturation, sluicing, or wetting, depending on the circumstances. Collapse compression can have an adverse effect on the performance of earth structures and in some situations susceptibility to collapse compression may be the most significant geotechnical property of the fill.