Comportement mécanique d’un sol argileux. Effets de la taille des agrégats, de la teneur en eau et de la pression appliquée

Abstract

Soil compaction has been the subject of intense research in recent years, but the mechanisms involved in the compaction process remain poorly understood. The objective of this study was to characterize these mechanisms for a Kamouraska clay (Orthic Humic Gleysol) using beds of aggregates (1–2 mm and 2–3.4 mm) compressed into a uniaxial compression device. Changes in structural void ratio were monitored as a function of aggregate size, applied load and soil water content. Measurements of tensile strength and shrinkage were also made on the larger aggregates (2–3.4 mm) to investigate the involvement of the structural units in the soil compaction process. Aggregate size had little effect on the shape of the compression curves. Compression of the aggregate beds was mainly a function of applied load and water content. The compaction sensitivity threshold was about 0.20–0.22 g g−1 at compression loads of less than 200 kPa. This threshold water content corresponds to the air entry point and to the upper limit of the brittle domain of the aggregates during crushing. These results suggest the existence of a threshold water content above which the soil becomes susceptible to compaction even at low applied stress. Key words: Compression, shrinkage, aggregate tensile strength, threshold water contents