Determining the effects of depositional processes on consolidation behavior of sediment using shear-wave velocity

Abstract

Compression behavior of sediments is crucial to geological engineering applications for ascertaining the deformation characteristics of the particular depositional environments. Unfortunately, obtaining the geotechnical parameters required to assess the compression behavior of sediments can be a costly and time-consuming undertaking. This study developed a general prediction equation that simulates the compression behavior of sediments. This developed equation is an exponential decline model that relates an increase of the shear-wave velocity to an increase of the mean effective stress. Consequently, the decrease of void ratio is presented as a continuous function of the shear-wave velocity. For this research, laboratory-derived sediment samples created to mimic actual sediments were isotopically consolidated during a consolidated undrained triaxial compression tests. The samples were prepared in the laboratory by mixing different percentages of fines and controlling the ratio of clay-to-silt fractions. Shear-wave velocity tests were performed during this consolidation testing using bender elements. The experimental constants needed for the prediction equation were well correlated to the depositional factors specifically characterized by percent fines, silt percent, and liquid limit that define better complexity of depositional processes.