Abstract
Soil exists mainly in unsaturated conditions. Therefore, accurate prediction of the soil shear strength for unsaturated conditions also becomes equally important for the geotechnical design of earth structures. This study primarily investigates the effect of the moisture content of unsaturated soil on its shear strength. The strength characteristics of silica sands with different grain sizes were studied using the modified triaxial apparatus and analytical methods. For this purpose, four series of triaxial compression tests on silica sands were performed by varying the moisture content of the test sample at compaction and shearing as optimum or residual moisture content. The test results showed that the test sample sheared at optimum and residual moisture content exhibited higher shear strength when the sample was initially compacted at residual and optimum moisture content, respectively. The moisture content at compaction and the soil grain size considerably influence the shear strength of unsaturated sandy soils. Furthermore, the analytical method used in this study for unsaturated soil shear strength prediction does not account for the effect of initial moisture content in predicting unsaturated soil shear strength.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
