Effect of thixotropy on mechanical properties of soft clay with different initial disturbance degrees

Abstract

ABSTRACT Tunnel excavation, pile driving and pipe cutting will cause different degrees of disturbance to the surrounding soil, which brings great potential risks to the safe operation of the project. In this study, the influence law of thixotropy on the compression characteristics, stress-strain relationship and shear strength index of soft clay in the Binhai area of Tianjin is investigated by using one-dimensional compression and triaxial tests, combined with two factors, which are the degree of initial perturbation and the resting time. The study shows that the mechanical properties of the soil will be greatly improved after 1d of resting, while the enhancement effect will be weakened in the later stage. The larger the initial disturbance degree, the worse the mechanical properties of the soil. Finally, based on the data analysis, the prediction models of soft clay shear strength index c and φ value are established respectively.