Abstract
The contribution of gravel fraction on the maximum shear modulus (Gmax), dynamic shear modulus ratio (G/Gmax), and damping ratio (λ) of cementitious coarse-grained soils has not been fully understood yet. Large-scale triaxial cyclic tests for geopolymer-stabilized coarse-grained soils (GSCGSs) were conducted with different volumetric block proportions (VBPs) under various confining pressures (CPs) for investigating their dynamic behaviors and energy dissipation mechanisms. Results indicate that the Gmax of GSCGS increases linearly with VBPs but nonlinearly with CP. High VBPs will probably result in a gentle decrease in G/Gmax and a rapid increase in normalized λ (λnor), while the opposite is the case for a high CP. With the shear strain amplitude being normalized, the G/Gmax and λnor are distributed in a narrow band with low dispersion and thus can be well-described by empirical functions of the normalized shear strain amplitude.
Highlights
Cementitious coarse-grained soils (CCGSs) are widely used as filling materials in infrastructure projects such as high-speed railway subgrades, earth dams, and highways [1,2]
Outcomes illustrate that the gravel fraction on the maximum shear modulus (Gmax) of geopolymer-stabilized coarse-grained soils (GSCGSs) increases linearly with the volumetric block proportions (VBPs) but nonlinearly with confining pressures (CPs)
New empirical formulas of Gmax referring to the VBP and CP are proposed
Summary
Cementitious coarse-grained soils (CCGSs) are widely used as filling materials in infrastructure projects such as high-speed railway subgrades, earth dams, and highways [1,2]. Previous studies showed that CCGS was inhomogeneous and heterogeneous geotechnical materials [1,2] Their cyclic shear behaviors were affected by gravel fraction, cementation, interparticle contact stiffness, void ratio, curing period, and deformation within individual particles [3,4,5,6]. Geopolymer binders (GBs) are alkali-activated aluminosilicate gel materials with enormous advantages in high strength, fast hardness, weak shrinkage, etc. Their primary raw materials are solid wastes, such as fly ash, glass waste, red mud, metakaolin (MK), and combinations of two or more of these materials [7]. This study conducted large-scale undrained triaxial cyclic tests on GSCGS with different volumetric block
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