Experimental Research on Coupling of Swelling Rock between Swelling and Creep

Abstract

Swelling rock has the properties of swelling and creep. Researches on coupling between swelling and creep have not yet been carried out. The expansive Paleogene mudstone is used to laboratory uniaxial compression tests, to find the coupling regularity between swelling and creep under different initial water contents, influent modes and loading methods. For coupling, the creep curves show similar characteristic of non-coupling. The creep deformation increases obviously and the long-term strength decreases comparing with non-coupling. With increasing initial water content, the creep deformation increases for coupling. The creep deformation increases with the enlargement of water-absorption area during the coupling creep. For single-stage and multi-stage loading, the creep regularity is similar to non-coupling. The sample will have a permanent residual deformation when unloaded at the second stable creep stage. The long-term strength of swelling rock is greater than the swelling pressure and the long-term strength is lower than that of non-coupling.