Progressive Failure of Heavily Overconsolidated Clays

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, in order to comprehend the progressive failure of an overconsolidated clay, triaxial compression tests under constant load application for the overconsolidated Kawasaki clay are carried out. These tests show, after a certain period of time, axial strain rate fluctuations with marked peaks until the specimen reaches outright failure. The experimental procedure is then numerically simulated using the soil-water coupled finite element technique. While the numerical simulation for the triaxial compression test under axi-symmetric conditions did not exhibit the same behavior as in the triaxial test (shear band formation and fluctuation of axial strain rate in the axial strain rate vs. axial strain plot), under plane-strain conditions it properly described the fluctuation of axial strain rate as observed in the experiments. Such fluctuations in the axial strain rate are closely related to the progression of the localized shear zones within the specimen. This behavior is attributed to the “non-local” characteristics of saturated clays. Since the pore water supply to the localized shear zone can not always be sufficient due to Darcy’s law which limits the gradient of global seepage head in the soil, the specimen exhibits varying strain rates. Tertiary mudstone pebbles can be idealized as heavily overconsolidated clay. The progressive failure of a heavily overconsolidated clay suggests that the behavior of crushed Tertiary mudstone is due to slaking at the contact points between the pebbles.