Simplified Apparatus for CRS Consolidation Testing of Soils

Abstract

This article presents the details of a simplified Constant Rate of Strain (CRS) consolidation apparatus for determining consolidation properties of soils. The apparatus has a loading piston with peripheral O-rings that slides through the consolidation ring. The loading piston has provision for back pressure application. The excess pore water pressure developed during the consolidation test can be measured at the base of the specimen. The apparatus is validated by performing CRS consolidation tests on four types of soil specimens of varying plasticity characteristics and on an undisturbed soil specimen. The results from the proposed apparatus were compared with the results obtained from the consolidation tests using the conventional incremental loading oedometer apparatus and the standard CRS consolidation apparatus. The test results prove that the proposed CRS consolidation apparatus can be conveniently used for determining the consolidation properties of soils.