Stress-controlled direct shear testing of geosynthetic clay liners II: Assessment of shear behavior

Abstract

This paper is the second of a two-paper set on stress-controlled direct shear testing of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs). Design of the apparatus, preliminary experiments, and shear deformation mechanisms in heat-treated and non-heat treated needle-punched (NP) GCLs were discussed in Part I. The objective of Part II (this paper) was to evaluate the effects of physical factors (i.e., peel strength and initial normal stress, σni), environmental factors (i.e., temperature and hydration solution), and creep on the internal shear behavior of NP GCLs. In addition, failure conditions of GCLs in the stress-controlled direct shear tests were compared to displacement-controlled direct shear tests to verify results. An increase in internal shear strength developed from increased GCL peel strength or increased normal stress. Elevated temperatures were observed to decrease internal shear strength for both non-heat treated and heat-treated NP GCLs. Specimens hydrated with a calcium-rich synthetic mining solution experienced increased internal shear strength due to cation exchange in the bentonite, whereas specimens hydrated with a highly alkaline synthetic mining solution experienced decreased internal shear strength. Creep tests revealed an increase in time-to-failure with decrease in applied shear stress. Finally, stress states at failure from stress-controlled and displacement-controlled shear tests corresponded to a unique failure envelope, which validates the efficacy of using stress-controlled direct shear tests to assess internal shear behavior and shear strength of NP GCLs.