Studies of Deformation Properties of Collapsible Loess Foundation under Overburden Pressure with Large Thickness by Centrifugal Model Test

Abstract

At present, laboratory test and field immersion test are the primary methods to study the collapsibility characteristics of loess foundation. However, the stress state of laboratory test usually does not conform to the actual in-site situation, while the field immersion tests are expensive and difficult to operate. Thus, a new economical and efficient method which can reflect the actual engineering is urgently needed. Centrifugal model test, which is the best physical model test, has been extensively used in various fields of geotechnical engineering. However, centrifugal model test is seldom used in the simulation of collapsibility characteristics of loess foundation. In this paper, centrifugal model tests of natural water content foundation and saturated foundation are carried out for the collapsible loess with strong self-weight collapsibility located in Yili Region in Xinjiang, China. The collapsible deformation of loess foundation based on double-line method is obtained. The results show that the amount of foundation collapsibility simulated by low head saturation method is the closest to that of field immersion test, which verifies the feasibility of using centrifugal model test to simulate collapsible deformation of Loess foundation.