The dynamic mechanical behavior of insaturated clay under quasi-one-dimensional strain state

Abstract

An improved split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) method with passive confined pressure was used to study the dynamic mechanical behaviors of an insaturated clay under quasi-one dimensional strain state. Experimental results show that both modulus of elasticity and yield strength of the clay were sensitive to strain rates. The confined pressures of the specimens were also obtained from the dynamic tests. In addition, the quasi-static responses of the clay were obtained with the unconsolidated and undrained (UU) test with confined pressure from 0.1MPa to 1MPa. Results of the quasi-static experiments show that the yield strength of clay increased with the confined pressure. The quasi-static and dynamic stress-strain behavior of the clay under confinement exhibited an elastic-plastic-like response. Based on the results of both dynamic and quasi-static tests, a phenomenological elastic-plastic type of material model was employed to describe the strain-rate-dependent properties of the clay under tri-axial state of stress, which agreed well with the experimental results.