The Effect of Sampling on the Undrained Soil Properties of a Leda Soil

Abstract

The comparison of consolidated undrained triaxial results on sensitive Leda clay sampled by six different sampling methods is presented. The results indicate that the failure index, represented by the axial stress difference as a fraction of the axial failure stress difference against strain plots, are widely different at very low consolidation pressures, but are similar and approximate to the results from block samples as the consolidation pressure is increased. The pore pressure coefficient A appears to be independent of the sampling method and remains remarkably consistent throughout any test (up to failure) except where the confining pressure is very low or above the preconsolidation pressure.Routine commercial sampling methods (including laboratory preparation) using 50-mm diameter samples were found to partially destroy the cementation bonds, causing a decrease in strength at low confining pressures and an unsafe increase in strength at medium confining pressures. This trend is decreased by better sampling.