The pore pressure and deformation behavior of natural soft clay caused by long-term cyclic loads subjected to traffic loads

Abstract

The undrained deformation behavior of soft clay, may be subjected to traffic loads, and has drawn extensive concern. In order to study the pore water and stress–strain behavior of soft clay subjected to traffic loads, one-way cyclic laboratory experiments were designed and investigated by a hollow cylinder apparatus (HCA). Different cyclic stress levels and confining pressures are considered in this article. It can be concluded that pore pressure and axial strain of the samples are dependent on cyclic stress ratios (CSR) and effective confining pressures significantly. With higher CSR and effective confining pressures applied, the values of pore pressure and axial permanent strain increase. The empirical formulas are established to predict the value of axial permanent strain and pore water pressure. Moreover, the axial and torsional degradation index of soft clay, as well as the axial and torsional stress–strain relationships, are obviously dependent on CSR.