Abstract
Stress history and loading path can significantly influence the cyclic response of sands. It is well known that cyclic behaviour under non-symmetrical cycling is generally different from that under symmetrical loading around zero deviator stress. Anisotropic consolidation prior to cycling in triaxial apparatus changes the behaviour by exerting an initial static shear stress on critical planes. The present paper reports the results from a number of cyclic triaxial tests on anisotropically consolidated samples of Sydney beach sand. The samples are reconstituted in the laboratory and subjected to non-reversal cycling in compression only loading under undrained conditions. Typical test behaviours are described and the effects of cyclic stress ratio and initial state on the response are discussed. It is shown that the state parameter is capable of predicting the cyclic resistance and the trend of excess pore water pressure generation during one-way compressional cycling and, as has been well established for simple loading paths, critical state soil mechanics is able to provide a reliable framework to characterize the behaviour under different cyclic loading conditions.
Highlights
Investigation of the cyclic behaviour of sands is of great interest because ground deformations during earthquakes can cause significant structural damage and lead to loss of life
Cyclic behaviour is commonly studied by conducting symmetrical cycling around zero deviator stress in triaxial apparatus
To take into account the impact of this sustained shear stress on the cyclic response, triaxial tests should be carried out using anisotropic consolidation paths to impose a static shear stress on the planes of interest prior to cyclic loading
Summary
Investigation of the cyclic behaviour of sands is of great interest because ground deformations during earthquakes can cause significant structural damage and lead to loss of life. To take into account the impact of this sustained shear stress on the cyclic response, triaxial tests should be carried out using anisotropic consolidation paths to impose a static shear stress on the planes of interest prior to cyclic loading. This procedure results in nonsymmetrical cycling that can involve either deviator stress reversal or non-reversal depending on the levels of static stress ratio and cyclic stress ratio applied, and provides a better approximation of the real conditions existing in most geotechnical engineering problems. Comparisons will be made with previous results from sands subjected to symmetrical cyclic loading
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