Abstract
Geotechnical issues such as differential settlements have been reported usually in embankments made of materials derived from weak rocks such as mudstones, siltstones, and shales. The primary cause of the issue is a gradual weakening due to weathering. Crushed weak rocks tend to turn into smaller particles under repeated wetting and drying processes. This phenomenon is a mechanical-hydraulic process known as “slaking”. The present paper discusses the deformation of crushed weak rocks due to slaking and its countermeasure. We performed a series of one-dimensional slaking tests on several weak rocks. We first performed one-dimensional compression tests on dried samples, and applied wetting and drying cycles to the samples while keeping the compression stress constant. The test results revealed that particle size distribution of the samples was broadened due to cyclic wetting and drying processes and that significant compression was exhibited. Moreover, we explored possible countermeasures for reducing the slaking-induced deformation and revealed that compacting the soil to a denser state is the most effective way in reducing the slaking-induced deformation of the crushed mudstone.
Highlights
Granulated weak rocks are usually derived by cutting slopes and excavating tunnels, and they are widely utilized for the earth construction such as embankments
Slaking is a kind of hydro-mechanical process (Figure 1), which may cause the reduction of stiffness and peak strength, resulting in differential settlement or reduction of seismic resistance
Unconfined compression tests on granulated weak rocks that experienced different slaking cycles revealed the significant reduction of the peak strength due to wetting and drying cycles [5,6,7]
Summary
Granulated weak rocks are usually derived by cutting slopes and excavating tunnels, and they are widely utilized for the earth construction such as embankments. They, tend to be weathered relatively quickly once they are immersed in the water This phenomenon is a kind of weathering processes known as slaking. Slaking is a kind of hydro-mechanical process (Figure 1), which may cause the reduction of stiffness and peak strength, resulting in differential settlement or reduction of seismic resistance. Several researchers have discussed the mechanism of the slaking of geomaterials derived from weak rocks. Unconfined compression tests on granulated weak rocks that experienced different slaking cycles revealed the significant reduction of the peak strength due to wetting and drying cycles [5,6,7]. Slaking evolves the particle size distribution [8, 9], and this evolution varies the stiffness and strength resulting significant deformation of the soil [9]
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