Cyclic Triaxial Tests Research Articles

Resilient deformation characteristics of subgrade silty filler under intermittent train loading

The intermittent loading method has been proved to be more realistic to simulate the long-term dynamic loading of trains on the subgrade, because the time interval of adjacent trains could be considered in this loading method. The plastic deformation characteristics under intermittent loading have been elaborated in previous studies, but the resilient deformation characteristics have not been reported. By carrying out a series of cyclic triaxial tests with intermittent loading, the resilient deformation characteristics of silty filler under intermittent loading were investigated. The test results indicate that the loading intermittence had a reduction effect on the resilient deformation, and this reduction effect was most significant for incremental collapse samples, followed by the plastic creep samples, and the plastic shakedown samples were the least. There was also a critical resilient strain for this silty filler under intermittent cyclic loading, beyond which the plastic strain developed rapidly to sample failure. A classification criterion for deformation behaviors based on the difference of resilient strain between the first and second loading stages Δεe,1-2, was proposed and then verified by other intermittent loading modes in which the intermittent duration and loading cycles per stage changed. Meanwhile, the limitations of this classification criterion were clarified, and a simpler method to identify the deformation behaviors of subgrade filler was presented based on the stable value of resilient strain under intermittent cyclic loading, which could satisfy the needs of railway engineers and workers to quickly evaluate the railway subgrade in service.

Empirical Assessment of Liquefaction Resistance of Crushable Pumiceous Sand Using Shear Wave Velocity

Sands consisting of pumice particles are found in the northern part of the North Island of New Zealand. These pumice sands are highly crushable, compressible, and lightweight due to the vesicular nature of the particles, making engineering assessment of their properties problematic. When performing geotechnical assessments of these deposits, questions have been asked whether existing empirical correlations derived primarily from normal (hard-grained) soils apply to the crushable natural pumiceous (NP) soils. Such lack of guidance for the geotechnical characterization and liquefaction assessment of NP soils has long been highlighted by the local geotechnical community. In this research, laboratory experiments, such as cyclic triaxial and bender element tests, were performed on reconstituted and high-quality undisturbed NP samples. These were supplemented by field-based shear wave velocity (Vs) profiling conducted at the same sites where the undisturbed samples were collected. For comparison purposes, similar laboratory tests were also performed on the hard-grained Toyoura sand. The laboratory results showed that NP sands have considerably different behavior when compared to Toyoura sand. For instance, NP sands have lower small strain shear modulus (Gmax) and Vs and higher liquefaction resistance under the same level of packing. Next, results from the laboratory studies and field characterization were synthesized considering the effect of various parameters, such as the degree of packing, overburden pressure, and pumice contents, on the liquefaction assessment of NP sands. Based on the results, attempts were made to develop a Vs-based chart to estimate the liquefaction resistance of such problematic soils for use by the geotechnical profession. Finally, the applicability of the proposed Vs-based chart was examined using available case studies from the 1987 Edgecumbe earthquake and then compared with an existing empirical Vs-based method developed for normal sands. The results showed that the proposed approach better reflected the reported liquefaction manifestation at the sites.

Undrained Cyclic Loading Response of Subgrade Soil Subjected to Varying Moisture Content and Stress Level

Subgrades that are constructed from fine-grained cohesive soils undergo large settlements; therefore, the study of their deformation behavior is important to avoid early deterioration in the traffic infrastructure. In this study, the deformation behavior of two different types of cohesive subgrade soils at different compaction states has been addressed that considered the effect of influencing factors, such as water content, deviatoric stress, and confining pressure (σ3). The results from the unconsolidated undrained cyclic triaxial tests show that the deformation behavior of soil is highly influenced by the level of applied deviatoric stresses and moisture content on the wet side of optimum (WS) and is slightly affected by σ3 and moisture content on the dry side of optimum (DS). The elastic strain (ɛe) component showed a decreasing trend with an increase in the number of load cycles (N) and then attained a steady value toward a higher N; however, the plastic strain (ɛp) component continuously increased for a given magnitude of applied cyclic deviatoric stresses (σd,c). From the test results, logarithmic strain models were proposed to predict the long-term total (ɛt) strain and ɛp that developed in cohesive subgrade soils, which were subjected to various combinations of variations in moisture content and stresses. The proposed model has been compared with the existing model and shows better prediction ability with a coefficient of correlation (R2) of >95% in most cases.

Exploring packing density, critical state, and liquefaction resistance of sand-fines mixture using DEM

A series of monotonic and cyclic triaxial shearing tests are simulated by discrete element method (DEM) to explore packing density, critical state, and liquefaction resistance of sand-fines binary mixtures. It is found that there is a threshold fines content (FCth) that makes void ratio reach the minimum value and it is affected by the relative density of the mixture. A unique critical state line (CSL) is obtained in equivalent skeleton void ratio-mean effective stress (e*-p') plane regardless of the fines content. The critical stress ratio of the mixture slightly increases as fines content increases, and its average value is around 1.20. The e* and ψe* (state parameter based on e*) can unifiedly characterize the cyclic liquefaction resistance of the mixtures with different fines contents. The active particles of binary mixtures that participate in the force chains are explored from a microscope perspective. It reveals that there is a unique micro CSL in the mechanical coordination number-mean effective stress (MCN-p') plane despite of fines contents, and the micro state parameter (ψMCN) can also successfully and unifiedly characterize the cyclic liquefaction resistance of sand-fines mixtures.

Evaluation of water loss and stiffness increase in cold recycled mixes during curing

Implementing cold solutions is one of the primary efforts in the road sector to counteract CO2 emissions and climate change. Using cold recycled mixtures (CRM) permits the reuse of up to 100% of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). This research examines how CRM develop their resilient response during the curing process. Using cyclic loading dynamic triaxial (DTx) testing, resilient moduli of CRM made with various proportions of bitumen emulsion were determined. Curing times from 0 days to 18 months were assessed. Binder content and water loss speed proved to be fundamental factors in the evolution of the resilient moduli of the CRM studied. CRM with a binder content of 2.50% exhibited the best short-term response, while those with a binder content of 3.00% showed greater stiffness values over more extended curing. Once water losses stopped, the CRM continued showing changes in stiffness, proving their evolutionary response.

Dynamic properties of recycled polyurethane-coated rubber-soil mixtures

A large quantity of end-of-life tire (ELT) rubber is being blended with thermoplastic polyurethane to provide a durable and ecologically friendly material for flexible surfaces, while a significant quantity of thermoplastic elastomeric waste (left-over and cut-outs) is also generated. These waste materials can be used efficiently for seismic isolation and vibration damping at a minimal cost, a process known as frugal innovation. In this regard, waste thermoplastic elastomeric (TPE) material, which is also known as polyurethane-coated rubber (PUcR), obtained from the tire rubber recycling industry, is explored in this study. Herein, we targeted to evaluate the stiffness and energy dissipation capabilities of waste TPE or PU-coated rubber, which, to the best of our knowledge, has never been reported before. To that end, a series of cyclic triaxial tests were carried out on PU-coated rubber-soil mixtures. In comparison to untreated rubber-soil mixtures, the shear modulus of PU-coated rubber-soil mixtures reduces by 5.5–12.7%, while the damping ratio increases by up to 12.6%.

A conceptual model for the shakedown response of soft clay to high-cycle, low-amplitude undrained loading

Soft soils beneath transportation infrastructures suffer dynamic traffic loads with high-frequency and high-cycle characteristics, which mainly present shakedown development of deformation yet probably induce notable deformation at the stable state. However, conventional constitutive models are still not available for the long-term behavior description of soft soils under high-cycle traffic loading. Herein, a conceptual model for high-cycle, low-amplitude undrained loading was proposed incorporating a shrinking yield surface and an expanding boundary surface, which individually indicated the weakening behavior caused by an increase in excess pore water pressure and the hardening effect due to contractive plastic deformation. Given the shakedown responses of soft soils, a mapping ratio and a one-time calculation approach were employed. Thus, the effect of loading frequency on the response of soft soil can be considered, and the calculation efficiency was greatly improved. Then, the evaluation of model parameters and parametric analyses on the loading frequency, shrinking yield surface, expanding boundary surface and mapping ratio were carried out to examine the performance of the proposed model. To further validate the proposed model, undrained cyclic triaxial tests on reconstituted Ningbo clay were conducted, and high-cycle undrained triaxial tests on Kaolin clay and Ariake clay were referenced. The predicted developments of accumulated plastic deviatoric strain and excess pore water pressure with the number of load cycles reached acceptable consistencies with the experimental results. Moreover, the effects of confining and deviatoric stresses were investigated. Not only rational developments of excess pore water pressure and plastic deviatoric strain but also nearly identical results under the same cyclic stress ratio (CSR) were obtained, which adequately confirmed the feasibility and reliability of the proposed model. Although this model was developed based on isotropically consolidated soils and contained varied parameters for different CSRs, it provides a framework contributing to rigorous model development for high-cycle conditions.

Mechanical Behaviour of Steel Slag–Rubber Mixtures: Laboratory Assessment

Slags and rubber from end-of-life tires represent a liability to the steel and tire industry, causing economic and environmental problems that are difficult to manage. Transport infrastructures can use these industrial by-products instead of extracting natural raw materials, but the adequate mechanical performance of the materials needs to be assured. This paper addresses the mechanical behaviour of slag–rubber mixtures in the laboratory with CBR, monotonic and cyclic triaxial tests. In addition, light falling weight deflectometer tests were also performed in a physical model. The results were analysed to meet technical specifications from Brazil, Portugal and Australia using railway sub-ballast layers, capping layers or road pavement layers as the base and sub-base to identify the applicability range of slag–rubber mixtures for transport infrastructures. Concerning the analysed parameters, it was demonstrated that slag–rubber mixtures can show resilient behaviour and strength adequate for the support layers of transport infrastructures provided that the rubber content is below 5% in weight and that the slag is milled to comply with the grain size distribution ranges available in the technical specifications of the cited countries.

Critical Dynamic Stress and Cumulative Plastic Deformation of Calcareous Sand Filler Based on Shakedown Theory

Calcareous sand is a special marine soil rich in calcium carbonate minerals, characterized by brittle particles. It is, therefore, widely used as a filling material in the construction of islands and reefs. In this study, a series of cyclic tri-axial tests were conducted on calcareous sand taken from a reef in the South China Sea under different confining pressures and cyclic stress ratio (CSR). Then, applying the shakedown theory, the cumulative deformation of calcareous sand under a long-term cyclic load of aircraft was evaluated. Results showed that with the increase in the effective confining pressure, the stress–strain curves of calcareous sand showed a change from the strain-softening to the strain-hardening state; the volumetric strain of calcareous sand showed a change from shear shrinkage and then shear expansion to continuous shear shrinkage. Calcareous sand showed three different response behaviors under cyclic load: plastic shakedown, plastic creep and incremental plastic failure. With the plastic strain rate as the defining index, this study determined the critical CSR of calcareous sand under different shakedown response statuses and found them to increase with the effective confining pressure. The empirical formula for critical stress was established based on the fitting analysis of critical CSR under different confining pressures, taking the confining pressure as the variable. At the early stage of the cyclic load, calcareous sand samples were under compression. When the resilient modulus grew rapidly and the number of loading cycles continued to increase, the particles of calcareous sand samples were crushed, causing the fine particles to fill the voids among coarse particles, further compacting the samples and increasing the resilient modulus of calcareous sand samples. Hardin’s breakage potential model was adopted to quantitatively describe the particle breakage of calcareous sand samples before and after tests. The results indicated that calcareous sand samples produced obvious particle breakage when the CSR was small. As the CSR increased, the extent of the breakage of the sample particles first increased and thereafter stabilized. This study provides a theoretical reference for the assessment of the dynamic stability of calcareous sand subgrade subjected to traffic loads.

Cyclic failure mechanisms of saturated marine coral sand under various consolidations

The undrained cyclic response of coral sand in earthquake is an important issue that must be considered in ocean engineering. A series of undrained cyclic triaxial tests was conducted on saturated coral sand using GDS dynamic triaxial apparatus. This study discusses the influence of consolidation ratio (kc), cyclic stress ratio (CSR), and relative density (Dr) on the undrained cyclic response of saturated coral sand. The characteristics of excess pore water pressure (EPWP), axial strain (εa), effective stress path, and undrained cyclic resistance of saturated coral sand are analyzed. The test results show that two axial strain generation modes exist in saturated coral sand: cyclic mobility and plastic strain accumulation. The EPWP (ue) generation modes are quite different subjected to various CSRs under isotropic consolidation, while that is consistent under anisotropic consolidation. Suitable models are selected to describe various EPWP generation patterns. Consolidation condition can significantly affect the development of effective stress path. The residual effective stress becomes large with the increase of kc. A new index called stress parameter (λ) is introduced to consider the effect of kc and CSR on undrained cyclic resistance comprehensively. The critical line to distinguish the failure point from non-failure point of coral sand specimens can be clearly found in the correlation between λ and the relative density after consolidation (Drc). The existence of the critical line in the relationship between stress parameter and relative density is also verified by using the literature data.

Effect of fabric anisotropy on the cyclic liquefaction of sands: Insight from DEM simulations

To interpret the effects of fabric anisotropy on the cyclic liquefaction of sands, undrained cyclic triaxial tests on the vertical and horizontal specimens were simulated using the discrete element method with ellipsoidal clumps. The simulation captured the anisotropic cyclic responses of sands observed experimentally: (a) the vertical specimen is more prone to liquefaction than the horizontal one under symmetrical cyclic loading conditions; (b) the axial strain is accumulated at the extension side for the vertical specimen and at the compression side for the horizontal specimen. At the particle scale, the mechanical coordination number, redundancy index, contact-normal and particle-orientation based fabrics were investigated to provide insight into the macro response. It is found that at the onset of liquefaction, the redundancy index is equal to 1, the mechanical coordination number is equal to 3.3, and the contact-normal based fabric anisotropic variable is always negative. Furthermore, the anisotropic critical state theory was applied to investigate the relationship between the macro-mechanical behavior and the evolution of contact-normal based fabric, which facilitates the development of constitutive models for simulating cyclic liquefaction behavior of anisotropic sands.

Excess pore water pressure behavior of saturated soft clay under cyclic confining pressure with different frequencies

The excess pore water pressure is main factor affecting the dynamic response of saturated soft clay under traffic loads. Recognize that, cyclic triaxial tests with and without cyclic confining pressure were carried out to study the development of excess pore water pressure of saturated soft clay. The impacts of factors, such as cyclic stress ratio (CSR), loading frequency, and cyclic confining pressure, were analyzed. Excess pore water pressure increases with increasing cyclic stress ratios, while decreases with increasing loading frequencies. Nevertheless, with increasing cyclic confining pressures, the maximum excess pore water pressure increases, while the minimum excess pore water pressure remains unchanged. Besides that, the greater CSR and cyclic confining pressure deliver an increment of both maximum and minimum excess pore water pressure rate. However, the excess pore water pressure rate - time curves coincide under different loading frequencies. Meanwhile, both the normalized maximum and minimum excess pore water pressure rates are linearly proportional with time under different test conditions in logarithmic coordinates. Based on that, both maximum and minimum excess pore water pressure prediction models, relating to the above factors, are proposed, and the predicted results accord well with the measured data.

The Effect of the Nonplastic Fines on the Cyclic Resistance of the Saturated Sand-Fines Mixtures

A series of undrained cyclic triaxial tests were carried out to study the nonplastic fines on the cyclic behaviour of saturated sand-fines mixtures. The influences of the fines content (FC), global void ratio (e), and relative density (Dr) were considered. The results show that the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR) of the mixtures firstly decreases and then increases, finally stabilizing with increasing FC when the samples are prepared at a constant Dr. The CRR reaches its minimum when the FC is 20%. However, the CRR decreases and then increases with increasing FC when the samples are prepared at a constant e. The CRR reaches its minimum when the FC is at 30%. The CRR of the mixtures increases with increasing Dr when the FC is given. A single Dr or e cannot describe the dense state of the mixture effectively. A new index, Dr/e, is proposed in this study to describe the dense state of the mixtures. A semiempirical model is proposed to evaluate the CRR of the mixtures using the parameters of Dr/e and FC of the mixture based on the back analysis method. The applicability of the model is verified by the test data from this study and other scholars. In addition, the parameters of Dr/e and FC of the mixture can be obtained from basic geotechnical tests, which is convenient for the application of the model.

Utilization of Different Additives in Improving Sandy Soil against Liquefaction

One of the main risks in low-densified sandy soils with the presence of water and an external force such as an earthquake is the generation of liquefaction. The influence of several types of reinforcement on liquefaction resistance, such as polypropylene fibers, geofibers, cement and polypropylene fibers with cement is shown in this study. Cyclic stress-controlled triaxial tests and cyclic strain-controlled triaxial tests were performed on saturated samples with and without reinforcements under undrained conditions. Cemented specimens were prepared with cement contents ranging from 0% to 3% by weight of dry sand and then cured for 3 days. The lengths of polypropylene fibers are 10 mm and 20 mm, respectively. The fibers were mixed with dry sand– cement mixes containing 0.50% and 1.00% by weight, respectively. Geofiber specimens were prepared in various arrangements. It was found that the liquefaction improvement factor (LIF) increased when fiber content and fiber length increased. The addition of geofibers increased the liquefaction resistance, as the number of layers increased. The addition of 3%C+1%F provided the best liquefaction resistance in this study compared with other additives. Finally, the reinforcement with cement and fibers is crucial for liquefaction resistanceof bitumen mastic should be considered beside the asphalt mixture performance and the bitumen rheological behavior. KEYWORDS: Liquefaction, Shear modulus, Cyclic stress, Geofiber, Polypropylene fiber.

Enhancement of a hydro-mechanical hypoplastic model for unsaturated fine-grained soils accounting for small strain stiffness

Due to global climate change, larger extreme seasonal and daily moisture variations have been occurring more frequently in the last decades. This phenomenon can affect geotechnical structures by inducing cyclic coupled hydro-mechanical loads. However, reproducing this behaviour from a numerical point of view requires robust constitutive models that can predict the coupling between the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of fine-grained soils, combined with predictions of history-dependent stiffness evolution at small strains. For this reason, in the present work the hypoplastic model for unsaturated finegrained soils was further modified to better predict the water retention behaviour of unsaturated soils incorporating a smoothed hysteretic Water Retention Curve (WRC). In addition, the constitutive model wascalibrated using experimental data available on the literature of a completely decomposed tuff (CDT) from Hong Kong. At the end, the capabilities of the extended model to predict cyclic behaviour of unsaturated soils were evaluated using cyclic constant water triaxial tests at different suctions The results indicate that the extended model is able to describe with more accuracy the cyclic hydro-mechanical behaviour of the decomposed tuff if additional suction-dependency of one of its small-strain parameters is considered. Without this, the model can be calibrated to data at a given suction but its cyclic predictions for different suctions are not reasonably accurate.

Influence of degree of saturation on the dynamic soil properties of a sandy soil

It is commonly assumed that the fully-saturated scenario represents the critical shear strength condition for geotechnical structure design; nevertheless, this is not the case when the dynamic shear strength of unsaturated soil is considered, because the water content affects the transfer of seismic waves through the porous medium and into a structure. It is important to better understand this behavior so the soil response during an earthquake could be established to prevent damage or failure of the structure. A series of cyclic triaxial tests with controlled matric suction was conducted to determine the principal dynamic parameters for a sandy soil for different degrees of saturation. Finally, to assess the influence of soil saturation on the dynamic soil properties of a sandy soil, a dynamic lateral load pile design was performed using Reese’s p-y curve method, and the parameter obtained from the laboratory testing were used to backcalculate the seismic coefficients used for structural design. Structural designs of laterally loaded piles considering different soil degrees of saturation demonstrated that the saturated soil condition while subjected to a dynamic condition does not represent the critical load case for seismic analysis.

The influence of cyclic preloadings on cyclic response of Zbraslav sand

This article presents a comprehensive experimental investigation on Zbraslav sand under monotonic and cyclic loading. Initially, the material response at large strains was investigated by means of undrained monotonic triaxial tests with different initial mean effective stresses and relative densities. A set of oedometric compression tests with multiple unloading–reloading cycles and different initial relative densities was as well included to evaluate the material compressibility. In addition, several undrained cyclic triaxial tests were performed and analyzed under a wide range of initial conditions. In the aforementioned tests, the undrained cyclic resistance was investigated considering different types of drained or undrained cyclic preloadings and reconsolidation stages. The experimental results suggested that drained cyclic preloadings remarkably modified the subsequent rate of pore water pressure accumulation and increased the number of cycles to reach the defined failure criterion without affecting the stress–strain response. On the other hand, undrained cyclic preloadings presented a threshold which separated positive and negative effects in the subsequent undrained cyclic resistance. A comparison of the undrained cyclic resistance variation depending on the number of drained or undrained cyclic preloadings was also included.

The Over-Prediction of Seismically Induced Soil Liquefaction during the 2016 Kumamoto, Japan Earthquake Sequence

Following the M7.0 strike-slip earthquake near Kumamoto, Japan, in April of 2016, most geotechnical engineering experts believed that there would be significant soil liquefaction and liquefaction-induced infrastructure damage observed in the densely populated city of Kumamoto during the post-event engineering reconnaissance. This belief was driven by several factors including the young geologic environment, alluvially deposited soils, a predominance of loose sandy soils documented in publicly available boring logs throughout the region, and the high intensity ground motions observed from the earthquake. To the surprise of many of the researchers, soil liquefaction occurred both less frequently and less severely than expected. This paper summarizes findings from our field, laboratory, and simplified analytical studies common to engineering practice to assess the lower occurrence of liquefaction. Measured in situ SPT and CPT resistance values were evaluated with current liquefaction triggering procedures. Minimally disturbed samples were subjected to cyclic triaxial testing. Furthermore, an extensive literature review on Kumamoto volcanic soils was performed. Our findings suggest that current liquefaction triggering procedures over-predict liquefaction frequency and effects in alluvially deposited volcanic soils. Volcanic soils were found to possess properties of soil crushability, high fines content, moderate plasticity, and unanticipated organic constituents. Cyclic triaxial tests confirm the high liquefaction resistance of these soils. Moving forward, geotechnical engineers should holistically consider the soil’s mineralogy and geology before relying solely on simplified liquefaction triggering procedures when evaluating volcanic soils for liquefaction.

Water content variation of railway track sub-ballast layer in seasonal frost area: A case study from Finland

Many previous international studies have found a clear relationship between railway track water content and track geometry problems. The proper drainage of substructures is important in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of tracks. This importance will be emphasized in the future with the increasing frequency of extreme weather phenomena and the raising axle weights of train traffic. In many studies, excessive water content has been found to cause excessive geometry deterioration and mud pumping. These problems are usually related to thin substructure layers. However, in this case study, Finland, track substructures are thick due to frost protection requirements and behave differently to thin substructures. In this study, the long-term water content of three instrumented test sites was monitored to study the seasonal and freeze–thaw effects, as well as the effects of drainage improvement made at one site. In a previously reported part of the same research project, the measured water contents were used in an extensive cyclic loading triaxial test series evaluating the loading resistance of substructure materials taken from the same sites. The drainage improvement resulted in a marked decrease in the average water content at the drainage improvement test site. Simultaneously, high momentary water content values also disappeared. The role of capillary water was observed to be less than expected on Finnish railways.

Influence of varying water content on permanent deformation of mud-fouled ballast

The contamination of ballast by mud pumping is known to cause considerable reduction in the shear resistance as well as increased settlement of railroad foundations. However, how varying water content (w) of fouled ballast can affect this deterioration has not been properly understood. The current study thus adopts a large-scale cyclic triaxial test to examine permanent (plastic) deformation of mud-fouled ballast collected from a site with a history of mud pumping with a consideration of different water contents. In these tests, fouling content varies from 5 to 30 %, while the water content changes from 0 to 40 %. The results show that while increasing content of fines causes larger permanent settlement of ballast, varying water content of fines can influence this behaviour significantly. A salient finding of this study is the critical threshold of water content near to the liquid limit (LL) of fine soil (finer than 0.425 mm) that can cause a swift increase in ballast settlement. The results show that the peak permanent strain can increase by about 26 % compared to the dry state when w of fines reaches the LL. On the other hand, permanent strain of fouled ballast can decrease at the optimum water content of fines, if a sufficient mass of fines (>20 % by weight) is provided to reinforce the granular assembly. An empirical method is provided to estimate the ultimate settlement of mud-fouled tracks considering the moisture state that would be most beneficial in real-life applications.