Shear Stress-strain Curves Research Articles

Theoretical Prediction of Crystal Structure of Mo2Ga2B and Its Evolution to Layered Boride Mo2B

Conventional Mn+1AXn phases are a large family of compounds that have been limited to carbides and nitrides. Herein, the stable structure of Mo2Ga2B, a typical boron‐based ternary phase in the Mo‐Ga‐B system, using a computational structure search approach is predicted. The predicted hexagonal‐layered structure is the typical structure of traditional Mn+1AXn phases, and two Ga layers separate Mo2B blocks in Mo2Ga2B, which is different from the M2AX phases. The analysis of phonon dispersions and elastic constants confirms that the hexagonal‐layered structure exhibits both dynamical and mechanical stability, respectively. The tensile and shear stress–strain curves are obtained, and the structural stability is investigated by analyzing the stability of chemical bonds under tensile and shear deformations. Layered Mo2B can be obtained by the removal of Ga layer from the precursor Mo2Ga2B. Theoretical predictions indicate that monolayer Mo2B is metallic, and has potential applications as an anode and thermoelectric material.

Mechanical properties of aramid and UHMWPE thermoplastic composites: numerical and experimental trials

The out-of-plane behaviour of 8 different composites exposed to very high deformation rates and non-standard conditions was investigated in our previous studies. The mechanical properties of these composites have been evaluated through tests conducted at deformation rates comparable to those experienced during explosions. Based on the relevant test results, this study conducted a numerical analysis of 3 best-performing Aramid UD GS3000, Artec Aramid/Woven Aramid CT736, and H62 UD-UHMWPE-reinforced composites. In this regard, LS-DYNA's MAT54 model was compared with other failure mechanics-based models and preferred because it requires less experimental data and can simulate damage progression in dynamic failures. Since the samples used in the study were non-standard, quasi-static tensile and shear tests were performed based on the loads to which the composites would be exposed to create an accurate numerical analysis. Both tensile and shear strength values of the Artec Aramid/Woven Aramid CT736 composite are higher than those of the Aramid UD GS3000 and H62 UD-UHMWPE composites. When the numerical analysis results were compared with the tensile test data, compliance rates of 99.84% for Aramid UD GS3000 reinforced composite, 99.34% for Artec Aramid/Woven Aramid CT736 reinforced composite, and 96.42% for H62 UD-UHMWPE reinforced composite were determined. The analysis showed that the shear stress-strain curves provided 100% agreement at the maximum stress value.

On the dynamic shear failure of Ti-6Al-4V in different test specimen geometries

In this paper, the dynamic shear response and failure of Ti-6Al-4V using four different test specimen geometries, viz. Hat-Shaped Specimen (HSS), Flat Hat-Shaped Specimen (FHSS), Chip Hat-Shaped Specimen (CHSS) and Double Shear Specimen (DSS), are critically examined and compared. Through a combination of experiments (using the standard Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar system), finite-element simulations and metallographic examinations of their fracture morphology, the dynamic shear characteristics (strain hardening, strain rate strengthening effect and failure strain) of Ti-6Al-4V obtained using the different specimen geometries are critically examined, compared and analyzed. It will be shown that differences in the stress/strain uniformity, the plastic deformation zone, and the stress state induced by the different specimen geometries lead to discrepancies in the measured shear response and failure that were observed. The shear stress–strain curve obtained using the DSS will be shown to be more precise than the other specimen geometries.

Brazing of Copper Foam Using Cu-4.0Sn-9.9Ni-7.8P Filler Foil: Effect of Brazing Temperature and Copper Foam Pore Density

Copper (Cu) foam is a promising material that owns a high surface area that can be utilized in a thermal application. In this research, the brazing of Cu substrate to Cu foam in the sandwich configuration using Cu alloy filler foil was carried out. The foam at different pore per inch (PPI) of 15, 25 and 50 are brazed at different brazing temperatures. Mechanical and microstructure analysis were conducted to investigate a suitable brazing temperature and the best pore density of foam. The compressive strength of brazed 50 PPI foam has yielded the highest due to the highly dense interconnected branches. While the highest shear strength of brazed interface using 15 PPI foam has been recorded. The large branch size of 15 PPI foam has contributed to the sound joint between the brazed joint interface of Cu substrate and foam. Both mechanicals analysis above exhibits a highest strength at 660 °C as a brazing temperature The shear stress-strain curve of Cu substrate and foam brazed joint interface shows a brittle behaviour which accordance with the discoverable brittle phases of Cu3P and Ni3P using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) have presented the formation of Cu3P and Ni3P at the brazed joint interface of Cu substrate and foam.

The change of physical properties of calcium carbonate nanomaterials cured soil in road substrates

The utilization of appropriate materials to enhance road subgrade’s physical characteristics is crucial for current transportation construction and maintenance. This study proposes a curing method that employs calcium carbonate nanomaterials to address the problem of soil displacement and settlement in roadway subgrades. A method was developed during the study to explore the optimal curing material ratio. Additionally, this study developed a method for testing and analyzing the mechanical properties of soils cured with nanomaterials, including measures of tensile stress, triaxial shear stress, and Moore’s damage envelope. The study demonstrated that the unconfined compressive strength of the soil treated with calcium carbonate nanomaterials was 0.40 MPa after 7 days of curing with a 6% doping of the curing agent. Increasing the doping to 18% resulted in a breaking load of the soil reaching 0.100 kN. Furthermore, the triaxial shear stress–strain curve of the soil exhibited a slope of 264.47 during the linear phase when the curing agent was dosed at 6%. The slope of the linear phase of the stress–strain curve for triaxial shear at 6% curing agent doping was found to be 264.47. The cured soil molar pack line exhibited an internal friction angle of 22.66 degrees at the same curing agent dosage. The displacement analysis of the replacement roadbed with cured soil revealed a maximum observed displacement of only 377 mm after filling the embankment using the study method. The experimental results provide support for the hypothesis of the study, which suggests that the application of calcium carbonate nanoparticles can significantly enhance the physical characteristics of road subgrade.

Numerical investigation of nonlinear soil-structure interaction effects on response of irregular RC buildings

Kathmandu, located in a high seismic zone, predominantly features irregular structures among its building stock. These structures are particularly susceptible to severe damage during seismic events, primarily due to torsional effects. Traditional seismic designs rely particularly on fixed-base conditions that underestimate forces and displacement primarily on soft soil conditions leading to irrational design practices. This study aims to quantify the seismic performance of buildings on various base conditions through fully nonlinear Soil-structure Interaction (SSI). The soil nonlinear behaviour was modelled using the Pressure-Independ-Multi-Yield (PIMY) material with an octahedral shear stress-strain backbone curve. Three distinct soil types were considered, and structures with irregular plan configurations were modelled using finite elements in both Opensees and STKO platforms. Structural performance was analyzed through nonlinear dynamic analysis, and outputs were evaluated based on seismic parameters. Comparing nonlinear SSI with linear SSI and fixed-base conditions revealed a significant increase in structural response, expressed in terms of displacement, drift ratio, and base shear. The magnitude of diaphragm rotation was found to be influenced by a combination of building torsional irregularity and SSI effects. It is suggested that the conventional practice of using the torsional irregularity ratio as a measure of torsional irregularity be revised and enhanced to better account for these influences. It has been quantified that torsional irregularity has a relatively lesser impact on displacements, drifts, and base shear compared to SSI. In all cases, fixed-base conditions consistently exhibited the minimum response. The study explored that linear SSI and fixed-base conditions tend to underestimate structural responses, while nonlinear SSI coupled with dynamic analysis provides a more accurate representation of realistic structural behaviour for seismic design particularly in soft soil cases.

Analysis of strength characteristics of loess before and after freezing using a hollow cylinder torsional shear apparatus

This paper aims to comprehensively analyze the influence of the principal stress angle rotation and intermediate principal stress on loess's strength and deformation characteristics. A hollow cylinder torsional shear apparatus was utilized to conduct tests on remolded samples under both normal and frozen conditions to investigate the mechanical properties and deformation behavior of loess under complex stress conditions. The results indicate significant differences in the internal changes of soil particles, unfrozen water, and relative positions in soil samples under normal and frozen conditions, leading to noticeable variations in strength and strain development. In frozen state, loess experiences primarily compressive failure with a slow growth of cracks, while at normal temperature, it predominantly exhibits shear failure. With the increase in the principal stress angle, the deformation patterns of the soil samples under different conditions become essentially consistent, gradually transitioning from compression to extension, accompanied by a reduction in axial strength. The gradual increase in the principal stress axis angle (α) reduces the strength of the generalized shear stress and shear strain curves. Under an increasing α, frozen soil exhibits strain-hardening characteristics, with the maximum shear strength occurring at α = 45°. The intermediate principal stress coefficient (b) also significantly impacts the strength of frozen soil, with an increasing b resulting in a gradual decrease in generalized shear stress strength. This study provides a reference for comprehensively exploring the mechanical properties of soil under traffic load and a reliable theoretical basis for the design and maintenance of roadbeds.

Preliminary study on double-sided direct shear test of microbial mortar

A new method of strengthening masonry structures of ancient architecture has been proposed, which involves the use of microbial grouting to generate mineralized mortar. To study the shear mechanical properties of microbial mortar, a comparative experiment was designed with 9 groups of specimens, including acid washing method to test the amount of calcium carbonate, penetration method to test compressive strength of mortar, double-sided direct shear method to test shear strength of mortar and get shear stress-strain curve. According to the experimental results, when the brick joint is thick, more bubbles remain at the contact between the brick and the mortar, reducing the saturation of the grouting liquid and affecting the amount of calcium carbonate generated, thereby affecting the shear strength of the mortar. When the brick is placed vertically, the contact area between the brick and the mortar is on the side, and it is not easy for bubbles to remain, so the amount of calcium carbonate generated is high, and the corresponding shear strength of the mortar is high. Reducing the concentration of calcium solution and implementing bidirectional perfusion can slow down the deposition of calcium carbonate and blockage of perfusion pathways, thereby improving the homogeneity of the carbonate level. A well-graded filling of sand particles is an effective measure to improve the binding efficiency of calcium carbonate.These measures not only increase the production of calcium carbonate, but also result in higher compressive and shear strength.The shear stress-displacement curve of microbial mortar specimens with damagedmortar layer exhibits strain-softening behavior, while the specimens with inter facial damage show strain-hardening behavior.The shear strength of specimens with interface damage is lower than that of specimens with mortar layer damage, so measures should be taken to avoid interface damage.

A 3D viscoelastic–viscoplastic behavior of carbon nanotube‐reinforced polymers: Constitutive model and experimental characterization

AbstractDue to the widespread use of carbon nanotube (CNT)‐reinforced polymers in various industries, investigating the dynamic mechanical response of these materials under impact loading is of significant importance. A three‐dimensional viscoelastic (VE)–viscoplastic (VP) constitutive model for CNT/epoxy nanocomposites is developed. A proper rheological model is established using the generalized Maxwell model to represent the VE behavior and propose an exponential function to express the elasto‐VP response. Employing an empirical logarithmic relationship to estimate material properties at different strain rates, the VP behavior is modeled based on the overstress concept. The 3D numerical discretization of the proposed rate‐dependent material model is also carried out to develop a user‐defined material model (UMAT) for the commercial finite element (FE) software of Abaqus. The performed FE simulations based on the proposed rate‐dependent constitutive material can properly capture stress relaxation and hysteresis behaviors of the nanocomposites. Comparing the estimated tensile and shear stress–strain curves through developed material models with experimental measurements, an excellent agreement is observed.Highlights Tensile/shear properties of CNT/epoxy are measured at three strain rates. An empirical constitutive model is proposed for any arbitrary strain rates Viscoplastic behavior is captured based on over‐stress concept A 3D incremental form of a viscoelastic–viscoplastic material model is developed.

Experimental investigation of the compressive and shear behaviours of grouted and hollow masonry constructed with PVA fibre-reinforced mortar and grout

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibres are ultra-high-performance fibres that can be used to reinforce cementitious composites. This study experimentally investigated the compression and shear behaviours of grouted and hollow masonry constructed with fibre-reinforced mortar (FRM) used for the joints and/or PVA fibre-reinforced grout (FRG). In this regard, the effect of increasing the fibre content of 6 mm PVA fibres in the FRM on the behaviour of masonry was investigated. Moreover, the effect of changing the fibre length (8 mm and 13 mm PVA fibres) and the fibre content of 13 mm PVA fibres in the FRG on the behaviour of masonry was investigated. This was accomplished by constructing and testing 31 masonry prisms and 29 masonry assemblages. The behaviour of PVA-reinforced masonry was evaluated based on compressive strength, shear strength, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rigidity, compressive strain at peak compressive stress, shear strain at peak shear stress, compression ductility index and compression toughness. In addition, the compression and shear stress-strain curves, failure modes and crack propagation of PVA-reinforced masonry were compared with unreinforced masonry. It was concluded that using PVA fibres in the grout minimized the masonry face shell spalling, and most of the post-peak deterioration appeared in the form of masonry cracks and less face shell spalling compared with unreinforced masonry. In addition, using PVA-FRM only or PVA-FRM with PVA-FRG could increase the compressive strength of grouted masonry. In contrast, using PVA-FRM did not change the compressive strength of hollow masonry. Furthermore, all grouted assemblages with PVA-FRM and PVA-FRG (except for assemblages with 13 mm PVA-FRG with a fibre content of 0.10% by weight of grout) have similar average shear strength compared with unreinforced assemblages. Finally, As the fibre content of 6 mm PVA fibres in the FRM of hollow assemblages increased, the shear strength and the modulus of rigidity decreased. This study highlights the improvements and drawbacks of using PVA Fibres in mortar and grout on the compressive and shear performances of hollow and grouted masonry.

Analytical modeling of fiber–matrix interface failure in unidirectional laminae subjected to in-plane shear loads

Unidirectional laminae subjected to in-plane shear loads present complex behavior with strong nonlinear response. A novel analytical model is proposed considering a unit cell with square symmetry and circular fiber cross-section taking into account the failure on the interface between fiber and matrix. The interface failure is a shear-driven phenomenon described by a constant value during the failure process. The model validation is performed using two different approaches: the analytical estimations are compared with experimental data, and finite-element simulations are employed to evaluate the influence of fiber volume fraction. The proposed analytical model captures the main features of experimental data showing its capability and reliability to represent the complex interface debonding propagation phenomenon. Numerical simulations show in-plane shear stress–strain curves for four distinct unidirectional laminae with different fiber volume fractions. Results attest the model capability to describe composite materials with composite failure, essentially characterized by the interface behavior.

Shear Properties and Pore Characteristics of Soil-Rock Mixtures Under Dry-Wet Cycling

The mechanical properties of soil-rock mixture (S-RM) can deform significantly under the influence of dry-wet cycles, affecting the safety of high-fill projects. A drying device was developed to perform direct shear tests on S-RM. Large-scale direct shear tests were carried out under the action of dry-wet cycling to study the effect of dry-wet cycling on the mechanical properties of S-RM. The open-source ImageJ software was used to identify the number and area of pores in the binary image, and the pore characteristics of S-RM under dry-wet cycles were analyzed. The results show that the section of post-peak in the shear stress-strain curve softens under the natural state (no dry-wet cycles), but it plasticizes under the application of the dry-wet cycles. The cohesion of S-RM particles is affected by the dry-wet cycling. It decreases significantly under the first dry-wet cycle and then decreases gradually for each successive cycle, after which it stabilizes during the fifth dry-wet cycle. The internal friction angle is not affected to a large degree. The effect of a dry-wet cycle on pores with different areas is significantly different. The pores with initial sizes of 0.5–10 mm2 decrease, while pores with other initial sizes are hardly affected by the dry-wet cycling. This paper quantitatively analyzed the relationship between the surface two-dimensional porosity and S-RM's cohesion and peak strain.

Enhancement of in-plane shear performance in masonry walls strengthened with high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites

This study aims to design a high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composite (HPFRCC) material for reinforcing masonry walls and assess its impact on in-plane shear performance. Different specimens were compared, including an unreinforced one, a conventional mortar-reinforced one, and HPFRCC-reinforced specimens of varying thicknesses ranging from 10 mm to 20 mm. Aspects such as failure modes, shear stress–strain curves, pseudo-ductility, and energy dissipation were evaluated. Test results indicated that the unreinforced and mortar-reinforced masonry walls demonstrated brittle failure with wide cracks on both sides, whereas HPFRCC-reinforced walls exhibited ductile failure with controlled crack propagation owing to the excellent mechanical properties of HPFRCC, such as an average tensile strength of 7.32 MPa and a tensile strain capacity of 4.60 %. The HPFRCC significantly enhanced the shear strength and modulus of the masonry walls. The wall reinforced with 20 mm-thick HPFRCC showed a remarkable 26-fold increase in the energy dissipation capacity compared to the unreinforced one, and the 10-mm-thick and 15 mm-thick strengthening demonstrated 4.0- and 5.7-times improvement, respectively. The ideal HPFRCC overlay thickness was found to be between 15 mm and 20 mm. Beyond this thickness, gravitational flow and stiffness asymmetry negatively impacted shear performance.

Size effect during dynamic shear tests with hat-shaped specimens

The failure mechanism and size effect during the quasi-static and dynamic shear tests of hat-shaped specimens were investigated in this study. Three types of specimens with different shear ring thicknesses (800, 400, and 50 μm) were designed. Quasi-static tests were carried out using an electronic universal testing machine, while dynamic impact tests were carried out using split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) tests. The adiabatic temperature rises with different strain rates, and the shear ring thickness was calculated. We found that the adiabatic temperature rises of the specimens with shear ring thicknesses of 800 and 400 μm were much larger than those of the specimens with shear ring thicknesses of 50 μm. The failure surfaces after the SHPB test were investigated via scanning electron microscopy, and the failure surfaces after the SHPB test could be divided into three zones: tensile, shear, and impact zones. The effect of the shear ring thickness and impact speed on the failure surface morphology was discussed. The typical shear stress–strain curves could be divided into three sections: elastic, plastic rise, and plastic plateau sections. Subsequently, a modified Johnson–Cook constitutive model was employed to fit the shear stress–strain results, and the fitted curves showed good agreement with the tested curves.

A failure mode dependent continuum damage model for thick laminated composite plates

The fiber reinforced composite materials show stiffness degradation (termed as “Damage”) upon loading, which can be modeled mathematically using Continuum Damage Mechanics (CDM). However, the available CDM models for composites are not characterized using all the uniaxial/shear stress-strain curves, therefore, do not account for the non-linear stress-strain behavior from all uniaxial/shear material characterization tests. Therefore, the novelty of this article involves the development of a failure mode-dependent phenomenological continuum damage model involving coupling of damage in different directions for generalized plane stress conditions and the characterization of model parameters based on experimental uniaxial fiber tension-compression, matrix tension-compression, in-plane, and out-of-plane shear stress-strain curves. The finite element method with load, and displacement control is used to predict the evolution of damage in a moderately thick laminated composite plate subjected to quasi-static loading. The damage prediction capability of the developed model is compared with a failure mode independent damage model. The reported results depict the capability of the developed model to predict different damage in tension and compression in accordance with the strength values. The developed model is also tested using different coupling vectors (responsible for coupling of damage in different directions) to assess their accuracy in capturing the effect of coupling of damage in different directions.

Stability and mechanical, thermodynamic and optical properties of WC polytypes and the TiC-WC solid solutions: A first-principles study

First-principles calculations and molecular dynamics (FPMD) simulations in the constant number of particles – pressure – temperature (NPT) ensemble were used to investigate the phase stability, phase diagram, electronic and phonon structures, chemical bonding, mechanical, thermodynamical and optical properties of various tungsten carbide polytypes as well as the hexagonal (α) and cubic (β) Ti1-xWxCy solid solutions. The known α-WC (P-6m2) and β-WCy (Fm-3m) polytypes and eight hypothetical ones were studied. Gibbs free energy calculations predicted the α-WC → β-WCy and α-WC → tP4-129 (P4/nmm) phase transitions. The P-6m2 → Fm-3m → I41md, Fm-3m → P4/nmm and P-6m2 → Pm-3m phase transformations were revealed during FPMD simulations of: α-WC at T = 2500 K, β-WC at T = 100 K, and α-WC at T = 2500 K and P = 500 GPa, respectively. It is found that the known α-polytype and new tI8-109 (I41md), oP12-25 (Pmm2), hP4-194 (P63/mmc), hP8-194 (P63/mmc), cP2-221 polytypes are ultraincompressible and ultrastiff materials, and exhibit the highest hardness (29–38 GPa), fracture toughness (4.7–7.2 MPa m1/2) and Debye temperature (615–663 GPa). Other characteristics of the WC polytypes, namely, the stress-shear strain curves, dielectric function, reflectivity spectra, heat capacity and spatial distribution of the elastic moduli, were calculated and discussed. The stability, mechanical properties and lattice parameter of β-WCy and Ti1-xWxCy as functions of composition were studied. The binodal and spinodal for Ti1-xWxC were calculated. The calculated characteristics are compared with available experimental data and used for their interpretation.

Triaxial compression test of coarse-grained soil in waste dump under different consolidation stresses conditions

In order to explore the mechanical response characteristics of coarse-grained soil in waste dump under different consolidation stress conditions, the isobaric consolidation drained triaxial test and K0 consolidation drainage triaxial test under different confining pressures are performed, and the test data of stress-strain and volume deformation of soil are compared and analysed. The results show that the initial stress of soil under K0 consolidation condition is not zero. The shear stress-strain curves of soil with different consolidation conditions show hardening characteristics. When confining pressure increases, the shear stress of isobaric consolidated soil increases rapidly, and its failure shear stress increases significantly compared with K0 consolidated soil. Shear expansion of coarse-grained soil under low confining pressure and shear shrinkage under high confining pressure. Under low confining pressure, K0 consolidated soil is more prone to shear expansion, and the amount of shear expansion is greater than that of isobaric consolidated soil. Under medium and high confining pressure, the volume compression change of isobaric consolidated soil is greater than that of K0 consolidated soil. The initial tangent Poisson’s ratio of coarse-grained soil under different consolidation stress conditions decreases with the increase of confining pressure, and changes in a power function with the confining pressure. The cohesion of soil under isobaric consolidation stress condition, while the difference of internal friction angle of soil under different consolidation stress condition is small. The strength and deformation characteristics of soil are closely related to the initial stress state of soil. The triaxial test is used to obtain the shear strength index of soil, and the isobaric consolidation condition should not be used instead of K0 consolidation condition.

Shear performance assessment of repaired honeycomb sandwich composite panels: An experimental and numerical study

AbstractThis article presents an effective test method for evaluating the shear performance of repaired honeycomb sandwich panels consisting of glass fiber/epoxy matrix skin and Nomex honeycomb core. Addressing the insufficient research on the shear performance of honeycomb sandwich panels after repair in existing literature, this study conducted mechanical performance tests on the honeycomb sandwich panels before and after repair using the picture frame test method. Surface strain measurements are obtained using digital image correlation (DIC) techniques, and load–displacement and shear stress–strain curves are generated from the experimental results. The study concludes that the repair method utilized in this investigation is effective in restoring the mechanical properties of the sandwich panels. In addition, finite element models of the honeycomb sandwich panels before and after repair are established, and a comparative analysis is conducted between the experimental and simulation results. The study examines the shear modulus, ultimate load, and failure mode of the repaired and unrepaired specimens. The findings verify the feasibility of the picture frame test method for evaluating the shear performance of honeycomb sandwich panels. This study provides valuable insights into the design of shear performance repair for honeycomb sandwich panels and offers theoretical support for material recycling.

Undrained response of fibre reinforced expansive soil subjected to cyclic loading

The evaluation of dynamic soil characteristics is a crucial task in understanding the geotechnical engineering problems associated with dynamic loads. Most of the investigations concentrated on non-expansive materials, and there is a dearth of information on the dynamic performance of fibre reinforced expansive soil. This research paper presents the experimental soundings on unreinforced and reinforced expansive soil with randomly distributed polypropylene fibre with varying confining pressures under cyclic loading. Furthermore, to understand the micro structural behavior of the fibre reinforced soil, samples are examined under SEM analysis after being subjected to cyclic loading. Quantitative analysis of soil micro pores was done through image processing. In addition, the study also included the presentation of maximum shear modulus, a modulus reduction curve and a pore pressure variation curve. Experimental results indicate that, the addition of fibres caused an improvement in the dynamic shear modulus and damping ratio with a rise in confining pressure. Inclusion of fibres reduces the permanent strain. The change of dynamic shear modulus and damping ratio over shear strain amplitude and the dynamic shear stress–strain curves were analyzed under different confining pressures. From the SEM analysis, fibre reinforced soil has a fabric with large packets of soil particles. Moreover, the presence of fibres enhanced pore distribution and diminished considerable amount of voids. The results of image processing shown the area porosity of unreinforced soil is 25.3% and that for 1% of fibre reinforced soil is 6.9%. This shows the enhancement of the interface effect of soil reinforced with fibre, which strengthens the soil and integrity.

Cyclic response of unsaturated weathered red mudstone under various conditions of initial static shear stress and moisture content

Slope stability in weathered red mudstone (WRM) sediments during earthquakes is strongly dependent on the cyclic response of unsaturated WRM. In this paper, the cyclic simple shear tests on unsaturated WRM were conducted, and the influencing factors, including the moisture content (w), initial static shear stress (τs), cyclic stress amplitude (τcyc) and vertical stress (σv) were investigated in detail. The test results showed that the existence of τs affects the development patterns of shear stress–strain curves induced by increasing number of loading cycles (N). For specimens without τs, a closed hysteretic loop is formulated in each cycle, and no residual strain occurs. The hysteretic loop of WRM with τs is unclosed, and the residual strain accumulates with increasing N. The initial static shear stress usually exists within soil in slopping ground; thus, deformation accumulation is the main failure model under cyclic loading. The accumulated plastic shear strain was then presented in detail, and the test results indicated that the accumulated plastic shear strain at an identical cycle increases with increasing τs, τcyc and w, but decreases with increasing σv. Finally, the cyclic resistance corresponding to three identical accumulated shear strains (0.5%, 1.5%, and 2.0% in this study) was studied, and a unified cyclic stress ratio, USR, was proposed to build a united model of unsaturated WRM cyclic resistance, in which the effects of τs, σv, τcyc and w were considered uniformly.