Torsional Shear Tests Research Articles

Particle morphology and principal stress direction dependent strength anisotropy through torsional shear testing

The major principal stress direction angle (ασ) experienced by granular soils varies widely in engineering, causing different strengths. However, how particle morphology affects the strength anisotropy behavior under different ασ remains unclear. To address this gap, this study performed drained hollow cylinder torsional shear tests under different ασ on six granular materials with distinct morphologies. Results highlight the significant dependence of peak strengths of granular materials on both particle morphology and ασ. Increasing particle shape irregularity and surface roughness leads to a considerable enhancement in peak strength, while this peak strength significantly degrades with increasing ασ. Materials with more irregular shapes were found to have a more pronounced strength anisotropy. Furthermore, the initial fabric of particle packings, derived from three-dimensional X-ray microtomography, was used to interpret microscopic mechanisms behind the morphology-dependent strength anisotropy. Irregular-shaped materials display broader preferred particle orientations and higher initial fabric anisotropy compared to relatively regular-shaped materials. This higher morphology-induced fabric anisotropy contributes to strength anisotropy, and a correlation was established for describing this trend. Additionally, an anisotropic failure criterion incorporating fabric anisotropy was developed to characterize the strength envelope for granular materials with diverse shapes.

Microstructure and dynamic behaviours of polyurethane-cured sea sand under traffic–load–induced stress path

Employing sea sand as fill material for roadbeds presents significant challenges due to its naturally high dispersibility and low bearing capacity, which contribute to substantial settlement deformations under traffic load impacts. In this investigation, a two-component polyurethane was applied to enhance mechanical properties of sea sand. Alterations in the microstructure and dynamic behaviours of the polyurethane-cured sea sand were observed via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and hollow cylindrical torsional shear testing. It was found that polyurethane is incorporated into the sea sand as adhesives between particles, attachments on the particles and floating adhesives. With an increase in polyurethane content, a transition from a granular to a solid state in the sand was noted, accompanied by a progressive improvement in structural integrity. This resulted in an enhanced bonding effect at interparticle contacts with diminishing relative particle movements during shearing, leading to an increase in the critical dynamic stress ratio and a decrease in the maximum damping ratio, with both ratios being higher in cured sea sand with lower polyurethane content compared to that with higher content. Additionally, high polyurethane content induced strain hardening in the cured sea sand, resulting in a higher maximum dynamic shear modulus in low-content cured sea sand compared to high-content. Furthermore, the dynamic shear modulus ratio in sea sand with high polyurethane content was found to increase with the number of vibrations.

Artificial Neural Network-aided Mathematical Model for Predicting Soil Stress-strain Hysteresis Loop Evolution

This study presents a novel approach to forecasting the evolution of hysteresis stress-strain response of different types of soils under repeated loading-unloading cycles. The forecasting is made solely from the knowledge of soil properties and loading parameters. Our approach combines mathematical modeling, regression analysis, and Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) to overcome the limitations of traditional DNN training. As a novelty, we propose a hysteresis loop evolution equation and design a family of DNNs to determine the parameters of this equation. Knowing the nature of the phenomenon, we can impose certain solution types and narrow the range of values, enabling the use of a very simple and efficient DNN model. The experimental data used to develop and test the model was obtained through Torsional Shear (TS) tests on soil samples. The model demonstrated high accuracy, with an average R² value of 0.9788 for testing and 0.9944 for training.

Deep learning-based prediction of particle breakage and friction angle of water-degradable geomaterials

Crushed soft rocks are becoming inevitable geotechnical materials for construction of foundations, fill material for transportation infrastructures, and earthen dams for economic and environmental reasons. The contemporary issue is to predict the water-induced disintegration of these non-traditional granular materials and its correlation with the friction angle of these soils. Machine learning techniques offer a viable solution in this context as they are widely used to understand and predict complex phenomena across various applications. In this work, a deep learning technique, artificial neural networks (ANN), was employed to an experimental dataset obtained from torsional shear tests on dry and saturated crushed soft rocks to predict the water-induced particle breakage potential (ID), peak friction angle (PFA), and residual friction angles (RFA). The experimental ID – PFA and ID – RFA correlations were also predicted using ANN model for all the three outputs (ID, PFA, RFA) with very low errors.

Experimental study on the influence of cyclic loading frequency on liquefaction characteristics of saturated sand

A series of undrained cyclic torsional shear tests was conducted to investigate the effect of cyclic loading frequency on the liquefaction characteristics of saturated sand using a hollow cylinder apparatus. The test results show that the dilative and contractive tendencies of various saturated sands are not only related to the physical properties of the sand, but are also affected by loading frequency. Under low-frequency loading, the saturated sand has a dilative behaviour, excess pore water pressure fluctuates after initial liquefaction and the soil maintains the ability to resist liquefaction to some extent after the initial liquefaction. The liquefaction mode in terms of the stress–strain relationship generally performs as the ‘cyclic mobility’. However, under high-frequency loading, the saturated sand has a contractive behaviour, and excess pore water pressure generally remains stable after the initial liquefaction. The liquefaction mode in terms of stress–strain relationship generally exhibits as ‘cyclic instability’. The deformation caused by low-frequency loading is significantly larger compared with that caused by high-frequency loading. At higher loading frequencies, the phase transformation stress ratio increases with the increase of loading frequency, and gradually approaches the failure stress ratio.

Micromechanical modeling of hollow cylinder torsional shear test on sand using discrete element method

Previous studies on the hollow cylinder torsional shear test (HCTST) have mainly focused on the macroscopic behavior, while the micromechanical responses in soil specimens with shaped particles have rarely been investigated. This paper develops a numerical model of the HCTST using the discrete element method (DEM). The method of bonded spheres in a hexagonal arrangement is proposed to generate flexible boundaries that can achieve real-time adjustment of the internal and external cell pressures and capture the inhomogeneous deformation in the radial direction during shearing. Representative angular particles are selected from Toyoura sand and reproduced in this model to approximate real sand particles. The model is then validated by comparing numerical and experimental results of HCTSTs on Toyoura sand with different major principal stress directions. Next, a series of HCTSTs with different combinations of major principal stress direction (α) and intermediate principal stress ratio (b) is simulated to quantitatively characterize the sand behavior under different shear conditions. The results show that the shaped particles are horizontally distributed before shearing, and the initial anisotropic packing structure further results in different stress–strain curves in cases with different α and b values. The distribution of force chains is affected by both α and b during the shear process, together with the formation of the shear bands in different patterns. The contact normal anisotropy and contact force anisotropy show different evolution patterns when either α or b varies, resulting in the differences in the non-coaxiality and other macroscopic responses. This study improves the understanding of the macroscopic response of sand from a microscopic perspective and provides valuable insights for the constitutive modeling of sand.

Study on the effect of stress path on the deformation and non-coaxial characteristics of modified iron tailings

In order to study the deformation and non-coaxial characteristics of fiber cement modified iron tailing sand (FCIT) under different stress paths. The evolution law of the dynamic stress ratio (η) on the cumulative deformation and non-coaxial angle of FCIT under different tension-compression amplitude ratios (α) was explored through hollow torsional shear tests. The deformation behavior of FCIT is analyzed by using the stability theory. The research results show that: 1) The increase of dynamic stress level will deepen the cumulative deformation of FCIT, while the increase of α will make the deformation mode of FCIT develop into bulging failure-shear failure-tensile failure. 2) According to the development trend of cumulative strain and cumulative strain rate of FCIT, it can be divided into three stages: plastic stability, plastic creep and incremental collapse, and the cumulative strain rate development prediction model is established, and the prediction error distribution is within ±20%. 3) The stress path determines the non-coaxiality of FCIT to a certain extent, and the non-coaxial angle fluctuates and decreases with the increase of the principal stress direction angle. When α=0.125, the maximum and minimum values of the non-coaxial angle of FCIT are 1.5 rad and 0.4 rad respectively. 4) Cement hydration reaction generates calcium alumina and hydrated calcium silicate (C-S-H) to make FCIT structure more compact, fiber-matrix interfacial connections more dense, and play a role in filling the pores.

Describing inherently anisotropic behaviours of natural clay by a hypoplastic model

The purpose of this paper is to model the loading direction‐dependent behaviours of inherently anisotropic intact clay by means of the hypoplastic framework. The basic hypoplastic model for clays proposed by Mašín (2013) is enhanced by incorporating a predefined anisotropic asymptotic state boundary surface formulation which is based on an anisotropic variable by projecting the microstructure tensor onto the normal of the spatially mobilized plane. The capability of the proposed hypoplastic model is first illustrated by simulations of intact Wenzhou soft clay under drained torsional shear tests using the hollow cylinder apparatus. The model is then used to predict undrained shear results on San Francisco Bay mud. Comparisons between the predicted and measured results demonstrate that the proposed hypoplastic model is capable of modelling the combined effect of the principal stress direction and intermediate principal stress on the stress‐strain behaviour of natural soft clay with inherent anisotropy.

Hollow cylindrical torsional shear test simulating subsoil stress history during construction of Sand Compaction Pile

Hollow cylindrical torsional shear test simulating subsoil stress history during construction of Sand Compaction Pile

State-dependent dilatancy of sand based on hollow cylinder laboratory tests under shear strain cycles

The present study is devoted to the investigation of the dilatancy behaviour of a fine sand based on hollow cylinder tests. Medium and dense samples were tested at a constant average γ = 1, 2, 3 and 4%. Dilatancy curves along with shear wave velocity measurements to investigate the influence of the shear strain amplitude γampl in the shear modulus degradation curve are presented and discussed. The measured stress and strain paths were used to compare the performance of four advanced constitutive models especially in describing the dilatancy behaviour of sand. From the perspective of their constitutive equations, the differences between the simulations with various material models are examined. It may be concluded that all four models allow a proper prediction of torsional shear tests as long as a proper calibration of the material parameters is secured.

Geomechanical Characterization of Crushed Concrete–Rubber Waste Mixtures

The present study investigates the dynamic and cyclic behavior of mixtures of waste materials, i.e., rigid anthropogenic mineral aggregates (RCA) mixed with recycled soft particles (RTW), based on a series of standard resonant column tests and cyclic torsional shear tests. The laboratory tests presented in this article are part of a larger research project that aims to provide useful insights to facilitate the application of RCA–RTW compositions as geotechnical materials. The impacts of various parameters including shear strain, mean effective stress, and, in particular, rubber content on the shear modulus (G), and damping ratio (D), are considered in detail. Rubber content is considered by the percentage of rubber in the mix weight. In general, the results show that as the RTW content increases, the shear modulus decreases while the damping ratio increases. The largest reduction in the G−modulus values occurs for the highest rubberized mix. The observed damping ratio for pure RCA is approx. three times lower versus rubber-reinforced specimens. The compliance of the behavior of the new RCA–RTW mixtures and pure recycled concrete waste tested under dynamic and cyclic loading is demonstrated. The effects of crushing of the RCA material itself during cyclic loading are visible, and dilution of this process due to the addition of rubber. Furthermore, the test data reveal that the values of the G−modulus and D−ratio at small and medium strain levels are considered independent of the time of vibration.

Effects of consolidation conditions on the dynamic shear modulus of saturated coral sand over a wide strain range

The utilization of coral sand as a construction material for ports and other infrastructure systems in coral reefs is prevalent, wherein the soil elements within slopes and embankments typically experience an anisotropic stress state. It is imperative to accurately characterize the degradation behavior of the stratigraphic material's stiffness across a wide range of strains. In this study, the maximum and strain-dependent shear modulus (G0 and G) characteristics of saturated coral sand under isotropic and anisotropic consolidations were investigated by performing multi-stage stress-controlled undrained cyclic torsional shear tests with cyclic hollow cylinder shear apparatus. The experimental results indicated that G0 and G generally rose with increasing initial effective consolidation pressure but decreased with increasing inclination of initial major principal stress from the vertical (αc). In contrast, the effect of consolidation stress ratio (kc) on G0 and G was nonmonotonic, and that of kc and αc on the strain-dependent shear modulus reduction (G/G0) curve was slight. By defining anisotropic consolidation indexes δ0 and δr used for quantifying the effect of consolidation-induced anisotropy on the G0 and the G/G0, respectively. A unified formula of G0 obtained by multiplying Hardin's model by δ0, as well as a unique formula of G/G0 obtained by correcting γr in the Davidenkov skeleton curve expression as a linear function of δr were established under various consolidation conditions, respectively. The proposed G formula over a wide strain range is well validated by the experimental data for siliceous sandy soils from the literature.

Development of a Field Torsional Direct Shear Test Apparatus

Development of a Field Torsional Direct Shear Test Apparatus

Effect of cyclic loading frequency on cyclic behaviour of saturated sand

In practical engineering, sand fill or sediments subjected to cyclic loadings at varying frequencies due to earthquakes, traffic, and waves may cause complex soil responses. To investigate the effect of loading frequency on the cyclic behaviour of saturated sand, a series of undrained cyclic torsional shear tests covering a wide range of loading frequencies were conducted on Fujian sand. The excess pore water pressure (EPWP) in saturated sand can be divided into two components: residual and transient. Special focus was on the effect of loading frequency on the development of residual EPWP, transient EPWP, and shear strain amplitude. The key finding demonstrates that the loading frequency has a considerable effect on the association between the double amplitude of transient EPWP and shear strain amplitude. Based on the test data, a threshold strain is proposed that can be used to predict the onset of shear dilatancy in saturated sand. The liquefaction strength in the cyclic torsional shear tests was also investigated and was found to be significantly influenced by the loading frequency. The cyclic resistance ratio (CRR15) of saturated sand shows an increasing trend with the increase in loading frequency.

Experimental study on cyclic deformation properties of saturated Fujian sand at different loading frequencies

In this study, a series of undrained cyclic torsional shear tests were conducted to investigate the effect of cyclic loading frequency f on the pre-liquefaction (shearing contractive (SC) period and initial shearing dilative (ISD) period) and post-liquefaction (late shearing dilative (LSD) period) deformation properties of saturated Fujian sand. The secant shear modulus G and damping ratio λ in the entire cyclic loading process, and the unloading tangent shear modulus GL1 and flow deformation tangent shear modulus GL2 in the ISD and LSD periods were adopted to quantitatively characterize the evolution of hysteresis loop with an increase in shear strain amplitude γa. The test results show that the effect of f on G of saturated Fujian sand in the SC period is not apparent. However, all the G-γa, GL1-γa, and GL2-γa curves in the ISD and LSD periods showed a downward trend with an increase in f. This study also proposes a modified method for calculating λ to compensate for the analytical error caused by the non-closure of hysteresis loop. Compared with the classical curves that mainly applied in geotechnical engineering, the λ first increases and then decreases with the increase of γa. Furthermore, the λ evaluated by the modified method is approximately 10%–15% more than the λ evaluated by the traditional method when the λ reaches its peak value.

The Dynamic Properties of Sand under Torsion: A Literature Review

Resonant column (RC) and the torsional simple shear (TOSS) tests have shown proven competency in acquiring precise and repeatable measurements regarding the shear modulus and damping ratio of soil. For most dynamic geotechnical problems, the shear modulus represents the stiffness of the soil, while the damping ratio describes energy dissipation. Many studies in the last few decades focused on developing the relevant equipment and investigating the effect of different soil properties on the dynamic behavior of soil. Researchers have introduced correlations to approximate this behavior without conducting dynamic torsional testing. Soil models (e.g., Ramberg-Osgood and Hardin-Drnevich) can simulate shear stress-strain curves after finding the curve-fitting parameters. Due to the complexity of dynamic behavior and its dependency on various factors in soils, the RO and HD equations help model the behavior more simply. This paper presents a literature review and evaluation of the studies, correlations, soil models, and parameters affecting the dynamic behavior of dry sand under torsion.

Development characteristics of excess pore water pressure in saturated marine coral sand based on shear strain characteristics: An experimental study

Using a hollow-cylinder torsional shear apparatus, we experimentally investigated the development characteristics of excess pore water pressure (EPWP) in saturated marine coral sand. These coral sand specimens were tested under various values of nonplastic fines content (FC), relative density (Dr), and cyclic stress ratio (CSR). A laboratory cyclic torsional shear test under isotropic consolidation showed that the development rate of the EPWP ratio (Ru) versus the number of cycles (N) increased with increasing FC and CSR but decreased with increasing Dr. Additionally, the increase in FC significantly reduced the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR) of marine coral sand. For a given Dr and FC, Ru of the specimens under different CSR was uniquely related to the amplitude of the shear strain (γa). Moreover, a pore pressure evaluation model based on shear strain characteristics was established. The measurements showed that the EPWP model parameter A is a soil-specific constant, and the density-corrected EPWP model parameter B/(Dr)1.5 has a single negative-power relationship with the equivalent skeleton void ratio (esk*.

Influence of Intermediate Principal Stress on Shear Strength of Natural Granite Residual Soil

As a result of weathering, the mechanical behavior of granite residual soil differs from that of sedimentary soil. Although the mechanical properties of granite residual soil have been studied extensively, its strength anisotropy is yet to be established. Previous work has revealed the association between the principal stress direction α and soil shear strength, but little is known about how the intermediate principal stress affects the soil strength. This paper presents the shear-strength parameters under various combinations of α and the intermediate principal stress factor b as obtained through undrained hollow-cylinder torsional shear tests performed on samples of natural granite residual soil. The test results confirmed the considerable effect of b on the shear strength and highlighted the differences between the soil studied here and those studied previously. It was found that b affects the undrained strength and mobilized frictional angle (or ultimate stress ratio) differently, with increasing b leading to lower undrained strength but higher frictional angle. In addition, the degrees to which b affects undrained strength and frictional angle are not the same and depend on the α value at which the soil is sheared. Therefore, two parameters are proposed to quantify that difference. This study extends the understanding of the strength anisotropy of granite residual soil and provides data for soil behavior under various values of b.

Analysis of the handling and preparation of samples in the resonant column and cyclic torsional shear equipment

In many geotechnical applications, the shear modulus G is the one that governs the dynamic behaviour of the soil, and many fields and laboratory methods are focused on calculating it. This is the case of the resonant column and cyclic torsional shear tests, which allow both the modulus G and the damping D to be obtained in different strain ranges. These laboratory tests are carried out in a triaxial cell and in both tests, torsion is applied to the upper part of the specimens, which has allowed new commercial devices to group both techniques in a piece of a single equipment. The combination of the two tests makes it possible to obtain the dynamic properties of the soil over a wide range of strains, 10-4≤γ≤1%.Due to the small strains reached in these tests, less than 1%, the correct preparation of the specimens and their mounting in the triaxial cell are factors of vital importance for the reliability of the test results. In undisturbed samples, the sample should be handled, and the specimen carved with special care, trying not to alter the structure of the original soil. For remoulded clay specimens, static compaction in an external press and subsequent mounting on the triaxial cell pedestal are recommended. Saturation can present difficulties, as in these tests drainage and saturation can only be carried out from the bottom of the specimen. Consolidation times can be long. Sand specimens should be made by placing a mould on the pedestal of the triaxial cell and applying a vacuum. The method of freezing the specimen is discarded due to the long assembly time.

Erratum to: Bonding Strength between Cross Layers of CLT Evaluated by Torsion and Compression Block Shear Tests [Mokuzai Gakkaishi Vol.67 (2021) No.2 p.100-108

Erratum to: Bonding Strength between Cross Layers of CLT Evaluated by Torsion and Compression Block Shear Tests [Mokuzai Gakkaishi Vol.67 (2021) No.2 p.100-108