Desiccation Theory for Soft Cohesive Soils
This article has a reply.
VIEW THE REPLYPublication: Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 121, Issue 6
Abstract
A new desiccation theory is developed that provides a rational framework for the consolidation and desiccation analysis of soft fine-grained waste soils. The theory includes four consecutive segments that correspond chronologically to the phases that a soft soil layer undergoes in the field after deposition: consolidation under one-dimensional compression; desiccation under one-dimensional shrinkage; propagation of vertical cracks and tensile stress release; and desiccation under three-dimensional shrinkage. A general form of the finite strain governing equation of the overall consolidation and desiccation process is formulated. It includes the cracking function and the nonlinear constitutive relations. The experimentally obtained consolidation and desiccation characteristics for soft china clay, which are needed for the overall analysis of a given field problem, are presented. The predictions of this theory for the response of a hypothetical soft china clay layer undergoing self-weight consolidation, seepage consolidation, and desiccation due to lowering of the ground-water level or surface drying are presented and discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Abu-Hejleh, A. N. (1993). “Desiccation theory for soft soils,” PhD thesis, University of Colorado, Boulder,Colo.
2.
Abu-Hejleh, A. N., and Znidarčić, D. (1994). “Estimation of the consolidation constitutive relations.”Eighth Int. Conf. on Comp. Methods and Adv. in Geomech. (IACMAG94), H. J. Siriwardane and M. M. Zaman, eds., Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 499–504.
3.
Blight, G. E. (1988). “Some less familiar aspects of hydraulic fill structures.”Proc., Hydr. Fill Struct., Spec. Conf., Geotech. Spec. Publ. No. 21, D. J. A. Van Zyl and S. G. Vick, eds., ASCE, New York, N.Y., 1000–1027.
4.
Bronswijk, J. J. B.(1988). “Modelling of water balance, cracking and subsidence of clay soils.”J. Hydr., 97, 199–212.
5.
Cargill, K. W. (1985). “Mathematical model of the consolidation desiccation process in the dredged material.”Tech. Rep. D-85-4, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiments Station, Vicksburg, Miss.
6.
Carrier, W. D., and Bromwell, L. G. (1983). “Disposal and reclamation of mining and dredging wastes.”Proc., Seventh Panam. Conf. on Soil Mech. and Found. Engrg., Canadian Geotechnical Society, Lima, Peru, Vol. 2, 727–738.
7.
Carrier, W. D., Bromwell, L. G., and Somogyi, F.(1983). “Design capacity of slurried mineral waste ponds.”J. Geotech. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 109(5), 699–716.
8.
Corte, A., and Higashi, A. (1964). “Experimental research on desiccation cracks in soil.”Res. Rep. No. 66., U.S. Army Materiel Command, Cold Regions Research & Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), Hanover, N.H.
9.
East, D. R., Haile, J. P., and Dew, H. P. (1987). “Sub-aerial deposition of phosphatic clay wastes.”Symp. on Consolidation and Disposal of Phosphatic and other Waste Clays, Prepared by Dept. of Civ. Engrg., Univ. of Florida, sponsored by Florida Institute of Phosphate Research, Bartow, Fla.
10.
Farrel, D. A., Greacen, E. L., and Larson, W. E.(1967). “The effect of water content on axial strain in a loam soil under tension and compression.”Soil Science Soc. of Am. Proc., 31, 445–450.
11.
Fox, W. E.(1964). “A study of bulk density and water in a swelling soil.”Soil Sci., 98, 307–316.
12.
Gibson, R. E., England, G. L., and Hussey, M. H. L.(1967). “The theory of one-dimensional consolidation of saturated clays, I. finite nonlinear consolidation of thin homogeneous layers.”Géotechnique, 17(3), 261–273.
13.
Hillerborg, A., Modeer, M., and Petersson, P. E.(1976). “Analysis of crack formation and crack growth in concrete by means of fracture mechanics and finite elements.”Cement and Concr. Res., 6, 773–782.
14.
Hutapea, B., Znidarčić, D., Ko, H. Y., and Sture, S. (1992). “Drag anchor tests in clay, volume 1: soil property assessment.”Rep. Prepared for Exxon Production Res. Co., University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.
15.
Johnson, S. J., Gunny, R. W., Perry, E. B., and Devay, L. (1977). “State-of-the art applicability of conventional densification techniques to increase disposal area storage capacity.”Tech. Rep. D-77-4, Soils and Pavements Lab., U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Miss.
16.
Lachenbruch, A. H. (1962). “Mechanics of thermal contraction cracks and ice-wedge polygons in permafrost.”Spec. Papers, No. 70, Geological Survey of America, Lambe, T. W., and Whitman, R. V. (1969). Soil mechanics . John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y.
17.
Lau, J. T. K. (1987). “Desiccation cracking of soils,” MSc thesis, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
18.
Liu, J. C. (1990). “Determination of soft soil characteristics,” PhD thesis University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.
19.
McNeilan, T. W., and Skaggs, R. L. (1988). “In place properties of a hydraulic landfill.”Proc., Hydr. Fill Struct. Spec. Conf., Geotech. Spec. Publ. No. 21, D. J. A. Van Zyl and S. G.Vick, eds., ASCE, New York, N.Y., 255–273.
20.
McVay, M., Townsend, F., and Bloomquist, D.(1986). “Quiescent consolidation of phosphatic waste clays.”J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 112(11), 1033–1049.
21.
Miller, E. E.(1975). “Physics of swelling and cracking soils.”J. Colloid and Interface Sci., 52(3), 434–443.
22.
Mitchell, J. K. (1988). “Densification and improvement of hydraulic fills.”Proc. Hydr. Fill Struct. Spec. Conf., Geotech. Spec. Publ. No. 21, D. J. A.Van Zyl and S. G. Vick, eds., ASCE, New York, N.Y., 606–633.
23.
Penev, D., and Kawamura, M.(1993). “Estimation of the spacing and the width of cracks caused by shrinkage in the cement-treated slab under restraint.”Cement and Concr. Res., 23, 925–932.
24.
Poindexter, M. E., and Walker, J. E. (1988). “Dredged fill performance: South Blakeley Island.”Proc., Hydr. Fill Struct., Spec. Conf., Geotech. Spec. Publ. No. 21, D. J. A. Van Zyl and S. G. Vick, eds., ASCE, New York, N.Y., 676–692.
25.
Swarbrick, G. E., and Fell, R.(1992). “Modelling desiccation of mine tailings.”J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 118(4), 540–557.
26.
Williams, D. J., and Sibley, J. W.(1992). “The behavior at the shrinkage limit of clay undergoing drying.”Geotech.Testing J., 15(3), 217–222.
27.
Yule, D. F., and Ritchie, J. T.(1980). “Soil shrinkage relationships of Texas vertisols: I. small cores.”Soil Sci. Soc. of Am. J., 44, 1285–1291.
28.
Znidarčić, D., and Liu, J. C. (1989). “Consolidation characteristics determination for dredged materials.”Proc., 22nd Annu. Dredging Seminar, CDC Rep. No. 317, Ctr. for Dredging Studies, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX., 45–65.
29.
Znidarčić, D., et al. (1992). “Drag anchors tests in clay, volume 3: soil specimen preparation procedure.”Rep. Prepared for Exxon Production Res. Co., University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 121 • Issue 6 • June 1995
Pages: 493 - 502
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Jun 1, 1995
Published in print: Jun 1995
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.