Stress-Strain Responses of Block Samples of Compressible Chicago Glacial Clays
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper presents the results and analysis of a laboratory investigation of the behavior of lightly overconsolidated compressible Chicago glacial clays over a wide strain range. Each specimen was trimmed from high quality block samples taken from an excavation in Evanston, Illinois. Specimens were instrumented with three sets of bender elements and local LVDTs. After consolidation to the in situ vertical effective stress of the block, drained stress probe tests were conducted. Results of bender elements tests obtained prior to stress probing show that compressible Chicago glacial clay initially is cross anisotropic. Propagation velocities measured by bender elements in axial direction after reconsolidation and drained creep agrees well with the in situ shear wave velocity measured by seismic cone penetration tests. Results of drained stress probe tests are analyzed in terms of shear, volumetric and coupled stiffness, stiffness degradation, and direction of loading. The significant variability of shear, bulk and cross-coupling response depending on stress path direction and strain level provide experimental evidence that the Chicago clays are incrementally nonlinear at the strain levels investigated.
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Acknowledgments
Financial support for this work was provided by National Science Foundation Grant No. NSFCMS-0219123 and the Infrastructure Technology Institute (ITI) of Northwestern University. The support of Dr. Richard Fragaszy, program director at NSF, and the late Mr. David Schulz, IT’s long-time director, is greatly appreciated. Professor Paul Mayne of Georgia Institute of Technology conducted the seismic cone tests at the Ford Center.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 1 • January 2010
Pages: 178 - 188
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Apr 29, 2008
Accepted: Jun 22, 2009
Published online: Jul 1, 2009
Published in print: Jan 2010
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