Stress-Strain and Strength Characteristics of Silt-Clay Transition Soils
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 10
Abstract
The influence of nonplastic silt content on the stress-strain, volume change, and strength characteristics of anisotropic silt-clay transition soils is investigated. A series of one-dimensional compression tests, isotropic compression tests, and undrained and drained triaxial tests on three soils of similar base clay but different nonplastic silt contents are performed on cross-anisotropic specimens prepared from consolidation of slurries. Tests with major loading directions both parallel and perpendicular to the specimens’ axis of deposition are performed. It is observed that the tested silt-clay soils are less compressible with increasing silt content during one-dimensional and isotropic compression tests. During drained and undrained triaxial tests, the normally consolidated soils at the same consolidation stress show larger values of stiffness and drained and undrained shear strengths with increasing silt content. The silt-clay soils also show larger pore pressure changes during undrained triaxial tests but essentially similar volumetric strains during drained tests as the silt content increases. In addition, it is observed that silt content significantly influences the anisotropy of the stress-strain and strength characteristics of the transition silt-clay soils.
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Acknowledgments
This research was partly funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through Grant No. CIMM 0244354. The financial support is gratefully acknowledged. The authors would like to thank Professor Poul V. Lade of the Department of Civil Engineering, The Catholic University of America, for his comments and suggestions. The authors would also like to thank Professor Scott A. Ashford, Dean of the College of Engineering, Oregon State University, for his support for the first author during the period of this study.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 138 • Issue 10 • October 2012
Pages: 1257 - 1265
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 10, 2011
Accepted: Jan 9, 2012
Published online: Sep 14, 2012
Published in print: Oct 1, 2012
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