Cyclic Pore Water Pressure Generation and Stiffness Degradation in Compacted Clays
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142, Issue 1
Abstract
Cyclic hollow cylinder torsional tests were performed in undrained conditions on 12 compacted clay specimens collected from two types of dams (an earth-core rock-filled dam and an earth-zone dam) in Thailand. The cyclic degradation, cyclic pore water pressure generation, and volumetric cyclic threshold shear strain were studied via multistage strain-controlled tests. The testing program encompassed five overconsolidation ratios (OCRs), 1, 1.5, 2, 3.5, and 4, where six to eight cyclic strain-controlled stages were applied in each test with frequency . The results reveal that the volumetric threshold shear strain amplitude of these compacted clays ranged between approximately 0.009 and 0.025% and generally increased substantially with the plasticity index (PI). The cyclic pore water pressures normalized by are consistently lower than previous ones using other types of clays tested with other types of devices at comparable cyclic shear strain amplitudes. The cyclic degradation and cyclic pore water pressure in compacted clay are significantly affected by the OCR.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and the Geotechnical Engineering Research and Development Center (GERD), Kasetsart University, and their support is gratefully acknowledged. The authors would like to sincerely thank Dr. Goran Arangelosky, Mr. Chinoros Thongthamchart, and Mr. Montri Jinagoolwipat for their kind suggestions, encouragement, and enthusiasm. The authors would like to offer special thanks to Prof. Jian-hua Yin, Dr. Tony Tong, and Mr. Weiqiang Feng from the Soil Mechanics Lab of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, for their invaluable help in setting up the equipment.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142 • Issue 1 • January 2016
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© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Apr 20, 2014
Accepted: May 4, 2015
Published online: Jul 14, 2015
Discussion open until: Dec 14, 2015
Published in print: Jan 1, 2016
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