Effects of Polymer Treatment on Undrained Strengths and Cyclic Behavior of a Low-Plasticity Slurry
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 143, Issue 6
Abstract
A laboratory study was undertaken to assess the effects of polymer treatment (PT) on the monotonic, cyclic, and postcyclic behavior of a low plasticity slurry using a direct simple shear (DSS) apparatus. This study was conducted to extend the results of previous testing that assessed the effects of PT on the same material’s consolidation behavior and critical state line. Consistent with previous tests on this material, DSS testing indicated that PT resulted in lower consolidated densities at a given magnitude of effective stress, and higher undrained shear strengths at a given density. PT appeared to increase the effects of strain rate on strength, whereas both PT and untreated materials responded similarly to the effects of overconsolidation. Cyclic and postcyclic testing indicated essentially indistinguishable results for the two materials. The effects of PT were seen to persist at vertical effective stresses up to 800 kPa. The potential implications of these findings for tailings design are discussed.
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Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the Australian Centre of Geomechanics for financial support of this study, the mechanical, electronics, and laboratory staff at UWA for their support, and BASF for advice and assistance in polymer selection and preparation. The authors also acknowledge the anonymous reviewers of this manuscript, whose feedback improved this document’s clarity.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 143 • Issue 6 • June 2017
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©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 23, 2016
Accepted: Sep 28, 2016
Published online: Feb 2, 2017
Published in print: Jun 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Jul 2, 2017
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