Soil Deformations Induced by Particle Removal under Complex Stress States
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 9
Abstract
Soil is composed of particles of various sizes. Once some particles are removed in a physical or chemical process, the particle contacts and soil microstructure will change, leading to irreversible soil deformations and changes in soil behavior. Understanding soil deformation characteristics caused by particle removal under realistic stress conditions is of great importance to the safety of earth structures. In this study, soil deformations induced by particle removal under complex stress states were investigated through a series of tests on a triaxial internal erosion test apparatus in which fine soil particles were removed through salt dissolution. These tests were performed under common realistic stress conditions: isotropic stress state, triaxial compression stress state, and triaxial extension stress state. Soil deformations, both local and global, were systematically measured using a photographic method. With a gradual loss of soil particles, both the axial and radial strains and the void ratio increased. Greater soil deformations developed under a larger shear stress ratio or a higher mean effective stress. The test results provide solid evidence for verifying numerical analyses of particulate materials.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This research was substantially supported by the National Key R&D Program (Grant No. 2018YFC1508600), the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR (Grant No. 16205118), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51909181 and 41941017).
References
ASTM. 2012. Standard practice for classification of soils for engineering purposes (unified soil classification system). ASTM D2487. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Barreto, D., and C. O’Sullivan. 2012. “The influence of inter-particle friction and the intermediate stress ratio on soil response under generalized stress conditions.” Granular Matter 14 (4): 505–521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-012-0354-z.
Chang, D. S., and L. M. Zhang. 2011. “A stress-controlled erosion apparatus for studying internal erosion in soils.” Geotech. Test. J. 34 (6): 579–589. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ103889.
Chang, D. S., and L. M. Zhang. 2013a. “Critical hydraulic gradients of internal erosion under complex stress states.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 139 (9): 1454–1467. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000871.
Chang, D. S., and L. M. Zhang. 2013b. “Extended internal stability criteria for soils under seepage.” Soils Found. 53 (4): 569–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2013.06.008.
Chen, C., L. M. Zhang, and D. S. Chang. 2016. “Stress-strain behavior of granular soils subjected to internal erosion.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 142 (12): 06016014. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001561.
Chen, C., L. M. Zhang, and H. Zhu. 2017. “A photographic method for measuring soil deformations during internal erosion under triaxial stress conditions.” Geotech. Test. J. 41 (1): 20170031. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ20170031.
Cundall, P. A. 1978. BALL-A program to model granular media using the distinct element method. London: Dames & Moore.
Cundall, P. A., and O. D. L. Strack. 1979. “A discrete element model for granular assemblies.” Géotechnique 29 (1): 47–65. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1979.29.1.47.
Danka, J., and L. M. Zhang. 2015. “Dike failure mechanisms and breaching parameters.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 141 (9): 04015039. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001335.
Fannin, R. J., and R. Moffat. 2006. “Observations on internal stability of cohensionless soils.” Géotechnique 56 (7): 497–500. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2006.56.7.497.
Foster, M., R. Fell, and M. Spannagle. 2000. “The statistics of embankment dam failures and accidents.” Can. Geotech. J. 37 (5): 1000–1024. https://doi.org/10.1139/t00-030.
Garner, S. J., and R. J. Fannin. 2010. “Understanding internal erosion: A decade of research following a sinkhole event.” Int. J. Hydropower Dams 17 (3): 93–98.
Huang, X., K. J. Hanley, C. O’Sullivan, C. Y. Kwok, and M. A. Wadee. 2014. “DEM analysis of the influence of the intermediate stress ratio on the critical-state behavior of granular materials.” Granular Matter 16 (5): 641–655. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-014-0520-6.
Indraratna, B., V. T. Nguyen, and C. Rujikiatkamjorn. 2011. “Assessing the potential of internal erosion and suffusion of granular soils.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 137 (5): 550–554. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000447.
Kawano, K., T. Shire, and C. O’Sullivan. 2018. “Coupled particle-fluid simulations of the initiation of suffusion.” Soils Found. 58 (4): 972–985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2018.05.008.
Ke, L., and A. Takahashi. 2012. “Influence of internal erosion on deformation and strength of gap-graded non-cohesive soil.” In Proc., 6th Int. Conf. on Scour and Erosion, 295–303. Paris: Société Hydrotechnique de France.
Ke, L., and A. Takahashi. 2014. “Experimental investigations on suffusion characteristics and its mechanical consequences on saturated cohesionless soil.” Soils Found. 54 (4): 713–730. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2014.06.024.
Kenney, T. C., and D. Lau. 1985. “Internal stability of granular filters.” Can. Geotech. J. 22 (2): 215–225. https://doi.org/10.1139/t85-029.
Langroudi, M. F., A. Soroush, P. T. Shourijeh, and R. Shafipour. 2013. “Stress transmission in internally unstable gap-graded soils using discrete element modeling.” Powder Technol. 247 (Oct): 161–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2013.07.020.
McDougall, J., D. Kelly, and D. Barreto. 2013. “Particle loss and volume change on dissolution: Experimental results and analysis of particle size and amount effects.” Acta Geotech. 8 (6): 619–627. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-013-0212-0.
Moffat, R., R. J. Fannin, and S. J. Garner. 2011. “Spatial and temporal progression of internal erosion in cohesionless soil.” Can. Geotech. J. 48 (3): 399–412. https://doi.org/10.1139/T10-071.
Oda, M., S. Nemat-Nasser, and J. Konishi. 1985. “Stress-induced anisotropy in granular masses.” Soils Found. 25 (3): 85–97. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf1972.25.3_85.
Pitman, T. D., P. K. Robertson, and D. C. Sego. 1994. “Influence of fines on the collapse of loose sands.” Can. Geotech. J. 31 (5): 728–739. https://doi.org/10.1139/t94-084.
Radjai, F., D. E. Wolf, M. Jean, and J. J. Moreau. 1998. “Bimodal character of stress transmission in granular packings.” Phys. Rev. Lett. 80 (1): 61–64. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.61.
Richards, K. S., and K. R. Reddy. 2009. “True triaxial piping test apparatus for evaluation of piping potential in earth structures.” Geotech. Test. J. 33 (1): 83–95.
Santamarina, J. C. 2003. “Soil behavior at the microscale: Particle forces.” In Proc., Symp. on Soil Behavior and Soft Ground Construction, 25–56. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Sato, M., and R. Kuwano. 2016. “Effects of internal erosion on mechanical properties evaluated by triaxial compression tests.” Jpn. Geotech. Soc. Spec. Pub. 2 (29): 1056–1059. https://doi.org/10.3208/jgssp.JPN-127.
Shin, H., and J. C. Santamarina. 2009. “Mineral dissolution and the evolution of k0.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 135 (8): 1141–1147. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000053.
Shire, T., C. O’Sullivan, K. J. Hanley, and R. J. Fannin. 2014. “Fabric and effective stress distribution in internally unstable soils.” Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 140 (12): 04014072.
Skempton, A. W., and J. Brogan. 1994. “Experiments on piping in sandy gravels.” Géotechnique 44 (3): 449–460. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1994.44.3.449.
Tomlinson, S. S., and Y. P. Vaid. 2000. “Seepage forces and confining pressure effects on piping erosion.” Can. Geotech. J. 37 (1): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1139/t99-116.
Truong, Q. H., Y. H. Eom, and J. S. Lee. 2010. “Stiffness characteristics of soluble mixtures.” Géotechnique 60 (4): 293–297. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.8.T.032.
Wan, C. F., and R. Fell. 2008. “Assessing the potential of internal instability and suffusion in embankment dams and their foundations.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 134 (3): 401–407. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2008)134:3(401).
Wautier, A., S. Bonelli, and F. Nicot. 2019. “Rattlers’ contribution to granular plasticity and mechanical stability.” Int. J. Plast. 112 (Jan): 172–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijplas.2018.08.012.
Wood, D. M. 2007. “The magic of sands.” Can. Geotech. J. 44 (11): 1329–1350. https://doi.org/10.1139/T07-060.
Xiao, M., and N. Shwiyhat. 2012. “Experimental investigation of the effects of suffusion on physical and geomechanic characteristics of sandy soils.” Geotech. Test. J. 35 (6): 104594. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ104594.
Zhang, F. S., M. L. Li, M. Peng, C. Chen, and L. M. Zhang. 2019. “Three-dimensional DEM modeling of the stress–strain behavior for the gap-graded soils subjected to internal erosion.” Acta Geotech. 14 (2): 487–503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-018-0655-4.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 9 • September 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 26, 2019
Accepted: May 7, 2020
Published online: Jun 29, 2020
Published in print: Sep 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Nov 29, 2020
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.