Mechanical Behavior and Constitutive Modeling of Cement–Bentonite Mixtures for Cutoff Walls
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 33, Issue 3
Abstract
Cement–bentonite mixtures are commonly used to build cutoff walls, which limit water flow and underground transport of pollutants. These artificial materials are employed due to their very low permeability and adequate shear strength and ductility. In this paper, experimental results about the microstructure and mechanical behavior of three different cement–bentonite mixtures are presented. Specimens of these mixtures were subjected to oedometer and consolidated-undrained triaxial tests. These results were then used as a basis for the definition of a suitable constitutive framework. A quite good reproduction of the experimental results up to the peak strength was obtained using the classical Modified Cam Clay model, which could then be used satisfactorily when conventional analyses aimed at assessing the stability of cutoff walls are required. The reproduction of the strength degradation and the strains occurring in the postpeak stage requires, however, a more advanced constitutive model. To this extent, the Modified Cam Clay framework was enhanced by introducing some features commonly employed to reproduce the mechanical behavior of granular materials. This model may be useful for the real-scale analysis of more critical cases when local failure mechanisms are likely to occur and may influence the functionality of the wall.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. These include:
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numerical results of the simulations plotted in the paper;
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experimental data plotted in the paper; and
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numerical code for the integration of the constitutive law.
Acknowledgments
The activity of the first author was financed in the context of the public administration agreement between Politecnico di Milano - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, Direzione Generale per la Sicurezza anche Ambientale delle Attività Minerarie ed Energetiche–Ufficio Nazionale Minerario per gli Idrocarburi e le Georisorse–Programme Clypea, which is here gratefully acknowledged.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 33 • Issue 3 • March 2021
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 30, 2020
Accepted: Jul 27, 2020
Published online: Dec 21, 2020
Published in print: Mar 1, 2021
Discussion open until: May 21, 2021
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