Liquefaction Behavior of a Well-Graded Gravelly Soil under Initial Static Shear Stress in Cyclic Triaxial and Simple Shear Conditions
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23, Issue 6
Abstract
Among other reasons, studies of the liquefaction potential of gravelly soils are limited because of the difficulties involved in preparing uniform specimens, without particle segregation, especially for a well-graded gravelly soil in a dry state for simple shear testing. Errors and difficulties are also involved in compensating for membrane penetration to a gravelly soil specimen in triaxial testing to get reliable data. Thus, innovative approaches for preparing triaxial and simple shear specimens for gravelly soils are introduced and implemented in this study to overcome experimental problems in acquiring accurate test results. In addition to the aim of obtaining reliable testing data on the liquefaction of gravelly soils under initial static shear stress for simulating sloping ground conditions, a study of the effect of various stress paths on the liquefaction resistance of gravelly soils was another goal of this research. In this regard, two sets of cyclic tests using medium-size triaxial and simple shear devices are conducted on a unique soil to compare the liquefaction potential of the tested gravelly soil using these two devices. Results of simple shear tests indicate that as the value of initial static shear stress increases, the cyclic resistance of the tested gravelly soil decreases. However, the results of the triaxial tests show that the variation of cyclic resistance for the tested soil depends on the initial static shear stress level and associated stress reversal conditions. Furthermore, the observed value of the pore water pressure ratio at failure using the strain-based liquefaction criteria for the tested gravelly soil was about 0.85, regardless of the type of testing. In addition, the relationship between the liquefaction resistance of gravelly soils using cyclic triaxial and simple shear devices was obtained.
Practical Applications
There is a common belief among practitioners that gravels have a far lower potential for liquefaction than sands. Results of experimental tests in this study reveal that gravels containing sands, known as gravelly soils, may have a high potential for liquefaction as well. However, the condition of zero effective stress, typically linked to liquefaction triggering in sandy soils, might not occur in gravelly soils. Rather, it is observed that the condition of excessive soil deformation leads to liquefaction triggering in gravelly soils. In addition, there are several observations on liquefaction triggering in sloping ground conditions. In this condition, initial static shear stress is present in the liquefiable soil; investigating the effects of such initial static shear stress on the liquefaction triggering of gravelly soils is strongly recommended, to ensure careful attention in design processes.
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Acknowledgments
The CyTx tests were performed at the Advanced Soil Mechanics Laboratory of Sharif University of Technology (SUT), and funding was provided by the SUT Deputy of Research and Technology, which is acknowledged. The CSS data presented in this study are based on experiments performed at the University of Toronto, in the laboratory supervised by Dr. Mason Ghafghazi, which is acknowledged as well. The second part of the study was funded as a scholarship to the second author by the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology. Also, Dr. Karl Peterson assisted the second author with some aspects of the analysis relating to the shape characterizations of the tested gravel. The latter cases are thanked by the second author. Special thanks to Negin Nikoonejad for assisting with the graphical illustrations of this study.
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International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23 • Issue 6 • June 2023
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© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: May 25, 2022
Accepted: Dec 23, 2022
Published online: Mar 16, 2023
Published in print: Jun 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Aug 16, 2023
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