A Simplified Calculation Method for the Shear Strength of Unsaturated Silt
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24, Issue 9
Abstract
The matric suction must be measured when calculating the shear strength of unsaturated silt, but the measurement method is cumbersome and time-consuming. The saturation degree of silt is easily measured; therefore, a simplified calculation method for the shear strength of unsaturated silt using the saturation degree instead of matric suction is valuable in practical engineering. A new calculation method based on the saturation degree of silt is proposed to determine the smooth transition from a saturated to an unsaturated state. Suitable parameters for unsaturated Zhengzhou silt are determined, and the results of an unsaturated triaxial test and the soil–water characteristic curve are used to establish the proposed calculation method. A comparison of the results of Vanapalli's method and the simplified calculation method indicates high consistency and a low error. Therefore, the simplified method is more suitable for practical applications than Vanapalli's method.
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Data Availability Statement
All data or models that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Cultivation Fund of Zhengzhou University in 2021 (JC21439018) and the Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province (222300420555). All support is gratefully acknowledged.
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International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24 • Issue 9 • September 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 19, 2023
Accepted: Mar 4, 2024
Published online: Jun 24, 2024
Published in print: Sep 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Nov 24, 2024
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