Effect of Fines Content on Cyclic Strength Development of Sand–Clay Mixtures under Cyclic Loading: A Process Evaluation Using Energy Methods
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24, Issue 11
Abstract
Evaluating the cyclic strength development using energy-based methods is a novel concept in studying the dynamic properties of sand–clay mixtures under cyclic loading. In this study, a series of undrained cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on sand–clay mixtures, and the performance of different fine-grain contents on the dynamic properties and the energy dissipation of sand–clay mixtures was investigated based on the energy-based methods. The results demonstrated a gradual increase in the cyclic strain amplitude and the residual axial strain with increasing fines content (FC) under cyclic loading with a controlled cyclic stress ratio; in contrast, the accumulation of pore-water pressure slowed down. An initial decrease in the cyclic strength of the mixtures was observed with an increase in their fines contents; however, further increasing the FC enlarged the cyclic strength of the sand–clay mixtures. This transition was observed when the threshold fines content reached about 30%. The viscous energy dissipation ratio (VEDR), which is a nondimensional energy ratio based on the relationship between cyclic stress and strain and reflects the characteristics of dynamic properties, was utilized to compare three critical phase transition points, namely, VEDRvalley, VEDRpeak, and VEDR5%strain, in the energy dissipation of the sand–clay mixtures. Based on the VEDR results, the cyclic strength development indexes were established. Furthermore, low-vacuum environmental scanning electron microscopy revealed that as the FC increased, the particle composition of the sand–clay mixtures transitioned from predominantly coarse-grained to fine-grained, resulting in a change in the cyclic behavior of the mixtures from sandlike to claylike. The cyclic strength development indices provided further insights into and quantified the effect of fines contents of the sand–clay mixtures on their cyclic strength development process.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52008121), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2022YFC3003601), and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2023A1515012163, 2023A1515030051). Sincere appreciation is extended to Professor Haihong Mo and Associate Professor Shuzhuo Liu from the South China University of Technology for their substantial support and contributions to this paper.
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24 • Issue 11 • November 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 7, 2023
Accepted: Apr 17, 2024
Published online: Sep 12, 2024
Published in print: Nov 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Feb 12, 2025
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Continuum mechanics
- Cyclic loads
- Cyclic strength
- Dynamic loads
- Dynamic properties
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Energy dissipation
- Engineering mechanics
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials characterization
- Materials engineering
- Mixtures
- Soil mechanics
- Soil properties
- Soil strength
- Solid mechanics
- Strength of materials
- Structural behavior
- Structural dynamics
- Structural engineering
- Thermodynamics
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