Simulating Seasonal Ground Movement in Unsaturated Clay
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 119, Issue 7
Abstract
The results of a theoretical, experimental, and numerical investigation into the volume‐change behavior of an unsaturated clay are described. The theoretical approach adopted is presented and its implementation detailed. The work is shown to be analogous to Terzaghi's classical theory of one‐dimensional consolidation for saturated soils. An experimental procedure is proposed for the determination of appropriate one‐dimensional soil properties. The procedure is used to determine the variation of volumetric strain and volumetric moisture content with respect to capillary potential for the Kimmeridge clay under consideration. The experimental results achieved are used to obtain deformation moduli that are applied in a simulation of seasonal ground movement. In particular, ground movements corresponding to previously determined moisture‐content variations over the 1983 period are predicted. The results of the numerical simulation are assessed qualitatively and quantitatively by comparison with field‐measured data. The approach adopted is concluded to be capable of producing realistic predictions of seasonal ground movement.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 119 • Issue 7 • July 1993
Pages: 1127 - 1143
Copyright
Copyright © 1993 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 4, 1991
Published online: Jul 1, 1993
Published in print: Jul 1993
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