One-Way Cyclic Triaxial Behavior of Saturated Clay: Comparison between Constant and Variable Confining Pressure
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 5
Abstract
The one-way cyclic triaxial test has been recognized as a useful tool for solving many engineering problems, such as the prediction of deformation in subsoils under traffic loading. Most studies of the one-way cyclic behavior of soils are performed in triaxial tests with constant confining pressure (CCP), which can apply cyclic compressive deviatoric stress only. However, the real stress field in subsoils under traffic loading includes varying normal stresses in three directions. Therefore, it is more desirable to simulate the in situ loading conditions induced by passing vehicles through a combination of the varying deviatoric stress and varying confining pressure. Recognizing this, two series of one-way cyclic triaxial tests on remolded saturated clay were conducted in this study; one in undrained conditions and the other in partially drained conditions. In each series, both tests with the CCP and variable confining pressure (VCP) were carried out. Comparisons between the results of the VCP and CCP tests show that the VCP plays an important role in the one-way cyclic behavior of saturated clay, in terms of excess pore-water pressure, permanent volumetric strain, and permanent axial strain. Specifically, in partially drained conditions VCP tests deliver much larger permanent axial strain than CCP tests, indicating that the conventional CCP tests may underestimate the settlement of subsoils induced by traffic loading.
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Acknowledgments
The work presented in this paper was supported by the National Outstanding Youth Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 51025827; National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 50979096, 50808145, and 51109164; the 973 Program under Grant No. 2011CB411907; the Provincial Nature Science Foundation of Zhejiang under Grant Nos. Y1090105 and Y1110751; and the Provincial Science and Technology Projects of Zhejiang under Grant No. 2010C33182. This financial support is gratefully acknowledged.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 5 • May 2013
Pages: 797 - 809
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 16, 2011
Accepted: Jul 11, 2012
Published online: Aug 1, 2012
Published in print: May 1, 2013
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