Evaluation of the coefficient of lateral stress at rest of granular materials under repetitive loading conditions

Although the internal stress state of soils can be affected by repetitive loading,there are few studies evaluating the lateral stress(or K_(0))of soils under repetitive loading.This study investigates the changes in K_(0) and directional shear wave velocity(V_(s))in samples of two granular materials with different particle shapes during repetitive loading.A modified oedometer cell equipped with bender elements and a diaphragm transducer was developed to measure the variations in the lateral stress and the shear wave velocity,under repetitive loading on the loading and unloading paths.The study produced the following results:(1)Repetitive loading on the loading path resulted in an increase in the K_(0) of test samples as a function of cyclic loading number(i),and(2)Repetitive loading on the unloading path resulted in a decrease in K_(0) according to i.The shear wave velocity ratio(i.e.V_(s)(HH)/V_(s)(VH),where the first and second letters in parentheses corresponds to the directions of wave propagation and particle motion,respectively,and V and H corresponds to the vertical and horizontal directions,respectively)according to i supports the experimental observations of this study.However,when the tested material was in lightly over-consolidated state,there was an increase in K_(0) during repetitive loading,indicating that it was the initial K_(0),rather than the loading path,which is responsible for the change in K_(0).The power model can capture the variation in the K_(0) of samples according to i.Notably,the K_(0)=1 line acts as the boundary between the increase and decrease in K_(0) under repetitive loading.

Hydromechanical behavior of unsaturated expansive clay under repetitive loading

Compacted layers of expansive soils are used in different engineering projects,such as subgrades,engineered clay barriers,and buffers for radioactive waste disposal.These layers are exposed to a variety of stresses and wetting conditions during field serviceability.Coupling between hydraulic and mechanical repeated loading provides insight understanding to the induced progressive deformation of expansive clay.This study was conducted to investigate the hydromechanical behavior of unsaturated compacted expansive clay under repeated loadingeunloading(RLU)conditions.Two series of onedimensional(1D)oedometer tests were conducted under controlled matric suction up to 1500 kPa using the axis translation technique(Fredlund soil-water characteristic curve device,SWC-150).The first test series was carried out at different levels of controlled matric suction for non-repeated loading eunloading(NRLU)cycles.RLU cycles were applied in the second test series at different repetitivestress levels and under different levels of matric suction.The results indicated increasing axial wetting strainε_(a)(s),axial swell pressure ss(s),compression index C_(c)(s),and swell index C_(s)(s)with suction reduction.The estimated loadecollapse(LC)curves obtained from NRLU series(LCN)and RLU series(LCR)indicated increasing yield stress sy(s)with increasing suction.This is attributed to the developed apparent cohesion between soil particles,which in turn rigidifies the material response.Applying repetitive loading induced a notable reduction of compression index C_(c)(s)at the same level of suction,whereas swell index C_(s)(s)seems to be independent of repetitive loading.Finally,repetitive loading exceeding initial yield stresses results in plastic hardening and,hence,enlargement of yield stress locus(i.e.LCR curve).

Effect of geogrid reinforcement on soft and medium dense soils

The field tests were carried out to examine the reinforcement effect of a geogrid on various conditions of embankment height,the number of passages of vibratory roller,the number of reinforced layer of geogrid,and soil properties.The test results of the dynamic earth pressure indicate that the soil reinforced by geogrid is very effective to increase the stiffness of soil,especially in soft soil.The dynamic earth pressure ratio,which is defined as the ratio of dynamic earth pressure to self weight of soils,exponentially decreases as the embankment height increases.The dynamic earth pressure ratio increases up to 80% for soft soils reinforced by both one layer of geogrid in place of no reinforced soils and two layers in place of a single layer of geogrid.