Influence of relative compaction and degree of saturation on the deformation characteristics of bentonite under freeze-thaw cycles

Bentonite,consisting of clay minerals of the montmorillonite group,has been widely used as an adsorbent and backfill material in nuclear waste disposal and groundwater remediation.It is challenging to use bentonite as a filling material in cold regions since bentonite is highly sensitive to thermal environmental changes,during which its bulk volume and microstructure change significantly.In this study,a series of one-dimensional and three-dimensional freeze-thaw tests were carried out within a closed system to investigate the influencing factors of the deformation of bentonite under freeze-thaw cycles.Results show that the initial soil water content greatly impacts bentonite's deformation during freeze-thaw cycles.For an initial higher degree of saturation(Sr),the expansion caused by the formation of ice lenses has a greater impact than the shrinkage induced by dehydration,ice-cementation,and so on.Conversely,bentonite tends to shrink at a lower degree of saturation during freezing.And the critical degree of saturation that determines bentonite's behavior of frost heave or frost shrinkage seems to be roughly 0.8.As the number of freeze-thaw cycles rises,initially uncompacted bentonite clay becomes more compacted,and initially compacted bentonite clay remains unchanged.

Laboratory investigation on relationship between degree of saturation, B-value and P-wave velocity

Laboratory tests were performed on Toyoura sand specimens to investigate the relationship between degree of saturation Sr, B-value and P-wave velocity Vp. Different types of pore water （de-aired water or tap water） and pore gas （air or CO2） as well as different magnitudes of back pressure were used to achieve different Sr （or B-value）. The measured relationship between B-value and Vp was not consistent with the theoretical prediction. The measurement shows that the Vp value in the specimen flushed with de-aired water is independent of B-value （or St） and is always around the one in fully saturated condition. However, the Vp value in the specimen flushed with tap water increases with B-value, but the shape of the relationship between Vp and B-value is quite different from the theoretical prediction. The possible explanation for the discrepancy between laboratory measurement and theoretical prediction lies in that the air exists in the water as air bubbles and therefore the pore fluid （air-water mixture） is heterogeneous instead of homogenous assumed in the theoretical prediction.

Determining the degree of saturation of rocks as a function of time:A case study from mountainous area of Turkey

The aim of this study is to scrutinize whether, in terms of saturation, the 48 hour duration suggested by ISRM(International Society for Rock Mechanics) methods and ASTM(American Society for Testing and Materials) standard in rocks is sufficient or not, and to examine how the degree of saturation of rocks may be determined as a function of time. For this purpose, samples from five different rock groups including igneous(andesite, granite, andesitic tuff) and sedimentary(limestone, sandstone) exposed in Gümü?hane city which is from mountainous area of north-eastern Turkey, have been compiled. Measurements were taken on the samples left for saturation under laboratory conditions as a result of which the degree of saturation values at the end of these time periods were determined. Similarly, at the end of 48 hours, the samples were left to dry under atmospheric conditions in the laboratory environment and their time dependent degree of saturation were also calculated at different times. The changes as a function of time in the degree of saturation were then examined mathematically using non-linear, exponential and logarithmic functions. Graphs and equations related with the acquired time-degree of saturation values and the correlation coefficient(r) values for these equalities have indicated a high accordance between time and degree of saturation for the studied rock groups. The applied methodology will be beneficial for determining the degree of saturation based on time for engineering studies that will be carried out in similar lithologies.

Modelling rapid non-destructive test using light weight deflectometer on granular soils across different degrees of saturation

This study introduces an advanced finite element model for the light weight deflectometer(LWD),which integrates contact mechanics with fully coupled models.By simulating LWD tests on granular soils at various saturation levels,the model accurately reflects the dependence of the LWD modulus on dry density,water content,and effective stress.This model addresses and overcomes the limitations of previous finite element models for this specific problem.Simultaneously,this research presents the first experimentally validated fully coupled contact impact model.Furthermore,the research provides a comparative assessment of elastoplastic and nonlinear elastic models and contrasts an enriched node-tosegment method(developed in this study)with the more precise mortar technique for contact mechanics.These comparisons reveal unique advantages and challenges for each method.Moreover,the study underscores the importance of careful application of the LWD modulus,emphasising the need for sophisticated tools to interpret soil behaviour accurately.

Modelling of the variation of granular base materials resilient modulus with material characteristics and humidity conditions

This study aims to quantify the susceptibility of granular materials used in pavements to changes in moisture content and propose a correlation model to incorporate this susceptibility into seasonal analyses.The fines content and the percentage of fractured coarse aggregates were identified as direct indicators of the resilient modulus susceptibility to changes in water content.The results showed that the percentage of fractured coarse aggregates particles(FR)has a more significant impact on the resilient modulus(Er)of crushed granular materials used in pavement construction than the combined indicator of the fines content and sample volumetrics(nf).Crushed granular materials with a higher percentage of fractured coarse aggregates are relatively insensitive to changes in the degree of saturation,but become more sensitive as the fine fraction porosity decreases.An adjusted model was proposed based on the existing formulation,but considers a complex parameter to describe and adjust the sensitivity of base granular materials to variations in moisture content with respect to fabrication charac-teristics,fines content and volumetric properties.The model shows that the variation of Er values is below10%for fully crushed granular materials.However,it reaches approximately±12%for materials with 75%of crushed coarse aggregates andþ40%and-25%for materials with FR=50%.This model could help select good ag-gregates characteristics and adjust grain-size distribution for environments where significant moisture content variations can occur in the pavement system,such as in the Province of Quebec(Canada).As it is based on pa-rameters that can be easily determined or estimated,it also represents a valuable tool for detailed design and analysis that can consider material characteristics.

EFFECT OF ANTHROPOGENIC CO_2 ON THE pH AND THE SATURATION STATES OF CALCITE AND ARAGONITE OF SEAWATER

Growth of phytoplankton, zooplankton and probably most other marine organisms as well, is likely to be affected by the pH of seawater. Growth of calcareous shells and skeletons is less likely to be affect ed by the saturation states of calcite and aragonite but the dissolution is. The increase of CO2 in the oceans due to burning of fossil fuel and clearing of forests is decreasing the pH of seawater and the degress of saturation for calcite and aragonite worldwide. This paper presents the results of the first attempt to estimate the vertical distribution of anthropogenic CO2, and the decreases in pH and the degrees of saturation of calcite and aragonite in seawater near Taiwan. Most ef fects are very small except for the possible dissolution of aragonite on the upper continental slope starting around 2050 AD.

Relationship of Resistivity with Water Content and Fissures of Unsaturated Expansive Soils

The development of fissures in expansive soils has a great effect on the stability of slope. Of the three phases of soils,the gas phase and solid phase are relatively insulated,so the average resistivity of soils can be calculated from the resistivity of the liquid phase. On this basis,the two-part model of resistivity changing with the water saturation of the expansive soil can be deduced. A 2-D resistance grid model is established based on simulating the resistance of ver-tically developed fissures. Variation in measured resistance of vertically developed fissures at different positions can be calculated from this model. Fissure development can be inversely determined from the variation in the measured resis-tance. Finally,the model is verified by an indoor resistivity test for remolded soil samples,indicating that the test result agrees well with that of the model established.

Effect of curing, capillary action, and groundwater level increment on geotechnical properties of lime concrete: Experimental and prediction studies

Lime concrete and lime treatment are two attractive techniques for geotechnical engineers.However,researches have rarely been carried out to study the effects of moisture and capillary action due to increasing groundwater level on geotechnical properties of lime concrete.The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of curing time and degree of saturation on some of geotechnical properties of lime concrete such as unconfined compressive strength(UCS),secant modulus(ES),failure strain,brittleness index(IB),and deformability index(ID) using unconfined compression tests.First of all,geotechnical and chemical properties of used materials were determined.After curing times of 14 d,28 d,45 d,and 60 d in laboratory condition,the specimens were exposed to saturation levels ranging from 0 to 100%.The results showed that the moisture and curing time have significant effects on the properties of lime concrete.Based on the results of scanning electron micrograph(SEM) test,it was observed that the specimen was characterized by a rather well-structured matrix since both the filling of a large proportion of the coarse-grained soil voids by clay and the pozzolanic activity of lime led to retaining less pore water in the specimen,increasing the UCS and ES,and consequently resisting against swelling and shrinkage of the clay soil.Moreover,due to the pozzolanic reactions and reduction of water,by increasing the curing time and decreasing the degrees of saturation,UCS,ES,and IBincreased,and IDdecreased.Based on the experimental results,a phenomenological model was used to develop equations for predicting the properties in relation to the ratio of degree of saturation/curing time.The results showed that there was a good correlation(almost R2> 90%) between the measured parameters and the estimated ones given by the predicted equations.

Soil-water characteristics of Gaomiaozi bentonite by vapour equilibrium technique

Soil-water characteristics of Gaomiaozi(GMZ)Ca-bentonite at high suctions(3–287MPa)are measured by vapour equilibrium technique.The soil-water retention curve(SWRC)of samples with the same initial compaction states is obtained in drying and wetting process.At high suctions,the hysteresis behaviour is not obvious in relationship between water content and suction,while the opposite holds between degree of saturation and suction.The suction variation can change its water retention behaviour and void ratio.Moreover,changes of void ratio can bring about changes in degree of saturation.Therefore,the total change in degree of saturation includes changes caused by suction and that by void ratio.In the space of degree of saturation and suction,the SWRC at constant void ratio shifts to the direction of higher suctions with decreasing void ratio.However,the relationship between water content and suction is less affected by changes of void ratio.The degree of saturation decreases approximately linearly with increasing void ratio at a constant suction.Moreover,the slope of the line decreases with increasing suction and they show an approximately linear relationship in semi-logarithmical scale.From this linear relationship,the variation of degree of saturation caused by the change in void ratio can be obtained.Correspondingly,SWRC at a constant void ratio can be determined from SWRC at different void ratios.

Non-mechanical behaviors of soft clay in two-dimensional electro-osmotic consolidation

To investigate the soil behaviors in a direct current field on both spatial and temporal scales, a 1: 5 scale model test was conducted in laboratory to simulate the two-dimensional (2D) electro-osmotic consolidation of soft clay foundation. Volume of drainage, intensity, voltage, water content and pH value of water collected in the cathodes were monitored. The pH values of soil and the mass of anodes were measured before and after the test. The test results indicate that the unsaturated state, resultant from fissures induced by the differences in water contents, is favorable to dynamic compaction of soil during electro-osmotic drainage. The results also demonstrate that water content, degree of saturation and electric potential distributions can be used to deduce the electro-osmotic drainage process. Water content of soil decreases first near electrodes, while keeps nearly constant in the center of the model. The area with constant water content is larger than half of the sample surface. Moving anodes towards cathodes by about one third of the electrode spacing is effective to improve the treatment effect after electro-osmosis stops due to the large resistance. Moreover, it is observed that during electro-osmosis, the corrosion rate of anodes becomes smaller, while the variation in pH values of soil near anodes becomes larger.

Experimental and Modeling Study of Forest Fire Effect on Soil Thermal Conductivity

An understanding of soil thermal conductivity after a wildfire or controlled burn is important to land management and post-fire recovery efforts. Although soil thermal conductivity has been well studied for non-fire heated soils, comprehensive data that evaluate the long-term effect of extreme heating from a fire on the soil thermal conductivity are limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term impact of fire on the effective thermal conductivity of soils by directly comparing fire-heated and no-fire control soils through a series of laboratory studies. The thermal conductivity was measured for ten soil samples from two sites within the Manitou Experimental Forest, Colorado, USA, for a range of water contents from saturation to the residual degree of saturation. The thermal conductivity measured was compared with independent estimates made using three empirical models from literature, including the Campbell et al. （1994）, CSt~ and Konrad （2005）, and Massman et al. （2008） models. Results demonstrate that for the test soils studied, the thermal conductivity of the fire-heated soils was slightly lower than that of the control soils for all observed water contents. Modeling results show that the Campbell et al. （1994） model gave the best agreement over the full range of water contents when proper fitting parameters were employed. Further studies are needed to evaluate the significance of including the influence of fire burn on the thermal properties of soils in modeling studies.

Investigation of the hydro-mechanical behaviour of fouled ballast

In this study,a fouled ballast taken from the site of Sénissiat,France,was investigated.For the hydraulic behaviour,a large-scale cell was developed allowing drainage and evaporation tests to be carried out with monitoring of both suction and volumetric water content at various positions of the sample.It was observed that the hydraulic conductivity of fouled ballast is decreasing with suction increase,as for common unsaturated soils.The effect of fines content was found to be negligible.For the mechanical behaviour,both monotonic and cyclic triaxial tests were carried out using a large-scale triaxial cell.Various water contents were considered.The results were interpreted in terms of shear strength and permanent axial strain.It appeared that the water content is an important factor to be accounted for since any increase of water content or degree of saturation significantly decreases the shear strength and increases the permanent strain.Constitutive modelling has been attempted based on the experimental results.The model in its current state is capable of describing the effects of stress level,cycle number and water content.

Supporting Earth Pressures for Foundation Excavation Considering Suction Stress of Soil

The infiltration,evaporation and variation of the groundwater table have significant effects on the suction stress of the soils and the supporting earth pressures of the foundation excavation.The distribution of the suction stresses above the ground water table is derived under different fluxes at the ground surface,according to the soil-water characteristic parameters and the effective degree of saturation.In consideration of the cohesive stress formed from the soil suction stress and the relevant anti sliding effect,the calculation model of supporting earth pressures for foundation excavation is established by the variational limit equilibrium method under the steady flow condition.The evolution of the supporting earth pressures is studied in detail for foundation excavation under different fluxes at the ground surface.The effects of the soil-water characteristic parameters,the ground water table and the internal friction angle on the supporting earth pressures are discussed.The results show that the suction stress is reduced because of the infiltration,and thus the supporting earth pressure increases.The larger the air-entry pressures and the pore size are,the smaller the supporting earth pressures are.The higher the ground water table is,the larger the supporting earth pressures are.In order to reduce the construction risk,the effects of the suction stress and the evolution of the potential critical sliding surface should be considered during the calculation of the supporting earth pressures.