Dynamic behaviour of weathered red mudstone in Sichuan(China)under triaxial cyclic loading

The construction of a high-speed railway(HSR) in Southwest China is being hindered by a severe shortage of high-quality subgrade materials. However, red mudstone is widely distributed in the Sichuan Basin of China. The ability to use weathered red mudstone(WRM) to fill subgrade beds by controlling its critical stress and cumulative strain would enable substantial savings in project investments and mitigate damage to the ecological environment. To better understand the dynamic behaviour of WRM, both monotonic and cyclic triaxial tests were performed. The evolution of the cumulative strain vs. increased loading cycles was measured. The influences of confining pressure and loading cycles on the dynamic modulus, damping ratio, critical cyclic stress ratio(CSR), and dynamic stress level(DSL) were investigated. The relationship between the CSR and loading cycles under different failure strain criteria(0.1%-1.0%) was analysed. The prediction model of cumulative strain was also evaluated. The results indicated that the shear strength of WRM sufficiently meets the static strength requirements of subgrade. The critical dynamic stress of WRM can thus satisfy the dynamic stress-bearing requirement of the HSR subgrade. The critical CSR decreases and displays a power function with increasing confining pressure. As the confining pressure increases, the DSL remains relatively stable, ranging between 0.153 and 0.163. Furthermore, the relationship between the dynamic strength and loading cycles required to cause failure was established. Finally, a newly developed model for determining cumulative strain was established. A prediction exercise showed that the model is in good agreement with the experimental data.

Damage evolution of rock-encased-backfill structure under stepwise cyclic triaxial loading

Rock-encased-backfill(RB)structures are common in underground mining,for example in the cut-andfill and stoping methods.To understand the effects of cyclic excavation and blasting activities on the damage of these RB structures,a series of triaxial stepwise-increasing-amplitude cyclic loading experiments was conducted with cylindrical RB specimens(rock on outside,backfill on inside)with different volume fractions of rock(VF=0.48,0.61,0.73,and 0.84),confining pressures(0,6,9,and 12 MPa),and cyclic loading rates(200,300,400,and 500 N/s).The damage evolution and meso-crack formation during the cyclic tests were analyzed with results from stress-strain hysteresis loops,acoustic emission events,and post-failure X-ray 3D fracture morphology.The results showed significant differences between cyclic and monotonic loadings of RB specimens,particularly with regard to the generation of shear microcracks,the development of stress memory and strain hardening,and the contact forces and associated friction that develops along the rock-backfill interface.One important finding is that as a function of the number of cycles,the elastic strain increases linearly and the dissipated energy increases exponentially.Also,compared with monotonic loading,the cyclic strain hardening characteristics are more sensitive to rising confining pressures during the initial compaction stage.Another finding is that compared with monotonic loading,more shear microcracks are generated during every reloading stage,but these microcracks tend to be dispersed and lessen the likelihood of large shear fracture formation.The transition from elastic to plastic behavior varies depending on the parameters of each test(confinement,volume fraction,and cyclic rate),and an interesting finding was that the transformation to plastic behavior is significantly lower under the conditions of 0.73 rock volume fraction,400 N/s cyclic loading rate,and 9 MPa confinement.All the findings have important practical implications on the ability of backfill to support underground excavations.

Strength characteristics and energy dissipation evolution of thawing silty clay during cyclic triaxial loading

Cyclic triaxial tests are conducted to analyze the evolution of strength parameters and energy dissipation of thawing silty clay under different stress paths.The effects of freezing temperature,thawing temperature and confining pressures on the stress-strain and strength characteristics of soil samples are studied through monotonic loading and cyclic loading tests by using high-and low-temperature triaxial apparatus.The variation of the total work,elastic deformation energy,dissipated energy,energy dissipation rate,residual strain,and damage variable during loading and unloading are discussed.The experimental results show that the samples have higher strain tolerance under high confining pressure,low freezing temperature,and low thawing temperature,and the same other conditions.The soil sample state and failure pattern can be judged by using the energy parameters measured in the experiment.

Liquefaction proneness of stratified sand-silt layers based on cyclic triaxial tests

Most studies on liquefaction have addressed homogeneous soil strata using sand or sand with fine content without considering soil stratification.In this study,cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on the stratified sand specimens embedded with the silt layers to investigate the liquefaction failures and void-redistribution at confining stress of 100 kPa under stress-controlled mode.The loosening of underlying sand mass and hindrance to pore-water flow caused localized bulging at the sand-silt interface.It is observed that at a silt thickness of 0.2H(H is the height of the specimen),nearly 187 load cycles were required to attain liquefaction,which was the highest among all the silt thicknesses with a single silt layer.Therefore,0.2H is assumed as the optimum silt thickness(t_(opt)).The silt was placed at the top,middle and bottom of the specimen to understand the effect of silt layer location.Due to the increase in depth of the silt layer from the top position(capped soil state)to the bottom,the cycles to reach liquefaction(N_(cyc,L))increased 2.18 times.Also,when the number of silt layers increased from single to triple,there was an increase of about 880%in N_(cyc,L).The micro-characterization analysis of the soil specimens indicated silty materials transported in upper sections of the specimen due to the dissipated pore pressure.The main parameters,including thickness(t),location(z),cyclic stress ratio(CSR),number of silt layers(n)and modified relative density(D_(r,m)),performed significantly in governing the lique-faction resistance.For this,a multilinear regression model is developed based on critical parameters for prediction of N_(cyc,L).Furthermore,the developed constitutive model has been validated using the data from the present study and earlier findings.

Fatigue Properties of Plain Concrete under Triaxial Constant-Amplitude Tension-Compression Cyclic Loading

Fatigue tests were conducted on tapered plain concrete prism specimens under tri axial constant-amplitude tension-compression cyclic loading. The low stress of the cyclic loading was taken as 0.2f c and the upper stress ranged from 0. 20f t to 0.65f t. Three constant lateral pressures were 0.1f c, 0.2f c and 0.3f c respec tively. Based on the results, the th ree-stage evolution rule of the fatigue stiffness, maximum(minimum) longitudina l strain and damage were analyzed, and a unified S-N curve to calculate fati gue strength factors was worked out. The results show that the fatigue strength and fa tigue life under triaxial constant-amplitude tension-compression cyclic loadin g are smaller than those under uniaxial fatigue condition. Moreover, the secondary strain creep rate is related to the fatigue life, a formula for describing thei r relation was derived. The investigation of this paper can provide information for the fatigue design of concrete structures.

Addressing the permanent deformation behavior of hot mix asphalt by triaxial cyclic compression testing with cyclic confining pressure

Rutting or permanent deformation is one of the major distress modes of hot mix asphalt in the field. Triaxial cycle compression testing （TCCT） is a standardized and scientifically accepted test method to address this distress mode in the lab and to characterize the resistance to permanent deformation. In most labs and according to EN 12697-25, standard TGCTs are carried out with cyclic axial loading and a constant confining pressure. In road pavements on the other hand, dynamic traffic loading due to passing wheels leads to cyclic confining pressure. In order to bring the TCCT closer to reality, the radial reaction and its phase lag to axial loading in standard TCCTs are analyzed and an enhanced TCCT with cyclic confining pressure is introduced. The cyclic confining pressure takes into account the viscoelastic material response by the radial phase lag to axial phase loading. In a subsequent test program, TCCTs with different confining pressure amplitudes were carried out on two hot mix asphalts. Results from standard and enhanced TCCTs were analyzed, compared and discussed. It is shown that the resistance to permanent deformation in- creases significantly when the viscoelastic material response is taken into account in the TCCT by introducing cyclic confining pressure.

Experimental Study on Performance of Plain Concrete Due to Triaxial Variable-Amplitude Tension-Compression Cyclic Loading

An experimental study on performance of plain concrete under triaxial constant-amplitude and variable amplitude tension- compression cyclic loadings was carded out. The low level of the cyclic stress is 0. 2f and the upper level ranges between 0. 20f and 0. 55f., while the constant lateral pressure is 0. 3 f . The specimen failure mode, the three-stage evolution rule of the longitudinal strains and the damage evolution law under cyclic loading were analyzed. Furthermore, Miner＇s rule is proved not to be applicable to the cyclic loading conditions, hereby, a nonlinear cumulative damage model was established. Based on the model the remaining fatigue life was evaluated. The comparison whh the experiment resuhs shaws that the model is of better precision and applicability.

Assessment of cyclic deformation and critical stress amplitude of jointed rocks via cyclic triaxial testing

Jointed rock specimens with a natural replicated joint surface oriented at a mean dip angle of 60were prepared,and a series of cyclic triaxial tests was performed at different confining pressures and cyclic deviatoric stress amplitudes.The samples were subjected to 10,000 loading-unloading cycles with a frequency of 8 Hz.At each level of confining pressure,the applied cyclic deviatoric stress amplitude was increased incrementally until excessive deformation of the jointed rock specimen was observed.Analysis of the test results indicated that there existed a critical cyclic deviatoric stress amplitude(i.e.critical dynamic deviatoric stress)beyond which the jointed rock specimens yielded.The measured critical dynamic deviatoric stress was less than the corresponding static deviatoric stress.At cyclic deviatoric stress amplitudes less than the critical dynamic deviatoric stress,minor cumulative residual axial strains were observed,resulting in hysteretic damping.However,for cyclic deviatoric stresses beyond the critical dynamic deviatoric stress,the plastic strains increased promptly,and the resilient moduli degraded rapidly during the initial loading cycles.Cyclic triaxial test results showed that at higher confining pressures,the ultimate residual axial strain attained by the jointed rock specimen decreased,the steadystate dissipated energy density and steady-state damping ratio per load cycle decreased,while steadystate resilient moduli increased.

Effect of Cyclic Loading Frequency on Undrained Behaviors of Undisturbed Marine Clay

Based on a series of cyclic triaxial tests, the effect of cyclic frequency on the undrained behaviors of undisturbed marine clay is investigated. For a given dynamic stress ratio, the accumulated pore water pressure and dynamic strain increase with the number of cycles. There exists a threshold value for both the accumulated pore water pressure and dynamic strain, below which the effect of cyclic frequency is very small, but above which the accumulated pore water pressure and dynamic strain increase intensely with the decrease of cyclic frequency for a given number of cycles. The dynamic strength increases with the increase of cyclic frequency, whereas the effect of cyclic frequency on it gradually diminishes to zero when the number of cycles is large enough, and the dynamic strengths at different frequencies tend to the same limiting minimum dynamic strength. The test results demonstrate that the reasons for the frequency effect on the undrained soil behaviors are both the creep effect induced by the loading rate and the decrease of sample effective confining pressure caused by the accumulated pore water pressure.

Experimental Study on Cyclic Mechanics Characteristic of Saturated Soft Clay Strata

Failure criterion of saturated soft clay is studied under cyclic loads through different experiments. A large number of cyclic torsional shear and cyclic triaxial tests on saturated soft clay under unconsolidated undrained condition are conducted. From the test result analysis, it is seen that the failure of saturated soft clay under static and cyclic loads satisfies Mises criterion. The result from different test stress states is not related to the test stress states or confining pressures. It can be applied in general stress states. Then according to the Mises criterion, the equivalent relationship on failure moment between the test stress state and the general stress state can be established. So the cyclic mechanics characteristics of saturated soft clay at failure moment are clarified in this paper. Furthermore, a theory basis is provided for using pseudo-static elasto-plastic cyclic strength model to evaluate cyclic bearing capacity.

Dynamic properties and liquefaction behaviour of cohesive soil in northeast India under staged cyclic loading

Estimation of strain-dependent dynamic soil properties, e.g. the shear modulus and damping ratio, along with the liquefaction potential parameters, is extremely important for the assessment and analysis of almost all geotechnical problems involving dynamic loading. This paper presents the dynamic properties and liquefaction behaviour of cohesive soil subjected to staged cyclic loading, which may be caused by main shocks of earthquakes preceded or followed by minor foreshocks or aftershocks, respectively. Cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on the specimens prepared at different dry densities （1.5 g/cm3 and 1.75 g/cm3） and different water contents ranging from 8% to 25%. The results indicated that the shear modulus reduction （G/Gmax） and damping ratio of the specimen remain unaffected due to the changes in the initial dry density and water content. Damping ratio is significantly affected by confining pressure, whereas G/Gmax is affected marginally. It was seen that the liquefaction criterion of cohesive soils based on single-amplitude shear strain （3.75% or the strain at which excess pore water pressure ratio becomes equal to 1, whichever is lower） depends on the initial state of soils and applied stresses. The dynamic model of the regional soil, obtained as an outcome of the cyclic triaxial tests, can be successfully used for ground response analysis of the region.

Settlement and Stability Analysis on Soft Clay Under Cyclic Loading

The results of undrained cyclic triaxial tests on three types of clays are collected and a relationship among the accumulated strain, the initial stress state, cyclic stress in the soil, as well as the number of cycles is established based on the experimental data. With this relationship, a procedure is proposed for subsidence and stability analysis on soft clay under the action of cyclic loads.

Constitutive Model of Saturated Soft Clay with Cyclic Loads under Unconsolidated Undrained Condition

An equivalent visco-elastic model of saturated soft clay was studied under unconsolidated undrained (UU) condition, which can be used to evaluate the stability of ocean foundation. Cyclic triaxial compression and extension tests were conducted to study the parameters of the model. Results showed that the relationships of the damping ratio and the octahedral shear modulus with the octahedral cyclic shear strain were nearly unique, when the initial octahedral shear stress ratios of specimens were equal to 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7. The relationships of the damping ratio and the octahedral shear modulus with the octahedral cyclic shear strain determined from the cyclic triaxial compression tests were basically the same as those determined from the cyclic triaxial extension tests. Furthermore, the relationships were not related to the initial stress condition, the test stress state and the octahedral cyclic shear stress ratio. The relationships determined from the cyclic triaxial tests under no deviatoric stress were basically the same as those determined from the cyclic triaxial tests under deviatoric stress. The change of the octahedral cyclic accumulative strain with the number of cycles was unique under different tests stress states. An equivalent visco-elastic constitutive model of saturated soft clay under UU condition was initially established.

Cyclic deformation behaviour of natural K_0-consolidated soft clay under different stress paths

Characteristic of cyclic loading due to passing wheels is associated with one-way loading without stress reversal,which includes a simultaneous cyclic variation of vertical normal stress and horizontal normal stress lasting for a long period of time and generally takes place in partially-drained conditions.Therefore,it is of great practical relevance to study the deformation behaviour according to the characteristic of traffic loading.In this work,a series of one-way stress-controlled cyclic triaxial tests with a simultaneous variation of the vertical and horizontal stress components during cyclic loading were conducted to investigate the deformation behaviour of natural K_0-consolidated soft clay in partially-drained conditions.Test results demonstrate that not only the deviator part of the stress rules accumulation but also the volumetric part significantly contributes.While the deviator part of the stress amplitude is held constant,the increase amplitude of cyclic confining pressure will promote the development of both permanent volumetric strain and axial strain significantly.Furthermore,the effects of cyclic confining pressure on the deformation of natural K_0-consolidated soft clay was quantified.Finally,an empirical formula for permanent axial strain considering the effects of cyclic confining pressure was proposed which can be used for feasibility studies or for the preliminary design of foundations on K_0-consolidated soft clay subjected to traffic loading.

Undrained dynamical behavior of Nanjing flake-shaped fine sand under cyclic loading

A series of dynamic behavior tests on Nanjing flake-shaped fine sand were performed by using the WFI cyclic triaxial apparatus made in England. The dynamic behaviors of Nanjing flake-shaped fine sand under different static deviator stress levels and cyclic stress ratios were studied. Through comparing the effective stress path under cyclic loading with static loading, the processes of liquefaction of saturated Nanjing flake-shaped fine sand with development of dynamic pore-water pressure, including the initial compact state, compression state and dilative state, were investigated. The variation of the shear stiffness with the number of cycles and cyclic strain was investigated by analyzing the secant shear modulus in each unload-reload loop of dynamic stress-strain relationship. And by means of the exponential function, the empirical equations of the relationship between secant shear modulus Gsec, shear modulus ratio Gsec/Gmax and cyclic strain ε were established based on series of test results. The results show that according to different combinations of static deviator stress and cyclic stress, two kinds of failure patterns with deviator stress reversal or no deviator stress reversal are observed in the samples tested in this series, including cyclic mobility and the failure of accumulation residual strain. In addition, the degradation of dynamic shear modulus is due to the development of vibration pore-water pressure and it is observed that the shear modulus reduces with the progressive number of cycles.

Experimental study of seismic cyclic loading effects on small strain shear modulus of saturated sands

The seismic loading on saturated soil deposits induces a decrease in effective stress and a rearrangement of the soil-particle structure, which may both lead to a degradation in undrained stiffness and strength of soils. Only the effective stress influence on small strain shear modulus Gmax is considered in seismic response analysis nowadays, and the cyclic shearing induced fabric changes of the soil-particle structure are neglected. In this paper, undrained cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on saturated sands with the shear wave velocity measured by bender element, to study the influences of seismic loading on Gmax. And Gmax of samples without cyclic loading effects was also investigated for comparison. The test results indicated that Gmax under cyclic loading effects is lower than that without such effects at the same effective stress, and also well correlated with the effective stress variation. Hence it is necessary to reinvestigate the determination of Gmax in seismic response analysis carefully to predict the ground responses during earthquake more reasonably.

各向异性层状千枚岩渗透率及有效孔隙率试验研究

采用岩石全自动三轴伺服仪和气体渗透装置,对一种致密的各向异性层状千枚岩开展了气体渗透率及有效孔隙率试验,研究常规三轴压缩和围压循环加卸载2种应力路径下,气体渗透率、有效孔隙率随层理倾角及偏应力的演化规律。结果表明:围压相同时,岩样的初始气体渗透率k0随着层理倾角β的增大呈“W”型变化,在β=45°时取最大值;在围压循环加卸载过程中,气体渗透率先随围压的加载而减小,后随围压的卸载而增大,卸载时的气体渗透率小于加载时的渗透率;层状千枚岩有效孔隙率和气体渗透率呈指数关系;平行于层理方向的气体渗透率远大于垂直于层理方向的气体渗透率;岩样有效孔隙率和气体渗透率随偏应力变化经历初始压密阶段、线弹性阶段和塑性变形阶段,随着偏应力的增大,岩样有效孔隙率和气体渗透率先减小,接着保持稳定,最后快速增大,并在岩样应力-应变曲线斜率接近于0时达到最大值。

真三轴循环荷载下含裂缝砂岩能量和损伤分析

探究真三轴循环荷载作用下含裂缝砂岩能量演化有助于明确岩石损伤破坏规律。开展了真三轴循环加卸载试验,分析了吸收总能量、弹性能、耗散能和塑性变形能的演化特征,并建立岩石损伤评价模型,结合断裂面细观损伤特征,探讨了岩石损伤破坏规律。结果表明:随着裂缝角度增大,试样强度越大,破坏时吸收总能量越大,分别为0.238、0.276、0.307、0.332 MJ/m^(3);试验时吸收总能量、弹性能、耗散能均逐渐增加,塑性变形能先减小后增大;通过滞回环能量和总耗散能量,建立岩石损伤破坏评价指标,两者评价结果一致,岩石损伤程度随加卸载进行呈非线性变化;试样破坏时经历循环加卸载次数越多,受挤压摩擦程度越高,断裂面细观形貌越复杂。

重塑黄土的往返加卸载真三轴试验研究

针对不同应力路径往返加卸载条件下黄土累积塑性应变发展特性,以重塑黄土为研究对象,利用真三轴仪开展不同应力路径的往返加卸载试验研究,探究不同应力路径、应力幅值下黄土的循环应力时程曲线、滞回曲线、骨干曲线及累积塑性应变曲线的影响规律。揭示了应力路径对重塑黄土力学特性的影响,描述了各主应力与中主应力比b和应力幅值的相关性,提出了重塑黄土的滞回曲线近似呈椭圆形,长轴斜率随中主应力比b值的增大而增大,随应力幅值的增大而减小;随着中主应力比b值的增大,循环应力-应变骨干曲线随之硬化,累积塑性应变曲线依次降低,且累积塑性应变发展更早的进入平缓阶段,为解决相关黄土工程问题提供了参考。

Evolution of mechanical parameters of Shuangjiangkou granite under different loading cycles and stress paths

Surrounding rocks at different locations are generally subjected to different stress paths during the process of deep hard rock excavation.In this study,to reveal the mechanical parameters of deep surrounding rock under different stress paths,a new cyclic loading and unloading test method for controlled true triaxial loading and unloading and principal stress direction interchange was proposed,and the evolution of mechanical parameters of Shuangjiangkou granite under different stress paths was studied,including the deformation modulus,elastic deformation increment ratios,fracture degree,cohesion and internal friction angle.Additionally,stress path coefficient was defined to characterize different stress paths,and the functional relationships among the stress path coefficient,rock fracture degree difference coefficient,cohesion and internal friction angle were obtained.The results show that during the true triaxial cyclic loading and unloading process,the deformation modulus and cohesion gradually decrease,while the internal friction angle gradually increases with increasing equivalent crack strain.The stress path coefficient is exponentially related to the rock fracture degree difference coefficient.As the stress path coefficient increases,the degrees of cohesion weakening and internal friction angle strengthening decrease linearly.During cyclic loading and unloading under true triaxial principal stress direction interchange,the direction of crack development changes,and the deformation modulus increases,while the cohesion and internal friction angle decrease slightly,indicating that the principal stress direction interchange has a strengthening effect on the surrounding rocks.Finally,the influences of the principal stress interchange direction on the stabilities of deep engineering excavation projects are discussed.