Comparison of Cyclic Shear Response of Three Natural Fine-Grained Soils Having Different Plasticity

Abstract eng:
A systematic laboratory experimental research program has been undertaken to further investigate the cyclic shear loading response of natural fine-grained soils. The study findings add to the information base on the observed effects of plasticity index (PI) on the cyclic response of natural soils, which is an important consideration in the current practice for assessing cyclic failure of fine-grained soils. As a part of this study, the shear response of natural fine-grained soil samples retrieved from the Fraser River Delta of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada was investigated using constant volume cyclic direct simple shear (CDSS) testing. During constant-volume CDSS loading, gradual increment of pore water pressure, shear strain, and associated progressive degradation of stiffness with increasing number of loading cycles were observed for all tested natural undisturbed soil specimens, despite their different plasticity and soil gradation. The potential for excess pore water pressure and shear strain development with number of cycles was noted to decrease with increasing soil plasticity; in turn, the cyclic resistance of natural undisturbed soil specimens was noted to decrease with decreasing soil plasticity.

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