• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.251-262
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• 2012

Triaxial tests are essential to estimate the shear strength properties of the soil or rock. Normally triaxial tests are carried out on samples of 38 mm diameter and 76 mm height. Granular materials, predominantly used in base/sub-base construction of pavements or in railways have size range of 60-75 mm. Determination of shear strength parameters of those materials can be made possible only through triaxial tests on large diameter samples. This paper describes a large diameter cyclic triaxial testing facility set up in the Geotechnical Engineering lab of Indian Institute of Science. This setup consists of 100 kN capacity dynamic loading frame, which facilitates testing of samples of up to 300 mm diameter and 600 mm height. The loading ram can be actuated up to a maximum frequency of 10 Hz, with maximum amplitude of 100 mm. The setup is capable of carrying out static as well as dynamic triaxial tests under isotropic, anisotropic conditions with a maximum confining pressure of 1 MPa. Working with this setup is a difficult task because of the size of the sample. In this paper, a detailed discussion on the various problems encountered during the initial testing using the equipment, the ideas and solutions adopted to solve them are presented. Pilot experiments on granular sub-base material of 53 mm down size are also presented.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2009.03a
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• pp.940-951
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• 2009

A comparative study on dynamic and static measurement of initial stiffness was conducted. Because soil stiffness decreases even at very small strains, the initial stiffness has been measured by dynamic tests using shear wave velocity measurement. On the other hand, due to the advance of local strain measurement, the triaxial testing device is capable of measuring the static initial stiffness. It has been known that initial stiffness measured by static triaxial tests is generally lower than that measured by dynamic tests possibly due to the limitation of static measurement of displacement at very small strains. This study presents experimental results indicating that the elastic shear moduli could be the same both in dynamic and static measurements owing to the soil anisotropy induced by anisotropic stresses.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.85-95
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• 2024

This study investigates the influence of nano-silica and basalt fiber content, curing duration, and freeze-thaw cycles on the static and dynamic properties of soil specimens. A comprehensive series of tests, including Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS), static triaxial, and dynamic triaxial tests, were conducted. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was employed to examine the microstructure of treated specimens. Results indicate that a combination of 1% fiber and 10% nano-silica yields optimal soil enhancement. The failure patterns of specimens varied significantly depending on the type of additive. Static triaxial tests revealed a notable reduction in the brittleness index (IB) with the inclusion of basalt fibers. Specimens containing 10% nano-silica and 1% fiber exhibited superior shear strength parameters and UCS. The highest cohesion and friction angle were obtained for treated specimens with 10% nano-silica and 1% fiber, 90 kPa and 37.8°, respectively. Furthermore, an increase in curing time led to a significant increase in UCS values for specimens containing nano-silica. Additionally, the addition of fiber resulted in a decrease in IB, while the addition of nano-silica led to an increase in IB. Increasing nano-silica content in stabilized specimens enhanced shear modulus while decreasing the damping ratio. Freeze-thaw cycles were found to decrease the cohesion of treated specimens based on the results of static triaxial tests. Specimens treated with 10% nano-silica and 1% fiber experienced a reduction in shear modulus and an increase in the damping ratio under freeze-thaw conditions. SEM analysis reveals dense microstructure in nano-silica stabilized specimens, enhanced adhesion of soil particles and fibers, and increased roughness on fiber surfaces.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.391-406
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• 2024

In order to study the soil seasonal dynamic characteristics in the regions with four distinct seasons, the soil dynamic triaxial experiments were conducted by considering the environmental temperature range from -30℃ to 30℃. The results demonstrate that the dynamic soil properties in four seasons can change greatly. Firstly, the dynamic triaxial experiments were performed to obtain the dynamic stress-strain curve, elastic modulus, and damping ratio of soil, under different confining pressures and temperatures. Then, the experiments also obtain the dynamic cohesion and internal friction angle of the clay under the initial strain, and the changing rule was summarized. Finally, the results show that the dynamic elastic modulus and dynamic cohesion will increase significantly when the clay is frozen; as the temperature continues to decrease, this increasing trend will gradually slow down, and the dynamic damping ratio will go down when the freezing temperature decreases. In this paper, the change mechanism is objectively analyzed, which verifies the reliability of the conclusions obtained from the experiment.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2021

Deformations in soils induced by dynamic loads cause damage to the structures above the soil layers. It is important for geotechnical engineering practice that how the soil behaves due to repeated loads and the necessary precautions to be taken accordingly. Turkey is one of the most important seismic regions in Europe and earthquake studies to be conducted in this area are intended to reduce the damage as a result of taking the necessary measures. To determine the properties of soils under dynamic loads, stress-controlled dynamic triaxial and resonant column tests can be performed. In this study, these experiments were implemented in the laboratory on the clayey sand soil samples obtained from Bilecik Söğüt. To evaluate the effects of the confining pressure and rate of loading on the dynamic behavior of soils, samples were dynamically loaded by different rates at varying confining pressures. As a result, the changes in stress-strain properties of soils under dynamic loads were investigated. The alteration in behavior in terms of modulus reduction and damping ratios was obtained to vary a lot with the change of the lateral pressure on soil along with the frequency of the load.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.140-147
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• 2003

There are many problems in the prediction of soil dynamic behaviors because undrained excess pore water pressure builds up and then the strain softening behavior is occurred simultaneously. A few analytical methods based on the dynamic constitutive model have been proposed but the model hardly predict the excess pore water pressure directly. In this study, the verification on the disturbed state concept (DSC) model, proposed by Dr, Desai was performed. Some laboratory tests such as conventional triaxial tests and cyclic triaxial tests were carried out to determine DSC Parameters and then disturbance values are determined by the proposed equation. Through this verification, it is proved that the disturbed state concept can express reliably the soil dynamic characteristics such as excess pore water pressure and strain softening behavior. It is also found that the critical disturbance which is determined at the minimum curvature of disturbance function can be a the specific index.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.243-259
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• 2023

Turkey is one of the most important earthquake regions in Europe. This region has been exposed to many earthquakes of different magnitudes from past to present. It is of great importance to determine the dynamic properties of the soils for structures to be built in earthquake zones. In order to minimize the damages that may occur, the behavior of the soils under repeated loads should be known and taken into consideration in the design. In this study, 4 different point borings were taken near active fault lines in the North Anatolian fault zone (NAFZ). In order to determine the dynamic parameters of soils, both dynamic triaxial (TRX) and resonant column (RC) tests were carried out on undisturbed samples at every 5 m. As a result of the experiments, V_s and G_max values were obtained from the field and differences were determined. The dynamic behavior of the soil was examined at varying depths with the comparison of reference models in the literature and compatible results were obtained. Finally, the behavior at the transition region is highlighted. As a result, three shear modulus and dumping ratio models have been proposed for clay soils to be used in different soil conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.299-308
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• 2003

In order to investigate the dynamic deformation properties of rockfill materials in small strain level, cyclic triaxial tests were conducted using the large cyclic triaxial testing apparatus, which was developed by Water Resources Research Institute of KOWACO in 2001. Two types of rockfill materials consisting of granite and shale-sandstone were tested in this study. The test results show that G/G$\_$max/ of granite specimen decreases more than that of shale-sandstone with the increase of shear strain and the increase ratio in the maximum shear modulus G$\_$max/ of granite is bigger than the ratio of shale-sandstone.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.317-328
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• 2024

Adopting a rational engineering methodology for building structures on sandy-clay soil layers has become increasingly important since it is crucial when structures erected on them often face seismic and cyclic wave loads. Such loads can cause a reduction in the stiffness, strength, and stability of the structure, particularly under un-drained conditions. Hence, this study aims to investigate how the dynamic properties of sand-clay mixtures are affected by loading frequency and clay content. Cyclic triaxial tests were performed on a total of 36 samples, comprising pure sand with a relative density of 60% and sand with varying percentages of clay. The tests were conducted under confining pressures of 50 and 100 kPa, and the samples' dynamic behavior was analyzed at loading frequencies of 0.1, 1, and 4 Hz. The findings indicate that an increase in confining pressure leads to greater inter-particle interaction and a reduced void ratio, which results in an increase in the soil's shear modulus. An increase in the shear strength and confinement of the samples led to a decrease in energy dissipation and damping ratio. Changes in loading frequency showed that as the frequency increased, the damping ratio decreased, and the strength of the samples increased. Increasing the loading frequency not only reflects changes in frequency but also reduces the relative permeability and enhances the resistance of samples. An analysis of the dynamic properties of sand and sand-clay mixtures indicates that the introduction of clay to a sand sample reduces the shear modulus and permeability properties.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-70
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• 1998

Samples of silty sands and hydraulic fill ground were investigated by dynamic triaxial teats in order to evaluate the liquefaction strengths. In the tests, (1) undisturbed and disturbed samples were prepared, (2) dynamic shear strengths were measured under isotropic and anisotropic condition, and (3) the test results were compared with the other results which were tested by domestic and foreign researchers. The liquefaction shear strengths under ismtropic test condition were presented in terms of the relative densities. The amount of silt under 30o hardly influenced on the liquefaction strength. In the test results of anisotropically consolidated samples the liquefaction strength was dependent on the magnitude of the effective consolidation ratio. These teat results show that the liquefaction strength of the silty sand in Korea went coast exists within the boundary of the values suggested by Seed and Peacock(1971).