Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Soil-water characteristics and shear strength in constant water content triaxial tests on Yunnan red clay

  • Published:
Journal of Central South University Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The shear strength parameters for geotechnical designs are obtained mainly from consolidated drained (CD) or consolidated undrained (CU) triaxial tests. However, during construction, the excess pore-air pressure generally dissipates instantaneously while the excess pore-water pressure dissipates with time. This condition needs to be simulated in a constant water content (CW) triaxial test. The study on Yunnan red clay is carried out to investigate the soil-water characteristics and the shear strength characteristics under the constant water content condition. Osmotic technique is used to obtain the soil-water characteristic curve. A series of CW triaxial tests are conducted on statically compacted specimens. The experimental results show that the soil-water characteristic curve has a low air entry value of 7 kPa due to large pores in non-uniform pore size distribution, and a high residual value exceeding 10 MPa. In addition, the initial degree of saturation and net confining stress play an important role in affecting the shear characteristics under the constant water content condition. Finally, a new semi-empirical shear strength model in terms of degree of saturation is proposed and then applied to Yunnan red clay. Simulation result shows that the model is capable of capturing some key features of soils. The model can be used in whole engineering practice range, covering both unsaturated and saturated soils.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. FREDLUND D G, RAHARDJO H. Soil mechanics for unsaturated soils [M]. New York: Wiley Interscience, 1993: 133–136.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  2. FREDLUND D G. Unsaturated soil mechanics in engineering practice [J]. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 2006, 132(3): 286–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. BLATZ J A, CUI Yu-jun, OLDECOP L. Vapour equilibrium and osmotic technique for suction control [J]. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 2008, 26(6): 661–673.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. WALLE C M, HACHICH W. Rain-induced landslides in south eastern Brazil [C]// Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Rio de Janeiro, 1989: 1639–1642.

    Google Scholar 

  5. TERZAGHI K, PECK R B, MESRI G. Soil mechanics in engineering practice [M]. 3rd edition. New York: Wiley-Interscience, 1996: 361–365.

    Google Scholar 

  6. THU T M, RAHARDJO H, LEONG E C. Shear strength and pore-water pressure characteristics during constant water content triaxial tests [J]. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 2006, 132(3): 411–419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. BISHOP A W, ALPAN I, BLIGHT G E, DONALD I B. Factors controlling the strength of partly saturated cohesive soils [C]// Proceedings of ASCE Research Conference on Shear Strength of Cohesive Soils. University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo, 1960: 503–532.

    Google Scholar 

  8. BISHOP A W, DONALD I B. The experimental study of partly saturated soils in triaxial apparatus [C]// Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Paris, 1961: 13–21.

    Google Scholar 

  9. BLIGHT G E. Strength and consolidation characteristics of compacted soil [M]. London: University of London, 1961: 123–127.

    Google Scholar 

  10. SATIJA B S. Shear behaviour of partly saturated soil [D]. Delhi: Indian Institute of Technology, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  11. SIVAKUMAR V. A critical state framework for unsaturated soil [D]. Sheffield: University of Sheffield, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  12. RAHARDJO H, HENG O B, CHOON L E. Shear strength of a compacted residual soil from consolidated drained and constant water content triaxial tests [J]. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2004, 41(3): 421–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. LING Hua, YIN Zong-ze. Variation of unsaturated soil strength with water contents [J]. Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering, 2007, 26(7): 1499–1503. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  14. YANG Qing, HE Jie, LUAN Mao-tian. Comparative study on shear strength of unsaturated red clay and expansive soils [J]. Rock and Soil Mechanics. 2003, 24(1): 13–16. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  15. ZHANG Fang-zhi, CHEN Xiao-ping. Experimental study on characteristics of deformation and strength of unsaturated clay [J]. Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering, 2009, 28(2): 3808–3814. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  16. XIAO Zhi-yu, CHEN Chang-fu, YANG Jian-xiang. Experimental studies of the strength variation of unsaturated residual soil with different water contents [J]. Journal of Hunan University, 2010, 37(10): 20–24. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  17. BIAN Jia-min, WANG Bao-tian. Research on influence of water contents on the shear strength behavior of unsaturated soils [J]. Chinese Journal of Underground Space and Engineering, 2011, 7(1): 17–21, 43. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  18. JI Hong-bing, WANG shi-jie, OUYANG Zi-yuan, ZHANG Shen, SUN Chen-xing, LIU Xiu-ming, ZHOU De-quan. Geochemistry of red residua underlying dolomites in karst terrains of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau I. The formation of the Pingba profile [J]. Chemical Geology, 2004, 203(1/2): 1–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. DELAGE P, HOWAT M D, CUI Yu-jun. The relationship between suction and swelling properties in a heavily compacted unsaturated clay [J]. Engineering Geology, 1998, 50(1/2): 31–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. CHEN Bao, QIAN Li-xin, YE Wei-min, CUI Yu-jun, WANG Ju. Soil-water characteristic curves of Gaomiaozi bentonite [J]. Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering, 2006, 25(4): 788–792. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  21. GARDNER W. Mathematics of isothermal water conduction in unsaturated soils [C]// The International Symposia on Physico-Chemical Phenomenon in Soils. Washington D C: Highway Research Board, 1958: 78–87.

    Google Scholar 

  22. ESCARIO V, JUCA J F T, COPPE M S. Strength and deformation of partly saturated soils [C]// Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Rio De Janeiro, 1990: 43–46.

    Google Scholar 

  23. NG C W W, YUNG S Y. Determination of the anisotropic shear stiffness of an unsaturated decomposed soil [J]. Geotechnique, 2008, 58(1): 23–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. ONG B H. Shear strength and volume change of unsaturated residual soil [D]. Singapore: Nanyang Technological University, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  25. CRONEY D, COLEMAN J D, BLACK W P M. Movement and distribution of water in soil in relation to highway design and performance [C]// Highway Research Board Special Report 40. Washington D C: US Highway Research Board, 1958: 226–252.

    Google Scholar 

  26. BURLAND J B. Some aspects of the mechanical behavior of partly saturated soils [C]// Proceedings of the Conference Moisture Equilibria and Moisture Changes in Soil Beneath Covered Areas. Guilford, UK: Butterworths, 1965: 270–278.

    Google Scholar 

  27. COLLINS K, MCGOWN A. The form and function of microfabric features in a variety of natural soils [J]. Geotechnique, 1974, 24(2): 223–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. CHIU C F, NG C W W. A state-dependent elasto-plastic model for saturated and unsaturated soils [J]. Geotechnique, 2003, 53(9): 809–829.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. DELAGE P, GRAHAM J. Mechanical behavior of unsaturated soil: understanding the behaviour [C]// Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Unsaturated Soils. Paris, 1995: 1223–1256.

    Google Scholar 

  30. GENS A. Constitutive modeling: Application to compacted soils [C]// Proceeding of the first international conference on unsaturated soils. Paris, 1995, 9: 1179–1200.

    Google Scholar 

  31. WHEELER S J, KARUBE D. Constitutive modelling [C]// Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Unsaturated Soils. Paris, 1995: 1323–1356.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China

    Shao-kun Ma  (马少坤)

  2. Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China

    Mao-song Huang  (黄茂松) & Chao Yang  (杨超)

  3. School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China

    Ping Hu  (扈萍)

Authors
  1. Shao-kun Ma  (马少坤)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mao-song Huang  (黄茂松)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ping Hu  (扈萍)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Chao Yang  (杨超)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shao-kun Ma  (马少坤).

Additional information

Foundation item: Project(51068002) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Project(10-046-14-1) supported by Guangxi Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, China

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ma, Sk., Huang, Ms., Hu, P. et al. Soil-water characteristics and shear strength in constant water content triaxial tests on Yunnan red clay. J. Cent. South Univ. 20, 1412–1419 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-013-1629-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-013-1629-1

Key words

Search

Navigation