Fundamental Parameters for the Stiffness and Strength Control of Artificially Cemented Sand

The treatment of soils with cement is an attractive technique when the project requires improvement of the local soil for the construction of subgrades for rail tracks, as a support layer for shallow foundations and to prevent sand liquefaction. As reported by Consoli et al. in 2007, a unique dosage methodology has been established based on rational criteria where the voids/cement ratio plays a fundamental role in the assessment of the target unconfined compressive strength. The present study broadened the research carried out by Consoli et al. in 2007 through quantifying quantifies the influence of voids/cement ratio on the initial shear modulus (G0) and Mohr-Coulomb effective strength parameters (c′,?′) of an artificially cemented sand. A number of unconfined compression and triaxial compression tests with bender elements measurements were carried out. It was shown that the void/cement ratio defined as the ratio between the volume of voids of the compacted mixture and the volume of cement is an appropriate parameter to assess both initial stiffness and effective strength of the sand-cement mixture studied.     

Parameters Controlling Tensile and Compressive Strength of Artificially Cemented Sand

The enhancement of local soils with cement for the construction of stabilized pavement bases, canal lining, and support layer for shallow foundations shows great economical and environmental advantages, avoiding the use of borrow materials from elsewhere, as well as the need of a spoil area. The present research aims to quantify the influence of the amount of cement, the porosity, and the voids/cement ratio in the assessment of unconfined compressive strength (qu) and splitting tensile strength (qt) of an artificially cemented sand, as well as in the evaluation of qt/qu relationship. A program of splitting tensile tests and unconfined compression tests considering three distinct voids ratio and seven cement contents, varying from 1 to 12%, was carried out in the present study. The results show that a power function adapts well qt and qu values with increasing cement content and with reducing porosity of the compacted mixture. The voids/cement ratio is demonstrated to be an appropriate parameter to assess both qt and qu of the sand-cement mixture studied. Finally, the qt/qu relationship is unique for the sand-cement studied, being independent of the voids/cement ratio.     

Key Parameters for Strength Control of Artificially Cemented Soils

Often, the use of traditional techniques in geotechnical engineering faces obstacles of economical and environmental nature. The addition of cement becomes an attractive technique when the project requires improvement of the local soil. The treatment of soils with cement finds application, for instance, in the construction of pavement base layers, in slope protection of earth dams, and as a support layer for shallow foundations. However, there are no dosage methodologies based on rational criteria as exist in the case of the concrete technology, where the water/cement ratio plays a fundamental role in the assessment of the target strength. This study therefore aims to quantify the influence of the amount of cement, the porosity and the moisture content on the strength of a sandy soil artificially cemented, as well as to evaluate the use of a water/cement ratio and a voids/cement ratio to assess its unconfined compression strength. A number of unconfined compression tests, triaxial compression tests, and measurements of matric suction were carried out. The results show that the unconfined compression strength increased linearly with the increase in the cement content and exponentially with the reduction in porosity of the compacted mixture. The change in moisture content also has a marked effect on the unconfined compression strength of mixtures compacted at the same dry density. It was shown that, for the soil-cement mixture in an unsaturated state (which is usual for compacted fills), the water/cement ratio is not a good parameter for the assessment of unconfined compression strength. In contrast, the voids/cement ratio, defined as the ratio between the porosity of the compacted mixture and the volumetric cement content, is demonstrated to be the most appropriate parameter to assess the unconfined compression strength of the soil-cement mixture studied.     

Strength Characteristics of Class F Fly Ash Modified with Lime and Gypsum

This paper presents the shear strength characteristics of a low lime class F fly ash modified with lime alone or in combination with gypsum. Unconfined compression tests were conducted for both unsoaked and soaked specimens cured up to 90 days. Addition of a small percentage of gypsum (0.5 and 1.0%) along with lime (4–10%) enhanced the shear strength of modified fly ash within short curing periods (7 and 28 days). The gain in unsoaked unconfined compressive strength (qu) of the fly ash was 2,853 and 3,567% at 28 and 90 days curing, respectively, for addition of 10% lime along with 1% gypsum to the fly ash. The effect of 24?h soaking showed reduction of qu varying from 30 to 2% depending on mix proportions and curing period. Unconsolidated undrained triaxial tests with pore-pressure measurements were conducted for 7 and 28 days cured specimens. The cohesion of the Class F fly ash increased up to 3,150% with addition of 10% lime along with 1% gypsum to the fly ash and cured for 28 days. The modified fly ash shows the values of Skempton’s pore-pressure parameter, Af similar to that of over consolidated soils. The effects of lime content, gypsum content, and curing period on the shear strength parameters of the fly ash are highlighted herein. Empirical relationships are proposed to estimate the design parameters like deviatoric stress at failure, and cohesion of the modified fly ash. Thus, this modified fly ash with considerable shear strength may find potential use in civil engineering construction fields.     

Stabilization of Organic Soils with Fly Ash

The effectiveness of fly ash use in the stabilization of organic soils and the factors that are likely to affect the degree of stabilization were studied. Unconfined compression and resilient modulus tests were conducted on organic soil–fly ash mixtures and untreated soil specimens. The unconfined compressive strength of organic soils can be increased using fly ash, but the amount of increase depends on the type of soil and characteristics of the fly ash. Resilient moduli of the slightly organic and organic soils can also be significantly improved. The increases in strength and stiffness are attributed primarily to cementing caused by pozzolanic reactions, although the reduction in water content resulting from the addition of dry fly ash solid also contributes to strength gain. The pozzolonic effect appears to diminish as the water content decreases. The significant characteristics of fly ash that affect the increase in unconfined compressive strength and resilient modulus include CaO content and CaO/SiO2 ratio [or CaO/(SiO2+Al2O3) ratio]. Soil organic content is a detrimental characteristic for stabilization. Increase in organic content of soil indicates that strength of the soil–fly ash mixture decreases exponentially. For most of the soil–fly ash mixtures tested, unconfined compressive strength and resilient modulus increased when fly ash percentage was increased.     

Forensic Investigation of Pavement Premature Failure due to Soil Sulfate-Induced Heave

Current practice does not recommend stabilizing high sulfate-bearing soils using calcium-based stabilizers due to high potential swell and low retained unconfined compressive strength. In this technical note, a series of tests has demonstrated that a combination of lime and fly ash (Class F) proved to be the most suitable stabilizer for a high sulfate-bearing soil, and a combination of lime and slag seemed to be the most effective stabilizer for a moderate sulfate-bearing soil in terms of retained unconfined compressive strength and three-dimensional free swell potential.     

Design of Compacted Lateritic Soil Liners and Covers

Laboratory tests were conducted on three lateritic soil samples to illustrate some pertinent considerations in the design of compacted lateritic soil liners and covers. The three design parameters investigated are hydraulic conductivity, desiccation-induced volumetric shrinkage, and unconfined compressive strength. Test specimens were compacted at various molding water contents using four compactive efforts. The compaction conditions were shown to have some relationship with soil compaction using either the plasticity modulus or the plasticity product (i.e., clay index). For construction quality assurance purposes, the traditional approach was compared with the modern criterion. Deficiencies associated with the traditional approach for soil liners found in literature also apply to lateritic soils. Overall acceptable zones were constructed on the compaction plane to meet design objectives for hydraulic conductivity, volumetric shrinkage strains, and unconfined compressive strength. The line of optimums was identified as a suitable lower bound for overall acceptable zones of lateritic soils. The volumetric shrinkage strain was also identified as the second most important design parameter for lateritic soils. The shapes of the acceptable zones were affected by the fines contents of the soils.     

Engineering Properties of Grouted Sands

A comparison of the behavior of uncemented and grouted sands is presented. Four sands (Fontainebleau sand and three types of alluvial deposits of the Seine River) were tested. Specimens of grouted sands were prepared in the laboratory by injection of very fine cement or mineral grouts. An initial series of unconfined uniaxial compression tests and tensile tests was performed to highlight the effect of some key factors (mainly the cement-to-water ratio of the grout and the relative density of the granular skeleton) on the strength of the grouted sands. Subsequent triaxial tests showed that when a soil is impregnated by either a very fine cement grout or a mineral grout, both stiffness (secant stiffness or small-strain stiffness) and strength of the soil improve. Similar trends were observed for the behavior of both uncemented and grouted sands. The behavior of grouted sands can be roughly reproduced by applying a linear elastic, perfectly plastic model with a nonassociated Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion whose parameters can be easily determined. Finally, preliminary recommendations are proposed relative to improvements ratios of the parameters of this simple constitutive model that is still commonly used in geotechnical engineering.     

In-Place Stabilization of Pond Ash Deposits by Hydrated Lime Columns

Abandoned coal ash ponds cover up vast stretches of precious land and cause environmental problems. Application of suitable in situ stabilization methods may bring about improvement in the geotechnical properties of the ash deposit as a whole, converting it to a usable site. In this study, a technique of in-place stabilization by hydrated lime columns was applied to large-scale laboratory models of ash ponds. Samples collected from different radial distances and different depths of the ash deposit were tested to study the improvements in the water content, dry density, particle size distribution, unconfined compressive strength, pH, hydraulic conductivity, and leachate characteristics over a period of one year. The in-place stabilization by lime column technique has been found effective in increasing the unconfined compressive strength and reducing hydraulic conductivity of pond ash deposits in addition to modifying other geotechnical parameters. The method has also proved to be useful in reducing the contamination potential of the ash leachates, thus mitigating the adverse environmental effects of ash deposits.     

Behavior of Compacted Soil-Fly Ash-Carbide Lime Mixtures

Unconfined compression tests, Brazilian tensile tests, and saturated drained triaxial compression tests with local strain measurement were carried out to evaluate the stress-strain behavior of a sandy soil improved through the addition of carbide lime and fly ash. The effects of initial and pozzolanic reactions were investigated. The addition of carbide lime to the soil-fly ash mixture caused short-term changes due to initial reactions, inducing increases in the friction angle, in the cohesive intercept, and in the average modulus. Such improvement might be of fundamental importance to allow site workability and speeding construction purposes. In addition, under the effect of initial reactions, the maximum triaxial stiffness occurred for specimens molded on the dry side of the optimum moisture content, while the maximum strength occurred at the optimum moisture content. After 28 days, pozzolanic reactions magnified brittleness and further increased triaxial peak strength and stiffness; the maximum triaxial strength and stiffness occurred on the dry side of the optimum moisture content.     

击实水泥土强度随养护龄期增长的微观机理

通过室内夯实水泥土桩无侧限抗压强度实验和微观结构观测,研究了击实水泥土强度随养护龄期增长的微观机理.实验结果表明:随养护龄期的增长,击实水泥土块的无侧限抗压强度增加,渐趋于一个稳定值;60d龄期强度即可作为击实水泥土的设计强度.水泥土强度随龄期增长实质上反映了水泥水化凝胶体与拌和土料中的活性物质之间的离子交换和团粒化作用,以及硬凝反应程度由弱变强,在微观结构上表现为水泥土块中水化物结晶体由絮状、纤维状结构逐渐变为菊花状结构,最终形成网格状结构;粒间孔隙由大变小,分散状的土颗粒发生团粒化,随着水化作用的持续进行,相邻团粒被网格状水化物晶体联接形成水泥土结石体,从而导致水泥土强度的提高.     

Effect of Cement Type on Shear Behavior of Cemented Calcareous Soil

There is little information in the geotechnical literature regarding the influence of the type of cement on the engineering behavior of cemented soils. This paper explores the mechanical behavior of a calcareous soil under triaxial loading after treatment with different types of cement, namely Portland cement, gypsum, and calcite. To identify the specific effects of each cement type a parametric study was undertaken, where factors such as density and unconfined compressive strength were maintained constant for each cementing agent. Samples of the cemented soil were examined under optical and electron microscopy to understand the bond mechanism created by each cement. Results from triaxial testing have shown that, despite having the same unconfined compressive strength and density, the effective stress paths and postyield response are significantly different, mainly because of the different volumetric response upon shearing. Samples prepared using Portland cement showed ductile yield and strong dilation afterwards; calcite and gypsum-cemented samples exhibited brittle yield, generally followed by contractive behavior. The paper discusses the results and explains the reasons behind the differences in the mechanical response.     

水泥冷再生混合料路用性能参数试验分析

为了研究水泥冷再生材料的路用性能,特别是水泥剂量与无侧限抗压强度之间的变化规律．分析无侧限抗压强度与回弹模量、抗冲刷性能、干缩性能、疲劳性能之间的关系曲线,进行了一系列室内试验,并对试验数据进行了统计分析及数据拟合。拟合结果表明水泥强度与回弹模量、--T-~性能、疲劳性能呈现良好线性关系,与抗冲刷系数之间存在一个指数函数关系。     

Stabilized Dredged Material. III: Mineralogical Perspective

The prior two papers in this series reported on the geoenvironmental and geomechanical properties of 20 stabilized dredged material (SDM) blends using dredged material (DM) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Craney Island confined disposal facility. The pozzolans included lime, cement kiln dust (CKD), class F fly ash, and two cements (portland and slag cement). This paper reports on the mineralogical evolution of the SDM blends over a 6-month curing period using techniques new to mainstream geotechnical engineering: X-ray diffraction (XRD) with Rietveld quantification analysis which allows direct quantitative mineralogical comparisons between soil samples. Despite being classified as a high plasticity clay-organic clay (CH/OH soil), XRD showed that the DM contained no montmorillonite, illite or kaolinite, and was thus mineralogically unreactive. The quartz, feldspar, and mica contents were numerically tracked and were shown to remain stable 6 months after blending. The chlorite (in DM) content decreased over time and with the fly ash served as the sources of soluble silica and alumina for pozzolanic reactions especially in the lime-based SDM blends. Lime in the lime-based blends persisted in significant quantities (3%) as unreacted portlandite [Ca(OH)2] even at 6 months curing, indicating that the solubility of silica in the DM was the limiting factor for strength development. New (ettringite and hydrocalumite) mineral formation was quantified. CKD provided high early strength (7 and 28 days) when used in combination with small amounts of lime that provided prolonged pH buffering; CKD alone or in combination with fly ash did not maintain elevated pH (>10.8) over 6 months. Overall, the unconfined compressive strength, pH, and mineralogy results at 6 months were substantially different compared to the standard curing time of 28 days, confirming similar findings of previous long-term stabilization-solidification studies.     

Effect of Wetting on Unconfined Compressive Strength of Cemented Sands

A weakly cemented sand and gravel has been partly or entirely used in the construction of earth structures such as dams and retaining walls. Such cemented soils that are usually highly permeable can undergo repetitive wetting and drying during curing due to temporary rainfall or a change in the groundwater table. In this study, weakly cemented sand specimens with four different cement ratios were compacted at optimum water content and cured for 28 days. When the cemented sand specimens were exposed to repetitive wetting and drying during curing, their 28-day unconfined compressive strength was evaluated. Wetting for one day on the last day was found to decrease the unconfined compressive strength of cemented sand, whereas wetting for one day in the middle of curing resulted in an increase in strength. The strength reduction due to wetting on the last day decreases as the cement ratio increases. For a specimen under repetitive wetting and drying over 28-day curing, the strength increases as the number of wetting increases up to three cycles. After three cycles of wetting and drying, the strength either becomes constant or slightly decreases due to insufficient water for hydration and/or washing cementitious materials.     

Fatigue Behavior of Composite-Reinforced Glulam Bridge Girders

While composite-reinforced glulam beams have been used in several bridge demonstration projects, knowledge of their fatigue behavior is quite limited. In this study, the response of full- and partial-length fiberglass composite-reinforced glulam beams under fatigue cycling followed by quasi-static bending to failure is examined. To mimic anticipated in-service conditions, a hygrothermal cycling regime was developed that replicates the effective stress history of a 50-year service life with a 55-day period in a moisture-controlled kiln. In addition, some of the beams had initial delaminations introduced between the reinforcing and the wood similar to those observed in field investigations of reinforced glulam bridge girders. For the partial-length reinforced beams, reinforcing with both confined and unconfined ends was considered. The results of the postfatigue tests to failure were compared with the expected strength. In addition, the stiffness of the beams was monitored during the fatigue cycling. It was found that, with the exception of the unconfined, partial-length reinforced beams, all specimens had a residual strength that compared favorably with the expected strength. Further, neither the preconditioning nor the fatigue cycling had an appreciable impact on the stiffness of the reinforced beams. The unconfined, partial-length reinforced beams did not perform well under fatigue loading and do not seem to be a viable alternative for use as reinforced glulam bridge girders.     

Postcyclic Recompression, Stiffness, and Consolidated Cyclic Strength of Silt

Low plasticity silts are liquefiable and the dissipation of pore pressures after an earthquake will be accompanied by densification and compression of the soil skeleton. Anisotropic rather than isotropic stress distributions are commonly found to exist in slopes or silty fills placed under K0 conditions and this can be enhanced further by the weight of overlying structures. Compression after an earthquake generally increases soil resistance but it can still be liquefied by aftershocks. The postcyclic recompression of silt, and postdrainage monotonic and cyclic strength and stiffness have therefore been investigated with respect to the effect of initial anisotropic consolidation. The compressibilities during postcyclic recompression were similar to those for isotropic consolidation. Samples with a greater initial anisotropy had less volumetric strain but larger axial strains during postcyclic drainage. Under stress reversal conditions failure occurred as a result of the development of double amplitude cyclic strains, whereas under nonreversal conditions compressive axial plastic strain was accumulated. Postdrainage second loading cyclic strength increased with increasing anisotropy. For isotropically consolidated samples failure under reversal cyclic loading resulted in a weaker soil structure even after postcyclic reconsolidation.     

Structuration and Destructuration Behavior of Cement-Treated Singapore Marine Clay

This paper examines the structuration and destructuration characteristics of cement-treated Singapore marine clay and their relation to the observed microstructural behavior. The pozzolanic reaction is found to be very significant up to curing periods of 1?year, and thus the unconfined compressive strength increases notably leading to the formation of more structured treated clay. Due to the effect of structuration (existing of cementation bond), the yield stress increases resulting in an expansion of the yield surface and failure envelope under compression and shearing. The microstructural observation of treated clay structure at various stress levels from one-dimensional consolidation shows that destructuration (breaking of cementation bond) is progressive; the largest intercluster voids being the first affected. As the consolidation proceeds, both inter and intracluster voids are affected. Consolidated undrained triaxial results reveal that complete destructuration only takes place on the shear plane at which the clay–cement cluster crushes.     

不同粗骨料对膏体凝结性能的影响及配比优化

甘肃金川铜镍矿似膏体充填料浆水化凝结时间迟缓、粗骨料离析程度大,严重影响充填浆体的质量。本文以金川二矿区全尾砂、废石和棒磨砂为实验材料,采用全面实验设计法,研究不同质量分数、粗骨料及尾骨比（全尾砂与粗骨料质量比）对膏体充填凝结性能、抗压强度和流变特性的影响规律。实验结果表明:全尾砂–粗骨料膏体中,粗骨料的比表面积和化学成分（活性MgO和CaO）是影响凝结时间的主要因素;凝结时间随尾骨比增加而缩短,屈服应力随尾骨比增加而增加,塑性黏度（全尾砂–废石、全尾砂–棒磨砂膏体）随尾骨比增加而增加;全尾砂–废石膏体抗压强度优于全尾砂–废石–棒磨砂膏体抗压强度;最短凝结时间及最佳抗压强度（全尾砂–废石膏体、尾骨比5∶5）比矿用凝结时间和抗压强度分别缩短2.1 h和增加33%以上。最后对凝结性能进行单目标及多目标回归优化,多目标回归优化表明:全尾砂–废石–棒磨砂膏体最佳凝结时间为270～300 min、尾骨比10∶6∶6～10∶7∶7、屈服应力为167.0～169.0 Pa;全尾砂–棒磨砂膏体最佳凝结时间为300～330 min、尾骨比10∶14～10∶16、屈服应力为164.0～167.0 Pa,满足矿山生产要求。      

Postcyclic Degradation of Strength and Stiffness for Low Plasticity Silt

Stress-controlled undrained cyclic triaxial tests followed by strain-controlled monotonic compressive shear tests were carried out on normally consolidated and overconsolidated reconstituted Keuper Marl silt to investigate the strength and stiffness degradation characteristics of a low plasticity silt. Special attention was paid to the changes in undrained strength and deformation modulus after undrained cyclic loading. It was observed that cyclic degradation in stiffness for low plasticity silt is more marked than that of strength, and this tendency increases with increasing overconsolidation ratio. It was found that a previously proposed model for predicting postcyclic degradation in strength and stiffness of normally consolidated fine-grained soils could be applied to that of overconsolidated silt but not however to the postcyclic degradation in Young’s modulus. Thus, an attempt was made to correlate postcyclic degradation of overconsolidated silt to the equivalent cyclic shear strain instead of the normalized excess pore pressure. It was concluded that cyclic shear strain was a better parameter than cyclic-induced excess pore pressure for correlating the postcyclic stiffness degradation not only for normally consolidated but also for overconsolidated silt.