Analysis of a Large Database of GCL-Geomembrane Interface Shear Strength Results

A database of 534 large-scale direct shear test results was assembled in this study to evaluate the interface shear strength between geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) and geomembranes (GMs). The tests were conducted between 1992 and 2003 by a single independent laboratory using procedures consistent with current testing standards. The number of results in the database allowed quantification of the impact of GCL type, GM type, normal stress, and procedures for specimen hydration and consolidation on the shear strength of GCL-GM interfaces, as well as identification of sources of shear strength variability. The interface shear strength was found to be sensitive to the type of GCL internal reinforcement, GM polymer, and GM texturing, but not to the GM thickness or manufacturer. On average, the GCL internal shear strength was observed to be higher than the GCL-GM interface shear strength when tested using the same procedures. GCLs sheared internally show similar stress-displacement responses and friction angles to GCL-GM interfaces that incorporate a GCL with the same reinforcement type. Hydration under normal stresses below those used during shearing (followed by a consolidation period) led to higher GCL internal shear strength, but lower GCL-GM interface shear strength, than when hydration was conducted under the shearing normal stress. Such different responses are attributed to bentonite extrusion from the GCL into the interface. Good repeatability of test results was obtained using GCL and GM specimens from the same manufacturing lot, while high variability was obtained using specimens from different lots. GCL-GM interface peak shear strength variability was found to increase linearly with normal stress.     

Effect of Progressive Failure on Measured Shear Strength of Geomembrane/GCL Interface

This paper presents experimental data and numerical modeling results that illustrate the effects of progressive failure on the measured shear strength of a textured geomembrane/geosynthetic clay liner (GMX/GCL) interface. Large direct shear tests were conducted using different specimen gripping/clamping systems to isolate the effects of progressive failure. These tests indicate that progressive failure causes a reduction in measured peak shear strength, an increase in the displacement at peak, an increase in large displacement shear strength, and significant distortion of the shear stress–displacement relationship. A numerical model was developed to simulate progressive failure of a GMX/GCL interface. Measured and simulated shear stress–displacement relationships are in good-to-excellent agreement at four normal stress levels. The model was then used to investigate mechanisms of progressive interface failure and factors that control its significance. The results indicate that accurate measurements of shear stress–displacement behavior and strength are obtained when gripping surfaces prevent slippage of the test specimen and the intended failure surface has the lowest shear resistance of all possible sliding surfaces. The use of proper gripping surfaces is expected to reduce difficulties in test data interpretation and to increase the accuracy and reproducibility of test results.     

Shear Strength of HDPE Geomembrane∕Geosynthetic Clay Liner Interfaces

A study of interface shear strengths between smooth and textured high density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes (GMs) and a woven∕nonwoven needle-punched geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) is presented. Tests were performed using a large direct shear machine capable of measuring peak and large displacement (200 mm) shear strengths. The failure surface was located at the GM∕GCL interface for all tests conducted, corresponding to a normal stress range of 1–486 kPa. Small positive pore pressures were measured for all interfaces at peak shear strength. Thus, the practice of preparing failure envelopes using total normal stress, instead of effective normal stress, appears to be conservative. Interface shear strengths for textured GMs placed against the nonwoven side of the GCL were higher than those corresponding to the woven side. By comparison, differences in peak shear strength for laminated and coextruded GM interfaces were relatively less. Limited tests showed that peak and large displacement shear strengths were independent of displacement rate and dependent on the shear direction of the GM. The quantity of extruded bentonite at the interfaces generally increased with normal stress and was less for nonwoven geotextile interfaces than for woven geotextile interfaces. Implications of the findings to the testing of GM∕GCL interfaces and the characterization of GM∕GCL interface shear strength are discussed.     

Residual Shear Strength for Interfaces between Pipelines and Clays at Low Effective Normal Stresses

The residual shear strength mobilized between pipelines and supporting soils at low effective normal stresses is needed for designing stable pipelines in offshore environments. A tilt table device is used to study the effect that effective normal stress, type of pipeline coating, composition of soil, stress history, and rate of loading have on the drained residual shear strength mobilized at the interface between a variety of clays and polymeric pipe coatings. The drained residual friction angles for both the interfaces and the clays decrease substantially as the effective normal stress increases. Empirical correlations published for predicting the residual strength of clays cannot be readily extrapolated to the pipeline problem because the correlations do not cover the relatively small effective normal stresses acting on pipelines. Residual shear strengths for the interfaces range from 60 to 90% of the residual shear strength for the clay. The residual shear strength for the interface depends both on the composition of the clay and the type of pipeline coating.     

Dynamic Shear Behavior of a Needle-Punched Geosynthetic Clay Liner

An experimental investigation of the dynamic internal shear behavior of a hydrated needle-punched geosynthetic clay liner is presented. Monotonic and cyclic displacement-controlled shear tests were conducted at a single normal stress to investigate the effects of displacement rate, displacement amplitude, number of cycles, frequency, and motion waveform on material response. Monotonic shear tests indicate that peak shear strength first increased and then decreased with increasing displacement rate. Cyclic shear tests indicate that cyclic response was primarily controlled by displacement amplitude. Excitation frequency and waveform had little effect on cyclic shear behavior or postcyclic static shear strength. Number of cycles ( ≥ 10) also had little effect on postcyclic static shear strength. Shear stress versus shear displacement diagrams displayed hysteresis loops that are broadly similar to those for natural soils with some important differences due to the presence of needle-punched reinforcement. Secant shear stiffness displayed strong reduction with increasing displacement amplitude and degradation with continued cycling. Values of damping ratio were significantly higher than those typical of natural clays at lower shear strain levels. Finally, cyclic tests with increasing displacement amplitude yielded progressively lower postcyclic static peak strengths due to greater levels of reinforcement damage. Postcyclic static residual strengths were unaffected by prior cyclic loading.     

Objective Oriented Multistage Ring Shear Test for Shear Strength of Landslide Soil

Ring shear tests were conducted on five samples of different nature with a modified Imperial College type ring shear machine. The three different testing methods used, (1) individual sample testing for each normal stress, (2) increasing load multistage ring shear test, and (3) reducing load multistage ring shear test, all showed similar effective residual internal friction angle for the samples, irrespective of testing method. However, effective residual shear intercept was different according to the testing methodology. The internal friction angle did not vary, particularly after the first minimum point in the stress displacement curve, although the residual shear intercept decreased with increase in the displacement. The thickness of the shearing zone increased along with the displacement. The remolded peak shear strength for saturated conditions at field dry density varied with the consolidation history. Measurement of remolded peak shear strength was possible in a single sample using the increasing load multistage ring shear test at normal consolidation. The equilibrium water content of the sample after the ring shear test was nearly equal to the plastic limit.     

Constitutive Behavior of Geosynthetic Interfaces

New displacement-softening and work-softening models were developed to describe the sliding of geosynthetic interfaces, such as those in landfill liners. The displacement-softening formulation is based on the assumption that strength reduction at the interface can be related to nonrecoverable (plastic) shear displacement. The model uses three relationships: (1) the peak strength envelope; (2) the residual strength envelope; and (3) the residual factor versus displacement ratio relationship, which is a nondimensional expression of the rate at which displacement-softening occurs. The displacement-softening model is accurate for shearing when the normal stress stays constant. When normal stress increases during shearing, the displacement-softening formulation overpredicts damage to geosynthetic interfaces. The work-softening model was developed to compute interface softening during conditions of increasing normal stress. This formulation is based on the assumption that the postpeak reduction in shear strength can be attributed to plastic shear work rather than plastic shear displacement. By calculating an equivalent plastic shear displacement for a given amount of plastic shear work, the work-softening model can be formulated using the same basic relationships as the displacement-softening model. The work-softening model significantly outperformed the displacement-softening model when simulating laboratory tests under conditions of increasing normal stress.     

Influence of Shear Rate on Undrained Vane Shear Strength of Organic Harbor Mud

Dredging operations in European harbors for maintenance of navigable water depth produce vast amounts of harbor mud. Between 2005 and 2007, the second largest harbor construction project in Germany was designed as a pilot study to use dredged harbor mud as backfill material to avoid expensive disposal or ex situ treatment. During this project, a partial collapse of the backfill highlighted the need for an improved assessment of undrained shear strength of naturally occurring liquid harbor mud. Using vane shear testing, this study evaluates the effect of shear rate on the undrained shear strength of harbor mud. It is shown that measured values for both peak and residual shear strength are significantly influenced by shear rate effects. Furthermore, the influence of shear rate on the peak shear strength is found to be independent of water content while the influence of the shear rate on the residual shear strength strongly depends on water content. New shear rate dependent correction factors μ are proposed using the test results and the observed time to failure in the harbor basin. The proposed correction leads to significant lower design undrained shear strengths than the classical Bjerrum correction and would have predicted the failure during the construction.     

General Strength Criterion for Geomaterials Including Anisotropic Effect

The strengths of geomaterials and their variation under different factors are investigated in this paper. First, a general isotropic variation of a strength criterion is proposed for describing the critical state and peak strengths of geomaterials. Second, the proposed criterion is extended to describe the effect of anisotropy on the peak strength. After an analysis of experimental data, the hypothesis is made that the failure of an element of geomaterial generally occurs in a particular plane when the applied shear stress in that plane reaches the shear resistance of the material. Therefore, the variation of the peak strength of anisotropic materials should be described in terms of the stress tensor applied, a vector parameter defining the position of the potential failure plane of the material, and the material properties. A general failure criterion for geomaterials with cross anisotropy is obtained then from the proposed isotropic strength criterion. The proposed criterion is demonstrated to well represent both the isotropic and anisotropic strengths of various geomaterials. Finally, a general anisotropic criterion is introduced.     

Direct Shear Tests on JSC-1A Lunar Regolith Simulant

A series of direct shear tests were conducted on the JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant in a 101.6-mm- (4-in.-) diameter container. The direct shear test provides a unique mode of failure that aids the development of excavation tools for the Moon. Relative density and normal load were varied to study the strength behavior of such granular material at peak and critical state conditions. The values of the internal friction angle ranged from 30 to 70°. A relationship between the internal friction angle of the direct shear and the published triaxial compression test results is presented. Additionally, the measured dilatancy angle is related to the difference in peak and critical state stress friction angles.     

Gas Permeability of Partially Hydrated Geosynthetic Clay Liners

A series of gas permeability tests were performed on four partially hydrated geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) (GCL1, GCL2, GCL3, and GCL4). All GCLs consisted of essentially dry bentonite (powder or granular) sandwiched between geotextile layers. The geotextiles were held together as a composite material by needle-punching, except GCL-4, which was stitch bonded. GCL-2 had a special characteristic, which consisted of a cover nonwoven geotextile layer impregnated with powdered bentonite. The gas permeability was found to be very sensitive to the change of moisture content and volumetric water content. The results also highlighted the effects of the GCL structures (bentonite impregnation, needle punching, and stitch bonding) and bentonite forms (granular and powdered) on the gas permeability. The needle punched GCLs tended to have lower gas permeability than the stitch bonded GCLs, and the GCLs containing granular bentonite tended to have higher gas permeability than the GCLs containing powdered bentonite. The bentonite impregnation of the nonwoven geotextile also contributed to lower gas permeability. For comparable conditions, these effects resulted in a reduction of up to three orders of magnitude of gas permittivity from one GCL to another. However, the effect of the differences between the GCLs on gas permeability, at high volumetric water content (>70%), was overridden by the presence of the overburden pressure during hydration. Furthermore, the overburden pressure also had an important role in the reduction of gas permeability, which implies that the GCL should be subjected to confinement at the time of installation or hydration in order to obtain a low gas permeability.     

Interface effects on the micromechanical response of a transversely loaded single fiber SCS-6/Ti-6Al-4V composite

The ability of a fiber-matrix interface to support a transverse load is typically evaluated in straight-sided composite specimens where a stress singularity exists at the free surface of the interface. This stress singularity is often the cause of crack initiation and debonding during transverse loading. In order to develop a fundamental understanding of the transverse behavior of the fiber-matrix interface, it is necessary to alter the crack initiation site from the free surface to an internal location. To achieve this objective, a cross-shaped specimen has been recently developed. In this study, based on the experimentally observed onset of nonlinearity in the stress-strain curve of these specimens and finite element analysis, the bond strength of the SCS-6/Ti-6Al-4V interface was determined to be 115 MPa. The micromechanical behavior of these specimens under transverse loading was examined by finite element analysis using this interface bond strength value and compared with experimental observations. Results demonstrate that the proposed geometry was successful in suppressing de-bonding at the surface and altering it to an internal event. The results from numerical analysis correlated well with the experimental stress-strain curve and several simple analytical models. In an attempt to identify the true bond strength and the interface failure criterion, the present study suggests that if failure initiates under tensile radial stresses, then the normal bond strength of the SCS-6/Ti-6A1-4V composites is about 115 MPa; under shear failure, the tangential shear strength of the in-terface is about 180 MPa.     

Behavior of a Fiber-Reinforced Bentonite at Large Shear Displacements

The behavior of a polypropylene fiber-reinforced bentonite was evaluated at large shear displacements by a series of ring shear tests carried out at normal stresses varying between 20 and 400?kPa. Bentonite/polypropylene fiber composites were molded at an initial moisture content of 170%, with fiber lengths of 12 or 24?mm. The fiber thickness was 0.023?mm and the fiber content was either 1.5 or 3% by dry weight. The inclusion of randomly distributed fibers increased the peak shear strength of the bentonite, but the increase in strength deteriorated at large displacements and the residual strengths of both the nonreinforced and fiber-reinforced bentonite were similar. The peak shear strength was found to increase both with increasing fiber length and content. The fibers were exhumed after testing and it was found that the fibers had both extended and broken, with a predominance of broken fibers.     

Effect of Wet–Dry Cycles and Cation Exchange on Gas Permeability of Geosynthetic Clay Liners

A series of gas permeability tests were performed on a partially hydrated needle punched geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) after exposure to wet–dry cycles and ion exchange. To be able to evaluate the effect of wetting and drying cycles combined with the effect of cation exchange, three sets of GCL samples were prepared with different types of hydrating liquid. The first set of GCL samples was hydrated with de-ionized water, which formed a baseline test series. The second and third sets were hydrated with 0.0125 and 0.125?M calcium chloride (CaCl2) solutions, respectively. All three sets of GCL samples were subjected to multiple wetting and drying cycles before undergoing gas permeability tests. Gas permeability of the GCL, hydrated with 0.0125?M calcium chloride solution, was found to be approximately one order of magnitude higher than that of the GCL hydrated with de-ionized water, whereas gas breakthrough flow was observed for all but the first wetting cycle on GCLs hydrated with the stronger 0.125?M calcium chloride solution.     

Yield Strength Ratio and Liquefaction Analysis of Slopes and Embankments

A procedure is proposed to evaluate the triggering of liquefaction in ground subjected to a static shear stress, i.e., sloping ground, using the yield strength ratio, su(yield)/σv0′. Thirty liquefaction flow failures were back analyzed to evaluate shear strengths and strength ratios mobilized at the triggering of liquefaction. Strength ratios mobilized during the static liquefaction flow failures ranged from approximately 0.24 to 0.30 and are correlated to corrected cone and standard penetration resistances. These yield strength ratios and previously published liquefied strength ratios are used to develop a comprehensive liquefaction analysis for ground subjected to a static shear stress. This analysis addresses: (1) liquefaction susceptibility; (2) liquefaction triggering; and (3) post-triggering/flow failure stability. In particular, step (2) uses the yield strength ratio back-calculated from flow failure case histories and the cyclic stress method to incorporate seismic loading.     

Shear Strength in Preexisting Landslides

Drained residual shear strength is used for the analysis of slopes containing preexisting shear surfaces. Some recent research suggests that preexisting shear surfaces in prior landslides can gain strength with time. Torsional ring and direct shear tests performed during this study show that the recovered shear strength measured in the laboratory is only noticeably greater than the drained residual strength at effective normal stress of 100 kPa or less. The test results also show that the recovered strength even at effective normal stresses of 100 kPa or less is lost after a small shear displacement, i.e., slope movement. An effective normal stress of 100 kPa corresponds to a shallow depth so the observed strength gain has little, if any, impact on the analysis of deep landslides. This paper describes the laboratory strength recovery testing and the results for soils with different plasticities at various rest periods and effective normal stresses.     

Residual Strength and Fracture Energy from Plane-Strain Testing

Field observations indicate that failure in soft rock is often associated with a slip surface or shear band, where deformation is concentrated in a narrow zone; displacements occur with decreasing stress within the shear band, whereas outside the band the material appears to be intact. In examining the propagation of the shear band, it is useful to establish the relation between shear stress and slip displacement. This was accomplished within a laboratory setting with a plane-strain compression apparatus, developed to study localized failure under controlled conditions. Tests on a soft rock, a sandstone with a uniaxial compressive strength of 10 MPa and a modulus of 2 GPa, were conducted to estimate fracture energy GIIC, a quantity used to evaluate energy dissipation of the failure process. GIIC was found to decrease by a factor of 3 when considering the actual displacements, rather than assuming tangential displacement only, that is, no displacement normal to the shear band. The experiments showed that the shear band was not completely formed until after peak strength and that sliding along the band during softening was associated with compaction; residual behavior exhibited virtually no volume change. The shear strength at peak stress was nonlinearly related to the normal stress, but the shear strength at the residual state displayed a linear relationship. For normal stresses less than the uniaxial strength, those typical of civil engineering practice, the response can be described as cohesion softening, with friction remaining constant in going from the peak to the residual stress states.     

Effects of bond strength on densification and flow of powder compacts

Abstract

Plastic flow surfaces for metal and metal/composite powder compacts with variable cohesive strength are derived using the Beltrami total strain energy criterion, modified to permit asymmetric yielding. The present theory thus includes the domains of both soil mechanics and powder metallurgy, covering both granular and porous microstructures of varying bond strengths over all possible densities. A quantitative theory of the expansion of non-bonded particle compacts under certain combinations of applied shear stress and pressure is given. Physical models of the failure mechanisms are provided, their applicability depending on the particle interface strength. If the particle interface lacks strength, the flow surface is identical to that of the ‘critical state’ criterion of soil mechanics. The flow ellipse lies entirely within the negative pressure domain and failure occurs at the particle interface by various mechanisms including frictional slip. At the other extreme, if the particle interfaces are as strong in shear as the particles, failure occurs by plastic shear of the particles and the flow ellipse is centred at the origin. Density–stress and density–aspect ratio maps are shown which define these domains. Theoretical predictions compare well with the results of data compiled from the literature as well as data from tests performed in this study on cold pressed Al and Al/SiC powder compacts.     

Peak Friction Behavior of Smooth Geomembrane-Particle Interfaces

An investigation of shear mechanisms at interfaces between particles and relatively smooth materials using contact mechanics and basic friction theory reveals that a combination of sliding and plowing governs dense Ottawa 20∕30 sand∕smooth high density polyethylene geomembrane peak interface shear behavior. Contact area and the corresponding shear resistance during sliding increase at a slower rate than the applied normal stress, resulting in a decreasing friction coefficient and flattening of the peak strength envelope. Plowing of soil grains results in an increasing peak friction coefficient with increasing normal stress and can produce an upward curvature of the strength envelope above a critical stress level. Plowing is primarily controlled by the relative hardness of the interface materials and by grain shape with angular particles exhibiting plowing in all normal stress ranges, whereas nearly perfect spheres exhibit only sliding. High surface hardness is shown to constrain shear behavior to a sliding mode with little contribution from plowing. These findings are consistent with results reported in the tribology literature.     

Behavior of a Compacted Completely Decomposed Granite Soil from Suction Controlled Direct Shear Tests

A series of single-staged consolidated drained direct shear tests are carried out on recompacted completely decomposed granite (CDG) soil—a typical residual soil in Hong Kong, under different matric suctions and net normal stresses. Matric suction is controlled by applying air pressure in the pressure chamber and water pressure at the bottom of the high air-entry ceramic disk. The experimental results show that the contribution of suction to shear strength is significant. Shear strength of CDG soil increases with the increase of matric suction. Net normal stress has a remarkable influence on the shear strength of unsaturated CDG soil. The increase in shear strength due to an increase in matric suction (suction envelope) is observed as nonlinear i.e., ?b value varies with matric suction. No soil dilatancy is observed for zero matric suction (saturated case) but as the suction value is increased, higher soil dilatancy is obvious in lower net normal stresses. The rate of increase of soil dilatancy is greater in lower suction range than in higher suction range. The experimental shear strength data match closely with the shear strength predicted by existing shear strength model considering the soil-dilation effect.