Applicability of T-Bar and Ball Penetration Tests to Soft Clayey Grounds

T-bar and Ball penetration tests (TPT and BPT, respectively) were carried out at three sites consisting of soft clays. These penetration tests have several advantages over the conventional cone penetration test (CPT): much larger project area and no effects of overburden pressure for obtaining soil parameters such as undrained shear strength. Therefore, TPT and BPT are considered to be suitable in-situ tests for very soft ground. In this paper validity of the assumed mechanism of these cones are examined, using ball cones with different diameters of the ball. In addition, the cone factors for CPT, TPT and BPT are compared based on undrained shear strengths (s_u) measured from field vane and direct shear tests. Cyclic BPT was carried out to measure the sensitivity of soil layers. It is revealed that reduction in the tip resistance with the increase in the number of cyclic penetration can be correlated with the sensitivity measured by the field vane tests. Finally, the possibility of estimating the in-situ effective overburden pressure (σ′_vo) is discussed for an artificial island filled by dredged clayey soil, where consolidation due to self weight of the filling is still continuing.     

Evaluation of Undrained Shear Strength of Soils from Field Penetration Tests

The evaluation of undrained shear strength of soils is necessary in determining the possibility of occurrence of flow deformation during earthquakes. The present study is aimed at examining the evaluation of undrained shear strength of silty sands from field with Swedish weight sounding tests and cone penetration tests. Based on the outcome of the previous studies on laboratory triaxial tests, the undrained shear strength ratio is defined as the undrained shear strength divided by the initial effective major principal stress. The undrained shear strength ratio is then formulated with respect to the relative density. The penetration resistances of Swedish weight sounding and cone penetration tests are then formulated with respect to the effective overburden stress and relative density, based on laboratory calibration chamber tests. By combining these formulations, the correlations of the undrained shear strength with Swedish penetration resistance and cone tip resistance are established. The range of values of penetration resistances indicative of soil layers susceptible to flow deformation is discussed. The correlations of the undrained shear strength with field penetration resistances thus derived are then examined from case history studies. Two case history studies are carried out with Swedish weight sounding tests at the sites of flow failures induced during the recent earthquakes. A series of case history studies are reexamined, which were carried out with Dutch cone penetration tests in the past studies.     

Static liquefaction-triggering analysis considering soil dilatancy

The failure of a sloping ground due to static liquefaction occurs when the shear stress applied by a monotonic triggering load exceeds the undrained yield (peak) shear strength of the saturated liquefiable cohesionless soil. Current practices for determining the in-situ undrained yield strength for grounds subjected to static shear stress rely on either a suite of costly laboratory tests on undisturbed field samples or empirical correlations based on in-situ penetration tests, which fail to account for the effect of soil dilatancy in decreasing the degree of strain-softening and the brittleness of cohesionless soils with an increasing penetration resistance. In this study, the effect of soil dilatancy on the static liquefaction failure of cohesionless soils is characterized by an empirical relationship between the soil brittleness index and the undrained yield strength from a database of 813 laboratory shear tests collected from the past literature. The application of this relationship for estimating the static liquefaction-triggering strength of cohesionless soils under sloping ground conditions is validated by comparing several cases of liquefaction flow failures. Finally, a procedure is briefly demonstrated for evaluating the triggering of static liquefaction in a dyke to the north of Wachusett Dam and Duncan Dam which incorporates the dilatancy behavior of cohesionless soils in a semi-empirical procedure based on in-situ penetration tests.     

秦皇岛滨海饱和软土的试验研究

为保持饱和软土的天然结构特征，野外采用开挖探井，环刀取土的方法获得了大量Ⅰ级土试样，并在室内进行有关饱和软土的物理力学性质试验。结果表明：秦皇岛滨海饱和软土的天然含水量介于37％～44％，土性属淤泥质粉质粘土。基于浅层平板载荷试验、静力触探试验以及十字板剪切试验，对饱和软土的天然抗剪强度、灵敏度、承载力进行了试验研究。建立了十字板抗剪强度和试验深度、静力触探比贯入阻力的经验公式，为工程应用提供了便利条件。秦皇岛滨海饱和软土的天然不排水抗剪强度平均值为27kPa，灵敏度为2．4～12．5，具有中高灵敏性。其地基强度的使用应综合考虑建筑物的加载速率、地基容许变形等多种因素。     

An approach to shorten the construction period of high embankment on soft soil improved with PVD

Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVDs) are being used to accelerate the consolidation of subsoil for construction of high embankment on soft ground. The construction is carried out in stages and height of the first stage construction depends on in-situ undrained shear strength. Each subsequent stage construction is carried out after completion of either 90% primary consolidation or percent consolidation at inflection point. The height of subsequent stages depends upon the gain in undrained strength of subsoil. In this paper, the authors have advocated an approach to shorten the construction period for high embankments. In this approach, the first stage construction would be carried out based on the in-situ undrained shear strength of subsoil. Instead of waiting for 90% primary consolidation or percent consolidation at inflection point, the embankment is raised in layers of 0.2 m thickness. Based on the time required to gain strength with the construction of the 0.2 m layer, the waiting period is determined for each subsequent layers. The waiting period depends on soil parameters such as subsoil thickness, C_r/C_v ratio and different PVD factors viz. smear, drain spacing and well resistance, pattern of laying of PVD, etc. Using this approach, there would be increase in the consolidation rate and overall reduction in the construction period. A typical practical example has been solved to demonstrate the usefulness of this approach over the two conventional methods. For a 4.5 m high embankment, it is observed that waiting period is reduced by 77% and 43% as compared to the 90% primary consolidation method and inflection point method respectively.     

上海地区不同强度参数对基坑围护结构变形和内力的影响

为研究上海地区不同强度参数对基坑围护结构变形和内力的影响,在ABAQUS中建立平面竖向弹性地基梁法模型,根据上海地区4种典型基坑概化模型和上海195个工程勘察报告和文献试验数据统计的典型土层强度参数,研究了每类基坑概化模型中不同强度参数对围护结构的最大水土压力、变形(最大位移)、内力(最大剪力、最大弯矩)以及支撑轴力的影响。结果表明:采用三轴固结不排水(CU)有效应力强度参数得到的围护结构变形和内力结果最小; 采用十字板不排水抗剪强度计算的结果相比有效应力强度参数结果无明显规律; 直剪固结快剪和CU总应力强度参数计算得到的结果较为接近,相比于有效应力强度参数结果,最大位移增量约为6%,最大水土压力增量为4%～5%,最大弯矩和剪力增量为7%～8%; 总体来看,目前上海基坑规范采用固结快剪总应力强度参数进行围护结构设计相比采用有效应力强度参数偏安全。     

Properties of very soft clays: A study of thixotropic hardening and behavior under low consolidation pressure

In a study on the properties of very soft clays, bender element testing was used to evaluate thixotropic hardening behavior; that is, to measure the stiffness with resting time under constant volume and water content. A laboratory vane test, which measures the undrained shear strength of the materials, was also carried out for comparison purposes. To investigate the mechanism of the thixotropic phenomenon, a consolidation test with very low pressure was also performed in a cell equipped with bender elements. The most important findings from this study are as follows: (1) regardless of soil types, the effect of thixotropy was significant around the liquid limit state and less remarkable at the lower and higher ranges; (2) the shear modulus at the liquid limit after 24 h resting is around 200 kPa; (3) the correlation between the shear modulus and the undrained shear strength of very soft clays is similar to that of cement-treated soil proposed by Seng and Tanaka (2011); (4) the increment of the shear modulus developed in the thixotropy process appears to be noticeably higher than that in the secondary consolidation process. It is believed that these findings are very useful to establish a new theory for the consolidation of ground filled by very soft clays or dredged soils with extremely high water content as well as to understand the effects of ageing on the consolidation properties of natural soils.     

基坑中基于CPTU软土不排水强度确定及应用

不排水抗剪强度是土的重要力学特性参数。在岩土工程施工期稳定性分析中,需用不排水抗剪强度值。目前,不排水抗剪强度的确定主要有室内试验和十字板剪切试验。但前者受土样扰动影响大,后者十字板强度是土体各滑动面上抗剪强度的较小值,在基坑工程验算坑底隆起时,结果不够准确。本文首先总结了国内外基于CPTU的Su确定方法,在典型软土基坑工程中进行了孔压静力触探试验,根据不排水试验值与锥尖阻力的关系,反演出圆锥系数的值。基于反演的圆锥系数,把CPTU预测的不排水抗剪强度应用到基坑的隆起分析中,与基于室内试验数据和基于十字板强度的计算结果进行了比较,结果表明:基于CPTU的软粘土不排水抗剪强度指标计算结果合理,符合工程实际,值得在工程设计中推广。     

Peak and residual strength characteristics of cement-treated soil cured under different consolidation conditions

The shear strength of cement-treated soil can be changed by both cementation and consolidation during the early stages of hardening because of cement hydration. Based on the results of triaxial and unconfined compression tests, this paper describes the effects of isotropic and one-dimensional consolidation stress, applied during the curing period, on the undrained peak and residual shear strengths of cement-treated soil. The sample used was a mixture of fine-grained sand and ordinary Portland cement. A consolidated undrained triaxial compression test (ICU) was conducted on the specimens immediately after the cement treatment. Each test was conducted under different consolidation pressures, curing times and delayed loading times. The following conclusions were developed from the results and discussions: (1) the undrained peak shear strength of cement-treated soil, cured under different consolidation conditions, increases with an increase in either the consolidation pressure or the curing time, whereas it gradually decreases with an increase in the delayed loading time. (2) The rate of undrained strength increase resulting from consolidation differs significantly between isotropic and one-dimensional consolidations. (3) For a curing time of between one and seven days, the rate of strength increase by isotropic consolidation exceeds that by one-dimensional consolidation. The simultaneous volumetric change of cement-treated soil during consolidation depends on the stress conditions of the specimen, that is, the difference between isotropic and one-dimensional consolidations. (4) When the test is not conducted under nearly in-situ conditions, the undrained shear strength may be underestimated, depending on the time interval between the cement treatment and the start of consolidation. (5) The shear strength in the residual state is influenced by the consolidation pressure during curing. (6) As the consolidation pressure during curing increases, the specimens exhibit a higher residual strength.     

剪切应变速率对淤泥土力学性状影响试验研究

为研究剪切应变速率对高含水量淤泥土力学性状的影响,运用SPAX-2000真三轴测试系统进行了不同周围压力和不同应变速率的固结不排水剪切试验,分析了淤泥土不排水抗剪强度和孔隙水压力随应变速率的变化规律。试验结果表明,高含水量淤泥具有“应变速率软化”现象。在剪切过程中(应变速率为10^-6/s～10^-2/s),淤泥土不排水抗剪强度随剪切应变速率增长而增长,符合指数变化规律;根据试验数据,建立了经验方程式,并求得其应变速率参数η_e1为0.130 5,η_e2为0.131 9;当变率增长10倍时,淤泥土的不排水抗剪强度增长率为13.12%。不同于强结构性黏土,淤泥土的强度随剪切应变速率呈渐进性变化,未出现明显临界速率转折点。在加载初期,孔隙水压力增长和最大孔隙水压力受应变速率影响较明显;在试验过程中,孔隙水压力变化具有一定波动性和滞后性。     

Some relations among fall cone penetration,liquidity index and undrained shear strength of clays considering the sensitivity ratio

This note describes some relations among fall cone penetration, d, liquidity index, LI, and undrained shear strength s_u, of clays. Fall cone tests are used to assess the liquidity index considering also the sensitivity ratio of undisturbed and remoulded soils, based on the cone penetration. Considering the British and the Swedish cones, it is possible to observe some differences between d values. Because the cone penetration amount is dependent on the undrained shear strength and that undrained strength of clays can be related to LI, a relation correlating LI based on the fall cone method and the cone penetration amount d for remoulded soils was obtained. It was observed that in remoulded soils, the LI−d relationship for each cone is unique irrespective of the soil type, testing equipment and operators. The correlation between liquidity index and undrained shear strength is provided considering new data and literature values taking into consideration the sensitivity ratio as well. From the LI−s_u−S_t relationship, it is possible to obtain a general overview about the strength characteristics of soils. Sensitivity ratio can also be extrapolated by liquidity index values considering a coefficient ‘a’ which might be related to the sedimentary environment (e.g. salt content), mineralogical composition and structure of clays, which however must be confirmed by further research. Finally, the predicted sensitivity ratio S_t^* is evaluated against the measured one within a range of (0.5-2)S_t.

     

基于CPTu数据的黏性土不排水抗剪强度#br# 神经网络预测

利用人工神经网络模型,建立基于孔压静力触探（CPTu）现场测试数据的黏性土不排水抗剪强度的预测方法。为建立和验证人工神经网络模型,在3个场地开展CPTu和十字板剪切现场测试,共取得33个测孔的CPTu试验数据和相对应的不排水抗剪强度实测值。通过对比分析不同输入向量、不同网络隐层数、不同神经元数及不同改进算法对人工神经网络模型性能的影响,确定人工神经网络模型的具体形式。通过对训练组数据开展机器学习,所建立的人工神经网络模型能够有效地基于CPTu获得的端阻力和孔隙水压力现场测试数据对黏土不排水抗剪强度进行预测,预测结果与十字板剪切试验实测结果非常接近。与传统用于估算不排水强度的经验关系相比,采用人工神经网络模型预测结果与实测结果相关性显著提高、误差明显降低。     

Empirical estimation of shear wave velocity from in situ tests on soil formations in Greece

Shear wave velocity is an important input parameter for dynamic ground analysis. Standard penetration test blow counts, static cone penetration tip resistance and shear wave velocity (V_S) obtained by the cross-hole technique have been collected from a large number of projects in Greece over the last 10 years and regression analysis used to develop empirical relationships. The paper discusses the factors which influence the derived equations, in particular the relevance of the soil type.     

天津滨海软土不同应力路径下抗剪强度对比试验研究

现有基坑支护设计参数试验条件与实际不符。选取天津滨海新区海相软土为研究对象,进行三轴固结不排水试验、三轴不固结不排水试验和减p路径试验并对比分析了几种试验条件下土的强度参数。得到:滨海软土在不同应力路径下的强度与初期固结方式有关。减p路径对总应力状态下抗剪强度有影响,但对有效应力状态下抗剪强度基本无影响。在滨海软土基坑支护设计中,选用CU试验参数进行计算,设计偏于安全。     

珠江三角洲地区竖向排水体施工扰动初探

竖向排水体施工具有挤土效应，按照平面应力问题，应用圆柱孔扩张理论分析表明，竖向排水体周围土体孔隙水压力显著增大，应力变化明显，形成瓶状塑性区。地面以下一定深度Zo范围内，塑性区半径取决于土体初始应力和不排水强度，并随深度增大；Zo以下，塑性区半径不再变化，其大小与土体初始应力、不排水强度，割线模量、排水体类型、间距、长度、导管类型等有关。施工扰动以塑性区为主，塑性区地面发生隆起，珠江三角洲地区，在饱和软粘土基中施工竖向排水体时，实测表明土体强度显著降低，最终沉降增大。计算表明扰动区半径可取塑性区半径的1.2倍，扰动区半径约为竖向排水体导管半径的9倍。     

基于静力触探的不同压力段土体压缩模量确定方法研究

静力触探技术具有测试资料连续、重复性好、测试速度快、劳动强度低及经济效益高等优点,已在许多国家广泛应用,并在工程勘察中占有重要地位,然而在应用静力触探成果确定土体压缩模量工程化应用方面尚待进一步完善。本文通过开展深层双桥静力触探及其相应点位的土体固结试验,将所得静力触探试验结果与相应点位的不同压力段土体压缩模量进行综合对比分析,归纳总结出适用于天津地区的基于静力触探确定各土性不同压力段土体压缩模量的经验公式,所得研究成果可为相关工程提供参考,并推动静力触探技术工程化应用进程。     

高含水率疏浚淤泥平板贯入剪切强度试验研究

针对中国缺乏高含水率疏浚淤泥不排水强度的有效测试方法的现状,引进了Tan课题组提出的平板贯入剪切试验方法,对分布于中国不同地区的3种疏浚淤泥进行了系列平板贯入剪切试验,分析了加载速率对不排水强度测试结果的影响以及贯入深度随贯入时间的变化规律,完善了平板贯入剪切试验测试方法。基于平板贯入剪切试验数据,分析了疏浚淤泥的不排水强度性状和主要影响因素,导入含水率与液限之比对各种疏浚淤泥的不排水强度进行归一化分析,验证了平板贯入剪切试验测试方法的有效性,为该测试方法应用于中国疏浚淤泥的强度测试奠定了基础。     

砂土剪胀剪缩特性及其对抗剪强度的影响

为了研究饱和砂土的剪胀剪缩特性及其对抗剪强度的影响,选取滹沱河细砂,利用空心圆柱扭剪仪较系统地开展了一系列不同初始密度、不同固结压力条件下的排水与不排水纯扭剪试验研究,在总应力保持不变的情况下研究了砂土的剪胀剪缩特性,着重探讨了在排水与不排水试验中,不同密度和不同有效围压的砂土在单调剪切荷载作用下的应力-应变关系、硬化与软化、土体的剪胀剪缩以及强度等特性。结果表明:砂土密度和固结压力对砂土剪胀剪缩特性具有显著的影响;砂土的剪胀剪缩特性对砂土的排水、不排水强度以及应力-应变关系产生显著的影响;由于剪胀剪缩特性的影响,砂土的不排水抗剪强度甚至可能高于排水抗剪强度;研究成果可为今后砂土的本构模型和数值模拟提供试验资料。     

基于超固结黏性土CU指标求解函数的“m”法修正

 由于基坑开挖卸载,墙前被动区土体由正常固结状态转化为超固结状态,其固结不排水剪(CU)指标将发生变化,因此弹性地基梁计算理论应予以修正。根据超固结比(OCR)与不排水强度、上覆土压力间关系,引入不排水强度与固结不排水剪(CU)指标间关系,逐步推导出多土层条件下超固结土CU指标的求解函数,将其应用于弹性地基梁“m”法计算理论,提出一种新的考虑分步开挖卸载后被动区黏性土超固结作用影响的m值修正计算法。武汉长江隧道工程有限元算例结果显示,随着超固结比增大,开挖面一定深度下各黏性土层CU指标、m值均有不同程度提高,其中粉土提高幅度尤为大,按该修正法计算出的支护体位移较未修正前更接近实测结果。     

In-Situ Evaluation of Strength and Dilatancy of Sands Based on CPT Results

In-situ tests have been increasingly used to estimate the shear strength of soils. In this paper, we propose methods to evaluate in-situ strength and dilatancy of sandy soils based on cone penetration test (CPT) results. It takes into account the silt content, relative density and stress state of the sand. A series of laboratory test results from fundamental property tests and triaxial tests are analyzed to develop methods for in-situ evaluation of strength and dilatancy for sands. Based on test results, modified and simplified dilatancy equations, in terms of the cone penetration resistance q_c and intrinsic soil variables, are proposed. Results from proposed and original dilatancy indexes show close agreements for various soil conditions. Values of intrinsic variables for the proposed dilatancy relationships were proposed as a function of silt content. Based on TX test results, a direct CPT-based correlation, applicable to both clean and silty sands, is proposed as well. In order to verify the proposed methods, calibration chamber CPT results obtained in this study and collected from the literature are adopted. It is observed that the results from the proposed methods show good agreement with the measured results.