Effect of initial water content and shear stress on immersion-induced creep deformation and strength characteristics of gravelly mudstone

Soft sedimentary rocks undergo deterioration due to weathering induced by dry–wet cycles in a process known as slaking. To investigate the effect of the initial water content and shear stress on the immersion-induced creep deformation and strength characteristics of gravelly mudstone (slaking index = 1 and 2), creep tests were conducted using a modified direct-shear-test apparatus under different creep-stress ratios. Crushed mudstone with different degrees of compaction and initial water content was subjected to immersion under the creep-shear-stress conditions. After the creep shear and vertical displacements stabilized, a monotonic shear loading was applied. During creep immersion, the increment in the creep-shear displacement increases as the creep-stress ratio increases and the initial water content and/or degree of compaction decrease. Retaining a high initial water content in crushed mudstone is recommended to maintain its shear-stress stability. Under the same density, the peak shear strength decreased with an increase in the increment of the creep-shear displacement during creep immersion. The results indicate that the occurrence of immersion-induced creep deformation in addition to slaking can result in the deterioration of slope stability.