Effect of initial water content on undrained shear strength of K0 consolidated clay

This study investigates the effect of initial water content on the pore pressure response and undrained shear behavior of K₀ consolidated reconstituted clay. A series of K₀ consolidated undrained triaxial compression tests were conducted on reconstituted Lianyungang clay. Results were compared to those obtained by isotropic consolidated undrained triaxial tests. The testing results showed that the K₀ consolidated undrained strength envelope of reconstituted soil content is a straight line passing through the origin regardless of the initial water content. The initial water content would affect the undrained strength of K₀ consolidated clay as decreased normalized undrained shear strength was observed with clay at higher initial water content. The slope C of normalized pore pressure and stress ratio is affected by the consolidation method, where C is found to be a soil constant for K₀ consolidated clay and the value would be higher with clay under K₀ consolidation. The pore pressure increases with increasing initial water content at a certain axial strain under given consolidation pressure, and the difference in excess pore pressure increases with the increasing consolidation pressure. Pore pressure coefficient at failure (A_f) increases as the initial water content increases, where a trendline can be well fitted between the pore coefficient at failure and the ratio of initial water content to the liquid limit of clay. The undrained strength indexes, i.e., effective cohesion and effective internal friction angle have decreasing tendency with increasing initial water content; however, changes in the total strength indexes of soil in this study are insignificant with varying initial water content.     

聚丙烯酰胺对淤泥质黏土孔隙影响的试验研究

以浙江台州淤泥质黏土为研究对象,在掺入水泥、生石灰、粉煤灰的基础上添加聚丙烯酰胺,对重塑黏土、不加聚丙烯酰胺、加聚丙烯酰胺重塑黏土试样进行扫描电镜观测,研究聚丙烯酰胺结合无机材料对淤泥质黏土孔隙结构的影响。最后利用计算机图像处理技术,研究了固化剂对淤泥质黏土孔隙结构的改变。研究结果表明,经固化剂加固后的黏土颗粒间胶结联结加强,结构稳定性提高。最后采用MATLAB对图像中孔隙总面积,总周长等参数进行定量分析。分析发现:淤泥质黏土的天然孔隙比、不加聚丙烯酰胺重塑土的孔隙比、加聚丙烯酰胺重塑土的孔隙比依次递减,从而得出聚丙烯酰胺与无机材料结合比单加无机材料作为固化剂对淤泥的加固效果有一定程度的提高。     

Analysis of strength development in cement-stabilized silty clay from microstructural considerations

This paper analyzes the strength development in cement-stabilized silty clay based on microstructural considerations. A qualitative and quantitative study on the microstructure is carried out using a scanning electron microscope, mercury intrusion pore size distribution measurements, and thermal gravity analysis. Three influential factors in this investigation are water content, curing time, and cement content. Cement stabilization improves the soil structure by increasing inter-cluster cementation bonding and reducing the pore space. As the cement content increases for a given water content, three zones of improvement are observed: active, inert and deterioration zones. The active zone is the most effective for stabilization where the cementitious products increase with cement content and fill the pore space. In the active zone, the effective mixing state is achieved when the water content is 1.2 times the optimum water content. In this state, the strength is the greatest because of the highest quantity of cementitious products. In the short stabilization period, the volume of large pores (larger than 0.1 μm) increases because of the input of coarser particles (unhydrated cement particles) while the volume of small pores (smaller than 0.1 μm) decreases because of the solidification of the cement gel (hydrated cement). With time, the large pores are filled with the cementitious products; thus, the small pore volume increases, and the total pore volume decreases. This causes the strength development over time.     

基于SEM和MIP试验结构性黏土压缩过程中微观孔隙的变化规律

 为探求土体在变形过程中微结构形态的演化规律,对湛江结构性黏土进行室内压缩试验,通过真空冷冻升华干燥法对天然土和压缩后土制样,进行扫描电子显微镜扫描试验和压汞试验,基于灰度计算土的三维孔隙率,分析压缩过程中微观孔隙的变化规律。结果表明,较二值化处理获得的二维孔隙率,三维孔隙率物理意义明确,求取方法简单,有较高准确性。湛江天然黏土孔径为1.0～0.1 μm的小孔隙组占优,其孔隙体积占总孔隙体积的73%。压缩过程中,P＞?k前,各孔径组分变化甚微。P＞?k后,随压力的增大,小孔隙含量表现为先增加后降低。各孔隙组对外力的敏感度与孔隙体积含量正相关。由于压汞过程存在“瓶颈”效应,其结果可能会夸大小孔隙的分布密度而低估大孔隙的分布密度。结构性黏土压缩过程中微观结构形态的演化可分为结构微调、结构破损、结构固化3个阶段。该研究有助于深入了解土的变形机制,为结构性土的工程设计提供科学的依据。     

Macroscopic and microscopic investigation of the structural characteristics of artificially structured marine clay

Artificial structural soil is the best medium for simulating the structural characteristics of undisturbed soil, which is a unique property of undisturbed soil. To figure out the macroscopic and microscopic structural properties of artificially structured soil, this study proposed a method of disposing artificial structural soil to simulate in situ marine clay. In addition, a series of one-dimensional compression tests considering three influencing factors—the initial void ratio, interparticle cementation strength (determined by cement content) and pore size distribution (determined by initial salt content)—were conducted to explore the macroscopic structural properties of artificially structured marine clay. Then, SEM and MIP tests were performed to investigate the microstructure properties of artificially structured marine clay. With respect to the macro-scale experiment, the results show as the initial void ratio increases, the yield stress decreases while the compressibility increases in postyield stage. The pore size distribution mainly affects deformation, which increases with the quantity of relatively large pores. In terms of the micro-scale test, we found that the general microstructure is composed of aggregates of small clay platelets, some of which are either attached to the aggregates or linked to the surrounding aggregates with cemented bridges crossing the interaggregate pores. The most and least common pore space types feature entrance pore diameters of 1 ～ 17 μm and larger than 17 μm, respectively. An increase in cement content causes increases in intra-aggregate pore space and interparticle cementation strength. Initial salt particle content exerts an influence predominantly in the pores with entrance diameters of 0.3 ～ 1 μm and 1 ～ 17 μm.     

电石渣改良路基过湿土的微观机制研究

 为揭示电石渣改良路基过湿土的强度增长机制,通过无侧限抗压强度、酸碱度、压汞和热重分析试验,从微观角度出发,探讨改良土强度与pH值、孔径分布、火山灰反应产物含量的内在联系,并与石灰改良土进行比较。结果表明,电石渣改良路基过湿土早期强度与生石灰改良土接近,而后期强度为生石灰改良土的1.05～1.16倍;电石渣细粒含量约为生石灰的1.72倍,比表面积大5倍,可保障电石渣与土颗粒接触更充分;电石渣活性Al,Si成分含量约为生石灰的1.71倍,且电石渣改良土pH值可维持在12.4～12.6(而生石灰改良土pH值低于12.4),为火山灰反应提供较好的碱性环境,水化反应更持久;28和120 d龄期时,电石渣改良土的火山灰反应产物含量约为生石灰改良土的1.06和1.10倍,且微孔隙(＜0.007 μm)和小孔隙(0.007～0.900 μm)的体积百分比之和分别约为生石灰改良土的1.05和1.23倍,结构更致密。     

初始含水率对粉质粘土压缩特性的影响研究

以粉质粘土为研究对象,以不同初始含水率为控制条件,对粉质粘土做标准固结实验,研究不同初始含水率对粉质粘土压缩特性的影响,结果表明,对于土的压缩e-p曲线,初始含水率低的e-p曲线在初始含水率高的e-p曲线上方,在100~400kPa内,通过定义孔隙指数I可以把不同初始含水率的I-lgp曲线大致归化于一条曲线上;在12.5~100kPa,初始含水率对土的压缩性能影响较大,在100~400kPa内,初始含水率对土的压缩性能影响较小;初始含水率与压缩系数大致呈线性关系,但随着压力的增大,初始含水率对土的压缩系数的影响逐渐变小。     

Effects of primary curing and subsequent disturbances on strength development of steel slag-treated marine clay

Steel slag-treated marine clay (SSTC) is a novel geomaterial used for recycling steel slag. This article reports the effects of the primary curing (the time delay between mixing and fill work) and the subsequent disturbances (the processes of remolding, handling, and placement) on the strength development of the geomaterial. The results of a series of experiments point to the possibility of improving the initial strength of SSTC for maritime fill work. Laboratory tests were performed to investigate the changes in and the recovery of the geomaterial strength brought about by one to three days of primary curing and the subsequent disturbances during various secondary curing times. In the field tests, three embankments, using SSTC that had previously undergone one or two days of primary curing, were constructed in seawater with an actual construction machine. The test results indicated that the initial strength of SSTC previously treated with one, two, or three days of primary curing increased to approximately 14 kN/m². The loss in strength that occurred at the primary stage of curing was recovered at a later stage of curing, namely, after 28 days, and the strength of the SSTC in the three embankments was 52–70% of the sample that was cured without primary disturbance. Larger amounts of disturbances were applied to the SSTC in the field tests than in the laboratory tests. The field tests produced submerged embankments, 1.8 m in height, with average slopes of 1:2.1–1:2.9, by undergoing one to two days of primary curing. The strength of the SSTC in all the embankments recovered significantly with time after construction, and the unconfined compressive strength of the SSTC exceeded 200 kN/m² at 100 days, which is deemed sufficient for the construction of embankments. Overall, it was confirmed that the one-day primary curing and the sea-bottom fill method presented better results than the two-day primary curing and the sea-surface fill method, considering the gradient of the slope and the strength-recovery characteristics of the SSTC.     

Cyclic threshold shear strain in pore water pressure generation in clay in situ samples

The threshold level of the cyclic shear strain required for pore water pressure generation in clay samples is examined through the results of torsional hollow cylinder cyclic shearing tests according to JGS 0543-2009. The study confirms the previous results, namely, that the threshold cyclic shear strain is dependent on the effective consolidation stress and plasticity index (I_p). The average and standard deviations in the estimated threshold strain levels are 0.038?±?0.023% (I_p?<?30, σ′_c?$\leqq$?100?kN/m²), 0.047?±?0.016% (I_p?<?30, σ′_c?>?100?kN/m²), 0.079?±?0.028% (30?$\leqq$?I_p?<?5?0), and 0.143?±?0.041% (I_p?$\geqq$?50). As was found in past research, the levels of threshold strain for pore water pressure generation for clay are larger than those for clean sand. An increase in pore water pressure is only observed when the stiffness is reduced to around 80% of its initial value. This delay occurs because there is a difference between the cyclic threshold strain of the pore water pressure generation, γ_tp, and the cyclic threshold strain of the stiffness degradation, γ_td. Since the test procedure of JGS 0543-2009 is a standard scheme in the practical design process, it is expected that more data will become available in the near future which will allow for further discussions on threshold strain.     

Removal of chromium (VI) from wastewater using bentonite-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron

Bentonite-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron (B-nZVI) was synthesized using liquid-phase reduction. The orthogonal method was used to evaluate the factors impacting Cr(VI) removal and this showed that the initial concentration of Cr(VI), pH, temperature, and B-nZVI loading were all importance factors. Characterization with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) validated the hypothesis that the presence of bentonite led to a decrease in aggregation of iron nanoparticles and a corresponding increase in the specific surface area (SSA) of the iron particles. B-nZVI with a 50% bentonite mass fraction had a SSA of 39.94 m²/g, while the SSA of nZVI and bentonite was 54.04 and 6.03 m²/g, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the existence of Fe⁰ before the reaction and the presence of Fe(II), Fe(III) and Cr(III) after the reaction. Batch experiments revealed that the removal of Cr (VI) using B-nZVI was consistent with pseudo first-order reaction kinetics. Finally, B-nZVI was used to remediate electroplating wastewater with removal efficiencies for Cr, Pb and Cu > 90%. Reuse of B-nZVI after washing with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution was possible but the capacity of B-nZVI for Cr(VI) removal decreased by approximately 70%.     

初始主应力方向对饱和粉土不排水剪切特性的影响

利用“土工静力–动力液压–三轴扭转多功能剪切仪”,针对山东东营原状饱和粉土和采用 3 种初始成样含水率夯击法制备的重塑饱和粉土,在初始平均主应力为 100 kPa ,初始中主应力系数为 0.5 ,初始偏应力比为 0.433 ,初始主应力方向角分别为 0 °, 30 °, 45 °, 60 °, 90 °的非均等固结条件下,保持平均主应力和中主应力系数恒定进行了应力控制式不排水静力扭剪实验。着重探讨了初始主应力方向和初始成样含水率对粉土应力–应变关系、孔隙水压力变化与有效应力路径等的影响。实验结果表明：初始主应力方向对原状粉土和重塑粉土的变形与强度特性的影响程度有所不同;初始成样含水率对饱和重塑粉土的变形及强度特性具有显著影响。     

高含水率吹填淤泥固化土强度特性及预测模型

高淤泥初始含水率以及低固化剂掺量是吹填造陆工程和疏浚淤泥资源化利用工程的常见特点,形成的固化土含水率和强度与其关系密切。本文通过室内试验,探讨了吹填淤泥固化土含水率和强度与养护龄期、固化剂掺量、淤泥初始含水率之间的关系,并尝试选择合适的参数,建立固化土无侧限抗压强度预测模型。研究表明,各龄期的固化土含水率随固化剂掺量增加而呈现规律性减小,基本呈线性关系,尽管淤泥初始含水率不同,但固化土的含水率下降差异较小;当淤泥初始含水率较低时,固化土强度与固化剂掺量的线性拟合关系较为明显,但当初始含水率较高时,线性关系则不明显;固化土强度并非随着w₀/w_L呈线性下降,初始含水率大于一定的值后,各龄期的固化土强度下降幅度均减小;用水灰比w/A_w表征各龄期的淤泥固化土无侧限抗压强度具有较高的相关系数,而考虑龄期和固化剂掺量共同影响的综合参数EAT也能够用于建立高含水率淤泥固化土的强度预测模型,可为高含水率淤泥固化处理提供应用指导。     

石灰粉煤灰固化天津滨海软土试验研究

天津滨海新区大面积分布的海积软土含水量高、孔隙比大、强度较低,对工程的安全建设和使用存在很大影响,在工程实践中常需要进行固化处理。本文以石灰粉煤灰为固化材料,通过大量室内试验,以及微观结构测试,研究其对天津滨海软土的改良效果。室内试验结果表明,二灰土各项力学性质明显提高,即压缩性降低,水稳性良好,无侧限抗压峰值应变及三轴峰值应变较小,由于其强度很大程度依赖于土体颗粒间的胶结作用,一旦破坏,二次抗压强度则较低。微观结构测试分析表明,石灰粉煤灰与软土在拌合均匀状态下,经一系列物理化学作用,土体颗粒胶结成土团粒,粒间孔隙也得到填充。随着龄期的增长,二灰土孔隙数量减少,等效直径减小,土体颗粒数量减少,等效直径增大;而随着压力的增大,二灰土表现出孔隙数量增多而孔隙等效直径减小,颗粒数量和等效直径变化较小的趋势。室内试验与微观测试认为石灰粉煤灰可用于固化天津滨海软土,是一种经济合理的固化剂。     

结构性黄土压缩屈服特性及湿压模型

湿陷性黄土具有很强的结构性,在增湿及侧限压缩应力作用下,其变形特性表现出与一般黏性土不同的特性。针对这一问题,通过对3种不同初始结构性黄土的侧限压缩试验,对黄土在增湿及压缩应力条件下黄土的宏观力学特性及其结构变化特征进行研究。研究结果表明:1)在增湿及侧限压缩应力作用下,黄土的e-lgp曲线分成三段,即平缓状态段、非线性段和线性段;2)原状黄土的压缩曲线与重塑土压缩曲线的变化给出了同一压力下黄土架空排列结构破损后孔隙比的可能变化量;3)原状黄土与饱和黄土压缩曲线的差别揭示了同一压力下黄土颗粒间胶结丧失后结构性黄土孔隙比的可能变化量;4)结构屈服应力与初始含水率之间满足幂函数关系,压缩指数与初始含水率之间呈指数函数关系。     

Fabric changes induced by super-absorbent polymer on cement–lime stabilized excavated clayey soil

This paper studies the microstructure variation induced by super-absorbent polymer (SAP) to understand the mechanism of macroscopic strength improvement of stabilized soil. The fabric changes of cement–lime stabilized soil were analyzed with respect to the variation of SAP content, water content, lime content and curing time, using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests. It can be observed that the delimitation pore diameter between inter- and intra-aggregate pores was 0.2 μm for the studied soil, determined through the intrusion/extrusion cycles. Experimental results showed that fabric in both inter- and intra-aggregate pores varied significantly with SAP content, lime content, water content and curing time. Two main changes in fabric due to SAP are identified as: (1) an increase in intra-aggregate pores (<0.2 μm) due to the closer soil–cement–lime cluster space at higher SAP content; and (2) a decrease in inter-aggregate pores represented by a reduction in small-pores (0.2–2 μm) due to the lower pore volume of soil mixture after water absorption by SAP, and a slight increase in large-pores (>2 μm) due to the shrinkage of SAP particle during the freeze–dry process of MIP test. Accordingly, the strength gain due to SAP for cement–lime stabilized soil was mainly due to a denser fabric with less inter-aggregate pores. The cementitious products gradually developed over time, leading to an increase in intra-aggregate pores with an increasing proportion of micro-pores (0.006–0.2 μm). Meanwhile, the inter-aggregate pores were filled by cementitious products, resulting in a decrease in total void ratio. Hence, the strength development over time is attributable to the enhancement of cementation bonding and the refinement of fabric due to the increasing cementitious compounds.     

干湿循环作用下非饱和重塑黏土变形特性研究

为了研究了基质吸力与干湿循环对非饱和重塑黏土压缩变形特性的影响,利用最新研制的全自动非饱和土固结仪,在控制基质吸力的条件下进行非饱和土压缩试验。研究结果表明,吸力越大,土体的压缩性越小,屈服应力越大,含水率减小的幅度也越小。试样经历干湿循环后,土体的压缩性增大,屈服应力减小,土体弹性变形的应力范围也减小。非饱和土的压缩变形以孔隙气体的压缩为主,土体中孔隙水的排出处于次要地位。干湿循环对非饱和土变形特性有重要影响,考虑其影响对于实际工程应用是十分必要的。     

Influence of Curing Stress on One-Dimensional Yielding of Cement-Admixed Bangkok Clay at High Water Content

The influence of curing stress on the one-dimensional compression characteristics of cement-admixed clay at high water content is investigated by oedometer tests, with special attention paid to the primary vertical yield stress. From the test results, the stress acting during the formation of cementation plays an important role in the one-dimensional compression characteristics of cement admixed clay. The stress compresses the treated clay and results in an increase in the vertical yield stress. For the cement-admixed clay studied, the effect of the curing stress inherently reflects on the after-curing void ratio. Therefore, the primary vertical yield stress in one-dimensional compression is a function of the after-curing void ratio and the ratio of the clay water content to the cement content ratio.     

Compression behavior and structure of undisturbed Q2 loess under wet-dry cycles

In the Loess Plateau of China, the undisturbed Q₂ loess is in a state of wet-dry cycles due to seasonal rainfall and groundwater level fluctuations. The root cause of large deformation and poor stability of engineering foundation caused by wet-dry cycles or load compression lies in the distinctive structure of loess. In this paper, the effects of wet-dry cycles and initial water content on the compression deformation and compression coefficient of undisturbed Q₂ loess were analyzed. Based on the structural parameter at the macro-level and the microscopic morphology and pore size distribution at the micro-level, the effects of wet-dry cycles and initial water content on the structure were analyzed from two aspects, and the influence mechanism was discussed. Meanwhile, based on the relationship between microstructure and unsaturation, the impact of wet-dry cycles on the soil–water characteristic curve was determined. The results show that the wet-dry cycles and initial water content were positively correlated with the compression deformation and compression coefficient of the undisturbed Q₂ loess, but negatively correlated with the structural parameter and water retention. These parameters were stable under the 2 wet-dry cycles. With the increase in initial water content, the sensitivity of wet-dry cycles to the compression deformation, structural parameter, and water retention gradually decreased. The sensitivity of initial water content to the compression deformation, structural parameter, and water retention gradually reduced with the increasing wet-dry cycles. Moreover, the influence mechanism of wet-dry cycles and initial water content on the macro-parameters and structure was mainly weakening the particle cementation strength. With the increase in initial water content, the decreasing range of the inter-aggregate cementation strength and intra-aggregate cementation strength under the influence of wet-dry cycles decreased. With the increase in wet-dry cycles, the decreasing range of the inter-aggregate cementation strength and intra-aggregate cementation strength under the influence of initial water content decreased.     

重塑黏土临界状态线随初始含水率的变化规律

针对具有不同初始含水率的两种饱和重塑黏土进行了一系列的三轴固结不排水剪切试验,探讨初始含水率对黏土临界状态的影响,得到了不同初始含水率重塑土的应力-应变关系和有效应力路径。根据应力-应变关系曲线发现不同初始含水率重塑土均存在临界状态应力比。基于临界状态土力学理论研究了在p´-q平面和v-lnp´平面内临界状态线随初始含水率的变化规律,并分析了初始含水率对临界状态参数的影响。     

Geotechnical properties and microstructure of lime-stabilized silt clay

The geotechnical properties and microstructures of lime-stabilized silt clay from Jilin province, China, were studied in detail. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of lime content and curing time on the overall soil properties, including compaction characteristics, Atterberg limits, particle size distribution, pH, stress–strain behavior, peak strength, shear strength parameters, and California bearing ratio (CBR). The stabilized mechanisms of lime in silt clay were examined, and the observed test results were explained based on the results of scanning electron microscropy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction analyses of the specimens. Lime content and curing duration significantly influenced the geotechnical properties and microstructure of the lime-stabilized silt clay specimens. An increase in lime content resulted in increases in compaction water content, liquid limit, plastic limit, sand size-fractions, pH, peak strength, cohesion, internal friction angle, and the CBR, but led to a reduction in the plasticity index, silt fractions, clay fractions, swelling capacity, and water absorption. Also, the addition of lime to silt clay changed this soil type from a ductile to a brittle material. The optimum lime content of the silt clays from Jilin province was determined to be approximately 5–7%. SEM micrographs showed that a white cementitious gel was formed after the addition of lime and that peaks related to smectite, illite, kaolinite, and quartz appeared to be sharper after stabilization with lime and a 90-day period of curing. These results show that the geotechnical properties of lime-stabilized silt clay are affected by the microstructural organization of the silt clay itself.