Collapse behaviour of a lateritic soil

Collapsible soils are problematic by nature. They undergo collapse or sudden settlement or subsidence under a given stress when their water content is increased. Collapse is characterised by collapse potential expressed as ΔH/H x 100, where ΔH is collapse compression. The amount of stress applied and the water content at the time of collapse govern the amount of collapse. In other words, collapse potential depends upon the amount of stress and the water content. Loess and other wind-blown silts are examples of collapsible soils. This paper presents a parametric study on the collapse behaviour of a lateritic soil. Remoulded specimens of a lateritic soil passing through a 425 µm sieve were compacted in 1-D consolidometer or oedometer at a density of 13 kN/m³ for studying collapse under varied initial moisture contents and initial surcharge pressures. Collapse compression of the samples was induced by saturating the specimens with water contents corresponding to 100% degree of saturation. After collapse occurred, the 1-D consolidation tests were continued up to an applied stress of 160 kPa. Collapse behaviour was studied for the applied initial pressures (σ_i) of 10, 20 and 40 kPa and for the initial water contents (w_i) of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. Collapse compression and collapse potential decreased with increasing w_i for all σ_i.     

考虑卸荷作用的黄土湿陷性评价方法研究

卸荷作用会导致湿陷性黄土部分湿陷量未发生,但目前黄土湿陷性评价方法中未考虑卸荷因素的影响。推导并建立了卸荷条件下黄土湿陷系数的表达式,并通过卸荷湿陷试验确定了表达式中的参数取值。首先定义湿陷完成比、卸荷应力比分别用来表征卸荷作用发生前黄土湿陷变形的完成程度及卸荷作用发生时卸荷量的大小。运用湿陷完成比及卸荷应力比推导出卸荷湿陷系数的计算公式。该公式揭示出卸荷湿陷系数是对湿陷系数一定程度的折减,而该折减与湿陷完成比及卸荷应力比有关。随后进行黄土在不同湿陷完成比和卸荷应力比下的卸荷湿陷试验,得到上述条件下黄土卸荷湿陷量的取值。对试验结果进行分析得到卸荷湿陷系数的具体表达式。该公式可用于计算在不同初始压力下,任意湿陷完成比及卸荷应力比下的卸荷湿陷系数。通过对比卸荷湿陷系数的试验值与计算值验证了所推公式的合理性及准确性。得到了考虑卸荷作用的黄土湿陷性影响系数的确定方法,进一步总结了卸荷作用对黄土湿陷性的影响规律。     

Shear induced collapse settlement of arid soils

This paper presents the results of studies of deformation, strength and collapsibility of loess soils. Samples were taken from Al Dalam in central Saudi Arabia, which resembles an arid region. These samples were subjected to various laboratory tests to determine their physical and engineering properties. Sets of oedometer and direct shear tests were carried out in which the initial dry density and the normal pressure at wetting and shearing were each varied in turn. Oedometer results indicate that collapse potential decreases with density and increases logarithmically with normal pressure. Shear induces further collapse potential which increase with density due to further destruction of soil fabric. A unique shear stress–shear strain relationship was obtained for specimens prepared at different initial fabrics. Dry and soaked failure envelopes were both non-linear in the low-pressure range. Wetting induced a reduction in the shear strength parameters. The results of the tests are reported, and the significance of each variable is assessed.     

Stress deformation properties of macroporous loess soils

Milovic, D., 1988. Stress deformation properties of macroporous loess soils. Eng. Geol., 25: 283–302.

Herein are presented the results of laboratory and field tests which were carried out on loess in Yugoslavia.

Experience gained during recent decades show that the loess soil in some cases undergoes structural collapse and subsidence due to inundation. In order to find the explanation of such behaviour, numerous laboratory and field load tests on loess soil have been performed. Using the obtained results, several correlations have been established.

On the basis of the unconfined test results, a correlation between the initial dry density, initial water content and unconfined compression strength has been established.

A relatively large number of the consolidation subsidence tests (about 550), carried out on undisturbed loess samples, made possible the determination of the degree of subsidence and the corresponding values of the dimensionless coefficients of subsidence. These coefficients have been determined for several values of the initial dry density, for various degrees of saturation and for several stress levels upon wetting. Using these coefficients, the values of the additional settlement caused by flooding of loess under the foundation can easily be calculated. It is of particular interest to note that, in general, water penetrates under one part of the building, producing differential settlements, which are in most cases very dangerous.

By the comparative laboratory investigation of the undisturbed loess samples obtained by thin walled sampler and samples obtained from pits, it has been shown that the mechanical disturbance is an extremely important factor which governs the shear and deformation parameters of loess soils.

The laboratory test results obtained on undisturbed loess samples, cut from blocks in the vertical and horizontal direction, have shown that this soil exhibits anisotropic properties. For this reason a stress deformation problem in an anisotropic medium has been treated by the finite element method.

Static penetration tests and field load tests in loess soils with natural water content and also after saturation have been performed and are described.

The results of the observed settlements for two statically identical multi-storey buildings are also presented. Using the coefficients of subsidence for the undisturbed samples cut from blocks, very good agreement between the calculated and the observed settlements has been obtained.     

Modeling soil collapse by artificial neural networks

The feasibility of using neural networks to model the complex relationship between soil parameters, loading conditions, and the collapse potential is investigated in this paper. A back propagation neural network process was used in this study. The neural network was trained using experimental data. The experimental program involved the assessment of the collapse potential using the one-dimensional oedometer apparatus. To cover the broadest possible scope of data, a total of eight types of soils were selected covering a wide range of gradation. Various conditions of water content, unit weights and applied pressures were imposed on the soils. For each placement condition, three samples were prepared and tested with the measured collapse potential values averaged to obtain a representative data point. This resulted in 414 collapse tests with 138 average test values, which were divided into two groups. Group I, consisting of 82 data points, was used to train the neural networks for a specific paradigm. Training was carried out until the mean sum squared error (MSSE) was minimized. The model consisting of eight hidden nodes and six variables was the most successful. These variables were: soil coefficient of uniformity, initial water content, compaction unit weight, applied pressure at wetting, percent sand and percent clay. Once the neural networks have been deemed fully trained its accuracy in predicting collapse potential was tested using group II of the experimental data. The model was further validated using information available in the literature. The data used in both the testing and validation phases were not included in the training phase. The results proved that neural networks are very efficient in assessing the complex behavior of collapsible soils using minimal processing of data. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

黄土的独立物性指标及其与湿陷性参数的相关性分析

黄土的湿陷性是其重要的工程特性,常用一维压缩应力条件下的湿陷系数、自重湿陷系数和湿陷起始压力等指标定量评价。影响黄土湿陷性的因素较多,包括土的粒度、密度、湿度等基本物理性质指标,且各因素之间并非完全独立,存在一定相关性。采用因子分析法,通过对西安地铁4号线黄土高台地和宝鸡-兰州高速铁路隧道黄土塬湿陷性黄土场地地层物性质指标的统计分析和相关性分析,首先确定了相对独立的含水比（含水率与液限之比）和孔隙比3个物性指标反映的两个因子。然后,依据湿陷性黄土场地的试验资料,通过多元线性回归分析,分别得到了两个场地黄土的自重湿陷系数、湿陷起始压力以及压缩模量与含水比和孔隙比之间的相关关系。最后,比较分析了两个场地黄土自重湿陷系数、湿陷起始压力和压缩模量计算值与实测值,验证了利用因子分析法寻找影响黄土湿陷性的独立因子,建立黄土湿陷性参数与独立影响因子之间相关关系的合理性和准确性。针对两个地区两类地貌单元湿陷性黄土场地,建立的黄土湿陷性参数的相关关系具有快速、准确的评价黄土湿陷性和黄土地基湿陷变形的实际意义。     

拉裂-滑移式黄土崩塌的形成机制及其稳定性研究

拉裂-滑移式黄土崩塌是黄土地区高速公路建设过程中常见的一种崩塌灾害。根据土体极限平衡方程,得到黄土斜坡后缘最大竖直拉张裂隙深度。引进水致弱化函数,分别建立了竖直裂隙面介质及潜在滑移面介质的本构方程。根据崩塌体能量守恒原理及尖点突变理论,建立了拉裂-滑移式黄土崩塌隐患的尖点突变模型。根据该模型,探讨了拉裂-滑移式黄土崩塌的形成机制。认为黄土斜坡开挖后,后缘形成拉张裂隙,在裂隙充水的作用下,竖直拉张裂隙的剪切模量增大,潜在滑移面的剪切模量减小,当黄土含水饱和度达到一定程度时候,系统发生突变,滑裂面形成,土体重心不断向临空面移动。其重心一旦滑出陡坡,就会产生崩塌。根据极限平衡方程,结合摩尔-库仑定律,建立了拉裂-滑移式黄土崩塌隐患体的稳定性计算公式。研究结果对黄土崩塌治理的设计与施工具有重要参考价值。     

Influence of Cyclic Wetting Drying on Collapse Behaviour of Compacted Residual Soil

The climatic zones where residual soils occur are often characterized by alternate wet and dry seasons. Laboratory studies of earlier workers have established that the alternate wetting and drying process affects the swell-shrink potentials, water content, void ratio and particle cementation of expansive soils. The influence of cyclic wetting and drying on the collapse behaviour of residual soils has not been examined. This paper examines the influence of alternate wetting and drying on the collapse behaviour of compacted residual soil specimens from Bangalore District. Results of such a study are useful in anticipating changes in collapse behaviour of compacted residual soil fills. Experimental results indicated that the cyclic wetting and drying process increased the degree of expansiveness of the residual soils and reduced their collapse tendency. Changes in the swell/collapse behaviour of compacted residual soil specimens from wetting drying effects are attributed to reduction in water content, void ratio and possible growth of cementation bonds.     

桩间黄土卸荷湿陷过程中卸荷量计算方法初探

为确定桩间黄土卸荷湿陷过程中卸荷量的合理取值,开展桩−土界面大型剪切试验,研究桩间黄土卸荷湿陷状态下桩−土界面剪切强度、剪切位移及桩−土界面法向力之间的相关关系。结果表明：在桩间土中性点深度范围内,不同竖向应力和含水率状态下的桩−土界面剪切强度可代表桩侧负摩阻力。利用卸荷量与桩侧负摩阻力互为作用力与反作用力的力学原理,并在分析卸荷量随湿陷深度和湿陷进程变化规律的基础上,提出黄土卸荷湿陷过程中卸荷量计算方法,通过对比卸荷量计算值与不同黄土地区桩侧负摩阻力现场实测值,以验证其合理性。该方法不仅为科学评价黄土卸荷湿陷特性提供卸荷作用量化手段,还为相关黄土工程的优化设计提供理论参考依据。     

关于黄土湿陷性评价和剩余湿陷量的新认识

在总结诸多大型浸水现场试验成果的基础上,提出了一些关于湿陷性评价方法和剩余湿陷量合理控制等问题的新认识,目的是为了修正自重湿陷性黄土场地的自重湿陷量计算值与其实测值之间的差异,并减小地基处理深度。在获取自重湿陷量的计算值时,引进了一个深度修正系数?,使自重湿陷量和湿陷量的计算值接近实测值,这在一定程度上降低了较深部位黄土的剩余湿陷量。在获取湿陷量计算值时,提出了扩大湿陷系数阈值(0.015)的方案,并与深度修正系数?联合使用,达到了扩大湿陷量的计算值和降低较深土层的剩余湿陷量的目的。提出了大厚度自重湿陷性黄土场地的湿陷临界深度的概念,通过若干资料将其初步确定为20²5 m之间,结合深度修正系数和扩大湿陷系数阈值方法,使用湿陷临界深度概念,可以更为有效地降低较深土层的剩余湿陷量。新的研究思路可为自重湿陷性黄土场地的类似工程和黄土规范的修订提供一定的参考。     

靖远地区大厚度黄土地基浸水湿陷过程及土中竖向应力特征试验研究

为了研究靖远大厚度黄土在浸水条件下的水分入渗规律和自重湿陷变形特征,在中兰铁路沿线的靖远北站黄土自重湿陷场地进行了不打注水孔的现场浸水试验,监测并分析了地表及地下湿陷变形、试坑周围裂缝、含水率和土中竖向应力变化情况,对水分扩散规律、自重湿陷特性和土中竖向应力变化规律进行了研究,并对地区修正系数β0值和浸润角进行了探讨。结果表明：体积含水率变化分为浸水稳定（2个）、快速增加（1个）和缓慢增加（1个）共4个阶段;浸水过程中,水分在21m处竖向入渗加快、径向扩散减缓,湿润峰最终形态呈现为椭圆状。根据探井和钻孔含水率测试结果,推算出浸润角最大为41°。该场地黄土自重湿陷过程历经剧烈湿陷、缓慢湿陷和固结稳定3个阶段。试验结束时共计发展了13圈环状裂缝,裂缝最远处距试坑边缘26m。根据室内试验和现场测试结果,建议地区修正系数沿土层深度进行修正,0～10m内β0值取1.05,10～27 m内β0值取0.95。在地表至21 m深度范围内,地基土浸水饱和且湿陷充分,土中竖向应力沿深度呈线性增加,土中竖向应力接近饱和自重应力,21m以下的地基土未能充分湿陷,土中竖向应力逐渐减小。该研究成果可应用于中兰铁路...     

温度变化条件下重塑黄土水分迁移试验

土体内部由于所处环境差异会造成水分场的不均匀分布,为了探究不同影响因素下重塑黄土水分迁移的规律,配置不同干密度、初始含水率水平的重塑土样,在不同温度梯度、不同温度水平下进行重塑黄土水分迁移室内试验,分析在4种不同因素变化下黄土体内部水分场的变化规律及机理。结果表明:土样两端施加的温度梯度越大,水分迁移速率就越快,温度势是引起土体内部水分迁移的主要驱动力;土样的干密度越大,基质势越大,同时渗透系数越小,阻碍了水分的迁移,故水分迁移速率越慢;当土样含有较大的含水率时,由于渗透系数较小,造成迁移速率较小,当土样初始含水率较小时,由于总土水势较小,造成迁移速率较小,当初始含水率在一定范围内时,其迁移速率较快;在土样两端施加的温度水平越低,导致总土水势越大,故水分迁移速率越快。      

考虑结构性的冻融作用对黄土湿陷系数的影响

结构性是黄土的基本属性,黄土的湿陷特性与其结构性之间有着必然的联系。针对冻融作用对不同结构性黄土湿陷性的影响,以水泥作为模拟土颗粒间的联结材料制备了人工结构性土,开展了不同水泥含量的人工结构性土与相应的原状土、重塑土的湿陷试验,分析了结构性、冻融作用、初始含水率、湿重度及荷载大小对湿陷系数的影响规律。试验结果表明：冻融前后,人工结构性黄土的湿陷系数均比原状土、重塑土的湿陷系数小,且随着水泥含量的增加,湿陷系数有所减小;冻融之后,各土样的湿陷系数几乎均有所增加,但增加的程度和土样初始结构、含水率、干密度（压实系数）及竖向荷载关系密切,尤其当含水率接近最优含水率和土样为重塑土或水泥含量较低的人工结构性土时,冻融后湿陷系数增大幅度显著。在标准荷载200 kPa下,冻融前后原状土、重塑土的湿陷系数与其湿重度之间基本呈较好的线性负相关关系,而人工结构性黄土湿陷系数与湿重度之间并不呈线性关系;竖向荷载为50 kPa时,重塑黄土和5%水泥含量黄土的湿陷系数与冻融次数之间存在着较好的对数关系。以水泥作为土颗粒间联结材料,制备的人工结构性土是否能很好地代替原状土反映结构性黄土的湿陷特性,还需更进一步深入研究。     

结构性黄土一维湿陷特性的离散元数值模拟

针对结构性湿陷性黄土大孔隙和胶结特性,应用离散元生成了不同含水率结构性黄土试样,研究试样的一维湿陷特性。首先,根据已有的结构性黄土试验资料和胶结颗粒材料离散元数值试验成果,建立胶结强度和初始饱和度之间的关系。其次,采用蒋明镜等提出的分层欠压法[1]和胶结模型[2]制得不同含水率结构性黄土离散元试样,然后进行不同含水率双线法和同一含水率4个压力下单线法湿陷试验的离散元数值模拟。数值模拟结果表明,提出的离散元分析方法能模拟天然结构性湿陷性黄土的主要力学性质,随着含水率的减少,结构屈服应力和最大湿陷压力增加,湿陷系数随着压力先增加后减小,湿陷起始压力为饱和试样的结构屈服应力,单线法湿陷后压缩曲线与饱和试样的压缩曲线接近。此外,模拟结果还表明,不同含水率结构性黄土离散元试样的最大湿陷系数与天然结构性湿陷性黄土相差较远,但在最大湿陷系数与孔隙比的比值上相接近;结构屈服对应着胶结的逐步破坏,湿陷伴随着大量的胶结破坏。提出了基于胶结点数目的损伤变量,研究了其在加载和湿陷过程中的变化规律。研究成果为认识黄土复杂力学特性和建立其本构理论提供了基础。     

大厚度自重湿陷性黄土湿陷变形特性水分入渗规律及地基处理方法研究

为研究大厚度自重湿陷性黄土的湿陷变形特性、水分入渗规律以及地基处理合理方法等问题,选择典型大厚度自重湿陷性黄土场地,进行了布置沉降观测点和埋设水分计的浸水试验以及挤密桩、DDC（孔内深层强夯）桩地基处理试验。试验结果表明,在水分入渗过程中,深度22.5～25.0 m以上土体易发生湿陷,该深度以下土体则含水率增加缓慢,达不到湿陷起始含水率,不易发生湿陷,因此该深度考虑可作为现场湿陷性评价的临界深度,也可作为大厚度湿陷性黄土地区进行地基处理时可参考的地基处理下限深度。DDC桩间距为1.0～1.4 m时,无论从挤密系数还是湿陷系数都能满足规范要求;挤密桩15 m试验区域沉降量较小,但其剩余湿陷量任未满足要求,这也佐证了关于22.5～25.0 m深度难于发生湿陷的结论。试验成果可作为今后大厚度自重湿陷性黄土地区工程建设以及黄土规范进一步修订的参考。     

复杂应力下黄土蠕变特性试验研究

为了研究陕西省杨凌示范区黄土边坡的稳定性,采用改进的应力型三轴蠕变仪对所取黄土试样进行了一系列室内三轴固结不排水蠕变试验。试验结果表明：含水率、干密度、偏应力水平对黄土的蠕变特性均有较大的影响,表现为含水率一定,偏应力愈大时,黄土的蠕变变形量较小;偏应力水平一定时,含水率愈大,蠕变现象愈明显,产生的蠕变应变量愈大;其他条件相同时,干密度愈大,黄土试样的蠕变变形愈小。在黄土边坡治理工程中可通过改善边坡排水和增加边坡土体压实情况减小蠕变破坏的可能性。通过对试验数据分析得出了适合杨凌地区黄土的经验蠕变模型,通过与Singh-Mitchell模型和Mesri模型的比较发现,该模型具有精度高、参数少且易获取的优点,并能很好地描述黄土的蠕变特性。     

石碑塬滑坡黄土液化特征及其影响因素研究

石碑塬滑坡是1920年海原地震触发的大型黄土流滑,认识其破坏特征与发生机制对于黄土边坡长距离液化失稳机制的研究非常重要。对石碑塬黄土滑坡的调查和研究表明,饱和黄土或高含水率黄土具有很高的液化势和流态破坏势,在强震作用下,饱和黄土易发生液化或流滑。对石碑塬滑坡的7组原状黄土样品进行振动三轴剪切试验,并结合其微观特征分析,探讨了循环振动荷载作用下的饱和黄土孔隙水压力-应变增长模型,分析了振动液化过程中液化应力比与黄土粒度组成、土体微观结构参数及饱和度之间的关系。结果表明：黏粒含量越低,振动作用下饱和黄土孔隙水压力响应越快,液化应力比越低;黄土孔隙比越大,孔隙结构分形维数越大,液化应力比越低,振动液化后黄土孔隙分形维数降低,结构较液化之前更为致密;饱和度对黄土粒间胶结物质的赋存状态及黄土结构强度影响很大,同一土体饱和度越高,溶滤于孔隙水中的离子浓度越高,土体粒间接触点（或胶结点）越容易发生断裂,使得黄土结构强度降低,液化应力比降低。     

黄土的多级湿陷性研究

在野外现场渗水试验和室内实验的基础上,探讨了黄土湿陷性与湿度的关系,提出了黄土广义湿陷系数和潜在湿陷系数等新概念,定量分析了这些参数与湿度的关系。据此,作者认为黄土可以不是一次完成浸水湿陷,具多级湿陷特性。      

Impact of Carpet Waste Fibre Addition on Swelling Properties of Compacted Clays

Municipalities and recycling and environmental authorities are concerned about the growing amount of carpet waste produced by household, commercial and industrial sectors. It is reported that 500,000 tonnes of carpet waste fibre are plunged into landfills annually in the UK. In the United States of America, around 10 million tonnes of textile waste was generated in 2003. In geotechnical engineering, expansive clay soils are categorised as problematic soils due to their swelling behaviour upon increase in the moisture content. The problematic nature of such soils is intensified with the increase in the plasticity index. This paper presents results of a comprehensive investigation into utilisation of carpet waste fibres in order to improve the swelling characteristics of compacted cohesive soils. Therefore, two different clay soils with markedly different plasticity indices (i.e. 17.0 and 31.5 %) were treated with two different types of carpet waste fibre. Waste fibres were added to prepare specimens with fibre content of 1, 3 and 5 % by dry weight of soil. Soil specimens with different dry unit weights and moisture contents were prepared so as to the swelling behaviour of fibre reinforced compacted clays is completely attained under various scenarios. The results indicated that the behaviour of the fibre reinforced soils seems highly dependent on the initial compaction state and secondary on the moisture content. It was found that the swelling pressure drops rapidly as the percentage of fibre increases in samples prepared at the maximum dry unit weight and optimum moisture content. Reducing the dry unit weight, while maintaining constant moisture content or increasing the moisture content at constant dry unit weight was found to reduce the swelling pressure.     

黄土湿陷典型案例及相关问题

黄土湿陷除引发路基变形、房屋开裂等工程建设问题外,还会造成地表塌陷、地下潜蚀,以及由此诱发的黄土斜坡失稳等灾害.通过对甘肃永靖县黑方台灌区典型黄土湿陷案例的分析发现,应用现行规范推荐方法对黄土湿陷量进行评价,其计算值与实际观测值间具有较大差距,计算值不足实际值的50％.由此,对现行黄土湿陷性评价中的湿陷性黄土定义、湿陷量计算等有关问题进行讨论,认为湿陷性黄土为典型的非饱和土,含水量和结构组成是影响黄土湿陷的重要因素.从非饱和土力学角度出发,应用综合反映黄土含水量和结构的参数,即吸应力,开展黄土湿陷性研究,才能真正地实现由“为什么湿陷”到“怎么湿陷”的转变,进而建立黄土湿陷的本构关系,更好地服务于工程实践.