Field tests on mechanical characteristics and strength parameters of red-sandstone

Large-scale field shear tests on ten specimens of the red-sandstone embankment at a highway in Hunan, China, were performed to examine mechanical characteristics and parameters of red-sandstone. The curves of thrust-dispiacement, failure mode, and shear strength parameters for red-sandstone with different water contents, different compactions, and different grain size distributions were obtained from the tests. A practical procedure of in-situ test for red-sandstone embankment was proposed to normalize the test equipment and test steps. Based on three-dimensional thrust-sliding limit equilibrium method, the formulas for calculating strength parameters of red-sandstone considering three-dimensional sliding surface were inferred. The results show that red-sandstone has typical complete curves of stress-strain, strain softening, which are caused by the special structure of red-sandstone; water content and compaction are important factors for strength and failure mode of red-sandstone; The average value of cohesion and internal friction angle of the specimens calculated by three-dimensional technique are 21.56 kPa and 29.29°, respectively, and those by traditional two-dimensional method are 25.52 kPa and 33.76°, respectively.