LAUCE2165

Soil Tes2ng
and Modelling:
Mechanical tests

Daniel Verstegui-Flores
GCE EPL

Soil sampling for mechanical tests

Hollow stem auger

A steel tube with internal lining is driven into a soil layer. Then, the tube is
retrieved by removing the soil around with a hollow auger: Low quality

Thin walled tube

At the boQom of a boring, a steel tube with thin wall thickness is pushed into a
soil deposit at a constant speed. Then, the tube pulled out and retrieved.
High quality

Begemann sampler
The boring probe is built of steel but it is
provided with internal lining (PVC tube)
which is also lined with a nylon
membrane.

The probe is pushed at constant speed
into a soil deposit. The probe penetrates
the soil thanks to its cuVng 2p.

Once the soil passes the cuVng 2p, it
comes in contact with the nylon
membrane which might be hydraulically
pressurized to provide some support the
sample.

High (+) quality

Block sampling

When execution is well

controlled, it provides good
quality samples (clays)
It can only be executed at
shallow depths (inspection
pits)
High quality

Laboratory compac2on
ASTM D698-12
ASTM D1557-12

Soil compac2on specica2on for all types of soils

Soil compactability is a func2on of the water content of the soil. There is a
par2cular value of water content (op2mum water content, wopt), at which a
maximum value of dry density is obtained. At low w, soils tend to be s2 and are
dicult to compact. As w increases, the soil becomes more workable, facilita2ng
compac2on and resul2ng in higher dry densi2es. At higher w, an increasing
propor2on of the soil volume is occupied by water, then d decreases.

d

(d)max

wopt

Water content

Soil compac2on specica2on for all types of soils

Soil compactabilty is also a func2on of the energy of compac2on. Higher
compac2on energy results in higher dry unit weight and usually lower
op2mum water content.

Water content

Proctor compac2on test

In this test the soil is compacted
in cylindrical rigid containers by
tamping with a hammer. The
energy of compac2on is
determined by the mass of the
hammer and the free-fall height.

H = 11.6 cm
= 15.2 cm

m = 4.5 kg
H = 45 cm
m = 2.5 kg
H = 30 cm

H = 11.6 cm
= 10.2 cm

Proctor compac2on test

Mold

Standard energy
(small hammer)

Modied energy
(large hammer)

Nr. layers Nr. blows/layer Nr. layers Nr. blows/layer

Small

25

25

Large

56

56

The small mold can be used for compac2ng soils containing limited
amounts of par2cles smaller than 9.5 mm.
The large mold can be used for compac2ng soils containing limited
amounts of par2cles smaller than 19 mm.

Proctor compac2on test

Rammer paQern for compac2on in the small mold (dia. 101.6 mm)

Proctor compac2on test

Rammer paQern for compac2on in the large mold (dia. 152.4 mm)

Proctor compac2on test

The dry unit weight (d) of the compacted specimens can be obtained from the
following formulas:

M t M mold
m =
Vmold

m g
d =
w
1+
100
m: Moist density of the soil specimen
Mt:
Total mass of the compacted specimen + mold
Mmold: Mass of the mold
Vmold: Volume of the mold
w:
water content of the specimen
g:
Gravity accelera2on

Proctor compac2on test

The curve of full satura2on (zero air) can be calculated from the following
formula:

Gs: specic gravity

w: Unit weight of water
d: Dry unit weight of soil
wsat: Saturated water content

One-dimensional consolida2on
ASTM D2435-11

Tes2ng setup

Tes2ng setup

Tes2ng setup

Objec2ve of the test: to determine compression parameters

Impossible

e0
ek

log z

Evalua2on of parameters out of an oedometer test

e

e0
cvA
Void ra2o
eA

Log t

A
eA
Cc

cvB

eB
eB

Log t
e

eC

C
log

cvC

Eec2ve stress
eC

Log t

Evalua2on of parameters out of an oedometer test

Calculate the void ra2o of the specimen as follows. First determine the volume
of solids (Vs) in the sample:

Where:
Md is the dry mass of the soil sample, G is the specic gravity of the soil
par2cles and w is the water density.

Then determine the equivalent height of solids (Hs) by dividing Vs by the
cross sec2on (A) of the sample:

Evalua2on of parameters out of an oedometer test

Then, the void ra2o of the specimen can be calculated from its measured
height. The ini2al void ra2o (e0) is:

Where H0 is the ini2al height of the specimen. The void ra2o arer each
loading step can be determined using the same equa2on. If the change in
height arer a loading step is H, then the new void (e) ra2o is:

The axial strain expressed in % is:

Evalua2on of parameters out of an oedometer test

Finally the ver2cal eec2ve stress can be calculated as follows:

Determina2on of the preconsolida2on pressure

Evalua2on of cv out of an oedometer test

For a degree of consolida2on U=50%, we get:
Then:

e or z
For this method to work,
the 2me (t50) corresponding
to U=50% has to be evaluated

U=50%

t50

Log t

Evalua2on of cv out of an oedometer test

Locate state U=100%:
Draw 2 tangent lines to the linear
por2on of the curve at the middle
and at the tail.
The intersec2on of these 2 tangents,
point G, gives the 2me t100
corresponding to U=100%.

e or

s100

U=100%
G

t100

Log t

Evalua2on of cv out of an oedometer test

e or

s0

U=0%

P
Q
E

s100

Locate state U=0%:

Draw the points P and Q in the ini2al
parabolic por2on of the curve, so
that tQ=4 x tP.
Find point E at the intersec2on of a
ve2cal line passing through P and a
horizontal line passing through Q.
Find point F, on top of point P, so
that the distance EP = PF.
Point F gives e or at U=0%

U=100%
G

t0

t100

Log t

Evalua2on of cv out of an oedometer test

e or

s0

U=0%

P
Q
E

(s0+s100)/2

s100

U=50%

Locate state U=50%:

Evaluate t50 from the coordinates
of point H on the curve at a void
ra2o or rela2ve deforma2on
(s0+s100)/2

U=100%
G

t0

t50

t100

Log t

Triaxial compression
ASTM D2850; D4767; D7181

Tes2ng setup

Tes2ng setup

3 samples are sheared un2l failure. A failure envelope is dened based

on 3 Mohr circles.

Triaxial test types and procedures

ConsolidaBon
phase

Shearing
phase

Strength
parameters

Consolidated
drained (CD)

Yes

Drained

Drained

Consolidated
Undrained (CU)

Yes

Undrained

Drained &
undrained

Unconsolidated
Undrained (UU)

No

Undrained

Undrained

Triaxial Test type

Triaxial test: Consolidated Drained (CD)

Deviator
stress (q)

Pressure

Cell pressure

c
Backpressure

Time

SaturaBon through
Back pressure
increments

ConsolidaBon
(drainage open)

Shearing
(drainage open)

Triaxial test: Consolidated Drained (CD)

1= c + q

= c + tan

3= c

Strength parameters:

c Drained cohesion

Shear angle

c
3

Triaxial test: Consolidated Undrained (CU)

Deviator
stress (q)

Pressure

Cell pressure

c
Backpressure

Time

SaturaBon through
Back pressure
increments

ConsolidaBon
(drainage open)

Shearing

Pore water
pressure
sensor

(drainage closed)
39

Triaxial test: Consolidated Undrained (CU)

cu3
cu2
cu1

Strength parameters:

c Drained cohesion

Shear angle

cu Undrained cohesion
40

Triaxial test: Consolidated Undrained (CU)

Triaxial test: Unconsolidated Undrained (UU)

Pressure

Deviator
stress (q)

Cell pressure

?
Backpressure

Isotropic
compression
(drainage closed)

Time

Valve is
closed

Shearing
(drainage closed)

Shearing
(drainage closed)

Triaxial test: Unconsolidated Undrained (UU)

Deviator
stress (q)

= u
u=c

u>0

= 0
Drainage
closed

Drainage
closed

Shearing

43

Triaxial test: Unconsolidated Undrained (UU)

1= cell+q
3= cell

= cu

Strength parameters:

cu undrained cohesion

=0

cu
3

(Total stress)

44