Mechanical characterization of a saturated marine clay for pavement design and performance

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Publication Title
Mechanical characterization of a saturated marine clay for pavement design and performance

Abstract
The study investigates the resilient behaviour of a fully saturated marine clay, crucial for pavement design amidst concerns of rising groundwater levels affecting pavement structures. Traditional testing standards do not address saturated conditions, prompting a new approach. Undisturbed marine clay samples were collected in the Onsøy area, Norway and underwent Repeated Load Triaxial (RLT) tests to determine their resilient modulus (MR). The study outlines sample preparation, consolidation and finally RLT test procedures. Results revealed low MR values, indicating the soft nature of the Onsøy clay. Two distinct test procedures yielded contrasting stress dependency patterns, raising concerns regarding the accurate representation of the material’s mechanical behaviour. Factors such as overburden stress, load repetition, pore water pressure and sample quality were explored. Sustained overburden stresses led to a stiffer response and higher sensitivity to shearing. Increased load repetitions stiffened the material further. Finally, an analysis of samples’ disturbance was used to differentiate the two test procedures, showing that conducting RLT tests in a fully saturated sample without overburden stress produced poor-quality samples. The study's significance lies in characterizing a saturated material using non-standardized testing methods, offering insights into pavement design considerations.
Authors
J. H. C. Everton; Sigurdur Erlingsson

Published In

18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)

Theme

A - New developments on structural design

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