The influence of partial saturation on the engineering properties of a metakaolin-improved sand
The influence of partial saturation on the engineering properties of a metakaolin-improved sand
Ground improvement by injection of sustainable binders and geopolymers is generating much interest. The use of these products in foundations, landslides, excavations, retaining structures and tunnel applications is being progressively considered in geotechnical standards. This fact would require consideration of material evolution under mechanical or environmental action, including changes in the hydraulic state of the ground. An extensive laboratory investigation was conducted on sand specimens treated with a metakaolin‐based geopolymer to evaluate the effect of different saturation conditions on the main properties required for ultimate and serviceability limit states for ground improvement works. Curing the treated samples under partially saturated conditions dramatically affected the stiffness characteristics at low strains, the shear strength under unconfined and axisymmetric conditions, and the response to cyclic loading. In any case, the geopolymer satisfactorily avoided liquefaction initiation within the number of cycles investigated. A decrease in water permeability was observed as a function of the degree of filling of the voids with the binder and an increase in retention capacity and air-entry value compared to the untreated material. Mercury intrusion porosimetry and micro‐CT provided microstructural insight into these phenomenological observations.
Alessandro Fraccica; Enrique Romero; Marcos Arroyo; Giovanni Spagnoli
18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)
D - Current and new construction methods
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