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L a d d t
I D Inside diameter
L Cyclic strength index
Au Change in pore ,water pressure
Aac Change in cell pressure
Introduction
The specimen preparation procedure most commonly described
in the literature on cyclic triaxial strength testing [1-3] requires
the sand to be saturated, poured into a water-filled forming mold
(usually attached to the bottom pedestal of a triaxial cell), and
then densified to the required density by some means, usually
by vibrations. This method is referred to herein as the wet-pouring
(pluvial) method.
Several problems are associated with this wet-pouring method.
The two most significant are (1) the segregation of particles when
using silty and relatively well-graded sands, and (2) the difficulty
of readily preparing test specimens having a prescribed dry unit
weight with uniform density. A more precise means of preparing
specimens is needed so that cyclic test results will be consistent,
repeatable, and less influenced by specimen preparation.
Presented herein is a method of reconstituting cyclic triaxial
strength test specimens that minimizes most of the problems
outlined previously. In addition, the concepts presented can be
applied to the preparation of reconstituted test specimens for
other types of tests and materials. It should be noted that there
is no inference here that this method of reconstitution results in
specimens which are representative of in-situ conditions.
The procedure incorporates a tamping method of compacting
moist coarse-grained sand in layers. Each layer is compacted to a
selected percentage of the required dry unit weight of the specimen; this procedure differs from the application of a constant
compactive effort to each layer required by ASTM Tests for
Moisture-Density Relations of Soils, Using S.5-1b (2.5-kg) Rammer and 12-in. (304.8-mm) Drop (D 698-70) and ASTM Tests
for Moisture-Density Relations of Soils, Using 10-1b (4.5-kg)
Rammer and 18-in. (457-mm) Drop (D 1557-70). This new
approach was selected since it is generally recognized (especially
for loose- to medium-dense sands) that when a typical sand is
compacted in layers, the compaction of each succeeding layer can
further densify the sand below it. The method uses this fact to
achieve uniform specimens by applying the concept of undercompaction. In this case, each layer is typically compacted to a
lower density than the final desired value by a predetermined
amount which is defined as percent undercompaction U,. The
U, value in each layer is linearly varied from the bottom to the
top layer, with the bottom (first) layer having the maximum
U. value. The method of variation is illustrated in Fig. 1. (See
KEY WORDS: sands, compaction, triaxial tests, specimen preparation, percent undercompaction, dynamic testing
Nomenclature
16
17
MaximumValue
nder m
8
,,=,
r~
5
~ n t l
n in la
,on
~x~
Material Tested
-ilerfa~tilrc=nt ii(ir_
compaction
==
MinimumValue
(usuallyzero) n i = 1
nt
LAYER NUMBER
Where: A. Percentunder-compactionin layerbeingconsidered,Un
Un = Uni
pUni- u.tl
L n--~-~_
1 x (n- 1)
B. Averagepercentunder-compactionfor layerscompacted, On
_ Un
Un= ~
= Numberof layerbeingconsidered
COBBLES
COARSE
FINE
DIAMETER
6"
I-
I-r
r~
so!
70
>.
so
gD
Z
F-
O
rr
4" 3"
s0
4o
20
MEDIUM
3/4"
3/8 "
10
20
l [ Ill ] [
1
1 lI l
~____ [! [ !
I~l
L
1-~
Ig]
I.
3o]
60
I
100
200
IliIl'~ I
J Ill
]l[I[
~I]lll
II
Illl
Ill
]l',I]i
[
i!;i
llJ]
-
! II J '.....
' "
'....
+ ~
III[~I[ I I--
.....
IIIt:[:t.:[-
200
100
10
--Ill!Ill- I
1,0
0.1
GRAIN SIZE iN MILLIMETERS
i
i
[I
I
-I-.. -I ....
SILT OR CLAY
FINE
1]:1
Ill[
I~l
Igl
]~l
lffl
[~[
cq,ARSE [
Test Procedure
I[
I
I
I
0.01
0.001
18
SP
0.36
0.9
1.5
105.7
89.3
Test
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Dr, %
Percent
After
,After
After
Initial
UnderConsoliConsoliConsoliLiquecompaction Initial dation Initial dation Initial dation +_Od/2iY3
c faction
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
6.0
8.8
6.0
5.8
5.8
6.3
5.7
6.0
6.0
6.0
24.7
24.8
24.6
25.6
23.8
24.9
24.2
24.6
25.1
25.3
98.3
98.6
98.5
98.4
98.8
98.0
98.2
98.5
98.5
98.5
99.2
99.4
99.7
99.3
99.5
98.9
99.1
99.3
99.3
99.6
59.2
60.8
60.3
59.8
61.7
57.2
58.7
60.3
60.1
60.4
64.0
65.5
67.2
65.0
66.3
62.6
63.8
65.0
65.0
66.9
0.26
0.25
0.26
0.26
0.26
0.25
0.26
0.26
0.26
0.26
24
23
33
33
20
22
19
30
18
10
Peak-to-Peak
Strain, %
2.5
10
20
Remarks b
24
22
33
33
19
22
18
28
18
9
26
24
36
36
22
24
20
30
20
11
30
28
41
40
27
29
25
35
24
16
54
42
67
57
62
47
44
64
130
43
see Note 1
see Note 1
see Note 1
see Note 1
see Note 1
see Note 1
see Note 1
a 1 lb/ft 3 = 16 kg/m 3.
b Notes:
1. A significant (> 10%) decrease in peak-to-peak axial load occurred after a peak-to-peak axial strain of 10% had occurred.
2. Test specimens were 74 mm (2.9 in.) in diameter by 152 mm (6 in.) in height and were compacted in eight layers by using the moist tamping method presented in Appendix A.
3. Consolidation pressure 03c equaled 44.6 kN/m 2 (2088 lb/fl 2).
19
Symbol
Peak to Peak
Axial Strain, %
O
A
5
lO
Test Conditions
Relative Density, Dr (%)
After
(~-3c
ConsoliInitial
Ib/ft 2
57-62
Note:
63-67
2,088
Stress
Ratio
+_ l:Td/2 ~3c
0.25-0.26
X
,,'
E3
z
-1iL9
zuJ
n~
.J
~D
>cD
Optimum Cyctic
Strength Index - ~
/0
A --. _ A l l
E)
O
~ 1
I
0
I
2
I
4
I
8
I
10
I
12
I
14
I
16
I
18
FIG. 3--Cyclic strength index versus percent undercompaction of first layer for Monterey No. 0 sand.
Conclusions
Acknowledgment
Portions of this investigation were sponsored by the Professional
Development Program of Woodward-Clyde Consultants (WCC).
This support is acknowledged with appreciation. Special acknowledgment is given to P. Dutko of WCC who developed the percent
undercompaction equations. Members of the staff of WCC who
made considerable contributions are, in particular, K. Hau,
H. M. Horn, Y. Kim, and J. H. Wilson. Special thanks are also
due to D. Koutsoftas of Dames and Moore, M. L. Silver of the
University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, and D. J. Leery of Langan Engineering Associates for their reviews of and comments on
this paper.
APPENDIX A--RECONSTITUTED
SPECIMEN PREPARATION PROCEDURE
FOR COARSE-GRMNED SOILS
A procedure is presented below for preparing coarse-grained
specimens for dynamic cyclic testing or static triaxial testing.
20
15
10
uJ
Z
<
eT-
.~_
10
i I
~pp = 10%
@
20
<
X
<
15
UJ
o.
10
15
10
50
100
200
NUMBER OF CYCLES
FIG. 4--Axial strain versus number o f cycles for Monterey No. 0 sand.
x (1 + w = ) x
Vm
WL = WT/nt
21
1.0
O Percent-under-compaction
of First i a y e r
//~J
II
Q.
t~
z"
<n o0
v
<
LU
0.75
0.5
,ncreasingCyc,,cStrength
v
<
LU
a.
E3 0.25
LU
N
.J
<
nO
z
0.2
0.4.
0.6
0.8
NORMALIZEDNUMBEROF CYCLES,N/Nf = N/N Cpp = 10%
1.0
6-in.Travel---..._.~.~
Vertical Dal ~[~
~Tamping Rod
I-
~ Z ~ )
Rae
fmep~n~
eG~i~llarAssembiy
Bushings
I
MembraneProtection
Collar
RubberMembrane
CompactionF o o t ~
I--]
(Diameter=V2ID
~L]TJ
of Mold)
- ' ~
PorousStone ~
VacuumApplied
~
Split Mold
v"/////'~ n l ~
1I
TriaxialCell
=~[.
n
O-Ring
~[ ~ B o t [lt o m Drani age
ValvesLine
Top DrainageLine
22
GEOTECHNICAL
6-In. Travel
Vertical
TESTING
JOURNAL
Dial
Vertical Dial Setting-h n, Inches
?
~i
Reference-Collar
~j~
/',
____~
I-~
-Bushing.
--.
I
I~"
/'I,I
Collar-~
I1
i\ .,.,%
lI' l _l
E=
Compaction Foot
///~-
(Diameter='A ID
of Mold)
~/Spacer'/~
/ 1 / /
II
2 " I X / /1
K////'/
t~-~
"1
II
II
II
II
I//A/
/J
Air Outlets
' I
/
/ / / / //
~/,Spacer//
If
, !
i;l
I;i
l,,
Ill
'11
Hi
'
//
III I
'
IP
X / / /
,i i
/V
II./
/
Spacer-Disk Assembly
, rCo
.~
L/
iv"
,I
ar
"~
I1
~-~
Sintered Brass
Disk
FIG. 7--"External" s p l i t
the top or at the bottom of the specimen, indicates a specimen
with an inappropriate value of U.z.
c. Observe the behavior of the specimen during unconsolidated-undrained loading. Nonuniform vertical strains indicate
an inappropriate value of U.z.
d. Observe the fabric of the specimen. A honeycomb structure at either the top or the bottom of the specimen indicates an
inappropriate value of U.i.
e, Measure the dry unit weight of the prepared test speci-
compaction
mold.
23
"',\
cl
I
15
i~ 8
~
u
o
~g
I
I
I
I
~-
\
\
\
\
\
remove the specimen from the split mold (using extreme caution
to prevent disturbance) and obtain its weight, height, and diameter. The weight should be determined to the nearest 0.01 g;
however, for specimens weighing greater than 1000 g, measuring
to the nearest 0.1 g is adequate. The height and diameter should
be determined to the nearest 0.02 mm (0.001 in.) using a dial
gage comparator. The dial gage contact points on these instruments should have a flat surface with a minimum diameter of
about 5 mm (IA in.).
For specimens compacted in an internal split mold, the initial
weight cannot be directly checked. Therefore, the oven-dry
weight of the specimen should be checked after the test. However, the height and diameter of the compacted specimen should
be measured after a slight vacuum is applied and the mold is
removed. A pi tape (Pi Tape, Lemon Grove, Calif.) is recommended for measuring the diameter.
The author has also used this procedure, with some modifications, for compacting fine-grained soils and found that appropriate specimens are obtained much more readily than when the
Harvard compaction apparatus [6] is used. In the latter case, one
must determine experimentally the appropriate compactive effort
(number of layers, number of tamps per layer, and the tamping
force) required to obtain the prescribed value of ~/dr"
A brief description of the required modifications is as follows:
a. A U,i value of zero should be used.
b. The compaction of each layer is initiated by using a Harvard tamping device [6], having a spring force of 18 kg
(40 Ib) and with a compaction foot having a diameter
equal to about 1/4 the diameter of the specimen. The
compaction is continued by using this tamper until the
surface of the material is relatively level. The tamping
force should be reduced if the compaction foot appears to
penetrate below the proper h, value. Then the tamping
rod, as mentioned in Step 10, is used to compact the
material to the proper h, value.
References
639-659.
[2] Lee, K. L. and Fitton, J. A., "Factors Affecting the Cyclic Loading
Strength of Soil," in Vibration Effects of Earthquakes on Soils and
Foundations, STP 450, American Society for Testing and Materials,
Philadelphia, 1969, pp. 71-95.
[3] Lee, K. L. and Seed, H. B., "Dynamic Strength of Anisotropically
Consolidated Sand," Journal of the Soil Mechanics and Foundations
Division, Proceedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers,