Density-Dependent Pore Water Pressure Evolution in a Simplified Cyclic Shear Test

Abstract

AbstractWhen specimens of different sands are produced using the same preparation method and sheared under the same conditions (consolidation stress, loading, etc.), while simultaneously keeping the drainage closed, the resulting tendencies of these sands regarding the PWP build-up will be different. This research paper presents a simplified cyclic shear test, which is used to evaluate the accumulation of PWP in sands under defined specimen preparation procedure and testing conditions. In the proposed experiment, a comparison of different sands with this respect is easily achieved. The principle of this experimental method is based on the evolution of the PWP during cyclic shearing of a water-saturated sand sample. Undrained conditions during the experiment allow for the evolution of the PWP, which is quantified by the rate of the PWP build-up. The duration of a single cyclic shear test, including specimen preparation, is approximately 30 min. The evaluation of the rate of the PWP build-up for different densities resulted in an exponential dependence of the PWP build-up on the variation of the relative density. The results confirmed a higher generation of PWP in a fine sand compared to a coarse sand. A comparison with the results of undrained cyclic triaxial tests in the case of eight different sands demonstrated a good agreement between both experimental methods. The basis for the comparison was the density-dependent evolution of PWP in these methods. The presented method delivers a value (index) that quantifies the PWP build-up in sands under the defined testing conditions.