Cyclic liquefaction of loose gassy sand

Abstract

Gas can be found in many soils, but none more common than in seabed soils. Gas-charged sediments are known to be widely distributed throughout the world's oceans. Numerous research programs have studied saturated soil response to cyclic loading; however, little is known about the behavior of gassy soils subjected to cyclic loading. The response of loose gassy specimens subjected to cyclic loading was studied in a laboratory program. Triaxial tests were performed on specimens of reconstituted Ottawa sand prepared to various gas contents and densities. The specimens were consolidated and then sheared under undrained cyclic loading. Gas content was measured at the beginning and end of each test using time domain reflectometry. The response of the gassy specimens has been shown to be influenced by the soil state and grain characteristics and the intensity, duration, and frequency of the cyclic loading. The propensity of a soil to liquefy is represented by a cyclic resistance ratio, defined as the cyclic stress ratio to cause liquefaction, or to cause a specified amount of strain. The results of this laboratory program show that the cyclic resistance ratio increases as gas content and density increase. The laboratory study demonstrates that the cyclic liquefaction potential of a soil is reduced by the addition of gas; however, soils containing some gas may still experience cyclic liquefaction provided they are sufficiently loose.Key words: triaxial testing, cyclic liquefaction, Ottawa sand, gassy, unsaturated.