Experimental Study on Static and Dynamic Characteristics of Sand–Clay Mixtures with Different Mass Ratios

Abstract

The alteration of soil static and dynamic characteristics induced by clay content constitutes a crucial issue in the realm of disaster prevention and mitigation within geotechnical engineering. The static and dynamic characteristics of mixed soils with varying sand–clay contents were investigated through the design and implementation of static and dynamic triaxial tests. The relationship between clay content and soil resistance to liquefaction was investigated, with an analysis of the influence of clay content on soil strength and static liquefaction performance. Furthermore, the study examined the soil’s resistance to liquefaction under dynamic constitutive and cyclic loading conditions for soils with varying clay content. Results indicate that stress–strain curves for samples with varying clay content exhibit a consistent trend, with the lowest tangent modulus and peak strength observed in samples containing 30% clay. Increasing clay content diminishes soil’s resistance to liquefaction under static loading conditions. Higher confining pressures correspond to larger tangent moduli and peak deviating stresses in triaxial shear tests. Dynamic shear modulus decreases as clay content increases, whereas damping ratio decreases accordingly. Soil gradation significantly affects liquefaction-induced deformation, with the sample containing 30% clay experiencing the fastest increase in pore water pressure during testing failure, accompanied by fewer cyclic loading cycles until failure occurs. Improving soil gradation and adjusting the sand–clay ratio are beneficial for enhancing both soil strength and its resistance to liquefaction.