On-sample water content measurement for a complete local monitoring in triaxial testing of unsaturated soils

Abstract

To provide a complete local monitoring of the state of an unsaturated soil sample during triaxial testing, a local water content measurement device was adapted to a triaxial device comprising the measurement of local displacements (Hall effect transducers) and suction (high-capacity transducer). Water content was locally monitored by means of a resistivity probe. The water content/resistivity calibration curves of an intact, natural, unsaturated loess from northern France extracted by block sampling at two depths (1 and 3·3 m) were carefully determined, showing good accuracy and repeatability. The validity of two models giving the resistivity of unsaturated soils with respect to their water content was examined. The first triaxial tests carried out with this device in the range of in situ stresses gave satisfactory results, but with some effects of the applied cell stress on the water content measurements. Some preliminary behaviour characteristics of the natural unsaturated loess, a material rarely tested up to now in the literature, were evidenced. Also, the yield stresses appeared significantly higher than the in situ stresses, confirming the combined effect of partial saturation and bonding.