Determination of the Shear Strength of Unsaturated Loess Samples from Conventional Triaxial Shear Tests Applying Rubber Membrane Correction

Ruixia He, Ziwen Zhou (), Sai Vanapalli () and Xuyang Wu
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Ruixia He: Department of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan 467036, China
Ziwen Zhou: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
Sai Vanapalli: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
Xuyang Wu: Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: The shear strength parameters of loess samples are determined from conventional triaxial shear test results and used in the rational design of sustainable geotechnical infrastructures. However, the rubber membrane that is used in the triaxial shear apparatus for applying the all-around pressure to the test specimen has a significant influence on the measured shear strength parameters. In this paper, remolded and undisturbed unsaturated loess samples from northwest China are used in a comprehensive testing program to determine the shear strength from triaxial tests and understand the influence of a rubber membrane. The results show that the measured undrained cohesion from unconsolidated undrained triaxial tests on unsaturated soil specimens with and without a rubber membrane are significantly different. In this study, differences in the shear strength with and without a rubber membrane are assessed from shear strength index values that can be determined from undrained cohesion and the internal friction angle derived from conventional triaxial tests. Experimental results suggest that predominant changes arise mainly in the undrained cohesion values. The change rate of shear strength indices values of undisturbed loess shows a strong correlation with its water content; however, it is weak for remolded loess. The correlation coefficient between error and measured values of all shear strength indices is more than 0.8. Empirical correction relationships for triaxial shear tests with a rubber membrane for three different types of loess were established from the investigations. The simple approach used in this study can be used as a reference to apply corrections to the measured undrained cohesion values of unsaturated loess samples from northwest China.

Keywords: loess; triaxial shear test; unconfined compressive strength test; rubber membrane; cohesion; angle of internal friction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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