"Cyclic Triaxial Testing to Evaluate Factors Affecting The Unsaturated " by Zachary R. Howard

Date of Award

Fall 2021

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

First Advisor

Inthuorn Sasanakul

Abstract

This study assesses the cyclic resistance of a non-plastic silty sand, representative of a common mine tailings material. Two series of unsaturated cyclic triaxial tests were conducted, which varied wetting and drying path specimen preparation techniques, initial matric suction, initial net normal stress, and cyclic stress ratio. Specimens prepared using the wetting path experienced significantly higher cyclic resistance than those prepared using the drying path. Specimens that were exposed to higher initial matric suction values experienced higher cyclic resistance than those consolidated with lower initial matric suction values. Initial net normal stress was found to contribute more to specimen cyclic resistance than initial matric suction. Cyclic stress ratios used during the study ranged from 0.20 to 0.35.

Rights

© 2021, Zachary R. Howard

Share

COinS