Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Clod Size and Moisture Condition Influence on the Shearing Behavior of Compacted Soil

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents results of the influence of clod size and initial moisture condition on the shearing behavior of a clayey soil with a plasticity index of 22. The clods were divided into different size categories, and then two groups of samples were prepared; samples with large clods (LC = clod size less than 38 mm) and samples with small clods (SC = clod size less than 4.75 mm). Two initial moisture conditions were achieved using two different moisture tempering times of 0 and 14 days. All samples were compacted to the same density and moisture content (95 % of maximum dry density and 2 % dry of optimum moisture content). Triaxial compression tests, including constant water content unsaturated tests and backpressure saturated, isotropically consolidated, undrained compression tests were performed at different confining pressures. At 0-day tempering time, samples prepared using large clods were found to be stiffer and stronger than those prepared using small clods. However, at 14-day tempering time, the strength of both LC and SC samples was similar.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alonso EE, Gens A, Josa A (1990) A constitutive model for partially saturated soils. Geotechnique 40(3):405–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ASTM (2010) American Society for Testing and Materials Annual Book of ASTM Standards, volume 04.08, Soil and Rock (I):D 420–D 5611. West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

  • Attom MF (1997) The effect of compactive energy level on some soil properties. Appl Clay Sci 12:61–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barden L, Sides GR (1970) Engineering behavior and structure of compacted clay. J Soil Mech Found Div 96(SM4):1171–1200

    Google Scholar 

  • Benson CH, Daniel DE (1990) Influence of clods on hydraulic conductivity of compacted clay. J Geotech Eng 116(8):1231–1248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunauer S, Emmett PH, Teller E (1938) Adsorption of gases in multi molecular layers. J Am Chem Soc 60:309–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cerato AB, Lutenegger AJ (2002) Determination of surface area of fine-grained soils by the ethylene glucol monoethyl ether (EGME) method. Geotech Test J 25(3):315–321

    Google Scholar 

  • Cerato AB, Miller GA, Hajjat JA (2009) The influence of clod-size and structure on wetting-induced volume change of compacted soil. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 135(11):1620–1628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DiBernardo A, Lovell CW (1980) Dependence of compacted-clay compressibility on compaction variable. Transp Res Board Rec 754:41–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths F, Joshi R (1989) Change in pore-size distribution due to consolidation of clays. Geotechnique 39(1):159–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koliji A, Vulliet L, Laloui L (2010) Structural characterization of unsaturated aggregated soil. Can Geotech J 47(3):297–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ladd CC, Foote R, Ishihara K, Schlosser F, Poulos HG (1977) Stress-deformation and strength characteristics. State-of-the-art report. In: Proceedings of the ninth international conference on soil mechanics and foundation engineering, Tokyo, vol 2, pp 421 –494

  • Lambe TW (1958) The engineering behavior of compacted clay. In: Journal of the Soil Mechanics and Foundations Division, Proceedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. 84, no. SM 2, paper no. 1655, pp 1–34

  • Li X, Zhang LM (2009) Characterization of dual-structure pore-size distribution of soil. Can Geotech J 46(2):129–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matsui T, Oda K, Nabeshima Y (1994) Development and applications for natural deposits of minimum triaxial compression apparatus. Tsuchi to Kiso 42(11):17–22 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Matsui T, Nabeshima Y, Oda K (1999) Performance of mini-triaxial and its practical applications to soil investigation. Int J Offshore Polar Eng 9(2):105–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller GA, Cleomene E (2007) Influence of fabric and scale effect on wetting-induced compression behavior of compacted soils. GeoDenver: New Peaks in Geotechnics. GSP 162: Problematic Soil and Rock and In Situ Characterization. Denver, CO, Feb 18–21, 2007, pp 1–10

  • Satija DJ, Gulhati SK (1979) Strain rate for shearing testing of unsaturated soil. In: Proceedings of the 6th Asian regional conference on soil mechanics and foundation engineering. Singapore, pp 83–86

  • Shogaki T (2007) Effect of specimen size on unconfined compressive strength properties of natural deposits. Soil Found 47(1):119–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sridharan A, Altaschaeffl AG, Diamond S (1971) Pore-size distribution studies. J Soil Mech Found Div 97(5):771–787

    Google Scholar 

  • Thom R, Sivakumar R, Sivakumar V (2006) Effects of pressure on the destruction of bi-modal pore size distribution in unsaturated kaolin. In: proceedings of the fourth international conference on unsaturated soils. Carefree, AZ, Apr 2–6, 2006, pp 1462–1472

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, University of Oklahoma, 202 West Boyd Street, Room 334, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

    Wassim E. Tabet, Amy B. Cerato & Gerald A. Miller

Authors
  1. Wassim E. Tabet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Amy B. Cerato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gerald A. Miller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amy B. Cerato.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tabet, W.E., Cerato, A.B. & Miller, G.A. Clod Size and Moisture Condition Influence on the Shearing Behavior of Compacted Soil. Geotech Geol Eng 32, 1253–1260 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-014-9796-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-014-9796-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation