Abstract
Strong rockfill was originally thought to be best for the construction of dams and roads, but economic and environmental issues have increased the use of soft and weak rockfill in such projects. Much research has been done on the mechanical properties of strong rockfill materials, but little has been done on weak rockfill despite its increased use. Such materials have weak mechanical properties, including low strength, high compressibility, and material degradation over time. Limitations in the testing of large particles of rockfill in the lab make it necessary to consider appropriate scaling relations and expansion of the results for real infrastructures. The current study experimentally investigated the behavior of weak rockfill materials with a change in the maximum size of the particles. Water was added at specific moisture contents and the samples were tested using oedometer, direct shear, and Los Angeles tests. The results showed that an increase in the maximum particle size (MPS) of the weak rockfill increased particle breakage (PB) in all case studies, as has been observed in previous studies on strong rockfill material. Furthermore, an increase in moisture content resulted in an increase in PB. The internal friction angle was found to correlate directly with the MPS, but the ratio of vertical strain to PB was nearly constant and independent of MPS. These results have been used to determine a relation for PB in oedometer and direct shear tests and from the Los Angeles tests.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Absaran Consulting Engineers (2010) Nohob storage dam studies. Qazvin Regional Water Authority
Araei AA, Razeghi HR, Ghalandarzadeh A, Hashemi Tabatabaei S (2012) Effects of loading rate and initial stress state on stress-strain behavior of rock fill materials under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions. Sci Iran 19(5):20–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scient.2012.08.002
ASTM C535 (2003) Standard test method for resistance to degradation of large-size coarse aggregate by abrasion and impact in the Los Angeles machine
ASTM D4253 (2016) Standard test methods for maximum index density and unit weight of soils using a vibratory table
ASTM D4254 (2016) Standard test methods for minimum index density and unit weight of soils and calculation relative density
Bagherzadeh Khalkhali A, Mirghasemi AA, Mohammadi S (2011) Numerical simulation of particle breakage of angular particles using combined DEM and FEM. Powder Technol 205(1–3):15–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2010.07.034
Ben-Nun O, Einav I (2010) The role of self-organization during confined comminution of granular materials. Philos Transact A Math Phys Eng Sci 368(1910):231–247. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2009.0205
Brown AJ (1988) Use of soft rockfill at Evretou Dam. Cyprus. Geotechnique 38(3):333–354
Cetin H, Laman M, Ertunç A (2000) Settlement and slaking problems in the world’s fourth largest rock-fill dam, the Ataturk Dam in Turkey. Eng Geol 56(3–4):225–242. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-7952(99)00049-6
Charles JA, Watts KS (1980) The influence of confining pressure on the shear strength of compacted rockfill. Geotechnique 30(4):353–367. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1980.30.4.353
Chiu CF, Ng CW (2014) Relationships between chemical weathering indices and physical and mechanical properties of decomposed granite. Eng Geol 179:76–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2014.06.021
Ciantia MO, Castellanza R, Di Prisco C (2015) Experimental study on the water-induced weakening of calcarenites. Rock Mech Rock Eng 48(2):441–461. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-014-0603-z
Cristian JNG (2011) Mechanical behavior of rockfill materials-application to concrete face rockfill dams. PhD Thesis. Paris, Ecole Centrale Paris
das Neves EM, Pinto AV (1988) Moelling collapse on rockfill dams. Comput Geotech 6:131–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/0266-352X(88)90077-8
Einav I, Houlsby GT, Nguyen GD (2007) Coupled damage and plasticity models derived from energy and dissipation potentials. Int J Solids Struct 44(7–8):2487–2508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2006.07.019
Frost RJ (1973) Some testing experiences and characteristics of boulder-gravel fill in earth dams. ASTM STP523 : 207–233. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP37875S
Fu J, Zhou XW (2008) Engineering properties of soft rock materials used in concrete face dams. Journal of Yangtze River Scientific Research Institute 4:67–72
Fumagalli E (1969) Tests on cohesionless materials for rockfill dams. J Soil Mech Found Div Am Soc Civ Eng 95(1):313–332
Gupta, A.K. (2000), “Constitutive modelling of rockfill materials,” Ph.D. Thesis, IIT. Delhi
Gupta AK (2009a) Triaxial behaviour of rockfill materials. Electron J Geotech Eng 14 http://ir.juit.ac.in/123456789/5849
Gupta AK (2009b) Effect of particle size and confining pressure on breakage and strength parameters of rockfill materials. Electron J Geotech Eng 14 http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/5845
Gupta AK (2016) Effects of particle size and confining pressure on breakage factor of rockfill materials using medium triaxial test. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 8(3):378–388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2015.12.005
Hai-feng, F. U. (2005). Experimental research of blasting excavation of soft rock for construction concrete face rock-fill dam. Engineering Blasting 1
Hardin BO (1985) Crushing of soil particles. J Geotech Eng 111(10):1177–1192. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1985)111:10(1177)
Hardy J, Vokral V (1979) Investigation and control works for the placement of rockfill material in the Dalesice main dam. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 20:231–234. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02591289
Honkanadavar NP, Sharma KG (2013) Effect of particle breakage on stress-strain-volume change behavior of quarried rockfill material. In Proceedings of Indian Geotechnical Conference (IGC-2013), IIT Roorkee (p. 47)
Honkanadavar NP, Sharma KG (2016) Modeling the triaxial behavior of riverbed and blasted quarried rockfill materials using hardening soil model. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 8(3):350–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2015.09.007
Huayi BSZXC (2002) Physico-mechanical properties of soft rock materials. J Hydrol Eng 4
Hunter G, Fell R (2003) Rockfill modulus and settlement of concrete face rockfill dams. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 129(10):909–917. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2003)129:10(909)
ICOLD (1993) Rock material for rockfill dams-review and recomendation-Bulletin92
ICOLD (2008) Weak rocks and shales in dams-Bulletin134
Indraratna B, Salim W (2002) Modelling of particle breakage of coarse aggregates incorporating strength and dilatancy. Geotech Eng 55(4):243–252. https://doi.org/10.1680/geng.2002.155.4.243
Indraratna B, Wijewardena LSS, Balasubramaniam AS (1993) Large-scale triaxial testing of greywacke rockfill. Geotechnique 43(1):37–51. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1993.43.1.37
ISRM (2000) Suggested methods for determining the uniaxial compressive strength and deformability of rock materials
Jia Y, Xu B, Chi S, Xiang B, Zhou Y (2017) Research on the particle breakage of rockfill materials during triaxial tests. Int J Geosci 17(10). https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000977
Jia Y, Xu B, Chi S, Xiang B, Xiao D, Zhou Y (2019) Particle breakage of rockfill material during triaxial tests under complex stress paths. Int J Geosci 19(12):04019124. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0001517
Kanji MA (2014) Critical issues in soft rocks. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 6(3):186–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2014.04.002
Kohgo Y, Asano I, Hayashida Y (2007) Mechanical properties of unsaturated low quality rockfills. Soils Found 47(5):947–959. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf.47.947
Lade PV, Yamamuro JA, Bopp PA (1985) Significance of particle crushing in granular materials. J Geotech Eng 122(4):309–316. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1996)122:4(309)
Lowe (1964) Shear strength of coarse embankment dam materials. Proc 8th Int Cong Large Dams 3:745–761
Luong MP (1982) Stress–strain aspects of cohesion-less soils under cyclic and transient loading. In: Balkema AA (ed) . International symposium on soil, Rotterdam, pp 315–324
Mackenzie PR, McDonald LA (1985). Mangrove creek dam: use of soft rock for rockfill. Concrete Face Rockfill Dams – Design: 208–230
Marachi ND, Chan CK, Seed HB (1972) Evaluation of properties of rockfill materials. J Soil Mech Found Div Am Soc Civ Eng 98(1):95–114
Marsal RJ (1967) Large scale testing of rockfill materials. J Soil Mech Found Div Am Soc Civ Eng 93(2):27–43
Marsal RJ, De Arellano LR (1967) Performance of El Infiernillo Dam, 1963-1966. Journal of Soil Mechanics & Foundations Div, 92(SM5, Proc Paper 490)
Marsal RJ, Moreno A, Nunez RC, Moreno R (1965) Research on the behavior of granular materials and rockfill samples. Comision Federal de Electricidad de Mexico, Mexico
Mastitskji AK, Tarkhnishvili ME, Kereselidze SB (1979) Geological engineering peculiarities of construction of dams of heterogeneous detrital rocks (by the example of the Zhinvali dam under construction on the Aragvi river in the USSR). Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 20:83–84. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02591253
Mišˇ P (2010) Shear strength of artificially weathered marl. Rock Mechanics in Civil and Environmental Engineering. 119–122
Miščević P, Vlastelica G (2009) Shear strength of weathered soft rock–proposal of test method additions. Proc. Reg. Sym. on Rock Eng. in Diff. Gr. Cond.–Eurock : 303-308
Miura N, O-HARA SUKEO (1979) Particle-crushing of a decomposed granite soil under shear stresses. Soils Found 19(3):1–14. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf1972.19.3_1
Miura N, Yamamoto T (1976) Particle-crushing properties of sands under high stresses. Technology Reports of the Yamaguchi University : 439-47
Miura S, Yagi K, Asonuma T (2003) Deformation-strength evaluation of crushable volcanic soils by laboratory and in-situ testing. Soils Found 43(4):47–57. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf.43.4_47
Mokhtari M, Shariatmadari N, Salehzadeh H (2015) Design and fabrication of a large-scale oedometer. J Cent South Univ 22(3):931–936. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-015-2603-x
Nakata Y, Kato Y, Hyodo M (2001) One-dimensional compression behaviour of uniformly graded sand related to single particle crushing strength. Soils Found 41:39–51. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf.41.2_39
Oldecop LA, Alonso EE (2003) Suction effects on rockfill compressibility. Geotechnique 53(2):289–292. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2003.53.2.289
Oldecop LA, Alonso EE (2007) Theoretical investigation of the time-dependent behaviour of rockfill. Geotechnique 57(3):289–301. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2007.57.3.289
Ozcelik M (2016) Assessment of engineering geological design parameters for Kandil (CFRD) Dam, Kahramanmaras-Turkey. Bull Eng Geol Environ 75:439–449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-015-0823-9
Rahmani H, Komak Panah A (2020) Effect of particle size and saturation conditions on the breakage factor of weak rockfill materials under one-dimensional compression testing. Geomech Eng 21:315–326. https://doi.org/10.12989/gae.2020.21.4.315
Ramamurthy T, Gupta KK(1986) Response paper on how one ought to determine soil parameters to be used in design of earth and rock_ll dams. Proc., Indian Geotechnical Conf., New Delhi, India, 2: 15–19
Sayão ASFJ, Maia PCA, Nunes ALLS (2005) Considerations on the shear strength behavior of weathered rockfill. Proceedings of 16th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (BR-11): 1917–1920
Shutian B, Xiaoguang Z, Huayi C (2002) Physico-mechanical properties of soft rock materials. J Hydraul Eng 4
Soroush A, Jannatiaghdam R (2012) Behavior of rockfill materials in triaxial compression testing. Int J Civ Eng 10(2):153–161
Terzaghi KPR (1967) Soil mechanics in engineering practice. John Wiley and Sons, New York
Tschernutter P (2011) Influence of soft rock-fill material as dam embankment with central bituminous concrete membrane. Front Architect Civ Eng China 5(1):63–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11709-010-0016-3
Varadarajan A, Sharma KG, Venkatachalam K, Gupta AK (2003) Testing and modeling the behaviour of two rockfill materials. J Geotech Geoenviron 129(3):206–218. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2003)129:3(206)
Vasistha Y, Gupta AK, Kanwar V (2012) Prediction of shear strength parameters: of two rockfill materials. Electron J Geotech Eng 17 http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/6281
Vasistha Y, Gupta AK, Kanwar V (2013) Medium triaxial testing of some rockfill materials. Electron J Geotech Eng 18 http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/6328
Vitenberg MV, Mel'nik VG (1982) Use of weak rocks in dam construction abroad. Power Tech Eng 16(2):47–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01453171
Woo I, Fleurisson JA, Park HJ (2010) Influence of weathering on shear strength of joints in a porphyritic granite rock mass in Jechon area, South Korea. Geosci J 14(3):289–299. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-010-0026-0
Xiao Y, Liu H (2017) Elastoplastic constitutive model for rockfill materials considering particle breakage. Int J Geomech 17(1):4016041. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000681
Xiao Y, Liu H, Chen Y, Jiang J (2014) Strength and deformation of rockfill material based on large-scale triaxial compression tests. II: Influence of particle breakage. J Geotech Geoenviron 140(12):4014071. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001177
Xiao Y, Liu H, Zhang W, Yin F (2015) Testing and modeling of rockfill materials: a review. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 8(3):415–422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2015.09.009
Xiao Y, Meng M, Daouadji A, Chen Q, Wu Z, Jiang X (2018) Effects of particle size on crushing and deformation behaviors of rockfill materials. Geosci Front. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2018.10.010
Xing HF, Gong XN, Zhou XG, Fu HF (2006) Construction of concrete-faced rockfill dams with weak rocks. J Geotech Geoenviron 132(6):778–785. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2006)132:6(778)
XU ZP, SHAO Y, LIANG JH (2004) Dam zoning of CFRD constructed with soft rock. J Hydraul Eng 1:62–66
Yin Y, Zhang BY, Zhang JH, Sun GL (2016) Effect of densification on shear strength behavior of argillaceous siltstone subjected to variations in weathering-related physical and mechanical conditions. Eng Geol 208:63–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2016.04.028
Zeller J, Wullimann R (1957) The shear strength of the shell materials for the Ge-Schenenalp dam, Switzerland. Proc., 4th Inst., J. SMFE, London 2: 399–404
Zhang BY, Zhang JH, Sun GL (2012) Particle breakage of argillaceous siltstone subjected to stresses and weathering. Eng Geol 137:21–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2012.03.009
Zhang BY, Zhang JH, Sun GL (2014) Development of a soft-rock weathering test apparatus. Exp Tech 38(2):54–65. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1567.2011.00788.x
Zhang BY, Zhang JH, Sun GL (2015) Deformation and shear strength of rockfill materials composed of soft siltstones subjected to stress, cyclical drying/wetting and temperature variations. Eng Geol 190:87–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2015.03.006
Zhao Z, Song EX (2015) Particle mechanics modeling of creep behavior of rockfill materials under dry and wet conditions. Comput Geotech 68:137–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2015.04.008
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Keshavarz from Qazvin Regional Water Authority for providing invaluable information and cooperation on material sampling for this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rahmani, H., Panah, A.K. Influence of particle size on particle breakage and shear strength of weak rockfill. Bull Eng Geol Environ 80, 473–489 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-020-01889-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-020-01889-6