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A review on the effect of rubber membrane in triaxial tests

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Abstract

This paper presents a review on the effect of rubber membranes on the measured stress and volume change data during the triaxial tests. In many instants, the error associated due to membrane penetration is measured to be close to the total sample volumetric strains. Hence, in addition to precise measurements, adopting an appropriate correction to the measured data is pivotal. This paper provides a detailed review on the methods used to estimate and reduce the influence of rubber membrane on the measured triaxial test results. The discussion therefore clearly highlights the stiffness, thickness, and diameter of the membrane used, to have significant influence on the measured deviatoric stress and the volume change data. The mean grain size of sample has an equally significant influence on the volume change. The methods in general are limited to test conditions, and therefore, it is practically uncertain to have a generalized correction procedure. Effectively, the outcome from this review work enhances the understanding of the reader towards the effect, methods, and corrections to be considered in triaxial testing due to rubber membrane and membrane penetration effects.

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Abbreviations

A c :

Post-consolidation average cross sectional area of the sample

A m :

Area of contact between the membrane and the sample

A s :

Soil surface area covered by the membrane

α :

Angle of the failure plane

D c :

Post-consolidation diameter of the sample

d 50 :

Mean grain size

d :

Sample diameter

d g :

Equivalent diameter when converted to spherical shape

d m :

Membrane diameter

V 0 :

Sample volume prior to change in stress

ΔV T :

Total volume change

ΔV m :

Volume change caused by membrane penetration

ΔV Soil :

Volume change caused by soil deformation

ΔV T :

Total volume change

Δv m :

Membrane effect unit area (Δv m = ΔV m/A m)

E m :

Stiffness of the rubber membrane

ε a :

Axial strain

ε m :

Unit membrane penetration or membrane penetration per unit membrane surface area

ε v :

Total volumetric strains

ɛ vm :

Volumetric strains due to membrane penetration

q m :

Membrane resistance

σ 1 :

Major principle stress

σ 2 :

Intermediate principle stress

σ 3 :

Minor principle stress

σ 3m :

Minor principle stress due to membrane restraint

σ ′c :

Effective confining pressure

σ r :

Resultant force

σ m :

Membrane restraint force

t m :

Thickness of the membrane

u :

Pore water pressure

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Discipline of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Sunway Campus, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 46150, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mavinakere Eshwaraiah Raghunandan

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Jitendra S. Sharma

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia

    Biswajeet Pradhan

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  1. Mavinakere Eshwaraiah Raghunandan
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  2. Jitendra S. Sharma
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  3. Biswajeet Pradhan
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Correspondence to Mavinakere Eshwaraiah Raghunandan.

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Raghunandan, M.E., Sharma, J.S. & Pradhan, B. A review on the effect of rubber membrane in triaxial tests. Arab J Geosci 8, 3195–3206 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1420-0

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