Variation of unconfined compressive strength of unsaturated soils with respect to suction

Won Taek Oh, Gregory Brennan, Adin Richard

In the proceedings of: GeoOttawa 2017: 70th Canadian Geotechnical Conference; 12th joint with IAH-CNC

Session: Unsaturated Soils I

ABSTRACT: In geotechnical engineering practice, many projects such as stability analysis of slopes/trenches and pavement design involve unsaturated soils within shallow depth. For these types of projects, unconfined compression test results under zero or low confining pressure can be effectively used to estimate the mechanical behaviors of unsaturated soils. However, determining the unconfined compressive strength of an unsaturated soil for different matric suction values is time-consuming. In this study, several empirical or semi-empirical methodologies/approaches developed to predict the variation of unconfined compressive strength of unsaturated soils with respect to suction are revisited. In addition, characteristic behaviors of unsaturated soils under axial forces in an unconfined condition are also presented.

RÉSUMÉ: Dans la pratique de l'ingénierie géotechnique, de nombreux projets tels que les analyses de la stabilité des pentes/tranchées et la conception des chaussées impliquent des sols non saturés à faible profondeur. Pour ces types de projets, les résultats des essais de compression non-confinés sous une pression de confinement faible ou nulle ne peuvent être utilisés efficacement pour estimer le comportement mécanique des sols non-saturés. Cependant, la détermination de la résistance à la compression non-confinée d'un sol non-saturé pour différentes valeurs de suction prend beaucoup de temps. Dans cette étude, plusieurs méthodologies/approches empiriques ou semi-empiriques développées pour prédire la variation de la résistance à la compression non-confinée des sols non-saturés en fonction de la suction sont revues. En outre, des comportements caractéristiques de sols non-saturés sous des forces axiales dans un état non confiné sont également présentés.

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Cite this article:
Won Taek Oh; Gregory Brennan; Adin Richard (2017) Variation of unconfined compressive strength of unsaturated soils with respect to suction in GEO2017. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{geo2017Paper609,author = Won Taek Oh; Gregory Brennan; Adin Richard,title = Variation of unconfined compressive strength of unsaturated soils with respect to suction,year = 2017}