Static and dynamic properties of cohesionless soil – new Suez canal area – Ismailia – Egypt

ABSTRACT

New developments in unexplored areas in the Suez Canal region in Egypt have disclosed the shortage of data required for analysis of problems involving static and dynamic loading. Monotonic triaxial compression tests were performed to evaluate the shear strength properties of the sand located in this area. Characteristic state and phase transformation lines were not identical and were independent of soil density. Dynamic properties at small and medium strain levels were evaluated through resonant column and cyclic triaxial tests, respectively. Effects of effective confining stress and relative density on dynamic properties were investigated. Upon cyclic loading, number of cycles to reach failure increased as the relative density and effective confining stress increased. The shear modulus increased as the relative density and effective confining stress increased in small and medium strain ranges. Torsional damping coefficient decreased as the effective confining stress increased, and was not significantly affected by the relative density.

Abbreviations: CD: Consolidated Drained, CH: Characteristic, CSR: Cyclic Stress Ratio, CT: Cyclic Triaxial, CU: Consolidated Undrained, FVD: Free Vibration Decay, MT: Moist Tamping, PT: Phase Transformation, RC: Resonant Column, SEM: Scanning Electron Microscope, SP: Poorly Graded Sand, USCS: Unified Soil Classification System, WP: Water Pluviation.

KEYWORDS:

• Characteristic state
• phase transformation
• dynamic properties
• small strain
• medium strain
• cyclic triaxial
• resonant column

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.