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The dynamic properties of clay deposits under seismic or wave loading conditions must be well understood to assure dynamic stability of structures founded on such soil. The dynamic shear modulus and damping appear to be a complex function of many variables, and a wide range of values have been reported in the literature. Consequently, considerable uncertainty exists in choosing the appropriate values of shear modulus and damping for a particular problem. This thesis presents a study of the influence of various factors on the shear modulus and damping of a marine clay using a resonant column/torsional shear device. In particular, the influence of factors such as shear strain amplitude, effective confining stress, stress history, frequency (strain rate), and secondary time-dependent behaviour are examined. The pore pressure response is also studied. The shear modulus was found to degrade for shear strains above 0.005%. The strain dependency was found to be well represented by a single normalized modulus reduction curve regardless of the confining pressure or overconsolidation ratio. Slower strain rates resulted in smaller values of shear modulus. Of the variables studied, the duration of sample confinement was found to be the most imporant factor affecting the material damping. Above 0.005% strain, the damping of the marine clay increased with shearing strain amplitude. No significant effect of confining pressure and stress history on damping was observed at any strain level. As well, the material damping was found to be relatively independent of loading frequency. Both the shear wave velocity and damping obtained in this study were found to be consistent with the in situ values determined using the seismic cone penetration test. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

published_or_final_version / Earth Sciences / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Civil and Structural Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

An extensive literature review and experimental study were performed to investigate whether cavitation and dissolved gases exiting solution from soil pore water are the cause of the erratic undrained behavior often observed in triaxial tests on saturated, dilatant silts. The literature indicates that ground water contains various amounts of dissolved gases and that gases dissolved in soil pore water will have sufficient time to exit solution to some extent, due to the pore pressure reductions which occur during sampling and unconsolidated-undrained triaxial tests. The exit of dissolved gases from solution would increase the soil volume and affect its undrained behavior. Experiments were performed on saturated silts to measure the pore pressure reductions which occur during sampling and unconsolidated-undrained triaxial tests. The amount of dissolved air that could come out of solution and the desaturation that a saturated soil sample could experience were also estimated. Gas bubble formation and growth within the pores of a saturated silt could affect intergranular forces and influence the stress-strain behavior of the soil in undrained tests. Variations in the amount of dissolved gas exiting solution and forming bubbles from one specimen to another could be the cause of the erratic undrained behavior often observed for saturated silts. Bubble growth within the soil pores is believed to have lead to abrupt strain-softening in a number of the undrained tests performed in this research. Variations in specimen disturbance may also contribute to the erratic behavior observed in undrained tests on silts. Disturbance levels and their influence on soil behavior are difficult to quantify. Due to the unusual properties of water under negative pressure, the initial value of pore water pressure within the soil appears to have a direct influence on the undrained strength of the soil. As a result, laboratory pore water pressures should be similar to in-situ pore water pressures, in order to give reasonable undrained strength measurements. The findings of this research are believed to be worthy of further study. / Ph. D.