Liquefaction of soil is one of the major contributing factors for damages of infrastructures and utility services during earthquake. Liquefaction occurs when short strong shaking creates undrained loading condition in saturated soil deposit thereby increases pore water pressure, which eventually equals the effective confining pressure resulting in significant reduction in shear strength and bearing capacity of soil deposit. Several studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of polypropylene fiber on sand deposit as a measure to prevent liquefaction but most of them are based on static tests. Therefore, the present study, tries to understand liquefaction characteristics of sand reinforced with polypropylene fiber based on cyclic triaxial test. The main objectives of this study are (i) to explore the effect of polypropylene fiber on pore pressure generation and deformation characteristics of sand, and (ii) to observe the effect of confining pressure on liquefaction characteristics of sand-fiber mixture. A series of stress controlled cyclic triaxial tests were performed at 5 and 10 psi effective confining pressures. At 5 psi effective confining pressure, specimens of clean sand, and sand containing 0.05, 0.075, 0.1, and 0.3% polypropylene fiber by dry weight were tested at 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, and 0.4 Cyclic Stress Ratio (CSR). However, at 10 psi effective confining pressure, specimens were also tested for 0.5%, and 0.75% fiber in addition to those at 5 psi confining pressure at 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 CSR. Based on the test results, it was observed that, cyclic shear stress increases with the increase in initial effective confining pressure. Also, for a given CSR, liquefaction resistance decreased with the increase in effective confining pressure. Furthermore, significant improvement in liquefaction resistance was observed when the fiber content exceeded beyond 0.075% at 5 psi confining stress. However, at 10 psi confining pressure, addition of fiber did not help in improvement of liquefaction resistance of sand except when cyclic shear stress was applied at 0.2 CSR. At 0.2 CSR, although the specimens did liquefy based on pore pressure generation criteria at all fiber contents, specimens containing 0.5% and 0.75% fiber did not ever reach 2.5% and 5% DA (Double Amplitude) deformation throughout 1000 loading cycles.

The presence of silt and clay particles has long been thought to affect the behavior of a sand under cyclic loading. Unfortunately, a review of studies published in the literature reveals that no clear conclusions can be drawn as to how altering fines content and plasticity actually affects the liquefaction resistance of a sand. In fact, the literature contains what appears to be contradictory evidence. There is a need to clarify the effects of fines content and plasticity on the liquefaction resistance of sandy soils, and to determine methods for accounting for these effects in engineering practice. In order to help answer these questions, a program of research in the form of a laboratory parametric study intended to clarify the effects which varying fines content and plasticity have upon the liquefaction resistance of sandy sands was undertaken. The program of research consisted of a large number of cyclic triaxial tests performed on two sands with varying quantities of plastic and non-plastic fines. The program of research also examined the applicability of plasticity based liquefaction criteria and the effects of fines content and plasticity on pore pressure generation. Lastly, a review of how the findings of this study may affect the manner in which simplified analyses are performed in engineering practice was made. The results of the study performed are used to clarify the effects of non-plastic fines content and resolve the majority of the inconsistencies in the literature. The effects of plastic fines content and fines plasticity are shown to be different than has been previously reported. The validity of plasticity based liquefaction criteria is established, the mechanism responsible for their validity is explained, and a new simplified criteria proposed. The effects of fines content and plasticity on pore pressure generation are discussed, and several recommendations are made for implementing the findings of this study into engineering practice. / Ph. D.

This study is focused on developing a method to predict the dynamic behavior of mine tailings dams under earthquake loading. Tailings dams are a by-product of coal mining and processing activities. Mine tailings impoundments are prone to instability and failure under seismic loading as a result of the mechanical behavior of the tailings. Due to the existence of potential seismic sources in close proximity to the coal mining regions in the United States, it is necessary to assess the post-earthquake stability of these tailings dams. To develop the aforementioned methodology, 34 cyclic triaxial tests along with vane shear tests were performed on undisturbed mine tailings specimens from two impoundments in Kentucky. Therefore, the liquefaction resistance and the residual shear strength of the specimens were measured. The laboratory cyclic strength curves for the coal mine specimens were produced, and the relationship between plasticity, density, cyclic stress ratio, and number of cycles to liquefaction were identified. The samples from the Big Branch impoundment were generally loose samples, while the Abner Fork specimens were dense samples, older and slightly cemented. The data suggest that the number of loading cycles required to initiate liquefaction in mine tailings, NL, decreases with increasing CSR and with decreasing density. This trend is similar to what is typically observed in soil. For a number of selected specimens, using the results of a series of small-strain cyclic triaxial tests, the shear modulus reduction curves and damping ratio plots were created. The data obtained from laboratory experiments were correlated to the previously recorded geotechnical field data from the two impoundments. The field parameters including the SPT blow counts (N1)60, corrected CPT cone tip resistance (qt), and shear wave velocity (vs), were correlated to the laboratory measured cyclic resistance ratio (CRR). The results indicate that in general, the higher the (N1)60 and the tip resistance (qt), the higher the CSR was. Ultimately, practitioners will be able to use these correlations along with common state-of-practice geotechnical field methods to predict cyclic resistance in fine tailings to assess the liquefaction potential and post-earthquake stability of the impoundment structures.

O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a influência da variação do teor de umidade no valor do módulo de resiliência (MR) de um solo argiloso de subleito, tendo em vista que este parâmetro é muito susceptível à variações climáticas ambientais. Foram realizados ensaios triaxiais cíclicos para se estimar o módulo de resiliência de corpos de prova ensaiados em diversas condições de umidade. Verificou-se que o MR é influenciado pela tensão desvio, de forma que aquele aumenta com o acréscimo desta. Constatou-se que os corpos de prova moldados na Wot e submetidos a trajetórias de secagem e umedecimento alcançaram valores de MR superiores e inferiores, respectivamente, ao se comparar com o MR de corpos de prova ensaiados na Wot. Este fato foi também observado para os corpos de prova moldados com massa específica seca máxima, em teores de umidade abaixo e acima do teor ótimo. Determinou-se, ainda, a sucção no solo através do método do papel filtro e levantou-se a sua curva característica. Verificou-se que à medida que a umidade aumenta, a sucção diminui. Observou-se que o valor do MR aumenta com o aumento da sucção no solo. Este crescimento é tanto maior quanto maior seja a tensão desvio aplicada. Foi possível determinar a relação entre o MR, a tensão desvio e o módulo tangente inicial (Eo), proveniente dos ensaios de compressão simples. Relacionou-se, também, o Eo e a sucção no solo. / The aim of this work is to evaluate the influence of moisture content variation in resilient modulus value (MR) of a subgrade clayey soil, considering that this parameter is very susceptible to environmental climatic variations. Cyclic triaxial tests were performed to acess resilient modulus of specimens tested in several moisture conditions. lt has been verified that MR is influenced by deviator stress, so that the former increases with the latter increases. lt has been confirmed that specimens molded in Wot and submited to a drying and moistening route reached MR values higher and lower, respectively, to compare with MR of specimens tested in Wot. This fact was also observed for the specimens molded with dry density, in moisture contents below and above of optimum moisture content. lt has been also determined the soil suction using filter paper method and it has been built its characteristic curve. lt has been verified that when moisture increases, the suction decreases. lt has been observed that MR value increases with the soil suction increase. This increase is as bigger as bigger the applied deviator stress be. lt was possible to determine the relationship between MR, deviator stress and parameters from compressive strength tests. lt has been related parameters from compressive strength tests and soil suction.

O módulo de resiliência é uma propriedade mecânica dos solos indispensável para análise estrutural de pavimentos em termos de tensão e deformação. O principal ensaio laboratorial para estimativa do módulo de resiliência dos solos é o ensaio triaxial cíclico no qual existe um maior controle das condições da amostra, dos carregamentos aplicados e dos deslocamentos medidos. A utilização de relações para obtenção do módulo de resiliência a partir de propriedades do solo obtidas de ensaios mais simples e rotineiros é permitida pelo procedimento NCHRP 1-37A (2004) e pode ser muito útil para fase de anteprojeto de implantação de rodovias, pois permite uma avaliação rápida do módulo de resiliência dos solos de jazidas e subleitos, localizados ao longo das diversas alternativas de traçados a serem analisadas. No entanto, as relações existentes ou são restritivas, por não considerarem os solos das regiões tropicais de comportamento laterítico e não laterítico da classificação MCT (Miniatura Compactado Tropical), ou são de baixa eficiência. Considerando-se o sucesso que as redes neurais artificiais (RNAs) têm apresentado no campo da engenharia em estabelecer relações entre variáveis explicativas e variáveis resposta, neste trabalho foram desenvolvidas RNAs para relacionar o módulo de resiliência com as propriedades do solo, tanto para solos grossos compactados na energia modificada como para solos compactados na energia normal. O banco de dados utilizado no trabalho baseou-se nos resultados de ensaios de setenta e seis amostras de solos coletadas no interior do Estado de São Paulo. Finalmente, verificou-se que as RNAs podem prever, com alta eficiência, o módulo de resiliência dos solos tropicais de comportamento laterítico e não laterítico a partir de propriedades do solo tais como: composição granulométrica, LL, IP, umidade ótima e resultados do ensaio de compressão simples. / The resilient modulus is an essential mechanical property for stress-strain analysis of pavements. The main test to evaluate resilient modulus of soils is cyclic triaxial test which there is a better control not only of samples but also of loads and displacements. Nowadays, the utilization of relationships to obtain resilient modulus from soils properties, from routine simple tests, is allowed by procedure NCHRP 1-37A, and that can be useful in initial design in construction of roads, as the resilient modulus of material pits and subgrades, places along several alternative traces of design, can be evaluated very fast by relationships. However, the existing relationships are restrictive, because they do not consider tropical soils of lateritic and non-lateritic behavior from MCT (Miniatura Compactado Tropical) classification and they have low performance. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have shown high success to establish relationships from answering variables and explicative variables, so in this work was developed ANNs to establish relationships from resilient modulus and soil properties, not only for sandy soils in Proctor\'s modified compaction energy but also for soils in Proctor\'s standard compaction energy. The data base used in this work was laboratory test results from seventy-six soils which were collected in interior of Sao Paulo state. Finally, for tropical soils of lateritic and non-lateritic behavior, it was verified that ANNs can forecast, with high performance, resilient modulus from soil properties just as: grain size composition, liquid limit (LL), plasticity index (PI), optimum moisture content and results of simple strength compressive test.

O módulo de resiliência é uma propriedade mecânica dos solos indispensável para análise estrutural de pavimentos em termos de tensão e deformação. O principal ensaio laboratorial para estimativa do módulo de resiliência dos solos é o ensaio triaxial cíclico no qual existe um maior controle das condições da amostra, dos carregamentos aplicados e dos deslocamentos medidos. A utilização de relações para obtenção do módulo de resiliência a partir de propriedades do solo obtidas de ensaios mais simples e rotineiros é permitida pelo procedimento NCHRP 1-37A (2004) e pode ser muito útil para fase de anteprojeto de implantação de rodovias, pois permite uma avaliação rápida do módulo de resiliência dos solos de jazidas e subleitos, localizados ao longo das diversas alternativas de traçados a serem analisadas. No entanto, as relações existentes ou são restritivas, por não considerarem os solos das regiões tropicais de comportamento laterítico e não laterítico da classificação MCT (Miniatura Compactado Tropical), ou são de baixa eficiência. Considerando-se o sucesso que as redes neurais artificiais (RNAs) têm apresentado no campo da engenharia em estabelecer relações entre variáveis explicativas e variáveis resposta, neste trabalho foram desenvolvidas RNAs para relacionar o módulo de resiliência com as propriedades do solo, tanto para solos grossos compactados na energia modificada como para solos compactados na energia normal. O banco de dados utilizado no trabalho baseou-se nos resultados de ensaios de setenta e seis amostras de solos coletadas no interior do Estado de São Paulo. Finalmente, verificou-se que as RNAs podem prever, com alta eficiência, o módulo de resiliência dos solos tropicais de comportamento laterítico e não laterítico a partir de propriedades do solo tais como: composição granulométrica, LL, IP, umidade ótima e resultados do ensaio de compressão simples. / The resilient modulus is an essential mechanical property for stress-strain analysis of pavements. The main test to evaluate resilient modulus of soils is cyclic triaxial test which there is a better control not only of samples but also of loads and displacements. Nowadays, the utilization of relationships to obtain resilient modulus from soils properties, from routine simple tests, is allowed by procedure NCHRP 1-37A, and that can be useful in initial design in construction of roads, as the resilient modulus of material pits and subgrades, places along several alternative traces of design, can be evaluated very fast by relationships. However, the existing relationships are restrictive, because they do not consider tropical soils of lateritic and non-lateritic behavior from MCT (Miniatura Compactado Tropical) classification and they have low performance. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have shown high success to establish relationships from answering variables and explicative variables, so in this work was developed ANNs to establish relationships from resilient modulus and soil properties, not only for sandy soils in Proctor\'s modified compaction energy but also for soils in Proctor\'s standard compaction energy. The data base used in this work was laboratory test results from seventy-six soils which were collected in interior of Sao Paulo state. Finally, for tropical soils of lateritic and non-lateritic behavior, it was verified that ANNs can forecast, with high performance, resilient modulus from soil properties just as: grain size composition, liquid limit (LL), plasticity index (PI), optimum moisture content and results of simple strength compressive test.

O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a influência da variação do teor de umidade no valor do módulo de resiliência (MR) de um solo argiloso de subleito, tendo em vista que este parâmetro é muito susceptível à variações climáticas ambientais. Foram realizados ensaios triaxiais cíclicos para se estimar o módulo de resiliência de corpos de prova ensaiados em diversas condições de umidade. Verificou-se que o MR é influenciado pela tensão desvio, de forma que aquele aumenta com o acréscimo desta. Constatou-se que os corpos de prova moldados na Wot e submetidos a trajetórias de secagem e umedecimento alcançaram valores de MR superiores e inferiores, respectivamente, ao se comparar com o MR de corpos de prova ensaiados na Wot. Este fato foi também observado para os corpos de prova moldados com massa específica seca máxima, em teores de umidade abaixo e acima do teor ótimo. Determinou-se, ainda, a sucção no solo através do método do papel filtro e levantou-se a sua curva característica. Verificou-se que à medida que a umidade aumenta, a sucção diminui. Observou-se que o valor do MR aumenta com o aumento da sucção no solo. Este crescimento é tanto maior quanto maior seja a tensão desvio aplicada. Foi possível determinar a relação entre o MR, a tensão desvio e o módulo tangente inicial (Eo), proveniente dos ensaios de compressão simples. Relacionou-se, também, o Eo e a sucção no solo. / The aim of this work is to evaluate the influence of moisture content variation in resilient modulus value (MR) of a subgrade clayey soil, considering that this parameter is very susceptible to environmental climatic variations. Cyclic triaxial tests were performed to acess resilient modulus of specimens tested in several moisture conditions. lt has been verified that MR is influenced by deviator stress, so that the former increases with the latter increases. lt has been confirmed that specimens molded in Wot and submited to a drying and moistening route reached MR values higher and lower, respectively, to compare with MR of specimens tested in Wot. This fact was also observed for the specimens molded with dry density, in moisture contents below and above of optimum moisture content. lt has been also determined the soil suction using filter paper method and it has been built its characteristic curve. lt has been verified that when moisture increases, the suction decreases. lt has been observed that MR value increases with the soil suction increase. This increase is as bigger as bigger the applied deviator stress be. lt was possible to determine the relationship between MR, deviator stress and parameters from compressive strength tests. lt has been related parameters from compressive strength tests and soil suction.

This thesis deals with compares the procedures carried out in the cyclical load triaxial testing device according to CSN EN 13286-7, and the procedures performed in the United States of America. In the practical part elasticity moduls of mixed recycled material are experimentally compared with mixed recycled material containing binder(connective material) and with fine-grained soil in the cyclical load triaxial testing device. Further the thesis assesses the use of mixed recycled material in the construction of a third class low-load pavement.

This thesis presents the results of a series of undrained cyclic triaxial tests carried out on four lime-cement stabilized specimens and clay specimen. The shear resistance degradation rate of lime-cement column subjected to cyclic loading simulated from heavy truck was investigated based on stress-controlled test. The influence of lime and cement on the degradation rate was investigated by comparing the behavior of stabilized kaolin and unstabilized kaolin with similar initial condition. The results indicate an increase in degree of degradation as the number of loading cycles and cyclic strain increase. It is observed that the degradation index has approximately a parabolic relationship with the number of cycles. Generally adding lime and cement to the clay will increase the degradation index which means lower degree of degradation. The degradation parameter, t has a hyperbolic relationship with shear strain, but it loses its hyperbolic shape as the soil getting stronger. On the other hand, for unstabilized clay an approximate linear relationship between degradation index and number of cycles was observed and the degradation parameter has a hyperbolic shape with the increase number of cycles. It was also observed that the stronger the material was, the lesser pore pressure developed in the lime-cement stabilized clay.

O avanço das técnicas de melhoramento de solos vem permitindo o aproveitamento de locais nos quais, até pouco tempo atrás, era considerada a construção de muitas estruturas como inviáveis, seja técnica, financeira ou ambientalmente. Uma das técnicas que tem conseguido demostrar bons resultados é o reforço com fibras de diferentes origens, com ou sem presença de algum agente cimentante. A maioria dos estudos conduzidos sobre este tipo de materiais se têm centrado na caracterização dos materiais sob cargas estáticas, e outros estudos se limitam a avaliar o comportamento sob cargas cíclicas destes materiais para densidades relativas baixas, nas quais o fenômeno de liquefação governa o mecanismo de ruptura. O presente estudo tenta aprofundar no conhecimento sobre materiais compactos quando submetidos a carregamentos cíclicos, de maneira a fornecer insumos para o estudo deste campo. O estudo, de caráter experimental, foi feito através da caracterização de corpos de prova de areia e areia com 0,5% de fibras, além da consideração de dois índices de vazios: o primeiro de 0,63 (correspondente a uma densidade relativa de 90%), e o segundo com um índice de vazios igual a 0,75 (correspondente a uma densidade relativa de 50%) Foram executados 29 ensaios triaxiais, além da adoção dos valores de outros 15 feitos por outro autor, totalizando 44 ensaios. A totalidade dos ensaios divide-se assim: 12 ensaios monotônicos CID, 12 ensaios monotônicos CIU, e 20 ensaios cíclicos CIU sob tensão controlada. Nos ensaios monotônicos obtiveram-se incrementos no ângulo de atrito do material composto, sendo mais evidente para as amostras compactas. Em relação aos ensaios cíclicos, obteve-se incrementos nas resistência do material até atingir sua condição de ruptura, seja por liquefação em amostras pouco compactas (Dr= 50%), ou por mobilidade cíclica no caso de amostras compactas (Dr= 90%). A normalização dos resultados permitiu observar que, embora as fibras melhorem o desempenho das misturas quando submetidas a carregamentos cíclicos, não alteraram a estrutura do material em sua resposta em termos de módulo de elasticidade, pelo menos no que respeita a níveis de deformações medianos a grandes. Para pequenas deformações, evidenciou-se uma diminuição na rigidez das amostras, ocasionando assim maiores acréscimos de poropressão nos estágios iniciais dos ensaios, mais nas em areias com fibras do que sem elas. / The development of ground improvement techniques has allowed the use of certain places, which was in the past considered as non-viable for the construction of many types of structures. Fiber reinforced soils have shown good results, with or without presence of any cementitious agent. The focus of most studies performed on this type of materials, is the characterization under static loading, and other studies are limited to evaluating its behavior on cyclic loading at low level of relative density, in which cases the liquefaction phenomenon governs the mechanism of rupture. This study aims to improve the knowledge of cyclic loading effects in dense materials. Was carried out an experimental program by characterizing specimens of sand with 0% and 0.5% of randomly distributed fiber, considering two void ratios: 0.63 (dense sand, Dr = 90%) and 0.75 (moderately loose sand, Dr = 50%). In total, were performed 29 triaxial tests, in addition of another 15 executed by another author, totaling 44 The test were divided as follows: 12 monotonic CIU test, 12 monotonic CID test, and 20 CIU loading controlled cyclic test. In monotonic conditions, fibers addition increases the friction angle, mostly on dense samples (Dr = 90%) than on loose specimens (Dr = 50%). For cyclic tests, in both materials, fiber additions causes improvement on cyclic behavior, but with different failure mechanism, liquefaction for loose, and cyclic mobility for dense sands, regardless of the presence of fibers. The transformation of the number of cycles axis, or normalization of another cyclic results allowed observing that, despite the fiber addition can cause improvement of materials subjected to cyclic loading, the structure of the material did not change in elasticity modulus response, at least for medium to large strains levels. For small strains, occur a decrease in the stiffness of samples, causing greater increases of pore pressure in the initial stages of tests, more in reinforced sand than for none reinforced condition. / El avance de las técnicas para mejoramiento de suelos ha permitido el aprovechamiento de sitios en los cuales, hasta hace poco tiempo, se consideraba como no viable la construcción de muchas estructuras, sea por cuestiones técnicas, financieras o ambientales. Una técnica que ha demostrado buenos resultados es la incorporación de refuerzos con fibras de diferente origen, considerando o no la presencia de algún agente cementante. La mayoría de los estudios realizados a este tipo de materiales se han centrado en la caracterización bajo la acción de cargas estáticas, e otros se han limitado a evaluar el comportamiento bajo la acción de cargas cíclicas considerando únicamente densidades relativas bajas, para las cuales la ruptura está controlada por el fenómeno de licuación. El presente estudio busca ahondar en el conocimiento sobre el comportamiento bajo acción de cargas cíclicas de materiales compactos, buscando con ello ampliar la base experimental sobre este campo. El estudio, de carácter experimental, fue realizado a partir de la caracterización de especímenes de arena sin fibras y con 0,5% de fibras, además de la consideración de dos relaciones de vacíos: 0.63 (correspondiente a una densidad relativa de 90%), y 0,75 (correspondiente a una densidad relativa de 50%) Fueron realizados 29 ensayos triaxiales, además de haber adoptado los resultados de otros 15 realizados por otro autor, totalizando 44 ensayos. Los ensayos fueron divididos así: 12 ensayos monotónicos CID, 12 ensayos monotónicos CIU, y 20 ensayos triaxiales cíclicos CID con control de esfuerzos. En los ensayos monotónicos fueron obtenidos incrementos en el ángulo de fricción del material compuesto, siendo esta situación más evidente en muestras compactas. Con relación a los ensayos cíclicos, se obtuvo incremento en la resistencia de las muestras hasta alcanzar su condición de ruptura, bien sea por licuación (materiales relativamente sueltos, Dr = 50%), o por movilidad cíclica (materiales compactos, Dr = 90%). La normalización de los resultados permitió observar que, aunque las fibras mejoran el desempeño bajo cargas cíclicas de los materiales, no alteraron la estructura del material en términos de módulo de elasticidad, por lo menos para niveles medios y altos de deformación. Para pequeñas deformaciones, se evidenció una disminución en la rigidez de las muestras, lo que produjo mayores incrementos en las presiones de poros durante las fases iniciales de los ensayos, con mayor visibilidad en las arenas con fibras que cuando no hubo adición.