Time-dependent behavior of fine-grained model material in resonant column experiments

摘要

Cyclic shear experiments with saturated and dry fine-grained corundum powder, i.e. α-Al_2O_3 particles, have been conducted in a resonant column device. After an increase of total pressure the shear stiffness showed a slight decrease and a subsequent increase with time. The equivalent viscous damping ratio followed an opposite trend. The increase of shear stiffness with time did not stop after the end of primary consolidation, which cannot be explained with the slight reduction of void ratio during secondary consolidation. Stiffening of grain contacts through different dissolution-precipitation mechanisms and creep at particle contacts can explain the increase of shear stiffness with time, which has also been observed in natural soils by other researchers. Smaller rates of stiffness increase of dry samples support the idea of dissolution-precipitation mechanisms in the pore water. Higher rates for samples with smaller particles show an effect of surface-to-volume ratio.