Methods of testing soils for engineering purposes Soil strength and consolidation tests - Determination of compressive strength of a soil - Compressive strength of a saturated specimen tested in undrained triaxial compression with measurement of pore water pressure
Standards Australia
This Standard sets out a test procedure applicable to cohesive soils and a method for determining the compressive strength of a specimen of soil in a triaxial compression apparatus under conditions in which the cell pressure is maintained constant (see Appendix B1).
A typical test will involve a stage in which an all-round pressure is applied following which the sample is allowed to drain, a saturation stage in which pressures are increased to minimize the amount of air within the specimen, and a shearing stage performed at a constant rate of axial deformation. During the shearing stage, drainage of water from the specimen is prevented so that there is no change in the total water content of the specimen. The pore pressure is monitored throughout the test. The test described is limited to specimens in the form of right cylinders with height to diameter ratio of 2 ?2%.
The test method is limited to soil materials that can be trimmed to produce right circular cylinders that maintain their shape when unsupported. Undrained triaxial compression tests can be performed on materials which cannot stand unsupported however, special techniques are required for the specimen preparation, and differences in test procedure from this Standard may be required, for which information can be obtained from the reference sources (see Appendix B1).
The specific conditions of the test procedure, including the saturation procedure and the effective consolidation pressure, are specified by a geotechnical engineer who is responsible for ensuring the test method is appropriate for the data required.
Interpretation of the results to determine cohesion parameters and friction angles is beyond the Scope of this Standard. Guidance is provided in the reference sources given in Appendix B1.
| Document Type | Standard |
| Status | Current |
| Publisher | Standards Australia |
| Committee | CE-009 |
| Supersedes |
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