Characterization of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill: Water retention and dilatancy
This study investigated the hydraulic and mechanical behaviors of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill materials (CREFMs) using a novel unsaturated large-scale triaxial apparatus equipped with the axis translation technique (ATT). Comprehensive soil-water retention and constant-suction...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775525001507 |
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| author | Yuanjie Xiao Wenqi Li Liuxin Chen Xiaoming Wang Yunbo Li Pan Tan Jiapei Du |
| author_facet | Yuanjie Xiao Wenqi Li Liuxin Chen Xiaoming Wang Yunbo Li Pan Tan Jiapei Du |
| author_sort | Yuanjie Xiao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigated the hydraulic and mechanical behaviors of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill materials (CREFMs) using a novel unsaturated large-scale triaxial apparatus equipped with the axis translation technique (ATT). Comprehensive soil-water retention and constant-suction triaxial compression tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of initial void ratio, matric suction, and confining pressure on the properties of CREFMs. Key findings reveal a primary suction range of 0–100 kPa characterized by hysteresis, which intensifies with decreasing density. Notably, the air entry value and residual suction are influenced by void ratio, with higher void ratios leading to decreased air entry values and residual suctions, underscoring the critical role of void ratio in hydraulic behavior. Additionally, the critical state line (CSL) in the bi-logarithmic space of void ratio and mean effective stress shifts towards higher void ratios with increasing matric suction, significantly affecting dilatancy and critical states. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that the mobilized friction angle and modulus properties depend on confining pressure and matric suction. A novel modified dilatancy equation was proposed, which enhances the predictability of CREFMs' responses under variable loading, particularly at high stress ratios defined by the deviatoric stress over the mean effective stress. This research advances the understanding of CREFMs' performance, especially under fluctuating environmental conditions that alter suction levels. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0f96d5b9021d477da4b58cea6f2d7e79 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1674-7755 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-0f96d5b9021d477da4b58cea6f2d7e792025-08-20T03:49:17ZengElsevierJournal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering1674-77552025-05-011753125314510.1016/j.jrmge.2025.03.016Characterization of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill: Water retention and dilatancyYuanjie Xiao0Wenqi Li1Liuxin Chen2Xiaoming Wang3Yunbo Li4Pan Tan5Jiapei Du6School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410075, China; National Engineering Research Center of High-speed Railway Construction Technology, Changsha 410075, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410075, China; Corresponding author.ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub (ITRH) – SPARC Hub, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton Campus, VIC, 3800, Australia; Corresponding author.School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410075, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410075, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410075, ChinaSchool of Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, AustraliaThis study investigated the hydraulic and mechanical behaviors of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill materials (CREFMs) using a novel unsaturated large-scale triaxial apparatus equipped with the axis translation technique (ATT). Comprehensive soil-water retention and constant-suction triaxial compression tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of initial void ratio, matric suction, and confining pressure on the properties of CREFMs. Key findings reveal a primary suction range of 0–100 kPa characterized by hysteresis, which intensifies with decreasing density. Notably, the air entry value and residual suction are influenced by void ratio, with higher void ratios leading to decreased air entry values and residual suctions, underscoring the critical role of void ratio in hydraulic behavior. Additionally, the critical state line (CSL) in the bi-logarithmic space of void ratio and mean effective stress shifts towards higher void ratios with increasing matric suction, significantly affecting dilatancy and critical states. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that the mobilized friction angle and modulus properties depend on confining pressure and matric suction. A novel modified dilatancy equation was proposed, which enhances the predictability of CREFMs' responses under variable loading, particularly at high stress ratios defined by the deviatoric stress over the mean effective stress. This research advances the understanding of CREFMs' performance, especially under fluctuating environmental conditions that alter suction levels.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775525001507Coarse-grained railway embankment fill materials (CREFMs)Soil-water retention curve (SWRC)Constant-suction triaxial compression testCritical stateDilatancy equationUnsaturated soil |
| spellingShingle | Yuanjie Xiao Wenqi Li Liuxin Chen Xiaoming Wang Yunbo Li Pan Tan Jiapei Du Characterization of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill: Water retention and dilatancy Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering Coarse-grained railway embankment fill materials (CREFMs) Soil-water retention curve (SWRC) Constant-suction triaxial compression test Critical state Dilatancy equation Unsaturated soil |
| title | Characterization of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill: Water retention and dilatancy |
| title_full | Characterization of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill: Water retention and dilatancy |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill: Water retention and dilatancy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill: Water retention and dilatancy |
| title_short | Characterization of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill: Water retention and dilatancy |
| title_sort | characterization of unsaturated coarse grained railway embankment fill water retention and dilatancy |
| topic | Coarse-grained railway embankment fill materials (CREFMs) Soil-water retention curve (SWRC) Constant-suction triaxial compression test Critical state Dilatancy equation Unsaturated soil |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775525001507 |
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