THE EFFECT OF DENSIFICATION ON THE ENGINEERING CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANIC SOILS. VOLUME 1

Mixtures of clay, silt, and sand with known organic contents were molded at their liquid limits in special cylinders and statically loaded for 48 hours under various simulated overburden pressures. Both unconfined and quick triaxial compression tests indicated usable shear strengths of 0.3 to 0.7 ksf. Static surcharging also increased the dry densities, reduced the moisture contents, and resulted in greatly reduced permeabilities of the clays and silts. Shear strengths generally increased directly with the surcharge and organic content. From standard consolidation tests, only the square root-of-time plots provided classically-shaped curves that could be used to determine the end of primary consolidation. Primary consolidation of organic soils occurs in two overlapping stages. Organic soils gain in stiffness under cyclic loading, generally after six cycles. Extensive appendices provide data for the preliminary estimating of settlement rates. The text gives numerical examples of embankment settlements and shear distribution based on the finite-element analyses.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • See also Volume 2, PB-239 538. Prepared in cooperation with the Louisiana Dept. of Highways, Baton Rouge.
• Corporate Authors:

  Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  Baton Rouge, LA  United States  70803

  Louisiana Department of Highways

  P.O. Box 44245, Capitol Station
  Baton Rouge, LA  United States  70804
• Authors:
  • Arman, A
  • Munfakh, G A
• Publication Date: 1973-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 119 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Clay; Densification; Dry density; Embankments; Finite element method; Highways; Moisture content; Organic soils; Overburdens; Shear properties; Shear strength; Soil compaction; Soil consolidation test; Soil mechanics; Static loads; Triaxial shear tests
• Uncontrolled Terms: Surcharge; Triaxial tests
• Old TRIS Terms: Soil compacting; Static loading; Unconfined compression tests
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00090408
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Bulletin 113 Final Rpt
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 29 1975 12:00AM