CYCLIC SHEAR STRENGTH OF VARIABLY CEMENTED SANDS

The Vincentown Formation of New Jersey is a stratigraphic unit of Tertiary Age within the New Jersey Coastal Plain. Initial laboratory test results of the Vincentown Formation indicated an appreciable difference in cyclic strengths between undisturbed and reconstituted samples. In addition, many samples showed very high cyclic shear strengths, although the relative densities were comparably low. Because these properties are not normally associated with consolidated or unconsolidated sands, a detailed laboratory and field study was conducted. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the in situ physical state of the sands and relate these results to the dynamic properties which were obtained in the laboratory. The properties of the Vincentown Formation, a cemented silty fine to medium sand, was studied by means of field observations and laboratory triaxial CIUC tests and cyclic triaxial liquefaction tests. In addition, petrographic analyses of the Vincentown Formation was conducted to explore the mineralogy and physical properties of the sedimentation and to evaluate to what extent diagenetic processes have affected these initially unconsolidated Coastal Plain sediments. The results indicate that the apparent anomolous strength properties observed in both static and dynamic tests are clearly attributable to the inherent structure of the formation which was controlled by the manner of deposition of both the sediments and subsequent calcareous cementation. Traditional methods of evaluating cyclic shear strengths need to be reevaluated when applied to cemented soils. In addition, it was found the care must be exercised in sample selection for soils of this type to minimize disturbance effect as test results are sensitive to the sampling method used in the field study. /Author/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • From Volume I of Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics--Proceedings of the ASCE Geotechnical Engineering Division Specialty Conference, June 19-21, 1978, Pasadena, California. Sponsored by Geotechnical Engineering Division of ASCE in cooperation with: ASCE Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering, ASCE Los Angeles Section of their Geotechnical Engineering Group, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Soil and Foundation Engineers Association, Structural Engineers Association of Southern California, U.C.L.A. College of Engineering, University of Southern California, and California Institute of Technology.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017-2398
• Authors:
  • Salomone, L A
  • Singh, H
  • Fischer, J A
• Conference:
  • From Volume I of Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics--Proceedings of the ASCE Geotechnical Engineering Division Specialty Conference, June 19-21, 1978, Pasadena, California. Sponsored by Geotechnical Engineering Division of ASCE in cooperation with:
• Publication Date: 1978-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 819-835

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calcareous soils; Cement; Field tests; Geological surveying; Laboratory tests; Liquefaction; Petrography; Sand; Sedimentation; Shear strength; Silts; Stratigraphy; Triaxial shear tests
• Old TRIS Terms: Insitu methods; Petrographic investigations
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00179782
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 12 1978 12:00AM