A NEW MODEL TO PREDICT THE SWELLING PARAMETERS

ON DEFORMABLE UNSATURATED SOIL UNDER

CONTROLLED SUCTION
H. Skandaji1 , F. Masrouri1, M. Jamei 2and O.Touil2

ABSTRACT
Modelling the complex behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils subjected to different stress paths
(mechanical and hydraulic) constitutes a current research topic and deserves further investigation.
In this paper, the results of oedometer swelling tests, under controlled suction, are presented. These tests
are conducted for measurement of swelling parameters of Ca2+-bentonite specimens which are compacted
statically.
They are carried out using a developed osmotic suction controlled oedometer. The laboratory swelling
tests have a slow response. In fact, when the suction is imposed, the hydraulic equilibrium is reached within
one to three weeks. Therefore, it is interesting to develop a numerical model for quickly predicting the
swelling process under different stress paths.
Recently, a new model for the simulation of swelling-pressure has been developed (Shuai and
Fredlund, 1998).
In this paper an extension of Fredlunds model is proposed, in which the compressibility or the expansive
(w)
( v)
coefficients ( C i and c j ) depend on the matrix suction and total net stress. The proposed model can
describe the porewater pressures as function of time and depth in a specimen as well as the volume changes
during the swelling process. Furthermore, the coefficient of permeability is a function of matrix suction and
void-ratio.
The extended model problem has been solved by the finite element method using the Galerkins
technique (Zienkiewicz, 1977). The formulation of the problem leads to a non-linear algebraic system which
is solved by a Newton-Raphson Algorithm coupled with a Fixed Point Method (William H. P. and al., 1986).
INTRODUCTION
Recent research concerning the behaviour of expansive soils has been undertaken. These studies involve
two fundamentally different states : Saturated and unsaturated expansive clays. In both cases, the expansion
is produced via unloading stress paths (mechanical) or wetting paths (hydraulic). In fact, in the saturated
case, and when the wetting path is considered, the expansion corresponds to only an increase in water
content. But when an unloading path is applied, the increase in the volume of soil corresponds to the volume
change of the structure under constant water content. If the two paths are applied together, their effects can
be separated and dissociated.
On the contrary, with soil in the unsaturated state, we cant distinguish easily the change in the volume of
water from the change in the volume of soil voids because these changes depend on the interaction of phases
(air, water and structure). A complete study behaviour of expansive clay should involve these interaction
phenomena. Numerous works show that the postulate of independent stress state variables (( ii-u a) and
s = (ua -uw), where, ii is a component of total tensor stresses), is an adequate framework. Thus, we can
approach the expansive clay behaviour by this postulate without including microstructure interactions
(Alonso et al., 1995). In fact, the specific and complete analysis leads to equations in which the parameters
are very difficult to control and to determine experimentally (Lloret and Alonso, 1980).
1
2

Laboratoire Environnement Gomcanique & Ouvrages - ENSG - BP 40, 54501 Vanduvre-les-Nancy cedex
Laboratoire de modlisation et calcul des structures - Ecole Nationale dIgnieurs de Tunis-BP37, Tunis le Belvdre

Here, we consider a simple independent variables approach. For the purpose of the study, the Fredlunds
model (1993 &1998) is generalised, in which the expansive or compressible parameters depend on the
suction and total net stresses.
CONSTITUTIVE RELATIONS

This model is formulated for the three dimensional case. However, given the unidimensional nature of the
tests, only the one dimensional case is used in the present work. Several assumptions are made. The
behaviour of the unsaturated soil is assumed to be nonlinear elastic. The volumetric deformations are related
to net total stress (-ua) and suction (ua-uw) only. The water phase is taken as incompressible. The change in
the volume of water phase " dVw " corresponds to the increase or decrease of water. When small
deformations are assumed, the change in the total volumetric strain is :

d
= xx + yy + zz

(1)

d d v d w d sv
=
=
+

(2)

where : is the local elementary volume ( V , V is the initial total volume), (x,y,z) are the principal
axes, and ii (i =x, y, z) are the components of the strain tensor.
Lets consider the local elementary domains v and w , which contain the point M; v Vv ; w Vw .

where : d v is the incremental change in the local elementary volume v of soil voids, d w is the
s
incremental change in the local elementary volume w of water phase, d v is the incremental change in

the structure elementary volume of soil, Vv is the volume of soil voids, Vw is the volume occupied by water
( Vw = S r Vv ) and S r is the degree of saturation. In the general case, strains and stresses are not
necessarily uniform. In the present formulation, the change in the volume occupied by the air phase is
included in dVv . This consideration implies that we cant compute the change in the volume of air phase
explicitly. Therefore, we consider only two phases : Soil structure and water phase. Moreover, this model
cannot take into account the microstructural expansion.
Soil structure :

( v) = C1(v) : 'a + C (v)

: (s I)
2
M

(3)

where :

(Mv ) is the local strain tensor of the soil structure, 'a and s I are the net stress and the matrix
( v)
( v)
suction tensors at point M , C 1 is the flexibility tensor in the given unsaturated state, C 2 is

the swelling (or collapse) tensor under the hydraulic path (wetting path). In the draining path,
C (2v) is the shrinking tensor ;
The components of the two latter tensors are determined through a series of suction controlled triaxial tests.
Water phase :
In the elementary local volume d, the change in the volume of water is defined by :
(w)

d vol =

d w
= c1(w) ( u a ) + c (w)
2 s
d

(4)

c1( w ) and c (2w )

tr

( xx + yy + zz )

3
3
are the coefficients of water content change with respect to ( -ua) and s respectively.
( v)

( v)

In the general case, (C 1 ) ij , (C 2 ) ij

(5)

(w)
and c j
depend on the field net stresses ( 'a ) ij and suction (s).

This is the first point in a generalisation of the Fredlunds model.

In this way, from equations 3 and 4, the total volume change can be expressed in a general form as :

V
= d ( (v)
) d v + (d (w)
) d w = d ( (v)
) n d + w d (w)
vol
vol
vol
vol d
V
Vv
Vw
V
V

(6)

d v
( v)
( v)
; vol is zero in d w ; n is the porosity and w is the volumetric water content.
d vol =

In order to be able to define the expression of equation 6, the soil structure, air and water are assumed to
( v)

w)
be three continuous media. In the same way, we consider d ( vol ) and (d (vol
) as continuous functions.

ONE- DIMENSIONAL CASE

Written for the one dimensional case, equations 1, 3 and 4 lead to :
( v)

(v)
'
(v)
d vol = (v)
zz = (C1 ) zz ( a ) zz + (C 2 ) zz s

(7)

d w
= c1(w) ( zz u a ) + c (w)
s
2
d

(8)

w)
d (vol
=

V
= n (v)
(
zz dz +
V

Therefore

(w)
vol ) d

(9)

where H is the initial height of the specimen. Here, we only consider the wetting free-swell oedometer and
constant loading paths.
When the suction is decreased from so to sf during the time step t = t f t o for a given z, we can write that :

(
( v)

For simplicity, the parameters C i

V
t V
s
) t dt = s f (C (v)
+ c (w)
) t t = t f (
2
2 ) ds(t)
o
o
o
f
V
V
(w)

and c j

(10)

are assumed constant over the suction increment "ds".

The suction s(t,z) is obtained by resolving the following equation :

u w
s
1 k w/a s
=- =(
)
t
t
w z c (w)
z
2

(11)

Where ( u a ) M is fixed at the atmospheric pressure u a at all points M and all times between to and tf;
w = w g ; w is the water density of water and g is the gravitational acceleration. k w / a is the relative
water permeability with respect to the suction.
V
)t .
volume (
V

k w/a also depends on the void ratio or the relative change in

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
The soil used in the tests is a Ca2 +-bentonite reconstituted in the laboratory, with the following
characteristics : wl=164% ; wp=64% ; wr=8-13% ; clay fraction <2mm=89% ; montmorillonite 80% ; unit
weight of solids s=27.4kN/m3. The specimens are compacted under static stress conditions at 1500 kPa
(1kPa = 1kN/m2). The samples are normally consolidated.
The initial matrix suction determined by the "paper filter method" (ASTM D 5298-94) is nearly equal to
3900 kPa. Specimen have been soaked under controlled suction using osmotic method (Modified oedometer
tests- Delage et al. 1992). Samples were wetted and loaded. Swell and swelling pressure depend on the
initial conditions of the soil (height of the sample, wetting path, dry density, water content and suction).
There all these initial parameters are kept constant.

s =u -u
(
Suction
kPa
a
w
)

kPa
)

(w)
( v)
In order to define the coefficients C ij and c j , different tests are carried out using different stress and
wetting paths (Guiras, 1996). Figure 1 (a and b) shows these paths.

5000

5000
4000

B'

Ao

4000

s =u -u
Suction
a
w

Bo

Co

3000

3000

2000

2000
1000

C1
C2
C3

0
1

100

1000

1000

Test 1
Test 2
Test 3

10

0
0

10000

Vertical net stress ( v-ua) kPa

400

800

1200

1600

Vertical net stress ( v -u a ) kPa

a- Free swell oedometer tests

b- Constant load swell oedometer tests
Figure 1 : Tested stress paths
The initial and final parameters are summarised in Table 1. In the tests, one of two paths is applied
(suction decrease or load paths). Changes in the volume of the sample and in the water volume are
measured.
Table 1 : Initial state of samples Free swell and constant load oedometer tests
REF

Points

Imposed
Suction

Initial state

(kPa)

Test 1
C1
Test 2
C2
Test 3
C3
0,2 (kN/m3)
d

1000
600
200

Paths

o (kPa)

wo (%)

22,2
22,4
22,2

(kN/m3)
14,6
14,7
14,7

(kN/m )
14,9
14,9
14,8

Initial state

A
B
C

400
800
1200

wo (%)
24,1
23,0
23,4

w 0,2 (%)

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Volume changes of soil structure in free swell tests and constant load swell tests are represented in
Figure 2, versus different controlled suction (Test1, Test2 and Test3) and different load (paths A, B and C).
Experimental results using these different paths lead to the determination of the expressions of the
swelling and compressibility parameters :
w
w
c 1v = 1v 'a + 1v ; c 1w = 1w 'a + 1w ; c v2 = 2v s + v2 and c w
2 = 2 s + 2

where iv , iv , iw and iw are given in Table 2.

-50

-40

-40

V/V (%)

V/V (%)

-50

-30

-30

-20

-20
-10

-10

0
10

10
1

10

100

1000

10000

10

v - u a (kPa)
s = 200 kPa

s = 600 kPa

100

1000

10000

s = u a - u w (kPa)

s = 1000 kPa
Computed curves

v =10-21 kPa
v = 400 kPa (Path A)
v = 800 kPa (Path B)
v = 1200 kPa (Path C)

Computed curves

a volume change of soil voids under controlled

b - volume change of soil voids under constant load
suction
Figure 2 : Swell and Compressibility of soil voids
Table 2 : Parameters for different tests

(i v ,w ) 10-7(1/(kPa2))

(i v, w ) 10-4(1/kPa)

1v

2v

1w

2w

1v

2=v2

1w

-14
-40
-200
-

-400
-60
-40
-20

8
40
180
-

-80
100
40
40

55
120
351
-

582
63
42
31

-37
-81
-271
-

-284
-176
-97
63

The coefficient of permeability at varied hydraulic head gradient is obtained from a direct measurement
of water flow using the osmotic oedometer apparatus equipped with a mariotte bottle.
For unsaturated expansive soils, the coefficient of permeability is a function of two volume mass
properties (matrix suction and void ratio) (Lloret and Alonso, 1980). For tests 1, 2 and 3, under constant
matrix suction a classical method of computing the saturated coefficient of permeability at varied hydraulic
head gradient is used. In fact water change and strain are varied until equilibrium is achieved. Then the
coefficient of permeability Kw/a , is calculated. While for constant load oedometer tests under controlled
suction (paths A,B and C), the coefficient of permeability is determined in unsteady state (Gardner, 1956;
Vicol T., 1990). Figures 3 and 4 show the variability of relative water coefficient of permeability. In this
work, numerical divergence problems are encountered. Therefore, the relationship between the relative
permeability, suction and void ratio is not taken into account.
CONCLUSIONS
Experimental results show that along wetting paths, the compressibility coefficients of volume change
( v)
( v)
(C 1 ) ij ) increase. For constant suction, the swelling coefficients (C 2 ) ij ) decrease in the loading path.
(w)
Along wetting and loading paths, the coefficient of water volume change c j increases.

In this model, which assumes the postulate of independent variables, we can compute the swelling
parameters (change of total volume and swelling pressure), taking into account the dependence of
compressibility or swelling coefficients on suction and net stress.

This dependence which is clearly seen from the results of this study, is essential if the model is to be
generalised. Therefore, when practical applications will be studied in two or three dimensions for the

(m/s)

Permeability

10

10-12

10 -14
0,60

-11

W/a

10

10-10

Permeability

W/a

(m/s)

10-08

10
0,80

1,00

1,20

1,40

1,60

-13

-15

Void ratio
S=1000 kPa
S=600 kPa
S=200 kPa

Computed curves

10

100

Suction s = u a - u w

1000

(kPa)

Free-swell test , = 11 kPa

Path B

Path A

Path C

Computed curves

10000

Figure 3 : Water coefficient of relative

Figure 4 : Water coefficient of relative
permeability versus void ratio
permeability versus suction
simulation of triaxial tests, a generalised form of this model can be used.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thank Mr Tisot J. P. for providing the facilities of the laboratory and making it possible to
conduct the experimental work in good conditions.
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