37

2015

7
.7

Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering

Vol.37 No.7
July 2015

DOI10.11779/CJGE201507001

12

12

13

*4

(1. 3100582. 310058

3. 4100144. 310015)

PIV

32.6% 37.0% 2.4% 4.1%

TU411

10004548(2015)07116508

(1968 )E-mail: dsling@zju.edu.cn

Experimental study on characteristics of bending cracks of compacted soil beams

LING Dao-sheng1,2, XU Ze-long1,2, CAI Wu-jun1,3,WANG Yun-gang4
(1. MOE Key Laboratory of Soft Soils and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; 2. Institute of
Geotechnical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; 3. Zhongnan Engineering Corporation Limited, Changsha
410014, China; 4. City College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310015, China)

Abstract: The waterproofing properties of compacted clay barrier at landfill site will be significantly weakened by cracks. To
reveal the characteristics of bending cracks of compacted soil beams with different water contents, a bending test apparatus is
developed. Then the process of crack propagation is investigated. The strain localization near the crack tip is analyzed using
PIV technology, and cracking strain of compacted soil beams with different water contents is obtained. The experimental results
show that many strain localization regions are observed in the tensile zone of the beam, and the strain localization region near
the mid-span becomes the macroscopic crack. The crack width increases linearly with the growth of mid-span displacement,
which is independent of the water content. However, the water content has great influence on the cracking characteristics and
strain of the beam. As the water content increases from 32.6% to 37.0%, the crack deflection of the beam increases markedly,
the area of strain localization near the crack tip expands, and cracking strain increases from 2.4% to 4.1%. Additionally, as the
water content increases, the pattern of load versus the mid-span displacement changes from snap back to skip through, and
the peak load decreases noticeably. It is indicated that the crack pattern of compacted soil beams changes from brittle fracture to
ductile one.
Key words: compacted clay; three-point bending beam; crack propagation; cracking strain

[1-2]
[3][4-5]
[6]

Camp [7]

9 7 3
2014CB047000
LY12E08011

51278451

LZ12E09001
20140422
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strain at crack initiation

Viswanadham [8]

[9]
200

[3]

[10]
[11]

[7]
[2]

PIV [12]

[13-16]
3
PIV

2015

1
1.1

1
3
4 3

20 mm 4 mm

3

0.055.00 mm/min 0.1
mm/min
L1L2L3L4
L5S 50 mm
0.1%
S 1 kN
0.3%
2 s
1.2
2
500 mm100 mm180 mm
5 4

1 3
Fig. 1 Apparatus for three-point bending tests on soil beams

1167

4 0.1
mm

1.29 g/cm3
32.6%34.6%35.6% 37.0%

1.3 PIV

2
Fig. 2 Sketch of devices for making compacted samples

2.61 67.1% 32.5%

34.6 33.6% 1.31
g/cm3 3

PIV

4
A

PIV
5
x0 30 0.16 mm

4 PIV [14, 17]

Fig. 4 Principles of PIV analysis

3
Fig. 3 Particle-size distribution of kaolin clay

500 mm100 mm100 mm

4

0.5%
2
2 4
4
100 mm
3
20 95% 24 h

5
Fig. 5 Calculation of tensile and compressive strains

2
2.1

1/2
1/21/3

1168

37.0% 32.6%
2.5

2015

8
Fig. 8 Process of crack propagation

6
Fig. 6 Relationship between crack depth and displacement of
mid-span

9 32.6% 37.0%
32.6%

37.0%

9
Fig. 9 Side and front views of fracture surface of beam

2.2
7
Fig. 7 Relationship between crack width and displacement of
mid-span

8 w=34.6%
1.18 mm

10

3
11

w=32.6%

1169

35.6%

32.6% 37.0%

2.3

10
Fig. 10 Relationship between load and displacement of mid-span

11 w=37.0%
Fig. 11 Relationship between load and displacement of mid-span
(w=37.0%)

2
10 34.6%

12 32.6%
34.6%35.6%
37.0%
12b l 0.89 mm

0.6% 1/2

l 1.18 mm

1/2

12a l 1.50 mm
12a

b
cd

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2015

12
Fig. 12 Distribution of strains near crack

13 w=34.6% w=35.6%

Scherbeck

=Rof h
(1)
Rof
=1/ R
Rof 0.5 L2 L3
14
2

(2)
= 2
s 2 h

14
Fig. 14 Approximate calculation of mid-span curvature

13
Fig. 13 The strain at crack initiation versus the displacement of
.mid-span

13 1
1
PIV
1

PIV
15

32.6% 37.0% 2.4%

1171

32.6% 37.0%
2.4% 4.1%PIV

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4.1%

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