Advanced Cyclic Triaxial and Bender Element
Testing
Christian Karg
Supervisor: Wim Haegeman
Abstract Vibrations in soil are a matter of growing interest
especially in densely populated areas. Many vibration sources as
earthquakes, blasting, construction works, but also road or
railway traffic may be defined. The question is: How do these
vibrations affect built environment? Do we have to expect
settlements or even damages of buildings? To investigate this
problem it is of crucial importance to gather knowledge of
dynamic properties of soil. On this account advanced cyclic
triaxial and bender element test equipment is installed to
investigate cylindrical soil samples. The highly automated testing
apparatus includes the possibility of local strain measurements
and combination of cyclic triaxial and bender element tests.
Analysis tools for test results are programmed. Based on the
analysis of test series performed with this equipment a prediction
model will be developed to estimate settlements caused by low
level vibrations in the soil.
Keywords cyclic triaxial test, bender element test, advanced
soil testing, explicit modeling
I. INTRODUCTION
Vibrations in the built environment are a matter of growing
engineering concern, especially in densely populated areas.
Increasing dynamic impacts of different nature combined with
a growing environmental concern and the enhancement of a
sustainable development policy, have resulted in an increased
interest and awareness for the problem of vibrations in the
built environment among the population and public
authorities. Besides traffic induced vibrations, vibrations due
to construction and industrial activities are a growing matter
of concern. Even vibrations caused by blast loading, for
example, due to the controlled explosion of mines, are a
potential threat for nearby buildings.
Of major interest for the investigation of effects of such low
level vibrations on built environment is the observation of
cyclic behavior of soils. Effects like permanent settlements,
densification and loss of strength under cyclic loading caused
Vibration Sources
Vibrations
C. Karg is with the Civil Engineering Department, Ghent University
(UGent), Gent, Belgium. E-mail: C.Karg@UGent.be.
by the mentioned vibration sources have to be examined.
Dynamic parameters of soil are determined in order to predict
soil behavior under dynamic excitations (see Figure 1).
For this purpose cyclic triaxial testing device CTTD is
installed at the KHBO, Department of Industrial Science, to
investigate cylindrical soil samples on their dynamic
properties. With the equipment it is possible to apply dynamic
stress conditions to the sample through axial cyclic loading in
vertical direction. In combination bender element tests are
performed on the same sample allowing the analysis of results
from two different tests on the same sample under identical
test conditions.
Objective of this paper is to present the general setup of the
testing device and to give an idea on the test procedure as well
as the data analysis (see also [1]). The future work related to
this research is outlined.
II. TEST EQUIPMENT
A. Cyclic Triaxial Testing Device
Triaxial tests are performed to determine the shear
characteristics of soil. After saturation and respectively
isotropic or anisotropic consolidation to the required stress, in
common triaxial tests the sample is sheared by increasing the
vertical load until failure. Using CTTD the option of cyclic
loading in vertical direction is added. The used apparatus has
a very wide range of loading options, namely in axial
deformation (0.01%...10%), cyclic load (+/- 5 kN), loading
frequency (0…70Hz), waveshapes, drained or undrained
testing, the number of applied cycles, and standard and non-
standard testing, respectively. Therewith the dynamic
behavior of soil samples can be investigated under numerous
cyclic loading conditions.
B. Local Strain Measurements
To measure local strains an on-specimen transducer set
Built Structure Soil Sample Laboratory Investigations
Dynamic
Properties?
Dynamic
Excitations
Figure 1 Vibrations in the Soil
(LVDT’s) is used. Simple external deformation measurements
may be influenced by clearance of the loading device. Also
deviations at the edge of the soil sample are supposed to be
minimized using these local strain measurements. One further
advantage is the possibility of measuring radial deformations
directly at the soil sample. The application of on-specimen
transducers improves the accuracy of measurements in axial
direction compared to the single application of external
deformation measurements.
C. Bender Element Testing
Vertical arrival time bender element (BE) tests are
performed with separate equipment. A single sinusoidal
electrical signal, generated by using the soundcard of a PC,
causes bending of the top cap BE. This bending generates a
shear wave propagating towards the bottom of the sample
where the arriving wave generates bending of the bottom BE.
The resulting electrical signal is recorded with a PC-
oscilloscope. The time delay between sender and receiver
signal allows calculating shear wave velocity and shear
modulus of the specimen.
III. TEST PROCEDURE
Every test contains several test phases outlined in the
following. Tests are performed on reconstituted sand samples
at different loading conditions to investigate the dynamic
parameters (damping ratio and shear modulus) as well as the
long term behavior of the soil (accumulation of residual
deformation).
Sample Reconstitution and Installation — Reconstitution
of samples is done according to the recommendations of [2].
For installation standard [3] is followed.
Saturation — During saturation all air inside voids of the
soil is replaced by deaired water or driven into solution.
Therefor a flushing procedure is applied to the sample by
letting deaired water passing from the bottom to the top of the
sample. While most of the void air is replaced by water during
this procedure, eventually remaining air is driven into solution
applying back pressure to the sample subsequently.
Consolidation — During consolidation the sample is set to
the required stress conditions (according to the field
conditions being simulated) applying confining pressure in
axial and lateral direction. Both, isotropic (lateral = axial
pressure) and anisotropic (lateral ≠ axial pressure)
consolidation is possible. Once the sample is set to the
requested test conditions, BE test and/or cyclic loading is
applied.
Cyclic loading — Standardized cyclic tests are performed
to determine damping ratio and shear modulus of the soil [3]
or the liquefaction potential [4]. Non-standard tests may
widen the range of applications for example in the field of
long term testing, where the accumulation of strain in
dependence of different parameters may be investigated. This
subject is purpose of the current research [5].
Bender Element Test — After consolidation BE tests are
performed to determine the stiffness of the sample as
described in section II.C and [6]. One of the essential features
of the used equipment is the possibility of combination of
cyclic loading and BE-testing – applying BE tests after the
cyclic loading as well, structural changes may be detected by
changes in time delay.
IV. DATA ANALYSIS
During the whole test procedure enormous amount of data
is recorded. Much effort is done to program analysis tools
especially for the cyclic part of the test, namely the analysis of
recorded hysteresis loops for determination of damping ratio
and shear modulus. Further work is needed to analyze non-
standard long term tests in a more automated way.
V. EXPLICIT ACCUMULATION MODEL
A thorough literature study is done on modeling
constitutive soil behavior. Hysteretic constitutive models have
been studied to a great extend. Later on it is seen that so
called explicit accumulation models fit the requirements of the
research topic better. Explicit models describe the
accumulation of deformation (say settlements) in terms of the
applied load cycles (for example passages of a truck) in
dependency of several parameters [5]. These model
parameters will be determined performing series of laboratory
tests described in previous sections of this paper.
VI. CONCLUSIONS AND FURTHER WORK
A highly automated advanced CTTD is set up to investigate
cylindrical soil samples on their dynamic properties and long
term behavior (high number of loading cycles), respectively.
Therefor local strain measurements and BE tests are employed
in combination with a very wide range of cyclic loading
options. Data analysis tools are programmed for standardized
cyclic triaxial tests to determine shear modulus and damping
ratio [3]. An extensive program of non-standard long term
tests is defined. Data analysis tools for these tests will be
deve-loped in the near future. From these test results
parameters of an explicit accumulation model will be
determined to adapt the model to the tested soil. The model
will be implemented in numerical calculations and used for
prediction of test results. In a further step prediction of
settlements caused by low level vibrations will be possible
using the found constitutive laws.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The work presented in this paper is obtained within the
frame of the SBO project IWT 03175 ‘Structural damage due
to dynamic excitations: a multi-disciplinary approach’. The
financial support of the Flemish Community is gratefully
acknowledged.
REFERENCES
[1] C. Karg & W. Haegeman, Advanced Cyclic Triaxial Testing and
Bender Element Testing, Proceedings of ICSV12, J.L. Bento Coelho
(ed.), Lisbon, Portugal, July 11-14, 2005
[2] R.S. Ladd, Preparing Test Specimen Using Undercompaction. ASTM,
Geotechnical Testing Journal, Vol.1, No.1
[3] ASTM D3999-91, Standard test methods for the determination of the
modulus and damping properties of soils using the cyclic triaxial
apparatus
[4] ASTM D5311-92, Standard test method for load controlled cyclic
triaxial strength of soil
[5] T. Wichtmann et al., Strain accumulation in sand due to cyclic loading:
drained triaxial tests, Soil Dynamics & Earthquake Engeering, in print,
2005
[6] E.G.M. Brignoli et al., Measurements of Shear Waves in Laboratory
Specimens by Means of Piezoelectric Transducers, Geotechnical
Testing Journal, Vol. 19, No. 4, December 1996, pp. 384-397.