Open Collections

Abstract

Time dependence of stress-strain and strength characteristics of a sensitive, overconsolidated, intact clay have been investigated under undrained conditions. Various time loading histories in undrained triaxial compression, under a given consolidation history, showed that increase in speed of testing results in stiffer stress-strain response and higher strength, and that sustained stress or load causes a reduction of strength with time. In all tests, rupture was triggered at about the same critical level of strain. Correlation among the various tests supported the validity of the equation-of-state uniquely relating stress, strain and strain-rate. Comparison with the same clay destructured on normal consolidation showed that destructuration of the clay does not cause any significant change in its time dependent behavior.