Dynamic Response of Compacted CG, DM, and CG-DM Blends

Abstract

The cyclic behavior of 9.5 mm (3/8 in.) minus curbside-collected crushed glass (CG) blended with dredged material (DM), classified as an organic silt by the Unified Soil Classification System, was evaluated using a cyclic triaxial testing program. Tests were performed on 100% CG and 100% DM specimens, and 20/80, 40/60, 60/40, and 80/20 CG-DM blends (dry CG content is reported first). The specimens were compacted to a dry unit weight equivalent to 95% of the maximum dry density based on ASTM D1557. For each material, a minimum of three specimens was tested at cyclic stress ratios of 0.20, 0.35, and 0.45. The DM used in this study exhibited significant plasticity, which would be expected to display cyclic softening behavior according to liquefaction susceptibility criteria proposed by Boulanger and Idriss in 2006. However, the high density of the material resulted in transitional behavior between cyclic mobility and cyclic softening. These findings suggest that as long as the CG, DM, and CG-DM blends are compacted, they should not be susceptible to strength loss or large strain under cyclic loading.