Cyclic Resistance of a Loose Sand Subjected to Rotation of Principal Stresses

Abstract

An experimental study aimed at providing insights into the effects of the inclination of principal stress directions with respect to the bedding plane and the role of principal stress rotation on the cyclic resistance of sands is presented. A new hollow cylinder torsional shear device commissioned at Carleton University was used to conduct the experiments in water-deposited Fraser River sand. Specimens at identical initial states were subjected to a constant amplitude cyclic shear stress along loading paths that impose different levels of stress rotation. Cyclic resistance decreased significantly as the maximum orientation of the major principal stress increased to approximately 45°–60°, but it increased with further rotation. This is contrary to the conventional idea according to which the weakest response is expected when the loading causes larger principal stress rotation and/or when the major principal stress is aligned with the bedding planes. The alignment of the plane of maximum shear stress toward and stronger time history of shear stress on the horizontal bedding planes lead to increased liquefaction susceptibility. The nature of shear stress on the bedding planes appears more critical than the alignment of the major principal stress along the bedding planes during cyclic loading. Test results also suggest that cyclic simple shear tests on the basis of stress rotation would represent a lower bound or closer to lower bound resistance. Thus, cyclic simple shear tests provide a convenient means of determining the cyclic resistance and the obtained resistance can be considered a conservative measure if field loading conditions deviate from that in simple shear.