Lateritic clay is well recognized to contain significant amount of iron and aluminium oxides (sesquioxide). These oxides enhance the formation of soil aggregates which would greatly affect soil structure. So far, no study has been carried out purposely to investigate the influence of aggregate-dependent structure on the mechanical behaviour of the lateritic clay. In this study, structure effects on the compression and shear behaviour of a saturated lateritic clay were studied. Intact, recompacted and reconstituted specimens were studied through oedometer, isotropic compression and consolidated undrained shear tests. Microstructure of these specimens was determined using the mercury intrusion porosimetry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques and then used to explain the observed behaviour. It was found that the compressibility of recompacted/reconstituted specimens was about 90% larger than intact specimen. Different from soft clay, the influence of microstructure does not show an obvious reduction in compressibility after yielding. The peak shear strength of intact specimen was about 100% higher than those of reconstituted/recompacted specimens. The significant difference in compression and shear behaviour is mainly because the aggregates of intact specimen were about 90% larger than those of reconstituted/recompacted specimens, as revealed by the SEM results. As a result, particle contacts forming the force chain were therefore larger in the intact specimen. The intact specimen therefore became less compressible and more dilative.

众所周知，红土粘土含有大量的铁和氧化铝（倍半氧化物）。这些氧化物增强了土壤聚集体的形成，这将极大地影响土壤结构。迄今为止，还没有有目的地研究聚集体依赖性结构对红土黏土力学行为的影响。在这项研究中，研究了结构对饱和红土粘土的压缩和剪切行为的影响。通过里程表，各向同性压缩和固结不排水剪切试验研究了完整，重新压实和复原的标本。使用水银压入孔隙率法和扫描电子显微镜（SEM）技术确定这些样品的微观结构，然后用于解释观察到的行为。发现再压缩/重构的样品的可压缩性比完整的样品大约90％。与软粘土不同，微观结构的影响在屈服后并未显示出明显的可压缩性降低。完整样品的峰值剪切强度比重构/压缩样品的峰值剪切强度高约100％。SEM结果表明，压缩和剪切行为的显着差异主要是因为完整样品的聚集体比重构/再压缩样品的聚集体大90％。结果，在完整样品中形成力链的颗粒接触更大。因此，完整的标本变得更难压缩，更易膨胀。屈服后，微观结构的影响并未显示出可压缩性的明显降低。完整样品的峰值剪切强度比重组/压缩样品的峰值剪切强度高约100％。SEM结果表明，压缩和剪切行为的显着差异主要是因为完整样品的聚集体比重构/再压缩样品的聚集体大90％。结果，在完整样品中形成力链的颗粒接触因此更大。因此，完整的标本变得压缩性更差，扩张性更大。屈服后，微观结构的影响并未显示出可压缩性的明显降低。完整样品的峰值剪切强度比重构/压缩样品的峰值剪切强度高约100％。SEM结果显示，压缩和剪切行为的显着差异主要是因为完整样品的聚集体比重构/再压缩样品的聚集体大90％。结果，在完整样品中形成力链的颗粒接触因此更大。因此，完整的标本变得压缩性更差，扩张性更大。SEM结果表明，压缩和剪切行为的显着差异主要是因为完整样品的聚集体比重构/再压缩样品的聚集体大90％。结果，在完整样品中形成力链的颗粒接触因此更大。因此，完整的标本变得压缩性更差，扩张性更大。SEM结果显示，压缩和剪切行为的显着差异主要是因为完整样品的聚集体比重构/再压缩样品的聚集体大90％。结果，在完整样品中形成力链的颗粒接触因此更大。因此，完整的标本变得压缩性更差，扩张性更大。