Aims/hypothesis

One of the critical mechanisms determining creep in granular materials is the breakage of soil particles. This study aims at evaluating the time-dependent creep deformation of calcareous sand at low effective stress conditions.

Methods

K₀ creep tests were performed for both calcareous and silica sands at low stresses of 65 and 120 kPa, and the results of creep tests were compared with the results of constant rate of strain (CRS) tests at high stress levels up to 12 MPa. For a quantitative evaluation of the effect of the particle breakage on the creep deformation of calcareous sand, the relative breakage (\(B_{r}\)) was determined based on the results of sieve analyses.

Results

The results demonstrate that Tunisia calcareous sand experiences significant particle breakage during creep and the consequent creep deformation at low stress level. The determined \(B_{r}\) after creep at low stress level is comparable with that after the CRS test at high stress level.

Conclusions

High potential of particle breakage inherited by characteristic minerology of the calcareous Tunisia sand significantly influences the creep deformation at low stress level.

中文翻译：

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突尼斯钙质砂的蠕变：低应力水平下颗粒破碎的影响

目的/假设

确定粒状材料蠕变的关键机制之一是土壤颗粒的破裂。这项研究旨在评估在低有效应力条件下钙质砂的时变蠕变变形。

方法

在低应力65和120 kPa下对钙质砂和硅砂都进行了K ₀蠕变试验，并将蠕变试验的结果与在高达12 MPa的高应力水平下的恒定应变率（CRS）试验的结果进行了比较。为了定量评估颗粒破碎对钙质砂蠕变变形的影响，基于筛分分析的结果确定了相对破碎（\（B_ {r} \））。

结果

结果表明，突尼斯钙质砂在蠕变过程中会发生明显的颗粒破裂，从而在低应力水平下发生蠕变变形。在低应力水平下蠕变后确定的\（B_ {r} \）与在高应力水平下CRS测试后确定的\（B_ {r} \）相当。

结论

钙质突尼斯砂的特征矿物学所继承的高破损可能性极大地影响了低应力水平下的蠕变变形。