True shear parameters of saturated clays

Abstract

Ever since Hvorslev proposed a failure criterion incorporating intrinsic parameters, several test procedures have come into practice to determine these 'true' strength parameters. Several consolidated undrained triaxial compression tests with pore water pressure measurement were conducted on both montmorillonite and kaolinite clays and the results were analyzed using different existing methods. All the methods through which the data were analyzed fail to assign any unique true strength parameters. Even a particular method yields different values depending upon the initial conditions (stress history, water content) of the sample and stress level during testing. It has been reasoned that these variations are due to the probable differences in fabric between the samples which are involved in various methods. There seems to be a unique linear relationship between tan Φ_e and C_c/p_e irrespective of the sample state, stress level, and stress history in both undisturbed and remolded conditions for all the procedures adopted.