ERRORS IN STRENGTH TESTS AND RECOMMENDED CORRECTIONS,

Abstract

In any type of triaxial compression test it is necessary to surround the sample by a rubber membrane. Furthermore, in all except vacuum triaxial tests, it is necessary to set up the sample in a pressure cell and apply load to it by means of a piston passing through the head of the cell. When making tests on soils of low permeability, it is common practice to place filter paper drains along the sides of the sample to expedite drainage. Soft saturated clays are usually tested at low pressures and have low strengths. Because the forces involved in testing are so small, the loads carried by filter paper drains, rubber membranes, cell piston friction and end plate friction can have an appreciable effect on the apparent properties of the clay. This report shows that neglecting to correct experimental data for the loads carried by filter paper drains, rubber membranes, cell piston friction and end plate friction leads to an overestimate of both strength and consolidation pressure which increases as a percentage of the measured value as the strength and consolidation pressure decrease. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1965
Accession Number
AD0837278

Entities

People

  • H. Bolton Seed
  • Jessie Duncan

Organizations

  • University of California, Berkeley

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Compression
  • Experimental Data
  • Filter Paper
  • Filters
  • Friction
  • Membranes
  • Paper
  • Permeability

Readers

  • Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics of Materials.
  • Pavement Materials Engineering.
  • Systems Analysis and Design