Experimental and analytical framework for modelling soil compaction

Compacted materials are fundamentally unsaturated soils whose behaviour can be expansive or collapsible depending upon changes in water content or stresses. Their behaviour is strongly dependent upon matric suction, water content, and stress history. aper presents a methodology for investigating the stress/strain, and suction/water content paths during one dimensional compaction of unsaturated soils. It focuses on anisotropic behaviour. The testing programme was carried out in a new automated oedometer apparatus that allows measurement of axial strain, radial and axial stresses, suction, and water content during tests. boratory component used in this study involves kaolin compacted with different water contents. After compaction, the soil was subjected to wetting while the volumetric changes and stress paths were being examined. The results were interpreted within an anisotropic elasto-plastic framework. The proposed methodology provides new insights into the behaviour of unsaturated soils during compaction and wetting.