Rheological properties of clay material in earth dams: Fid-Bau Portal

Rheological properties of clay material in earth dams

Meschyan, S. R.

Summary Determination of the physico-mechanical properties of clayey soils and rheological properties (creep, stress relaxation and long-term strength) are exceptionally interesting in the construction and prognosis of deformation during the operation of earth dams. The paper deals with the questions of methods of determination and with the results of investigation on the creep of clayey soils of optimum water content—density state on one-dimensional compression and simple shear under high normal stresses. As the deformation properties of clayey soils in general, in the case of displacement in particular, are conditioned by a great number of factors, which must be regarded as a matter of paramount importance, the results of determination of ultimate long-term shear strength of the soils considered are given and methods and data of investigation of the creep under shear are described taking into account the changes of density—water content state under the action of external normal loading and vibration influences conformable to low frequency, high amplitude seismic oscillation. Considered in the paper are methods of determination of prolonged shearing resistance and shearing creep of clayey soils of earth dams taking into account a sufficiently large number of factors. These are distinguished by great simplicity, reliability and possibility of wide application in laboratory practice of hydro-technical construction with considerable economic efficiency.