Volume Changes and Mechanical Properties of Expansive Mudstone below Canals under Wet-Dry/Wet-Dry-Freeze-Thaw Cycles

The complex environment in northern China is the main reason for degradation of expansive mudstone below the canals, which resulted in instability and damage of canal slopes. In this study, a serial of laboratory tests was conducted to explore the volume changes and mechanical behaviors of expansive...

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Main Authors: Rui Zhu, Ying-hao Huang, Zhu Song, Feng Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Advances in Civil Engineering
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/3791692
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author Rui Zhu
Ying-hao Huang
Zhu Song
Feng Zhou
author_facet Rui Zhu
Ying-hao Huang
Zhu Song
Feng Zhou
author_sort Rui Zhu
collection DOAJ
description The complex environment in northern China is the main reason for degradation of expansive mudstone below the canals, which resulted in instability and damage of canal slopes. In this study, a serial of laboratory tests was conducted to explore the volume changes and mechanical behaviors of expansive mudstone below the canals in Xinjiang. The experimental program includes wet-dry (WD) and wet-dry-freeze-thaw (WDFT) tests, volume measurement, and unconfined compression tests. The test results show that during the WD cycles, the volume changes of expansive mudstones with a higher dry range would be more significant. The freeze-thaw process in the WDFT cycles resulted in a decrease of volume change ranges when the expansive mudstones had a relatively smaller dry range and a slight increase of volume change ranges when the expansive mudstones had a relatively larger dry range. In the meantime, the stress-strain relationships of expansive mudstones with different dry ranges all presented strain softening under the cycles of WD or WDFT. The first cycle resulted in a significant decrease of failure strength. After seven WD/WDFT cycles, the failure strength of expansive mudstones with different dry ranges decreased by 37.2%∼59.1%. In addition, the freeze-thaw process in the WDFT cycles promoted the softening of the stress-strain relationships and aggravated the failure strength attenuation of expansive mudstones. Through this study, we expect to provide a preliminary basis for the construction and maintenance of expansive mudstone canals in Xinjiang.
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publishDate 2021-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-d94f831c8c6b4ddaa066d931e0a0db472025-02-03T01:24:46ZengWileyAdvances in Civil Engineering1687-80861687-80942021-01-01202110.1155/2021/37916923791692Volume Changes and Mechanical Properties of Expansive Mudstone below Canals under Wet-Dry/Wet-Dry-Freeze-Thaw CyclesRui Zhu0Ying-hao Huang1Zhu Song2Feng Zhou3School of Transportation Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, ChinaGeotechnical Engineering Department, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210024, ChinaSchool of Transportation Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, ChinaSchool of Transportation Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, ChinaThe complex environment in northern China is the main reason for degradation of expansive mudstone below the canals, which resulted in instability and damage of canal slopes. In this study, a serial of laboratory tests was conducted to explore the volume changes and mechanical behaviors of expansive mudstone below the canals in Xinjiang. The experimental program includes wet-dry (WD) and wet-dry-freeze-thaw (WDFT) tests, volume measurement, and unconfined compression tests. The test results show that during the WD cycles, the volume changes of expansive mudstones with a higher dry range would be more significant. The freeze-thaw process in the WDFT cycles resulted in a decrease of volume change ranges when the expansive mudstones had a relatively smaller dry range and a slight increase of volume change ranges when the expansive mudstones had a relatively larger dry range. In the meantime, the stress-strain relationships of expansive mudstones with different dry ranges all presented strain softening under the cycles of WD or WDFT. The first cycle resulted in a significant decrease of failure strength. After seven WD/WDFT cycles, the failure strength of expansive mudstones with different dry ranges decreased by 37.2%∼59.1%. In addition, the freeze-thaw process in the WDFT cycles promoted the softening of the stress-strain relationships and aggravated the failure strength attenuation of expansive mudstones. Through this study, we expect to provide a preliminary basis for the construction and maintenance of expansive mudstone canals in Xinjiang.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/3791692
spellingShingle Rui Zhu
Ying-hao Huang
Zhu Song
Feng Zhou
Volume Changes and Mechanical Properties of Expansive Mudstone below Canals under Wet-Dry/Wet-Dry-Freeze-Thaw Cycles
Advances in Civil Engineering
title Volume Changes and Mechanical Properties of Expansive Mudstone below Canals under Wet-Dry/Wet-Dry-Freeze-Thaw Cycles
title_full Volume Changes and Mechanical Properties of Expansive Mudstone below Canals under Wet-Dry/Wet-Dry-Freeze-Thaw Cycles
title_fullStr Volume Changes and Mechanical Properties of Expansive Mudstone below Canals under Wet-Dry/Wet-Dry-Freeze-Thaw Cycles
title_full_unstemmed Volume Changes and Mechanical Properties of Expansive Mudstone below Canals under Wet-Dry/Wet-Dry-Freeze-Thaw Cycles
title_short Volume Changes and Mechanical Properties of Expansive Mudstone below Canals under Wet-Dry/Wet-Dry-Freeze-Thaw Cycles
title_sort volume changes and mechanical properties of expansive mudstone below canals under wet dry wet dry freeze thaw cycles
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/3791692
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