Remolding Water Content Effect on the Behavior of Frozen Clay Soils Subjected to Monotonic Triaxial Loading
Understanding the mechanical behavior of frozen clay subgrade soils was essential for ensuring the safe and stable operation of transportation lines. However, the influence of remolding water content <i>w</i> on this behavior remained unclear. To address this gap, this study examined the...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Shuai Qi Jinhui Liu Wei Ma Jing Wang Houwang Bai Shaojian Wang |
| author_facet | Shuai Qi Jinhui Liu Wei Ma Jing Wang Houwang Bai Shaojian Wang |
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| description | Understanding the mechanical behavior of frozen clay subgrade soils was essential for ensuring the safe and stable operation of transportation lines. However, the influence of remolding water content <i>w</i> on this behavior remained unclear. To address this gap, this study examined the effect of <i>w</i> through monotonic triaxial testing. Three typical remolding water contents (<i>w</i> = 19%, 27.5% and 35%) and three confining pressures (<i>σ</i><sub>3</sub> = 200 kPa, 700 kPa and 1200 kPa) were considered. Results showed that the mechanical behavior of frozen clay soils displayed a clear dependence on <i>w</i>, which was controlled by microstructural evolution. As <i>w</i> increased, the shear strength <i>q</i><sub>max</sub>, resilient modulus <i>E</i><sub>0</sub> and cohesion <i>c</i> increased, which resulted from the progressive development of ice bonding within the shear plane. A threshold <i>w</i> value was found at <i>w</i><sub>opt</sub> = 27.5%, marking a structural transition and separating the variations of <i>q</i><sub>max</sub>, <i>E</i><sub>0</sub> and <i>c</i> into two regimes. When <i>w</i> ≤ 27.5%, the soil fabric was controlled by clay aggregates. As <i>w</i> increased, the growth in ice cementation was confined within these aggregates, leading to limited increase in <i>q</i><sub>max</sub>, <i>E</i><sub>0</sub> and <i>c</i>. However, as <i>w</i> exceeded 27.5%, the soil fabric transitioned into a homogeneous matrix of dispersed clay particles. In this case, increasing <i>w</i> greatly promoted the development of an interconnected ice cementation network, thus significantly facilitating the increase in <i>q</i><sub>max</sub>, <i>E</i><sub>0</sub> and <i>c</i>. The friction angle <i>φ</i> decreased with <i>w</i> increasing, primarily due to the lubrication effect caused by the growing ice. In addition, the enhanced lubrication effect in the clay particle-dominated fabric (<i>w</i> > 27.5%) resulted in a larger reduction rate of <i>φ</i>. Regarding Poisson’s ratio <i>v</i> and dilation angle <i>ψ</i>, the <i>w</i> increase led to growth in both parameters. This phenomenon could be explained by the increased involvement of solid ice into the soil structure. |
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| spelling | doaj-art-c59c11b149964bbb87d56c39f8ca4b3c2025-07-11T14:37:05ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-07-011513759010.3390/app15137590Remolding Water Content Effect on the Behavior of Frozen Clay Soils Subjected to Monotonic Triaxial LoadingShuai Qi0Jinhui Liu1Wei Ma2Jing Wang3Houwang Bai4Shaojian Wang5School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 102616, ChinaSchool of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 102616, ChinaSchool of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 102616, ChinaSchool of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 102616, ChinaSchool of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 102616, ChinaSchool of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 102616, ChinaUnderstanding the mechanical behavior of frozen clay subgrade soils was essential for ensuring the safe and stable operation of transportation lines. However, the influence of remolding water content <i>w</i> on this behavior remained unclear. To address this gap, this study examined the effect of <i>w</i> through monotonic triaxial testing. Three typical remolding water contents (<i>w</i> = 19%, 27.5% and 35%) and three confining pressures (<i>σ</i><sub>3</sub> = 200 kPa, 700 kPa and 1200 kPa) were considered. Results showed that the mechanical behavior of frozen clay soils displayed a clear dependence on <i>w</i>, which was controlled by microstructural evolution. As <i>w</i> increased, the shear strength <i>q</i><sub>max</sub>, resilient modulus <i>E</i><sub>0</sub> and cohesion <i>c</i> increased, which resulted from the progressive development of ice bonding within the shear plane. A threshold <i>w</i> value was found at <i>w</i><sub>opt</sub> = 27.5%, marking a structural transition and separating the variations of <i>q</i><sub>max</sub>, <i>E</i><sub>0</sub> and <i>c</i> into two regimes. When <i>w</i> ≤ 27.5%, the soil fabric was controlled by clay aggregates. As <i>w</i> increased, the growth in ice cementation was confined within these aggregates, leading to limited increase in <i>q</i><sub>max</sub>, <i>E</i><sub>0</sub> and <i>c</i>. However, as <i>w</i> exceeded 27.5%, the soil fabric transitioned into a homogeneous matrix of dispersed clay particles. In this case, increasing <i>w</i> greatly promoted the development of an interconnected ice cementation network, thus significantly facilitating the increase in <i>q</i><sub>max</sub>, <i>E</i><sub>0</sub> and <i>c</i>. The friction angle <i>φ</i> decreased with <i>w</i> increasing, primarily due to the lubrication effect caused by the growing ice. In addition, the enhanced lubrication effect in the clay particle-dominated fabric (<i>w</i> > 27.5%) resulted in a larger reduction rate of <i>φ</i>. Regarding Poisson’s ratio <i>v</i> and dilation angle <i>ψ</i>, the <i>w</i> increase led to growth in both parameters. This phenomenon could be explained by the increased involvement of solid ice into the soil structure.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/13/7590clay soilsfrozen soilsremolding water contentsoil microstructuremechanical behavior |
| spellingShingle | Shuai Qi Jinhui Liu Wei Ma Jing Wang Houwang Bai Shaojian Wang Remolding Water Content Effect on the Behavior of Frozen Clay Soils Subjected to Monotonic Triaxial Loading Applied Sciences clay soils frozen soils remolding water content soil microstructure mechanical behavior |
| title | Remolding Water Content Effect on the Behavior of Frozen Clay Soils Subjected to Monotonic Triaxial Loading |
| title_full | Remolding Water Content Effect on the Behavior of Frozen Clay Soils Subjected to Monotonic Triaxial Loading |
| title_fullStr | Remolding Water Content Effect on the Behavior of Frozen Clay Soils Subjected to Monotonic Triaxial Loading |
| title_full_unstemmed | Remolding Water Content Effect on the Behavior of Frozen Clay Soils Subjected to Monotonic Triaxial Loading |
| title_short | Remolding Water Content Effect on the Behavior of Frozen Clay Soils Subjected to Monotonic Triaxial Loading |
| title_sort | remolding water content effect on the behavior of frozen clay soils subjected to monotonic triaxial loading |
| topic | clay soils frozen soils remolding water content soil microstructure mechanical behavior |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/13/7590 |
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