Consolidation behavior of Shanghai clay under cyclic loading

In this paper the experiments of the primary and secondary consolidation behavior of Shanghai clay under the cyclic loading with period of several minutes, simulating the characteristics of yearly periodical fluctuation of the water level, are conducted. The factors such as the loading wave shape, cyclic loading parameters, loading order, consolidation state, existence of secondary consolidation before cyclic loading, are investigated. The superposition theorem between the accumulated deformation and secondary consolidation is verified. The pore pressure development is also measured in some cases. The test results provide the model and the nonlinear soil parameters for the computation of land subsidence, and also serves the basis of measures for slowing down the subsidence rate