Characterization of a Carbonate Sand based on Shear Wave Velocity Measurement

Numerous studies have been carried out on the dynamic behavior of sands. However, few studies have investigated the dynamic characteristics of carbonate sands. This paper presents series of laboratory simple shear tests on specimens of a local carbonate sand from London (ON). Besides monotonic and cyclic shearing, the dynamic behavior of the sand is also characterized by measuring the velocity of shear waves travelling through the specimens. Drained and undrained shearing behavior of specimens with a wide range of relative density and consolidation stresses are tested. Shear wave velocity is found to vary with effective overburden stresses by an average power of 0.25. Maximum shear modulus (Gmax) is also computed from the shear wave velocity measurements and a correlation is developed between Gmax, effective stress, and void ratio for a carbonate sand. The critical state line of the carbonate sand established from the simple shear tests is used for determining the state parameter of each specimen and this is related to the shear wave velocity measured in the same specimen. Such a relationship can be employed for measuring the in-situ state of this carbonate sand. Cyclic resistances of the sand specimens are determined from cyclic shear tests. Combined with shear wave velocity data, these are compared with current liquefaction triggering curves