Cyclic Shearing Behavior and Dynamic Characteristics of a Fibrous Peat

Cyclic shearing behavior, dynamic characteristics, and post-cyclic volume change of a peat sublayer from the Port Lands area of Toronto (Ontario, Canada) are investigated in this study. Laboratory specimens are trimmed from block samples collected from a depth of about 4.0 to 4.5 m. Constant-volume cyclic direct simple shear tests indicate an initial reduction of effective stress with number of stress cycles. However, the corresponding excess pore pressure ratios do not exceed 60%, indicating a cyclic mobility behavior in the peat specimens. Maximum shear moduli of the peat samples are also determined from shear wave velocity measurements. Post-cyclic volumetric strain, as well as the variations of secant modulus, modulus reduction, and damping ratio of the peat are presented in terms of cyclic shear strain and compared with other studies. Empirical relationships are proposed for characterizing the shear modulus and damping ratio of Toronto peat.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author