Dynamic modulus characteristics of saturated clays under variable confining pressure

Dynamic loadings, induced by earthquakes and other causes, will lead to the cyclic variation of both shear stress and normal stress components on the soil elements. A series of cyclic triaxial tests with and without variable confining pressure were carried out to investigate the coupling effects of cyclic shear stress and cyclic normal stress on the G/Gmax characteristics of saturated clays. Results indicated that both the phase differences and ratios between the cyclic deviatoric stress and cyclic confining pressure exerted a constant and pronounced influence on the G/Gmax, indicating that the G/Gmax properties under combined loadings will be more representative of actual field conditions than from single-loading conditions. A modified hyperbolic model considering the effects of cyclic confining pressure was further proposed.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