K0 Compression and Stress Relaxation of Pumice Sand
by N. Kikkawa, (Researcher, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 1-4-6 Umezono, Kiyose, Tokyo 204-0024, Japan; formerly, Postdoctoral Fellow, Univ. of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. E-mail: kikkawa@s.jniosh.go.jp), M. J. Pender, M.ASCE, (Professor of Geotechnical Engineering, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. E-mail: m.pender@auckland.ac.nz), R. P. Orense, (corresponding author), M.ASCE, (Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. E-mail: r.orense@auckland.ac.nz), J. D. StGeorge, (Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. E-mail: j.stgeorge@auckland.ac.nz), and E. Matsushita, (Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Nagano National College of Technology, 716 Tokuma, Nagano City, 381-8550 Japan. E-mail: matsushita@eu.nagano-nct.ac.jp)
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Vol. 138, No. 5, May 2012, pp. 625-628, (doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000629)
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| Document type: |
Technical Note |
| Abstract: |
Pumice sand particles have a vesicular nature, making them light and crushable. Previous research showed that the in situ relative density of pumice deposits cannot be estimated from conventional cone penetration testing. Because of this, a need exsits for more study of the geotechnical properties of this material. First, to distinguish compression behavior of loose and dense sand, K0 compression tests were performed on pumice specimens at various strain rates, from 0.33% to 1,000%/ min, until a final compression of approximately 33% of the original specimen length was achieved. Second, after compression, the maximum displacement was held constant for a period of time during which the relaxation of the axial stress was monitored. After unloading, the particle-size distribution was measured to confirm particle crushing. From these results, the magnitude of stress relaxation of loose sand was found to be slightly larger than that of dense sand. On the other hand, dense sand particles exhibited more crushing during loading and less tendency for stress relaxation and particle rearrangement when the axial deformation is held fixed. |
| Author Keywords: | 
| Pumice sand |
| Volcanic coarse-grained soil |
| Particle breakage |
| Relaxation |
| Density |
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