Reconstruction of Holocene marine sand natural hydrostatic pressure and its relation with shearing strength

Abstract

This research paper represents interpretation of engineering geological and geotechnical conditions by using a direct shear device with a possibility to apply hydrostatic pressure during the experimental testing. In the authors’ opinion, the evaluation of in-situ hydrostatic pressure and reconstruction of it in the laboratory tests is a very important step in the determination of the engineering geological and geotechnical properties of the sand strength and its behaviour. To understand the influence of hydrostatic pressure on shearing strength results, there were performed direct shear tests with and without hydrostatic pressure. Obtained results clearly show the differences in the shearing strength analysed during this study. When the investigated sand sample was loaded with maximum hydrostatic pressure (σH = 100 kPa), the peak value of the angle of internal friction (ϕ’mean) was 21.24% higher compared to that of dry soil. No tendencies were found for cohesion.