Experimental Study of the Dynamic Shear Modulus Ratio and Damping Ratio of the Quaternary Sedimentary Soils in the Offshore Areas of the Yellow Sea

Abstract

The effects of marine and continental sedimentary environments and geological ages on the dynamic shear modulus ratio and damping ratio of the Quaternary sedimentary soils in the offshore areas of the Yellow Sea were analyzed by using a resonant column device (GCTS, USA). The results show the following: (1) The Gmax of various marine soils increases with the depth and shows a typical linear relationship. (2) The marine transgression has significantly different effects on the dynamic shear modulus ratio versus the shear strain amplitude curves (i.e., G/Gmax~γa curves) and the damping ratio versus the shear strain amplitude curves (i.e., λ~γa curves) of the different soil types in the offshore areas of the Yellow Sea. The effects of marine transgression were strong on clays, moderate on silty clays, and minor on silts. (3) The geological ages have noticeable effects on the G/Gmax~γa curves of the tested marine silty clays, marine silts, and continental silty clays, but the effects of geological ages on the λ~γa curves are minimal. The fitting parameters and recommended empirical equations of the G/Gmax~γa and λ~γa curves for each type of the tested soils (silty clay, clay, and silt) were obtained mirroring the effects of sedimentary environments and geological ages.