Effect of Drying–Wetting Cycle and Vibration on Strength Properties of Granite Residual Soil

Abstract

Granite residual soil (GRS) exhibits favorable engineering properties in its natural state. However, a hot and rainy climate, combined with vibrations generated during mechanical construction, can cause a notable decrease in its strength. In this study, the evolution of stress–strain curves and strength parameters (cohesion c and internal friction angle φ), unconfined compression strength (UCS) under drying and wetting(DW) cycles and vibration were investigated by means of direct shear test and UCS test. Furthermore, modified formulas for calculating shear strength and UCS under DW cycles and vibration were proposed, and their accuracy was verified. The results are as follows: The stress–strain curve of shear strength exhibits strain-hardening characteristics, and the shear compressibility of the sample increases with the number of DW cycles and vibration time. However, the stress–strain curve of UCS shows strain-softening properties, and the peak strength shifts forward with the number of DW cycles and vibrations. With the increase in the number of DW cycles and the vibration time, c shows a non-linear degradation, with a maximum degradation of 58.6%. φ fluctuates and increases due to the densification effect of DW cycles, but the influence of vibration on φ decreases with the increase in the number of DW cycles. UCS rapidly decreases and gradually stabilizes after DW cycles and vibration, with a maximum degradation of 81.1%. This study can serve as a reference for the stability analysis of GRS pits subjected to long-term influences of hot and rainy climates and mechanical vibration, providing valuable insights for future research.

Keywords

• granite residual soil
• drying–wetting cycle
• vibration
• strength deterioration