支部発表 GK－051

Effect of Curing Time and Confining Stress

on the Strength and Deformation Characteristics of Cement-mixed Sand

Abu Taher Md. Zillur Rabbi Student Member ○Saitama University

Jiro Kuwano International Member Saitama University
Shinya Tachibana International Member Saitama University
Keywords: Cement-mixed sand, Strain amplitude, Bender Element

Abstract: Cement-mixing has recently been one of the popular ground improvement technologies in geotechnical engineering
practice. Similar to concrete materials, hydration of cement in cement-mixed soil continues with time, thereby improving the strength
and deformation characteristics of cement-mixed soil over time. On the other hand, the moulding water content, compaction energy
level, cement to sand ratio affects significantly the stress-strain characteristics of cement-mixed soil (Consoli et al., 2007). However,
the confining stress has also the effect on the strength and deformation characteristics of soil which has not been considered in the
case of cement-mixed sand. The objective of this study is to investigate the coupled effect of curing period and confining stress on
the strength and deformation characteristics of cement-mixed sand.

1. Introduction:
Cement-mixed sand is expected to improve the sustainability, strength and deformation characteristics and is used for ground
improvement. This is mainly used for on-shore ground improvement projects, such as road base, bridge abutment backfill,
embankment fills etc. One of the example is the successful construction of the first new type bridge abutment having the backfill of
well compacted cement-mixed gravelly soil for a new bullet train line (Shinkansen) in 2003 in Kyushu, Japan (Kongsukprasert et al.,
2005). In order to effectively and confidently design cement-mixed soil structures for specific purposes, its stress-strain behavior
needs to be well understood. Though there have been many studies on cement-mixed soils (Kongsukprasert et al., 2007, Consoli et al.,
2007, Tay W. B., 2005) using different types of soils, there behaviors have not been generalized yet. The purpose of this study is to
investigate the effect of curing time and confining stress on the strength and deformation characteristics of cement-mixed sand. A
number of triaxial tests were carried out with strain amplitude of 0.01% per minute for samples cured with 7 and 28 days and with
different confining stresses. Shear modulus and elastic modulus is also determined at intervals during shearing. Cyclic loading with
small strain changes of about 0.001% is used to determine the elastic modulus. The results show that the curing time has a significant
effect on the peak strength, stiffness and modulus values. The confining stress has also effect on the peak strength, stiffness and shear
modulus values. However, the effect of confining stress on the elastic modulus is not very clear.

2. Experimental Conditions:
The amount of high-early strength Portland cement used was 60kg per m3 of Toyoura sand, to achieve cement-mixed sand with a
total density of γt = 1.6 g/cm3 and an unconfined compressive strength of about 400 to 500 kPa after 7 days of curing. The
composition of cement-mixed sand used in this study is the same as that used in the triaxial tests on cement-mixed sand cured under
stress by Tay W. B. (2005).
In this study, specimens were cured for 7 and 28 days in a constant room temperature and moist environment and for each curing day
3 different confining stresses, i.e. confining stresses of 98, 147 and 196 kPa were used during shearing. After their respective curing
days, specimens were set in a triaxial apparatus as shown in figure 1 (Chaudhary et al., 2004) and isotropically consolidated to their
respective effective confining stresses i.e. 98, 147 and 196 kPa, followed by drained monotonic loading as shown by the stress path
in Figure 2. In all test cases, loading strain rate was kept constant at 0.01% per min.
The soil element behaves elastically under small strains condition. Cyclic loading was carried out at intervals of 50 kPa during the
drained monotonic loading process to observe the change in elastic modulus of cement-mixed sand. At each interval, 5 cycles with
amplitude of ±4 kPa were used to create small strain changes of about 10-5 to 10-4. Toyoura sand behaves elastically at strain levels of
10-6 to 10-5. But at such low strain levels, interference of noise affects the true value of elastic modulus. Thus in this study, a higher
strain level is used, as cement-mixed sand is much stiffer than Toyoura sand. Elastic modulus was then calculated using the equation
Ev = ∆σ v' ∆ε v ……………………..(2.1)

Effect of Curing Time and Confining Stress on the Strength and Abu Taher Md. Zillur Rabbi Saitama University
Deformation Characteristics of Cement-mixed Sand Jiro Kuwano Saitama University
Shinya Tachibana Saitama University
 支部発表 GK－051
Where,
∆σ v' = Change in vertical effective stress
∆ε v = Change in axial strain
Figure 3 shows an example of the stress-strain relation measured during cyclic loading.
Shear modulus Gvh during shearing was measured using a pair of vertical bender elements attached at the top and bottom pedestal of
the triaxial apparatus. Gvh is calculated using the following equation
Gvh = ρVvh2 …………………………………(2.2)
Where,
ρ = Density of specimen
Vvh = Shear wave velocity.
Shear wave velocity is calculated from the time taken for the shear wave to travel from transmitter to receiver bender element and the
distance between the tip of the transmitter and receiver bender element (Mulmi et al., 2008). A sine pulse wave generated by the
function generator is passed through the transmitter and received by the receiver at the opposite end as proposed by Viggiani &
Atkinsion (1995). Both the wave patterns are outputted into a digital oscilloscope and the time taken for the wave to pass through the
specimen is measured from the digital oscilloscope. This was carried out during consolidation and at intervals of 50 kPa during
shearing.

σ v'

Monotonic loading
+ Cyclic load and
Bender element test
at intervals

Isotropic Consolidation
σ' =σ'
98/147/196kPa σ h'
Fig-2: Stress path for all the test cases Fig-3: Example of small cyclic loading for determination of Ev
 支部発表 GK－051
3. Test Results:
3.1 Consolidation and Drained Monotonic Loading
Figures 4 and 5 show the stress-strain relations during monotonic loading for specimens cured for 7 and 28 days respectively. It can
be observed that deviator stress q increases with axial strain εv, reaches a peak before decreasing. Cement-mixed sand is stiff and
brittle as compared to pure sand. The brittleness of the cement-mixed sand increases with the increase of curing time regardless of the
effective confining stress however, brittleness decreases with the increase in the effective confining stress. Stiffness increases notably
with curing time, and the specimens sheared under higher confining stress shows higher stiffness regardless of the curing days. Peak
strength q max also increases notably with the increase of curing time and specimens with higher effective confining stress shows
higher peak strength during monotonic loading as shown in figure 6. The increasing rate of peak strength with effective confining
stress is uniform however; the increasing rate is much lower than the pure toyoura sand. This might be due to the two reverse actions:
firstly, specimens becoming denser due to higher confining stress and secondly, the particle bonding might break during
consolidation due to the increase of effective confining stress. Figure 7 shows that specimens become less compressive and more
dilatant with the increase in curing time. The shape of circle, triangle and rectangle in figure 7 indicates the value of the confining
pressure and values inside them indicate the curing time. The dilatancy of the specimen decreases with the increase in effective
confining stress regardless of the curing time. This is true with the strengthening of cementation bonds with time and particles
becoming denser with the increase in effective confining stress.

3.2 Cyclic Loading Test

Ev was measured by cyclic loading of small amplitude during drained monotonic loading test with a constant effective horizontal
stress. It can be observed in Figure 8 that Ev increases with σ v' and can be represented using the equation Ev = A σ v' . Elastic ( ) n

modulus Ev drops when σ v' around 500 to 700 kPa, which is before the peak strength. This might be due to the specimens
becoming denser and thus stiffer during loading and elastic modulus will drop when cementation bonds starts to break down. It is
also observed that the elastic modulus increases with curing time, however; the increase of Ev with the increase of effective
confining stress is not very clear, although there is an increasing tendency. This might be due to the large electrical noise level in the
measurement of one of the local displacement transducer (LDT).

1400 1400
1200 1200
Deviator Stress q (kPa)

Deviator stress q (kPa)

1000 1000
800 800
600 600
400 7 day 98 kPa 400 28 day 98 kPa
7 day 147 kPa 28 day 147 kPa
200 200
7 day 196 kPa 28 day 196 kPa
0 0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
Axial Strain εv(%) Axial strain εv (%)
Fig-4: Specimens cured for 7 days Fig-5: Specimens cured for 28 days

1.5
7
1200 28
Volumetric strain v (%)

1 28 28
Peak strength qmax (kPa)

1000 7
0.5

800 0 7

600 7 day 98 kPa 28 day 98 kPa

Cured for 7 day -0.5
7 day 147 kPa 28 day 147 kPa
Cured for 28 day
7 day 196 kPa 28 day 196 kPa
400 -10 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
0 50 100 150 200 250
Effective confining stress σ'h (kPa) Axial strain εv (%)

Fig-6: Peak strength Fig-7: Volumetric strain for 7 & 28 days

 支部発表 GK－051

4000
7 day 98 kPa 28 day 98 kPa
Elastic modulus Eveq (MPa)

2000
7 day 147 kPa 28 day 147 kPa

Shear Modulus Gvh (MPa)

7 day 196 kPa 28 day 196 kPa
2000

1000
1000

7 day 98 kPa 28 day 98 kPa

7 day 147 kPa 28 day 147 kPa
7 day 196 kPa 28 day 196 kPa
400 400
100 500 1000 10 20 40 100 200 400 1000 2000
Effective vertical confining stress σ'v (kPa)
Effective vertical confining stress σ'h (kPa)

Fig-8: Change of Ev with σ'v Fig-9: Change in Gvh during shearing

3.3 Bender Element Test

Figure 9 shows that the change in shear modulus Gvh during shearing for all the test cases. It can be observed that shear modulus
Gvh increases with the increase in σ v' during the consolidation and monotonic loading process and drop when σ v' is about
500kPa to 700kPa which is similar to that of elastic modulus. Gvh increases when specimens become stiffer while loading and drop
when cementation started to break. Gvh increases notably with curing time regardless of the effective confining stress during
shearing, which is the same as that for stiffness, peak strength and elastic modulus. Also there observed an increasing tendency of
Gvh with the increase of effective confining stress regardless of the curing time. However, the effect of confining stress is much less
than the curing time on the change of shear modulus during shearing.

4. Conclusion
1) Stiffness, peak strength q max , and shear modulus Gvh of all specimens increase notably with curing time regardless of the
effective confining stresses during shearing.
2) Specimens become less compressive and more dilatant with increase in curing time.
3) Specimens sheared under higher confining stress are noted to have higher stiffness, peak strength and shear modulus Gvh
regardless of the curing days.
4) Elastic modulus Ev increases with curing time however; the effect of confining stress on Ev is not very clear although there is
an increasing tendency with the increase of confining stress. Therefore, need further investigation to conclude the effect of confining
stress on Ev .

References
1) Chaudhary S. K., Kuwano J. & Hayano Y. (2004). “Measurement of quasi-elastic stiffness parameters of dense toyoura sand in
hollow cylinder apparatus and triaxial apparatus with bender elements.” Geotechnical Testing Journal, Vol.27, No. 1: 23-35
2) Consoli, N. C., Foppa, D., Festugato, L. & Heineck, K. S. (2007). “Key parameters for strength control of artificially cemented
soils”. J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 133(2), 197-205.
3) Kongsukprasert, L., Tatsuoka, F. & Tateyama, M. (2005). “Several factors affecting the strength and deformation characteristics
of cement-mixed gravel”. Soils and Foundations, 45(3), 107-124.
4) Kongsukprasert, L., Tatsuoka, F. & Tateyama, M. (2007). “Effects of curing period and stress conditions on the strength and
deformation characteristics of cement-mixed soil”. Soils and Foundations, 47(3), 577-596.
5) Mulmi, S., Sato, T. & Kuwano, R. 2008. “Performance of plate type piezo-ceramic transducers for elastic wave measurements in
laboratory soil specimens”. Seisan-Kenkyu, IIS, University of Tokyo, Vol.60, No.6, pp 43-47
6) Tay Wee Boon (2005), “Effects of curing time and stress on the strength and deformation characteristics of cement-mixed sand.”
M.Sc. thesis. Tokyo Institute of Technology.
7) Viggiani, G. & Atkinsion, J. H. 1995. “The interpretation of bender element tests.” Geotechnique 45(1): 149-155