Theory of brittle fracture applied to soil cement
The cracking in a soil-cement base is examined using Griffith's theory of brittle fracture. Flexural tests are performed on soil-cement beams with crack-simulating notches to determine the critical strain energy-release- rate, GDcU, associated with the rapid extension of the crack. Model studies are made to evaluate the crack propagation in a soil-cement pavement base. The variations of critical strain energy release-rate according to soil texture, clay mineral present, and the time rate of loading, as well as its independence of the notch geometry indicate that GDcU is a physical property of the cement-treated soil. Fracture toughness, KDcU, a function of the stress intensity factor K and the crack extension force G, in accord with fracture mechanics concepts, exhibits an inverse relation with the rate of crack propagation. In addition, the crack patterns observed in the model slabs are in keeping with the fundamental postulate of Griffith. In simple and symmetrical cases, the cement base upon cracking tends to form a pattern of hexagons; but when the material is more brittle, the cracks form rather poorly defined irregular random orthogonal polygons, with the various cracks meeting primarily in 3-way nodes. (20 refs.)
- Research Organization:
- Mississippi Univ
- OSTI ID:
- 5028256
- Journal Information:
- J. Soil Mech. Found. Div., Am. Soc. Civ. Eng.; (United States), Vol. 96:SM3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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