The Paper describes the yielding characteristics of Bothkennar clay, as shown by stress-path triaxial tests. Computer-controlled equipment and high resolution instrumentation were used to obtain a detailed picture of the behaviour of the undisturbed clay at very small and large strains. The results confirm an earlier hypothesis that the soil's behaviour at small strains can be described by two kinematic sub-yield surfaces existing within an initial bounding surface. Consolidation beyond the initial bounding surface is shown to bring about a progressive breakdown of the clay's initial sedimentary structure. Once this has occurred the soil's stress—strain and undrained strength characteristics become highly dependent on the stress conditions under which consolidation takes place. Cet article décrit les caractéristiques de fluage de l'argile de Bothkennar, comme le montrent des essais triaxiaux avec chemin des contraintes. Du matériel contrôlé par ordinateur et des instruments de mesure à grande définition utilisés pour obtenir une vision détaillée du comportement de l'argile non remaniée pour de très petites et de grandes déformations. Les résultats confirment une hypothèse précédente: le comportement du sol pour de petites déformations peut être décrit par deux surfaces cinématiques de sous-fluage existant à l'intérieur d'une surface limite initiale. On montre que la consolidation au delà de la surface initiale limite amène une rupture progressive de la structure sédimentaire initiale de l'argile. Passé ce point les caractéristiques contrainte déformation et résistance au cisaillement deviennent principalement dépendantes des conditions de contraintes sous lesquelles s'effectue la consolidation.

In the wall of a hollow cylindrical specimen under combined axial load, torque and internal and external radial pressures, the magnitude and direction of the major and minor principal stresses can be controlled together with the magnitude of the intermediate principal stress. This Paper describes both the design and principles of operation of a new hollow cylinder apparatus and its application to the investigation of principal stress rotation effects in sands and clays. A discussion is presented of the stress and strain nonuniformities which occur in a hollow cylinder specimen as a result of its curvature and of restraint at its ends. The manner in which these non-uniformities have been minimized, by selection of a sample geometry of 203 mm id. x 254 mm o.d. x 254 mm height and by the use of internal instrumentation, is described. The results of tests on dense Ham River sand are presented to demonstrate the capabilities of the apparatus.

This Paper describes an investigation carried out in a new hollow cylinder apparatus into anisotropy and the effects of principal stress rotation in a medium-loose sand, tested under undrained conditions. Principal stresses have been rotated at a constant shear stress during both monotonie and cyclic loading. The experimental observations are described and then explained within a framework based on the concept of state boundary surfaces. The over-riding importance of initial anisotropy in determining the response of the sand to rotations in principal stress directions is demonstrated. Pore pressures are shown to be generated by rotation of principal stress directions at constant shear stress and their accumulation during cyclic principal stress rotation can lead to failure. L'article présente une étude de l'anisotropie effectuée dans un nouvel appareil creux cylindrique et décrit les effets de la rotation de la contrainte principale dans un sable moyennement lâche testé dans des conditions non-drainées. Les contraintes principales ont été modifiées avec une contrainte de cisaillement constante pendant des chargements monotoniques et cycliques. Les observations expérimentales sont décrites et puis expliquées dans un cadre basé sur l'idée de surfaces aux limites états. L'article souligne l'importance primordiale de l'anisotropie dans la détermination de la réponse du sable aux rotations des directions de la contrainte principale. On démontre comment des pressions interstitielles sont produites par la rotation des directions de la contrainte principale avec contrainte de cisaillement constante; l'augmentation de ces pressions pendant la rotation cyclique de la contrainte principale peut causer la rupture.

The Paper describes an experimental investigation of the stress-strain behaviour of anisotropically consolidated clayey sands, carried out using instrumented and computer-controlled triaxial cells. The specimens were prepared by sedimenting Ham river sand into a kaolin suspension. For a given granular void ratio, as the clay content of the sedi-mented clayey sands increases from 4-6 to 10%, the undrained brittleness and strains to phase transformation also increase, when the specimens are sheared in compression. When sheared in extension, liquefaction takes place for clay contents up to 7-5%. Increases in granular void ratio give rise to increased brittleness and potential to liquefaction. The effects of overconsolidation on strength and stiffness characteristics have been examined. The effective stress paths for undrained shear of the normally consolidated soil form a boundary for the effective stress paths for the lightly overconsolidated soil. L'article décrit une étude expérimentale, effectuée a l'aide de cellules triaxiales instrumentées et con-trôlées par des ordinateurs, du comportement de sables argileux consolidés de façon anisotrope. Les échantillons ont été préparés par sédimentation du sable fluviatile (Ham) dans une suspension de kaolin. Pour un indice des vides entre les grains d'une valeur donnée, à mesure que le contenu d'argile dans les sables argileux sédimentés s'accroît de 4,6 a 10% la fragilité non-drainée et la transformation des déformations en phases s'augmentent aussi lorsque les échantillons sont soumis au cisaillement sous compression. Dans le cas du cisaillement sous extension la liquéfaction a lieu pour des teneurs en argile jusqu'à 7,5%. Des augmentations de l'indice des vides entre les grains provoquent un accroissement de la fragilité et de la liquéfaction potentielle. Les effets de la sur-consolidation sur les caractérisques de résistance et de raideur ont été examines. Les chemins effectifs de contrainte pour le cisaillement non-drainé du sol normalement consolide constituent une limite pour les chemins effectifs de contrainte dans le sol lé-gèrement surconsolidé.

The innovative engineering approach adopted for the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport called for an advanced investigation of the London Clay strata, including detailed in situ profiling and stress path laboratory testing on high-quality rotary-cored samples. Although the scope of the investigations exceeded that normally specified for conventional design, questions relating to the structure and anisotropy of stiffness and strength of the clay remained that could not be answered. Further research was required, and the deep excavations at the site provided the opportunity for a team from Imperial College to take multiple block samples from three depths, supplemented by two additional dedicated rotary-cored boreholes. Intensive research was performed at Imperial College on these samples, as described in three companion papers by Gasparre et al. and Nishimura et al. This overview paper integrates the findings from the recent research with those from the commercial investigation and with earlier studies to extend our understanding of the geology and key characteristics of this stiff clay, and their variation with depth. The influence of lithology, structure and destructuring is examined, and the practical implications of the work are discussed.