Relationship between Surface Hardness and Peak Interfacial Frictional Coefficient in a Laboratory Scale Setting

Abstract

This study aims to clarify the relationship between surface hardness and the peak interfacial frictional coefficient under different particle sizes. The relationship between particle size and the peak interfacial frictional coefficient with different surface hardness values has not been addressed in previous literature. A pile-soil interfacial shear test was conducted using a multifunctional interfacial shear instrument was developed in the laboratory. The influences of surface hardness and particle size on the shear characteristics of pile-soil interfaces and the peak interface friction coefficient were studied. The test results revealed that the interfacial shear stress-shear displacement curves showed typical softening behavior when the surface of the model pile was smooth. The difference in curve characteristics for different particle sizes gradually cleared as the surface hardness decreased. The initial shear stiffness of the interface increased with increasing surface hardness and decreased with increasing particle size. The peak interfacial friction coefficient decreased with increasing surface hardness for different particle sizes. Furthermore, the peak interface friction coefficient increased with increasing particle size when the surface was hard. However, when the surface was soft, the peak interfacial friction coefficient decreased with increasing particle size. The linear relationship between the peak interfacial friction coefficient and particle size for different surface hardness values was established.