Model preparation for unsaturated soil testing in a centrifuge environment

Overview & Synopsis

This paper presents selected aspects of the model preparation and the experimental procedures used for testing the unsaturated soil behaviour in centrifuge environment. The study is based on the results of centrifuge tests carried out to investigate the influence of partial saturation on the behaviour of laterally loaded piles. The soil used in the experimentation is a high permeability silty clay soil, named B-grade kaolin. The models were statically compacted at two different densities with the same water content. In order to reduce the after compaction suction, the samples were subjected to an imbibition process at 1×g connecting the bottom of the model with the water reservoir. The influence of the compaction process and the imbibition stage on the subsequent inflight soil conditions are discussed and analysed. The centrifuge tests were realised at the centrifuge centre of the University Gustave Eiffel, in Nantes, France, in the framework of the GEOTRANSALP project.