This book has the purpose of developing an
understanding of the factors determining and influencing the shear
behavior of soils, with emphasis on composite soils, as they are the
most encountered materials in geological and geotechnical engineering in
mountainous areas. This objective is reached by examining the soil
compressibility, structure of shear zone and its evolution, and water
content of shear zone and shear mode of soils together with analyses of
the influences of intrinsic properties, e.g. Atterberg limits, particle
size distribution, particle shape, and testing conditions, e.g. normal
stress and shearing rate.An in-depth review is presented in an
approximately chronological order and covers almost all the factors that
are believed to influence the mechanical behavior of soils. The
equipment and test techniques for shear strength of soils are detailed.
The residual shear behavior of composite soil is investigated by means
of a systematic laboratory testing program using a large ring shear
apparatus and an intermediate direct shear box. The Fast Fourier
Transform is employed for the first time to analyze the fluctuations of
measured shearstress and discovers the close relationships with both
intrinsic properties of soils and testing conditions.
Although the book is aimed primarily at researchers in geological and geotechnical engineering, it contains material of interest to students of geology and soil science and also should be a useful reference for practicing engineers faced with composite soils.
Although the book is aimed primarily at researchers in geological and geotechnical engineering, it contains material of interest to students of geology and soil science and also should be a useful reference for practicing engineers faced with composite soils.