Primary and Secondary Compression of a Colombian Volcanic Ash Soil

• Published in: Geotechnical and geological engineering 2022-03, Vol.40 (3), p.1485-1497
• Main Authors: Galvis-Castro, Ayda Catalina, Colmenares, Julio E., Garcia-Leal, Juan C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Civil Engineering; Compressibility; Compression; Compression index; Compression tests; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Hydrogeology; Original Paper; Settling; Soil; Soil compressibility; Soil investigations; Soil settlement; Soil testing; Soils; Terrestrial Pollution; Tests; Volcanic ash; Volcanic soils; Volumetric strain; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Yield strength; Yield stress; Yields
• ISSN: 0960-3182; 1573-1529
• DOI: 10.1007/s10706-021-01979-6

Understanding the compression behavior of volcanic ash soils is essential in the assessment of settlements in such materials. A series of one-dimensional and isotropic compression tests were carried out to investigate the primary and secondary compression of a volcanic ash soil from Armenia, Colombia. The primary compression behavior of the tested soil was examined by plotting the compression and the coefficient of volume compressibility versus the effective pressure in arithmetic scale. A yield stress was identified in one-dimensional compression tests; however, the evidence of a yield stress disappeared in isotropic compression tests. Under one-dimensional compression conditions, the secondary compression response of the soil was characterized using the secondary compression index C αe . Results indicate that the magnitude of the volumetric strain at the end of a secondary compression period increases with the increase in the stress level. Data of values of hydraulic conductivity and coefficient of consolidation as a function of the effective stress are also presented.