Settlement assessment of sand subjected to cyclic stress related to a load moving over a surface using hollow cylindrical torsional shear apparatus

Cyclic stress is applied to a soil element in the ground when vehicles or trains pass repeatedly on roads and railway tracks. This cyclic induced by traffic load gives rise settlement, which sometimes causes damage such as cracks ruts road pavement. Therefore, estimating settlement of granular materials necessary for sustainable design. For this study, hollow cylindrical torsional shear apparatus was used evaluate considering moving ground, imitates certain loading condition. Results emphasize importance analyzing combined stresses including principal rotation because vertical strain specimen depends strongly not only magnitude but also type loading. Although unstable deformation observed under drained conditions, increased linearly with number cycles logarithmic scale. Relations among strain, loading, sand density were demonstrated based experimentally obtained results.