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Triaxial Compression Test

A triaxial compression test involves confining a cylindrical soil sample in a pressurized cell and applying an axial load until failure to determine shear strength properties. The test allows controlling drainage and measuring pore pressure to determine parameters like cohesion, friction angle, and shear strength. A typical test has two phases: consolidation under cell pressure and shear under increasing axial load until failure.

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Marionne Almeda
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122 views6 pages

Triaxial Compression Test

A triaxial compression test involves confining a cylindrical soil sample in a pressurized cell and applying an axial load until failure to determine shear strength properties. The test allows controlling drainage and measuring pore pressure to determine parameters like cohesion, friction angle, and shear strength. A typical test has two phases: consolidation under cell pressure and shear under increasing axial load until failure.

Uploaded by

Marionne Almeda
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Triaxial Compression Test

A typical triaxial test involves confining a cylindrical soil or rock specimen in a pressurised
cell to simulate a stress condition and then shearing to failure, in order to determine the shear
strength properties of the sample. Most triaxial tests are performed on high quality undisturbed
specimens. The samples normally range from 38 mm to 100 mm samples, although samples
considerably larger can be tested with the correct equipment. The test specimen most commonly
has a height to diameter ratio of 2:1.

Why do we do triaxial testing?

Triaxial tests are one of the most widely performed tests in a geotechnical laboratory. The
advantages of the test over other test methods used in the geotechnical laboratory used to
determine shear strength (such as direct shear) is that specimen drainage can be controlled and
pore pressure can be measured. The triaxial test enables parameters such as cohesion (c’),
internal angle of friction (φ’) and shear strength to be determined.

The triaxial test can also be used to determine other variables such as stiffness and
permeability with the correct equipment.

Triaxial Cell
2 Phases of Triaxial Test
Phase 1: Consolidation

- Cell pressure is increased


- Uniformed confining stress all around the specimen
- The soil may be allowed to consolidate or not depending on the type of test

Phase 2: Shear

- load is applied at the piston at the top of the cell


- the load below sigma 1 increases at the top of the specimen, since there are no shear
stresses at the top and side of the specimen these are principal planes
- the major principal stresses sigma 1 is applied at the top of the specimen, and cell
pressure provides the minor principal stresses sigma 3 to the sides of the specimen.
- The vertical stresses gradually increase until the specimen fails
Triaxial System
Typical Triaxial System – Compressed Air

Apparatus used in Typical Triaxial System – Compressed Air

• Pressure Panel - This enables water and compressed air to be correctly


distributed to the right equipment to undertake a triaxial test. Cell
Pressure (σ3 - Confining Pressure) and Back pressure are controlled from
here. A pressure gauge is included so that known pressures can be applied
to the test specimen using the pressure regulators fitted to the panel.

• Load Frame - The load frame is used to apply deformation to the triaxial
specimen. The load frame can be controlled to a high level of accuracy
(these tests normally require a slow speed). Load frames come in a range
of capacities, VJ Tech can supply frames from 10kN to 250kN capacity. The
one in Figure 4 is a 50kN load frame and can apply loads of up to 50kN to
a specimen.

• Air/Water Cylinders - These provide an interface between compressed air


and water in your triaxial system. They contain a rubber bladder which is
filled with compressed air to pressurise the water inside the cylinder, this
in turn provides the pressure used in the cell and back pressure for our
triaxial test. The pressure the system can apply to samples is limited by the
compressor.

• Load Cell - The load cell or other load measuring device such as a load ring,
provide the loads required to shear a triaxial specimen.

• Displacement Transducer - This could be a mechanical dial gauge, digital


dial gauge or LSCT type transducer and is used to accurately measure the
deformation applied to the triaxial specimen as it is sheared.
LK,

• Triaxial Cell - The Triaxial cell comes in a range of sizes and pressure ratings.
The cell contains the triaxial specimen and is pressurised throughout the
test.

• Pore Pressure Transducer - In CU and CD triaxial tests, the pressures inside


the sample are measured (U - Pore Pressure). This is done using a pressure
transducer attached to the base of the triaxial cell.

• Automatic Volume Change Unit - The automatic volume change unit is


used in some triaxial tests to measure the volume of water going into the
specimen and also the volume change of the specimen through the test.
Typical Triaxial System – Hydraulic Pressure Controller

Apparatus used in Typical Triaxial System – Hydraulic Pressure Controller


• Distribution Panel - The distribution panel is used to connect the Dual pressure
controller to the triaxial cell. It also has the de-aired water system connected
to it. It allows for the easy movement of water to the required location in the
system without the need to disconnect lines. The pressure gauge on the panel
is used for calibration, but is not used during testing.

• Automatic Pressure/Volume Controller - The Dual automatic pressure


controller (DAPC) is used to generate pressure for the triaxial test. It uses
stepper motors to pressurise each cylinder of water to generate cell pressure
(σ3 - Confining Pressure) and back pressure. No compressed air supply is
required. The DAPC is also able to measure volume change during the test. VJ
Tech APCs come in a range of pressure capacities and Volumes, the DAPC
pictured has a maximum pressure of 3500 kPa and Volume 250 cc for each
Channel

• Load Frame - The Pro load frame is used to apply deformation to the triaxial
specimen. The load frame can be controlled to a high level of accuracy. Load frames
come in a range of capacities, VJ Tech can supply frames from 10kN to 250kN capacity.
The one in Figure 5 is a Pro 50 kN load frame and can apply loads of up to 50 kN to a
specimen. The load frame has a built-in data logger to log transducer data during the
test and can also be used in standalone mode using the touchscreen.

• Load Cell - The load cell or other load measuring device such as a load ring,
provide the loads required to shear a triaxial specimen.

• Displacement Transducer - This could be a mechanical dial gauge, digital dial


gauge or LSCT type transducer and is used to accurately measure the
deformation applied to the triaxial specimen as it is sheared

• Triaxial Cell - The Triaxial cell comes in a range of sizes and pressure rating. The
cell contains the triaxial specimen and is pressurised throughout the test.

• Pore Pressure Transducer - In CU and CD triaxial tests the pressures inside the
sample are measured (U - Pore Pressure), this is done using a pressure
transducer attached to the base of the triaxial cell

Different types of Triaxial Test


1. UU Triaxial – Unconsolidated Undrained (also be termed QU or Quick Undrained)
2. CU Triaxial – Consolidated Undrained Triaxial
3. CD Triaxial – Consolidated Drained Triaxial

UU – First letter states the drainage condition during consolidation, second letter states the
drainage condition during shear

References:
https://www.vjtech.co.uk/blog/triaxial-testing-an-introduction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq4UlLm8oIs&t=684s

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