Stress-Controlled Versus Strain-Controlled Triaxial Testing of Sand

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to compare the strength characterizations of Mystic White Silica Sands using stress-controlled loading versus strain-controlled loading in a standard compression triaxial tests. To this end one hundred sixty-six tests were conducted involving two types of quartz sand, one fine MWSS45 and one medium coarse MWSS18 , tested at three low to intermediate confining stresses of 14 kN/m2, 28 kN/m2 and 55 kN/m2 with only one specimen diameter size of 71.1 mm. Of the one hundred sixty-six tests, eighty-six were stress-controlled tests and eighty were strain-controlled tests. All specimens were dry, but both loose and dense specimens were tested. The results were evaluated individually and as group. Comparison of the two types of loading tests were evaluated for repeatability, stress-strain characteristics and strength parameters. The plots show that stress-controlled loading in general gives more reproducible results with smoother. steeper stress-strain plot s and a larger average deviator stresses at failure than strain-controlled loading at all three levels of confining stresses for both sands. This results in somewhat larger values of Φ' . Stress-controlled specimens were stiffer and failed with a clear cut failure surface while strain-controlled specimens mostly barreled.