Geo-China 2016 GSP 259 88

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Variation in a Shear Modulus of Enzyme-Treated Soil under Cyclic Loading

Ansu Thomas1; R. K. Tripathi2; and L. K. Yadu2

1
Dept. of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Raipur. E-mail: athomas.ce@nitrr.ac.in
2
Dept. of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Raipur.

Abstract: Enzymatic emulsions contain enzymes (protein molecules) that react with
soil molecules to form a cementing bond that stabilizes the soil structure and reduces
the soils affinity for water (Velasquez et al., 2005). The present study presents an
investigation to evaluate the enzyme treated soil under cyclic loading. The study
presents the variation in shear modulus on a selected dosage of enzyme with 28 days
of curing period. Strain controlled cyclic triaxial tests were performed with different
confining pressure, loading frequency and cyclic shear stain amplitude. It is found that
the shear modulus values decreases with number of cycles and increases with increase
in confining pressure. The shear modulus decreases with the increase in loading
frequency and with the increase in cyclic shear strain. Rate of degradation in shear
modulus due to increment in cyclic shear strain is found to be more with higher
confining pressure. It may be because the enzyme treated soil behaves stiffer under
=0.15% due to the lateral support. At higher cyclic shear strain lateral support may
not be able to make it stiff.

INTRODUCTION

In this study, performance of enzyme treated soil is evaluated under cyclic loading
by varying loading rate, loading frequency and confining pressure. From the literature,
the behaviour of the enzyme treated soil generally depends upon the type of the soil,
its mineralogical composition, type of enzyme, dosage of enzyme and curing period
(Tingle et al., 2007, Velasquez, 2005; Khan and Taha, 2015; Rauch et al., 2003).
Though dynamic properties of soils are required in advanced numerical analyses of
geotechnical engineering problems, determination of dynamic properties of enzyme
treated soil is found to be very limited. Skilled procedure and high costs in conducting
tests under cyclic loading can be the possible reasons.
The shear modulus degradation of cement treated clay during cyclic loading is
investigated from a series of cyclic triaxial tests. The parameters considered for the
study are cement content (2.57.5%), curing days (728), cyclic shear strain amplitude
(0.31%), number of loading cycles (1100) and loading frequency (0.10.5 Hz).
They found that the shear modulus degradation decreases with increase in the shear

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strain amplitude, cement content and curing days. It is also noted that irrespective of
the mix ratio and curing conditions, the degradation decreases with increase in loading
frequency (Subramaniam and Banerjee, 2014). Nonlinear dynamic analyses under the
influence of different earthquake records are conducted using FLAC 2D software, and
the results in terms of the maximum lateral displacements and base shears for both
elastic and inelastic behaviours of the -rise moment-resisting building frames (for
fixed and flexible boundary conditions) are obtained. A comprehensive empirical
relationship is also proposed for determining the lateral displacements of the mid-rise
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moment-resisting building frames under earthquake and the influence of soilstructure

interaction. (Tabatabaiefar et al., 2014)
Based on the cyclic tests done on fully saturated sands conducted in undrained
conditions and cyclic tests conducted in the constant- volume equivalent-undrained
conditions in the cyclic strain- controlled mode, with the constant cyclic shear strain
amplitude, it is concluded that the variation of the secant shear modulus and associated
stiffness index with the number of cycles N is distinctly different at different levels of
shear strain amplitude (Vucetic and Mortezaie, 2015). Resonant column tests were
performed to study influences of void ratio, overconsolidation ratio, plasticity,
confining stress, and degree of weathering. In-situ test results showed effects of
increased confining stress with depth, and OCR, mass density, and void ratio were
estimated using correlations to assess current in-situ state. In-situ measurements of
low-amplitude shear moduli from seismic piezocones, seismic flat dilatometers,
spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW), and crosshole tests were found to be in
good agreement with laboratory values using the resonant column (Schneider, 1999).
A novel and enhanced soilstructure model is analysed in the direct method using
state-of-the-art capabilities of FLAC 2D simulating the complex dynamic soil
structure interaction for three types of soil with shear wave velocity 600m/s (Ce),
320m/s (De) and 150 m/s (Ee). The effects of dynamic soilstructure interaction for
seismic design of mid-rise moment resisting building frames resting on soil class Ce is
found to be insignificant while significant effects has been observed on soil class De
and Ee. (Tabatabaiefar and Fatahi, 2014)

MATERIAL USED

Soil Preparation
The soil used in this study is from Tilda, Chhattisgarh state, India. Collected soil
sample (D0) was oven dried and crushed with wooden mallet and sieved from 75 IS
sieve. Properties of the soil are tabulated in Table 1. Terrazyme is a natural, non-toxic
liquid, formulated using vegetable extracts. It is a surfactant (an ionic surface active
agent) which changes the hydrophilic nature of clay and lime materials to
hydrophobic. Its application not only assists in the expulsion of water from soils, but
also aids the lubrication of soil particles and increases the compatibility of many soils.
The reaction of Terrazyme on soil is particularly effective because of the ion-exchange
capacity of clay minerals. TerraZyme changes the plastic characteristics of the soil due
to a reduction in its water absorbing capacity (RaviShankar et al, 2009).

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Table 1. Properties oof soil

Prop perty Valuee

Liquid Limit
L (%) 42.255
Plastic Limit
L (%) 18.6
Plasticity Index (%) 23.655
OMC C (%) 14.5
3
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MDD (kN/m
( ) 13.2

Too study the variation

v in shear
s modullus, optimumm dosage of T Terrazyme w
was selectedd
by conducting UCS tests on o different dosages as shown in ttable 2. Terrrazyme wass
mixxed with oveen dried soil in differentt proportionss i.e. D1 (2000ml/ 1.5m3 of soil), D22
(2000ml/ 2m3 off soil). Unconnfined comppressive strenngth gain forr D2 samplees at 28 dayss
of curing
c is foun
nd to be morre compared d to D1.

EXP
PERIMENT
TAL STUD
DY
Cycclic Triaxiall Tests
A series of cyclic
c undraiined triaxiall tests were conducted on enzyme treated soill
(D22) specimens, by using g a cyclic trriaxial testinng apparatuus. The equiipment unitt
con
nsists of a triiaxial cell, a load frame,, the controll and data accquisition haardware andd
the control softwware as show wn in fig.1 (a) with electtro-mechaniical actuator. Air is usedd
as a chamber medium.
m Straain- controllled cyclic teests were perrformed undder differentt
con
nfining pressu ure, loading frequency and a shear strrain amplitudde. The Enzzyme treatedd
soil specimen (3 38 X 76 cm)) of D2 dosaage with 28 ddays of curinng period is subjected too
the laboratory cyclic
c triaxiaal tests as giv
ven in Tablee 3. The typpical stress sttrain loop iss
showwn in Fig. 1 (b)

FIG 1 (a)) Cyclic triaxial testing

g system, (b
b) A typical stress strain
n loop

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Table 2 UCS test reesults

Dosa
age UCS (kPPa)
D00 213
D1 768
D22 1073
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Table 3 Details of Cyclic Triaxiaal Tests Con

nditions
Confining pressure (k kPa) P 50, 100, 150
Loadingg frequency (Hz) -f 0.5, 1, 1.5
Cyclic
C shear strain ampliitude (%) - 0.155% ,0.3%
Ennzyme dosag ge D2
Curring (days) d 28
No. of cycles (NN) 10
In cyclic
c strain approach, it is required to
t input the single-ampllitude axial sstrain in mm
m
whiich can be calculated
c from
f the cycclic shear s trains. Cycllic loading iis generallyy
expressed in teerms of cycclic shear sttrains. For a constant ccyclic deforrmation, thee
requ
uired axial strain
s is callculated as per
p ASTM D3999/D3999M-11 andd the singlee
ampplitude deforrmation is fo
ound out by using
u the exp
xpression givven in equatiion 1.

LSAA = SA X LS (1)

Wh mation, mm, SA = singlee amplitude axial strain

here: LSA = single ampliitude deform
(dimensionle
( ess) and Ls = length of test specimeen (mm).
Sheear Moduluss Degradatiion
Thee cyclic stresss-strain beh
haviour of treated soil (DD2) is analyzzed to deterrmine secantt
sheaar modulus (G). The secant shear modulus
m is eestimated foor each cyclee of loadingg
from
m the hysterresis loops ob btained in sttrain controllled cyclic looading as shhown in Fig.
2 (Z
Zhang et. al, 2005).

FIG
G 2 Hystereesis loop forr one cycle of
o loading sh
howing G (Z
Zhang et. all, 2005)

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Effe
fect of Confin ning Pressuure
Thee shear mod dulus values decreases with numbber of cyclles and increases withh
incrrease in confining pressure as show wn in Figs.3 to 5. In this tests D2 ssample weree
takeen after 28 days curing g and the sample was subjected to cyclic loaading underr
variious cyclic loading.
l Fromm the resultts the shear modulus off the specimeen increasess
withh the increasse in confinin
ng pressure.
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FIG
G 3 Variatioon in Shear modulus with
w numberr of cycles (P
P= 50kPa, 1100kPa,
150
0kPa; = 0.1
15% and f= 0.5 Hz)

FIG
G 4 Variatioon in Shear modulus with
w numberr of cycles (P
P= 50kPa, 1100kPa,
150
0kPa; = 0.1
15% and f= 1 Hz)

G 5 Variatio
FIG on in Shear modulus with
w numberr of cycles (P
P= 50kPa, 1100kPa,
150
0kPa; = 0.1
15% and f= 1.5 Hz)

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Effe
fect of Loadiing Frequen ncy
Figss 6 to 8 sho ow the sheaar modulus variations
v w
with numberr of cycles ffor differentt
loadding frequenncy. D2 speccimen with 28 days curring period w was consideered for thiss
test and it wass subjected to cyclic shear
s strain amplitude of 0.15% aand loadingg
quency 0.5 Hz,
freq H 1 Hz and d 1.5 Hz. Fig
gs shows thaat the shear mmodulus deccreases withh
the increase in loading
l freq
quency. The rate of degrradation is foound to be less with thee
incrrease in conffining pressu
ure.
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G 6 Variatio
FIG on in Shear modulus with
w numberr of cycles (P
P= 50kPa, = 0.15%
and
d f= 0.5 Hz, 1Hz, 1.5 Hzz)

G 7 Variatio
FIG on in Shear modulus with
w numberr of cycles (P
P= 100kPa, = 0.15%
and
d f= 0.5 Hz, 1Hz, 1.5 Hzz)

FIG
G 8 Variatioon in Shear modulus with
w numberr of cycles (P
P= 150kPa, = 0.15%
and
d f= 0.5 Hz, 1Hz, 1.5 Hzz)

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Effe
fect of Loadiing Rate
Fig.. 9 shows th he shear mo odulus variattions with nno of cycles for differennt values off
sheaar strain. In this test specimen
s were subjecteed to cyclic shear strainn amplitudee
(0.1
15% and 0.3% %) and loadding frequenccy 1.0 Hz. Itt can be inferrred from thhe graph thatt
the shear mod dulus decreaases with the t increasee in cyclic shear straiin. Rate off
degradation in shear modu ulus due to increment
i inn cyclic sheaar strain is found to bee
morre with high her confininng pressure.. It may bee because thhe enzyme treated soill
behhaves stiffer under =0.15% due to the t lateral suupport. At hiigher cyclic shear strainn
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lateral support may

m not be able to mak ke the soil sttiff. With thee increase inn number off
cyclles the degraadation rate decreases.

FIG on in Shear modulus with

G 9 Variatio w numberr of cycles ( = 0.15% aand 0.3%
and
d f= 1Hz.)

CO
ONCLUSION
NS

Bassed on the sttudy, followiing conclusiions are draw wn:

1) The shear modulus values decreeases with nnumber of cyycles and inccreases withh
increasee in confiningg pressure.
2) The shear modulus decreases with w the increease in loadding frequenccy. The ratee
of degraadation is fou
und to be lesss with the inncrease in coonfining pressure.
3) Rate of degradation in shear mo odulus due too increment in cyclic shhear strain iss
found to o be more with higherr confining pressure. IIt may be bbecause thee
enzyme treated soil behaves stiiffer under =0.15% duee to the lateeral support.
At higheer cyclic sheear strain lateeral support may not be able to makee it stiff.

ACKNOWLED
DGMENTS
S

Thee authors app

preciate the support
s of Avijeet
A agenccies for provviding the Teerrazyme.

REF
FERENCES

ASTTM D3999/D D3999M-11 (2011). Sttandard Testt Methods fo for the Deterrmination off
the
t Modulu us and Dam mping Prop perties of Soils Usingg the Cycllic Triaxiall
Apparatus.
A Annual Book
B of ASTTM Standarrds, ASTM M Internatioonal, Westt
Conshohock
C ken, PA.
Khaan, T. A. an
nd Taha, M. R.,(2015). Effect of T Three Bioennzymes on C Compaction,,
Consistency
C Limits, and
d Strength Characteristiccs of a Sedim
mentary Ressidual Soil,,
Advances
A in Material Sccience and Engineering,
E 1-9.

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Rauch, A.F., Katz, L. E., and Liljestrand, H. M., (2003). An Analysis of the
Mechanisms and Efficacy of Three Liquid Chemical Soil Stabilizers, Research
Report 1993-1. Center for Transportation Research, University of Texas at Austin.
RaviShankar, A.U., H. K. Rai, and R. Mithanthaya, (2009). Bio-enzyme stabilized
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144-151.
Schneider, J.A., Hoyos, L., Jr., Mayne, P.W., Macari, E.J., and Rix, G.J. (1999).
Field and laboratory measurements of dynamic shear modulus of Piedmont
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residual soils, Behavioral Characteristics of Residual Soils, GSP 92, ASCE,

Reston, VA, pp. 12-25.
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determine inelastic seismic response of mid-rise building frames, Soil Dynamics
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Tabatabaiefar, S. H. R., Fatahi, B. and Samali, B., (2014). An empirical relationship
to determine lateral seismic response of mid-rise building frames under influence of
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Tingle, J.S., Newman, J.K., Larson, S.L., Weiss, C.A., and Rushing, J.F., (2007).
Stabilization Mechanisms of Nontraditional Additives, Journal of the
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Velasquez, R., Marasteanu, O.M., Hozalski, R. and Clyne, T., (2005). Preliminary
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MN/RC 2005-25, Department of Civil Engineering, Minnesota Department of
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Vucetic M. and Mortezaie . A., (2015)Cyclic secant shear modulus versus pore water
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Engineering, Vol. (70), 60-72.
Zhang, J., Andrus, R. D. and Juang, C. H., (2005). Normalized Shear Modulus and
Material Damping Ratio Relationships, Journal of Geotechnical and
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