ABSTRACT
To investigate local deformation characteristics of compacted gravel, a series of plane strain compression tests were performed by using large scale apparatus. Well graded gravel (D50 = 11 mm, Dmax = 38 mm and Uc = 30) was employed to prepare dense specimens by using dynamic compaction technique. Three specimens were subjected to monotonic, large cyclic and creep loading, respectively. One of the confining plates which were attached to the side of the specimen to maintain the plane strain condition was transparent so that digital photographs could be taken at different stages of loading. Local strain distributions in terms of the maximum shear strain and volumetric strain were calculated by conducting image analyses on these digital photographs. Based on the measured stress–global strain relationships and the results from the image analyses, strain localization characteristics of compacted gravel was discussed, in particular focusing on possible effects of large cyclic and creep loading histories.
