ABSTRACT
Recent decades of conventional and mechanized tunneling in mixed coarse- and fine-grained soils have revealed significant tool and machine wear due to the abrasiveness of these soil mixtures. However, there is currently no standardized method for objectively characterizing soil abrasiveness. This paper examines the abrasiveness of such mixed soils using both remoulded and cored soil samples, with a focus on the influence of grinding distance, confining pressure, and grain size distribution. Test series were conducted on clays, sands, and clay-sand mixtures to validate a novel Grinding Test developed at Zentrum Geotechnik. The experimental results indicate a linear relationship between both grinding distance and abrasion, and load and abrasion, confirming the apparatus’ suitability for assessing soil abrasiveness. Furthermore, the test effectiveness in analyzing cored soil samples is demonstrated, highlighting the influence of fine and coarse soil fractions on abrasiveness. In conclusion, the proposed novel Grinding Test provides an advanced technique for characterizing abrasiveness in granular soil with different fine contents.
