Static liquefaction of sands under multiaxial loading

A fundamental study of the undrained behaviour of sands under multiaxial loading is presented. The investigation was carried out using Fraser River and Syncrude sands in a hollow cylinder torsional shear device. Shear loading was carried out under strain control to capture the postpeak strain-softening characteristics of loose sands. It is shown that the undrained response of loose sands is highly dependent on the loading direction. The friction angle mobilized at phase transformation and steady state is a unique material property, independent of the mode of loading, direction of principal stress and initial consolidation stress, and void ratio state. There is no unique relationship between steady state strength and void ratio which is independent of stress path and the level of initial confining stress.Key words: anisotropy, hollow cylinder torsional shear, liquefaction, sand, simple shear, triaxial.