Undrained high-pressure and high strain-rate response of dry sand under triaxial loading

A Kolsky bar was modified to conduct triaxial compression experiments at high rates under the same stress state as in quasi-static conventional triaxial compression tests. Using this experimental technique the triaxial compression response of Quikrete®♯♯ 1961 sand at dry conditions was investigated at varying levels of confining pressure, strain rate, and initial density. The results show that the response of sand has negligible dependencies on strain rate and initial density, but is highly pressure dependent. The ability to impose a triaxial stress state allows the results to form a foundation for constitutive model development.

► Investigated the dynamic triaxial compression response of dry sand. ► Material had minimal strain rate dependencies when compared to quasi-static data. ► Material response is independent of initial density but highly pressure dependent. ► First dynamic data for sand under a triaxial compression loading condition. ► Models can now account for time dependencies in soils as a function of pressure.