The Influence of Suction Changes on the Performance of Railway Formation

1
The Influence of Suction Changes on the
Performance of Railway Formation

• Louise Otter
• University of Southampton
• Supervisors Prof Chris Clayton / Dr Jeffery
  Priest

2
Overview

• Unsaturated Soil and Matric Suction
• Why
• Importance in practice
• Background
• Research Within the Field
• Proposed Method of Study

3
Unsaturated Soil

• Tezaghis Effective Stress s s - µ
  (saturated soil)
• Net Total Stress s - µa
• Matric Suction µa - µw

4
What is Matric Suction?
5
Importance in Practice

• Built above ground water table compacted
  material
• Climate Change
• Lead to Cost Savings
• Understanding of maintenance requirements

6
Rationale For Research

• Hollow Cylinder Apparatus testing of Saturated
• Formation Material
• Unsaturated Field
• Triaxial apparatus
• Embankments Modelling/Measurement of suction
• Road pavement studies Moisture Content/Suction

7
Proposed Research

• Resonant Column
• Small-Strain Range
• Test non destructively

8
Proposed Research
Leighton Buzzard E 5 Water Content Moist Tamped
9
Proposed Research

• Replicate Formation Material on CoalLink Line
• Control suction by Axis Translation Technique

10

• THANK YOU
• ANY QUESTIONS ?