An experimental investigation on dynamic properties of various grouted sands

Cyclic triaxial and resonant column tests were conducted to understand the beneficial effects of various grouted sands on liquefaction resistance and dynamic properties. The test procedures were performed on a variety of grouted sands, such as silicate-grouted sand, silicate-cement grouted sand and cement-grouted sand. For each type of grout, sand specimen was mixed with a 3.5% and 5% grout by volume. The specimens were tested at a curing age of 3, 7, 28 and 91 days, and the results of the cyclic stress ratio, the maximum shear modulus and the damping ratio were obtained during the testing program. The influence of important parameters, including the type of grout, grout content, shear strain, confining pressure, and curing age, were investigated. Results indicated that sodium silicate grout does not improve the liquefaction resistance and shear modulus; however, silicate-cement and cement grout remarkably increased the liquefaction resistance and shear modulus. Shear modulus decreased and damping ratio increased with an increase in the amplitude of shear strain. The effect of confining pressure on clean sand and sodium silicate grouted sand was found to be insignificant. Furthermore, a nonlinear regression analysis was used to prove the agreement of the shear modulus-shear strain relation presented by the hyperbolic law for different grouted sands, and the coefficients of determination, <i>R</i>², were nearly greater than 0.984.