Shear Resistance Evolution of Geogrid Reinforced Expansive Soil Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles

Expansive soils have significant characteristics of expansion by water absorption, contraction by water loss. Under the freeze–thaw (F-T) cycles, the engineering diseases are more significant, and the serious geotechnical engineering incidents are induced extremely easily. The aim is to investigate...

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Main Authors: Zhongnian Yang, Jia Liu, Runbo Zhang, Wei Shi, Shaopeng Yuan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5492
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author Zhongnian Yang
Jia Liu
Runbo Zhang
Wei Shi
Shaopeng Yuan
author_facet Zhongnian Yang
Jia Liu
Runbo Zhang
Wei Shi
Shaopeng Yuan
author_sort Zhongnian Yang
collection DOAJ
description Expansive soils have significant characteristics of expansion by water absorption, contraction by water loss. Under the freeze–thaw (F-T) cycles, the engineering diseases are more significant, and the serious geotechnical engineering incidents are induced extremely easily. The aim is to investigate the mechanical response characteristics of geogrid-reinforced expansive soils (GRES) under F-T cycles. Based on a series of large-scale temperature-controlled triaxial tests, influencing factors were considered, such as the number of F-T cycles, the geogrid layers, and the confining pressure. The results showed that: (1) Friction between the expansive soil and geogrid and the geogrid’s embedded locking effect indirectly provided additional pressure, limited shear deformation. With the increase in reinforced layers, the stress–strain curve changed from a strain-softening to a strain-hardening type. (2) Elastic modulus, cohesion, and friction angle decreased significantly with increasing number of F-T cycles, whereas dynamic equilibrium was reached after six F-T cycles. (3) The three-layer reinforced specimens showed the best performance of F-T resistance, compared to the plain soil, the elastic modulus reduction amount decreases from 35.7% to 18.3%, cohesion from 24.5% to 14.3%, and friction angle from 7.6% to 4.5%. (4) A modified Duncan–Zhang model with the confining pressure, the F-T cycles, and the geogrid layers was proposed; the predicted values agreed with the measured values by more than 90%, which can be used as a prediction formula for the stress–strain characteristics of GRES under freeze–thaw cycling conditions. The research results can provide important theoretical support for the practical engineering design of GRES in cold regions.
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spelling doaj-art-63c871396bad490aad9a360e6b7930702025-08-20T01:56:14ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-05-011510549210.3390/app15105492Shear Resistance Evolution of Geogrid Reinforced Expansive Soil Under Freeze–Thaw CyclesZhongnian Yang0Jia Liu1Runbo Zhang2Wei Shi3Shaopeng Yuan4School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, ChinaBOSTD Geosynthetics Qingdao, Ltd., Qingdao 266000, ChinaExpansive soils have significant characteristics of expansion by water absorption, contraction by water loss. Under the freeze–thaw (F-T) cycles, the engineering diseases are more significant, and the serious geotechnical engineering incidents are induced extremely easily. The aim is to investigate the mechanical response characteristics of geogrid-reinforced expansive soils (GRES) under F-T cycles. Based on a series of large-scale temperature-controlled triaxial tests, influencing factors were considered, such as the number of F-T cycles, the geogrid layers, and the confining pressure. The results showed that: (1) Friction between the expansive soil and geogrid and the geogrid’s embedded locking effect indirectly provided additional pressure, limited shear deformation. With the increase in reinforced layers, the stress–strain curve changed from a strain-softening to a strain-hardening type. (2) Elastic modulus, cohesion, and friction angle decreased significantly with increasing number of F-T cycles, whereas dynamic equilibrium was reached after six F-T cycles. (3) The three-layer reinforced specimens showed the best performance of F-T resistance, compared to the plain soil, the elastic modulus reduction amount decreases from 35.7% to 18.3%, cohesion from 24.5% to 14.3%, and friction angle from 7.6% to 4.5%. (4) A modified Duncan–Zhang model with the confining pressure, the F-T cycles, and the geogrid layers was proposed; the predicted values agreed with the measured values by more than 90%, which can be used as a prediction formula for the stress–strain characteristics of GRES under freeze–thaw cycling conditions. The research results can provide important theoretical support for the practical engineering design of GRES in cold regions.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5492expansive soilsgeogridfreeze–thaw cyclesreinforcement layersshear resistance
spellingShingle Zhongnian Yang
Jia Liu
Runbo Zhang
Wei Shi
Shaopeng Yuan
Shear Resistance Evolution of Geogrid Reinforced Expansive Soil Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles
Applied Sciences
expansive soils
geogrid
freeze–thaw cycles
reinforcement layers
shear resistance
title Shear Resistance Evolution of Geogrid Reinforced Expansive Soil Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles
title_full Shear Resistance Evolution of Geogrid Reinforced Expansive Soil Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles
title_fullStr Shear Resistance Evolution of Geogrid Reinforced Expansive Soil Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles
title_full_unstemmed Shear Resistance Evolution of Geogrid Reinforced Expansive Soil Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles
title_short Shear Resistance Evolution of Geogrid Reinforced Expansive Soil Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles
title_sort shear resistance evolution of geogrid reinforced expansive soil under freeze thaw cycles
topic expansive soils
geogrid
freeze–thaw cycles
reinforcement layers
shear resistance
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5492
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