Improvement in dynamic behaviors of cement-stabilized soil by super-absorbent-polymer under cyclic loading

Silty clay with a high water content is a kind of soft soil widely distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Based on environmental protection and engineering requirements, cement combined with super-absorbent-polymer (SAP) stabilized soil is often used. However, the dynamic behaviors of cement-stabilized soil with SAPs are not well studied at present. In this study, a series of consolidated undrained cyclic triaxial shear tests were conducted on cement-stabilized soil with and without SAPs, and the effects of the effective stress, cyclic stress ratio (CSR), and cyclic number of cycles on the dynamic behaviors were studied. The results show that the SAP can increase the dynamic elastic modulus (about 10.5%) and damping ratio (about 11.2%) of cement-stabilized soil, and improve the brittle failure and negative impact on superstructures of cement-stabilized soil under cyclic loading. The influence of the CSR on the dynamic elastic modulus and damping ratio of cement-stabilized soil with SAPs has thresholds, and relevant empirical formulas are established. These can be used to predict the distribution of dynamic stress and evaluate the influence of environmental vibrations.