A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1988

This study presents the strength and deformation characteristics of normally consolidated saturated specimens of soft Bangkok clay subjected to a three dimensional stress system by using a true triaxial apparatus with three flexible boundaries. The clay specimens were sheared along different radial stress paths in an octahedral plane such that the magnitude of the intermediate principal stress varied from minor to major principal stress. Also tests were performed by changing the direction of application of the major and the minor principal stresses to study the anisotropic strength and deformation characteristics of Bangkok clay. In addition few conventional triaxial tests were performed to compare the behaviour obtained from two different types of equipment. A significant role of intermediate principal stress in the strength and deformation characteristics of Bangkok clay was observed. With the increasing magnitude of intermediate principal stress the stress-strain response became steeper, volumetric strain decreased and the strength increased. The angle of internal friction was lowest in triaxial compression condition. The test results also showed the anisotropic strength and deformation characteristics of Bangkok clay. Vertical direction was found to be more deformable than the horizontal directions.