THE COMPRESSIBILITY OF SOIL MIXED WITH DEFORMABLE PARTICLES

- ESTIMATION OF THE COMPRESSIVE COMPONENTS BY USING ROD-STACK MODEL TESTS -

Abstract

As a basic study for the constructing a model of soils mixed with crushed expanded plastic wastes, it was intended to estimate the compressive property caused by the deformation of the plastic wastes. A series of one-dimensional compression tests was executed using aluminum and expanded polystyrene rods, considering the effects of initial arrangement of rod-stacking. In the experiment, pictures of the states of compression were taken with digital camera. The images were analyzed by computer to calculate the volumetric change of plastic particles themselves and pore space, and considered from microscopic and geometric point of view. As a result, three more compressive components were added to the ordinary theory of compression (pore phase reduction by soil skeleton rearrangement). Firstly compression of the deformable particles themselves, secondly, pore phase reduction by deformation of the particle skeletons and thirdly, reduction caused by further rearrangement of deformable particles.