Volume change measurements for unsaturated soils in triaxial equipment with double wall cell

Abstract EN

The paper gives a brief description of double wall cell triaxial equipment for testing soil samples under unsaturated conditions and presents results of some of the calibrations necessary to achieve accurate measurements of inner cell water volume, pore water volume, pressure, load and displacement.

The calibration of the measurement devices showed linear relationships between the raw readings and applied values with the regression constants differ from 1 and 0.

The result of apparent volume change calibrations showed significant correlation between cell water volume fluctuation and temperature fluctuation inside testing room.

A correction to the measured volume was therefore required to reduce the effects of long-term temperature fluctuation on the measured volume.

Investigation of the accuracy of volume change measurement with the double wall cell showed excellent matching between the inner cell volume change and pore water volume change under saturated conditions, indicating the high reliability of the double wall system for apparent volume change measurements.