Simplified equipment for unsaturated soil hydrostatic compression tests

In this paper, soil mechanical property variations in moisture and granulometry have been investigated. Investigations were performed to compare hydrostatic compression test (HCT) responses and evaluate the compression index, Cc, which is an indicator of the soil's susceptibility to compaction- induced damage. The experiments were performed on 24 soil samples typologies. Each sample was obtained by combining three types of soil (types A, B and C) with a relative content varying from 0 to 100% in 20% increments. Soil type A had a granulometry ranging between 0.5 and 1 mm, type B between 0.25 and 0.5 mm, and type C less than 0.25 mm. These samples were representative of a sandy soil, chemically inactive, and had various granulometries and initial moisture contents. A cell for HCT was set up to allow the initial volume measurement of the test pieces and the subsequent changes during HCT with an estimated error less than 0.1 cm3. All samples were pre-compacted and prepared in agreement with the actual standards. The experimental data are reported in diagrams; the data allowed comparison of the mechanical behaviours between the considered unsaturated soils and underlined how soil moisture and granulometry affect soil response during HCT. Furthermore, because of the methodology used, the equipment was very economical.