Variation in residual strength of clay with shearing speed

In order to clarify the stability of high-speed landslides caused by an earthquake or the volcanic activities, the change in residual strength of slip surface material due to the change in shearing speed is investigated using a ring shear apparatus. The shear displacement rates adopted in the ring shear tests were varied in a range of 0.02 to 2.0 mm/min, and the soil samples tested were kaolin and mudstone. The effect of the shear displacement rate on the residual strength of the clays is discussed in terms of physical properties of soils, i.e. the clay fraction, the plasticity index and the activity. In addition, the microstructure of clay particles near the shear surface reaching the residual state was observed by using a scanning electron microscope.

landslide

clay

residual strength

shear displacement rate

physical property

ring shear test