Type of Document	Master's Thesis
Author	Williams, Heath Stuart
Author's Email Address	hwillia@lsu.edu
URN	etd-04292004-103556
Title	Development of a True Triaxial Apparatus for Soil Testing
Degree	Master of Science in Civil Engineering (M.S.C.E.)
Department	Civil & Environmental Engineering
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Khalid Alshibli Committee Chair Danta Fratta Committee Member John Sansalone Committee Member
Keywords	soil testing true triaxial
Date of Defense	2004-04-26
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract This thesis presents the development of a True Triaxial Testing TTT Apparatus. The TTT apparatus developed has the capabilities of applying the three principal stresses to a rectangular prismoidal specimen independently. The minor principal stress is provided by the cell pressure. The major principal stress is provided by a load actuator traveling at a constant velocity. A LabView software program instantaneously reads instrumentation, makes calculations, and commands a second load actuator to induce an intermediate principal stress that maintains a constant b-value; where b-value is equal to the intermediate principal stress minus the minor principal stress divided by the major principal stress minus the minor principal stress. The development of the TTT Apparatus included; creating a robust data acquisition system to facilitate immediate readings of all needed instrumentation, manufacturing a horizontal loading system to transmit the load from the load actuator to the specimen, constructing a pressure control system capable of providing the desired confining pressure, creating a LabView software program to interface with the data acquisition system and the load actuators to record and control the test parameters. Calibration tests were performed to quantify the correction factors for the following: volume change due to volumetric expansion of the pressure jacket and loading rams, the load due to frictional forces and pressure, and the length change due to compression of the rubber cushions. True triaxial test were conducted on F-75 silica sand at various b-values as verification of the developed TTT Apparatus’s capabilities. The results of these tests compared well with the findings of other researchers conducting similar tests.
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