The Comparative Behavior of Undisturbed Soft Clay Results Based on Photogrammetry and Numerical Simulation

Measuring the soil’s deformation and strength during loading is essential when evaluating saturated, undisturbed soft clays with the triaxial test apparatus. A photogrammetry method has been developed to measure total and localized volume changes on saturated, undisturbed soft clays during triaxial testing. In this study, an application of the photogrammetry method is presented by performing a series of triaxial tests with different confining pressures on saturated undisturbed soft clays. Three-dimensional numerical simulations of soft clay deformation are conducted using finite element analysis (FEM) software. The research paper showed that the photogrammetry method delivers a more accurate representation of the soil sample’s deformation, as conventional tests and simulations tend to overestimate the deviator stress values relative to photogrammetry slightly. The simulation from FEM results show a strong relationship with the localized deformation data obtained through photogrammetry. This photogrammetry method provides valuable theoretical insights and practical uses in engineering applications.