The results of experimental studies of the soil cement deformation capacity under the "loading-unloading" cycle conditions

Abstract The application of soil-cement elements for strengthening weak and subsiding foundations has become increasingly widespread in recent years. At the same time, the requirement for the technology of soil-cement production, which is a mixture of soil and cement mortar, is increasing. The quality control of the soil-cement production is in searching its properties, in particular deformation properties, which are decisive for strengthening the soil base. The paper describes the methodology for preparing soil-cement samples and the main analytical formulas for determining absolute and relative deformations. The results of experimental research on the deformed state of the samples, which were tested under the conditions of seven "loading-unloading" cycles, are given. Deformation graphs are constructed, and deformation values are analyzed, which indicate that in the stress range from 0.05 to 1.2 MPa, elastic deformations are already observed during the first cycle and the main compaction stage occurs. It is proved that the value of elastic deformation in seven cycles ranges from 0.14 mm to 0.18 mm and practically does not change after the third load cycle. The obtained results prove that they can be the basis of numerical analysis and that the elastic approach during mathematical modeling is correct.