HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Snyder, V. A. Articles by Miller, R. D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Snyder, V. A. Articles by Miller, R. D. Agricola Articles by Snyder, V. A. Articles by Miller, R. D.

A Pneumatic Fracture Method for Measuring the Tensile Strength of Unsaturated Soils¹

ABSTRACT

A new technique for measuring tensile strength of unsaturated soils is discussed, wherein applied stress, pore-air pressure, and pore-water pressure can be simultaneously and independently controlled. The method essentially involves enclosing the test sample in an adhesive membrane which is impervious to air, and then decreasing the external applied stress relative to the pore-air pressure until the sample ruptures or literally explodes due to the pressure difference across the adhesive membrane. Applied stress is hydrostatic, eliminating the need for knowing sample dimensions and ensuring the absence of unwanted bending moments which are a common source of error in most direct tension procedures. The system is designed in such a way that sample equilibration and tensile strength measurements are carried out in the same apparatus, avoiding dangers associated with the transfer of very weak samples from one apparatus to another. The method is shown to produce comparable results to those obtained by a direct tension procedure.

¹ Contribution from the Dep. of Agronomy, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY. Supported in part by NSF Grant ENG-77-17004.

² Assistant Professor and Professor, respectively. Dep. of Agronomy, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853.

Received for publication January 25, 1985. Accepted for publication May 14, 1985.