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<p>Low-plasticity clays are commonly employed in the construction of engineered fills, where they are frequently subjected to wetting–drying (W–D) cycles. This study investigates the deformation characteristics of kaolinite clay subjected to W–D cycles through a comprehensive series of unsaturated soil tests incorporating coupled hydro-mechanical loading paths. Experimental protocols were conducted under suction-controlled conditions within both oedometric and isotropic triaxial testing frameworks to replicate field-relevant boundary constraints. The experimental results reveal that the volumetric response of kaolinite is highly dependent on its initial state, exhibiting neutral, expansive, or contractive behavior under the imposed load paths. Progressive W–D cycles drives the specimens toward a reversible stable state characterized by stabilized volumetric deformations. Furthermore, investigation into the evolution of hydraulic hysteresis induced by cyclic suction changes indicates that the most pronounced hysteretic behavior occurs during the initial cycle. The observed volumetric responses under combined hydraulic and mechanical loading–unloading conditions are shown to be interpretable within the framework of effective stress theory, underscoring its applicability to unsaturated soil behavior.</p>

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Volume change behavior of kaolin under sequential wetting–drying cycles and varied loading conditions

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月20日

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  • Abbas Mahboobi,
  • Ali Reza Bagherieh,
  • Majid Sedighi

摘要

Low-plasticity clays are commonly employed in the construction of engineered fills, where they are frequently subjected to wetting–drying (W–D) cycles. This study investigates the deformation characteristics of kaolinite clay subjected to W–D cycles through a comprehensive series of unsaturated soil tests incorporating coupled hydro-mechanical loading paths. Experimental protocols were conducted under suction-controlled conditions within both oedometric and isotropic triaxial testing frameworks to replicate field-relevant boundary constraints. The experimental results reveal that the volumetric response of kaolinite is highly dependent on its initial state, exhibiting neutral, expansive, or contractive behavior under the imposed load paths. Progressive W–D cycles drives the specimens toward a reversible stable state characterized by stabilized volumetric deformations. Furthermore, investigation into the evolution of hydraulic hysteresis induced by cyclic suction changes indicates that the most pronounced hysteretic behavior occurs during the initial cycle. The observed volumetric responses under combined hydraulic and mechanical loading–unloading conditions are shown to be interpretable within the framework of effective stress theory, underscoring its applicability to unsaturated soil behavior.