Determination of Lateral Stresses in Boom Clay Using a Lateral Stress Oedometer
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DETERMINATION OF LATERAL STRESS IN BOOM CLAY USING A LATERAL STRESS OEDOMETER Determination of Lateral Stresses in Boom Clay using a Lateral Stress Oedometer Mendoza, Ruena Cordero March, 2004 I DETERMINATION OF LATERAL STRESS IN BOOM CLAY USING A LATERAL STRESS OEDOMETER Determination of Lateral Stresses in Boom Clay using a Lateral Stress Oedometer by Ruena Cordero Mendoza Thesis submitted to the International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Obser- vation in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Earth Resources and Environmental Geosciences with specialisation on Geological Engineering Thesis Assessment Board Dr. H.R.G.K. Hack (Chair) (ITC) L.F. Gareau , M.Sc. (supervisor1) (TUD) Ir. W Zigterman (supervisor 2)(ITC) Dr. ir. D.J.M. Ngan-Tillard (TUD) Ir. M. Huisman (ITC) Ir. H.L. Jansen (Fugro) INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION ENSCHEDE, THE NETHERLANDS II DETERMINATION OF LATERAL STRESS IN BOOM CLAY USING A LATERAL STRESS OEDOMETER I certify that although I may have conferred with others in preparing for this assignment, and drawn upon a range of sources cited in this work, the content of this thesis report is my original work. Signed ……………………. Disclaimer This document describes work undertaken as part of a programme of study at the International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Observation. All views and opinions expressed therein remain the sole responsibility of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of the institute. III DETERMINATION OF LATERAL STRESS IN BOOM CLAY USING A LATERAL STRESS OEDOMETER Acknowledgement My study in ITC has been molding my professional life, it has not only molded my academic interest but as well as my total being. It is interesting to be in Geological Engineering group in Earth Resources and Environmental Sciences. It was nice staying in ITC Enschede for five months, with such a very short stay there, it had been so fruitful and worthwhile. I learned and broaden my knowledge about GIS and Remote Sensing. I was able to learn other cultures that are very different from the culture that I grow up with. For my stay here in ITC Delft, it had been so rewarding to learned many things and tighten up the ties among us here in ITC (Delft) as well as with TUDelft staffs and students. This opportunity to study and broaden my knowledge about life could not be materialize if not for the people who supported me all throughout this life changing experience. For the people who have been supportive to for this study, my heartfelt gratitude to all of you: To the University of San Carlos (Cebu, Phils) most especially to my Civil Engineering Fam- ily for giving me this opportunity as well as to the WaterPlus Project who is funding my stud- ies. I appreciate the people of the Earth Resources and Environmental Geosciences (EREG) of ITC for knowledge they imparted to their students. I also give my heartfelt thanks to the Geo- logical Engineering group of ITC (Dr. Hack, Zigterman, Slob and Huisman, Z. Sicai) as well as the Engineering Geology group of TUDelft (Maurenbrecher, W. Verwaal, Rupke, A. Mulder, Gareau; Dr. Ngan-Tillard) who pass on their knowledge to their students. For my supervisors Laurent Gareau, for conceptualising this research and full time support and guidance, and to Walter Zigterman for his comments and knowledge. For the technical support of Arno Mulder and Whim Verwaal , thank you so much. For my USC family here in Delft as well as other Filipinos, thank you for letting me feel at home even if we are miles away from the people we care. To Andrea (Dang) whom I get to know better and establish good friendship with, salamat kaayo. To my friends in ITC, Enschede&Delft, I am so grateful to all of you. To all the Filipino in Enschede, thank you for your friendship. To Lynne and her family, your friendship means a lot to me. Thanks so much for the company during the social gatherings, for making me feel special during the important days in my life while I am here in the Netherlands, for the con- cern you have for me and for the advices you gave me. To all my good friends back home, thank you for your moral support. To Xenia; Thony Mar- tinez and Rosalita Kong, thanks for the friendship, I appreciate all the support you have for me. To my college friends and friends in the college of Law, I am grateful to all of you. To Ate Perla and Ate Elvie who are here in Europe, thanks for the warm welcome during my visit in each of your home and for showing me around. To my parents, thank you for all your moral as well as financial support. To my mom for her love and prayers as well as to my father for his advice, care and understanding, I appreciate all of these things. To my brothers: John, Rey, Junjun and Romel, thanks for all of your care and support. To Mariza, I am glad you became a part of our family and bringing Niez and MJ to our family. As a gratitude to my parents for all the wonderful things and the support they gave me, this thesis is dedicated to both of you. IV DETERMINATION OF LATERAL STRESS IN BOOM CLAY USING A LATERAL STRESS OEDOMETER Abstract The Boom Clay formation is a well-studied deposit in terms of its geotechnical and geologi- cal properties. These studies are in line with the projects such as the WesternScheldt tunnel, the nuclear disposal site in Mol, Belgium, Western Scheldt barrier and other related projects in Belgium as well as in the Netherlands. It is a tertiary deposit that is outcropping in the Northeastern part of Belgium. This clay is a deposit that is known of not being overrun by glaciers as contrary to the Pot Clay that are being pushed by the glaciers during the ice age. At the beginning of this research project, it was assumed that such formation is cross- anisotropic due to its stress history that is primarily compose of deposition and erosion. In the present research study, the lateral stress oedometer used to determine the anisotropy of the Pot clay is used in Boom Clay to test the isotropy/anisotropy of its lateral stresses. There have been few modifications on this lateral stress oedometer, so together with the testing of Boom Clay, assessment of these modifications is also considered. The soil specimen used in conducting the test using the lateral stress oedometer is Boom Clay that is extracted from the WesternScheldt area. Four samples tube are being used in the laboratory test and each of the test displays anisotropy with respect to the three points that are 120L apart from each other. The anisotropic lateral stress oedometer was designed (Hegterman, 2003) such that it will be able to keep track of the lateral stresses of these three points in response to the vertical load applied to the soil. Such lateral stress oedometer functions the same as the standard oedometer with additional feature of being able to determine the isotropy/anisotropy of the soil specimen. Assessment of the stress history of the Boom Clay will be determined from the result of the lateral stress oedometer. The tests results suggest that the Boom Clay has some degree of ani- sotropy with respect to its response to the applied vertical load and it seems there is anisot- ropic stiffness of the deposit in its horizontal plane. As compared to the Potclay, the degree of anisotropy in Boom Clay is less than that of the Potclay (Hegtermans, 2003). The values suggest that the magnitude of the anisotropy of the Boom Clay is lesser than that of the de- posits overrun by glaciers. According to Schokking et. al. (1995), the Boom Clay in the Western Scheldt has fissures that are due to stress relief during tectonic uplift and subsequent erosion while Dehandschut- ter et al.(in press) concluded that these fractures of the Boom Clay at Mol and Antwerp is of regional importance and these fractures are results of the combination of compaction and consolidation as well as uplift and bending. The anisotropic stiffness in its horizontal plane of the Boom Clay in Western Scheldt can probably be due to the uplift and flexure or bending of the deposit in such area which seems to agree with the results of Dehandschutter. V DETERMINATION OF LATERAL STRESS IN BOOM CLAY USING A LATERAL STRESS OEDOMETER Table of Contents 1. Introduction---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.1. Motivation----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.2. Project Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 1.2.1. Steps/Procedure ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 2. Geological History of The Netherlands and Belgium during the Tertiary------------------------------ 5 2.1. Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 2.1.1. Climate--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 2.1.2. Terms----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 2.2. Tertiary--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 2.2.1. Paleocene------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 2.2.2. Eocene --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 2.2.3. Oligocene------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------