Geotechnical Characterization of Structurally Complex Formations: Advanced Laboratory Testing Mariacristina Bonini Research Assistant Politecnico di Torino (Italy) e-mail:
[email protected] ABSTRACT This paper focuses on specific issues of advanced laboratory testing of Structurally Complex Formations. The former introductory paper on this subject showed that standard laboratory testing may clarify a few aspects related to swelling potential, water content and hydraulic conductivity and determination of the strength parameters by means of triaxial tests. It is was soon evident that further research was required to characterize the relationship between the behavior of the natural and reconstituted soil and to improve comprehension of the role which structure played in the setting up of the testing procedure and interpretation of results. The outcomes of this survey are described in the following. KEYWORDS: Structurally Complex Formations; Reconstituted Specimens; Advanced Laboratory Testing; Oedometer Tests; Triaxial Tests. INTRODUCTION The rock materials considered in this study pertain to the Raticosa and Osteria tunnels, pertaining to the Italian High Speed Railway project between Bologna and Florence. The tunnels were partly excavated through the Chaotic Complex Tectonised Clay Shales (CCTCS) formation, soft rocks with complex structure subjected to time-dependent behavior. The laboratory specimens obtained from cubic samples taken at the tunnel face were subjected to a number of standard laboratory tests (e.g. classification, physical properties, mineralogical composition, swelling behavior, hydraulic conductivity, triaxial testing) devoted to interpret the complex mechanical behavior of the CCTCS Formation. An introductory paper (Bonini 2012) collected the results of the standard laboratory testing (Bonini 2003) which evidenced the presence of a structure made of clay fragments of various shapes and sizes, spaced by a net of fissures and planes of different roughness and orientation.