Deformation characteristics of a compacted clay in wetting tests under isotropic and triaxial stress state

Deformation in collapse has been studied with a triaxial test apparatus modified for unsaturated soil. Two kinds of wetting tests, in which the conditions of suction and stresses were known, were conducted for specimens of a compacted clay. Deformation characteristics in collapses under different stress states were studied and discussed. The relations between void ratio change and increase in water content observed in collapses under these different stress states have the same tendency. And in the case of triaxial stress state, it took several times hours till collapse occurred than that which were needed in the case of isotropic stress state. These test results mean that, after inundation, the states of the uasaturated soil is independent of the stress state, but the process of deformation and absorption during wetting process is affected by the stress state.