Determination of tensile strength in soils as a geotechnical design parameter through correlations using numerical models
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15649/2346075X.5919Keywords:
Soil tensile strength, compressive strength, indirect tensile test, compression–tension correlation, pile group, numerical modeling, diaphragm wall, urban deep excavation, strut, wall horizontal displacement, wall moment diagramAbstract
Introduction. Tensile cracking can affect the stability and performance of geotechnical structures, particularly when tensile failure mechanisms develop in soil masses. Objective. To establish a correlation between σc and σt in soils through laboratory testing and numerical modeling. Materials and Methods. Unconfined compression and indirect tensile tests were conducted on three predominantly sandy soils with different fines contents. Numerical simulations were performed to reproduce the stress conditions of both tests, and statistical analyses were applied to evaluate the relationship between σc and σt. Results. Tensile strength (σt) was significantly lower than compressive strength (σc), ranging between 17% and 19% of σc. A positive linear relationship was identified between both parameters, with high correlation and determination coefficients. Numerical simulations showed good agreement with experimental data. Conclusions. A correlation equation between σc and σt is proposed for the analyzed soils, allowing the indirect estimation of tensile strength from compressive strength values. Its applicability is limited to soils with characteristics similar to those studied.
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