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The mechanical property of montmorillonite clay at high pressure and implications on fault behavior
Author(s) -
Wang Chiyuen,
Mao Naihsien,
Wu Francis T.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl006i006p00476
Subject(s) - montmorillonite , overburden pressure , geotechnical engineering , strain hardening exponent , geology , hardening (computing) , drop (telecommunication) , materials science , high pressure , plasticity , composite material , thermodynamics , telecommunications , physics , layer (electronics) , computer science
Preconsolidated montmorillonite clay was deformed up to 30% strain at confining pressures up to 4 kb (400 Mpa) under undrained conditions. The deformation was characterized by plastic yield, strain hardening, a broad peak strength at large strain, and a gradual decline in strength thereafter. In some cases the sample was ruptured, with stress drop of the order of 0.1 kb. At confining pressures greater than 2 kb, the peak strength was about 0.35 kb and did not depend markedly upon confining pressure. These results may have important implications on the stability and the strength of faults.