University of Canterbury

Hollow Cylinder/Torsional Shear Soil Element Test Apparatus

University of Canterbury is seeking to purchase a dynamic cyclic hollow cylinder-torsional shear (HCTS) apparatus. This instrument is for the purpose of monotonic and cyclic strength and stiffness testing of soil elements (sand-sized particles and finer) at frequencies up to at least 1 Hz and to large shear strains.
This project is to enable a wide range of stress paths and deformation modes to be applied to soil elements, including shearing soil to very large shear strains with monotonic and cyclic HCTS tests.
UC is aiming to enable multiple research teams within UC to continue conducting high-quality research into the behaviour of NZ soils when undergoing numerous important loading conditions. These include:
• Earthquake shaking (including soil response when undergoing liquefaction);
• Natural slope instability and large shear strain response (e.g., slope failures induced by heavy rainfall and/or ground shaking);
• Engineered slope instability (e.g., instability of tailings storage facilities/embankment dams [Fanni et al., 2023]);
• General response of soils undergoing complex stress paths (e.g., changes in soil stress states during excavation, building and retaining wall construction, groundwater fluctuation, etc.)

Department/Business Unit: Planning, Finance & ITS