A Long-term Resilient Modulus Rate Dependent Model for Freezing–Thawing Coarse-Fine Mixtures Geomaterials

Abstract The cyclic loading frequency ( f cyc ) effects on the resilient modulus ( M r ) of freezing–thawing coarse–fine mixtures geomaterials (FTCFG) have always been a research hotspot. A series of long–term cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on FTCFG having different fines content (FC) under different number of freeze–thaw cycles ( N FT ) to investigate the effect of f cyc and deviator stress amplitude ( q cyc ) on the M r of FTCFG. The freezing–thawing cyclic was found to improve the M r of FTCFG. Additionally, M r of FTCFG shown an obviously rate–dependent characteristics. Then three kinetic effects (rate effect, piston effect, and fatigue effect) are discussed in systemically which are related to q cyc , f cyc and moisture holding capacity ( w h ). Finally, a rate dependent model of long–term resilient modulus was developed to predict FTCFG materials’ resilient moduli as a function of q cyc , f cyc and w h . The comparisons between the calculation and experimental results reveal that the present model describes the M r of FTCFG well.