The influence of the age-hardening of silty loamy sand on its strength determining by pre-compaction stress

The influence of age-hardening of silty loamy sand soil on its strength, characterised by pre-compaction stress, was investigated. Soil samples were uniaxially moulded in steel rings at water contents 11, 15, 19% w/w by preloading up to 1.35, 1.45, 1.55 g·cm-3. Obtained pre-compacted samples were stored in sealed plastic bags at constant water content. Later, after approximately 0.1, 8, 24, 72, 144 h, samples were removed from the bags and reloaded. The obtained strain-stress relationships were used for calculation of pre-compaction stress values. Presented experimental results show the significant increase in soil strength within a few days after the soil samples were preloaded.