Bender Element is a non-destructive test performed in soil specimens to determine the small-strain shear modulus (Gmax) of the soil. Gmax is an important soil property which helps us to understand the elastic behaviour of the soil and to evaluate its response to dynamic loading, such as earthquakes, passing vehicles and vibrations. Figure 1 presents the various tests available to determine the shear modulus, G, of a soil. Shear modulus gets its maximum value (Gmax) at very small values of strain (within the elastic deformation field and usually at shear strains less than 10-3 %) which can be achieved only with a bender element test. This makes them very popular tests in soil mechanics. Moreover, due to its nature, a Bender Element test can be combined with another, main soil test on the same specimen (e.g. Triaxial or Consolidation) and can give estimations of the shear modulus at various stages of the main test. The Bender Element test can be performed multiple times on the same spec ...

This Blog covers sample assembly for the Dynamic Simple Shear with Confining Pressure System. This includes undisturbed and remoulded specimens for both confining pressure tests, and confining ring tests.

This system is used for repetitive situations such as offshore wind turbines, where the structure has to withstand the varying strength of wave motion.

Dynamic Triaxial testing is performed on soils when it is necessary to evaluate their strength and deformation properties under cyclic loading conditions. These conditions might include dynamic loading coming from earthquakes, passing vehicles and trains, sea waves, wind, vibration machines etc. There are many variations of Dynamic Triaxial tests and the user should select the one that is most accurately simulating the conditions in the field.

An introduction to Direct Shear Testing