Ring Shear Tests on a Carbonate Sandy Silt

The paper describes a series of ring shear tests on a carbonate sandy silt designed to simulate soil shearing caused by pile installation and soil shearing resistance developed during pile loading. The tests were performed on the soil and on soil-steel interfaces at large displacements. The soil tests were carried out at constant normal stress conditions, whereas the soil-steel tests were carried out at constant normal stress and constant normal stiffness conditions. The results of the tests are presented and their implications for the behavior of displacement piles are then discussed.