Preparing Test Specimens Using Undercompaction

A specimen preparation procedure is presented that offers an improved method of preparing reconstituted sand specimens for cyclic triaxial testing. The method leads to more consistent and repeatable test results. This procedure (1) minimizes particle segregation, (2) can be used for compacting most types of sands having a wide range in relative densities, and (3) permits determination of the optimum cyclic strength of a given sand at a given dry unit weight.