The 'creep' behaviour of soil under long-term sustained load is called:
Choose the correct answer
Immediate elastic compression on loading
Secondary consolidation — volume change under constant effective stress due to viscous particle rearrangement (creep)
Swelling on unloading
Piping failure of sand
Correct Answer
B. Secondary consolidation — volume change under constant effective stress due to viscous particle rearrangement (creep)
Why is this the answer?
Secondary consolidation (creep): volume change (compression) occurring at constant effective stress, after primary consolidation (excess pore pressure fully dissipated). Due to: plastic rearrangement of soil fabric (clay particles, organic matter). Cα = secondary compression index = Δe/Δlog(t). Significant in: highly organic soils, soft clays, peat. Cα/(Cc) ≈ 0.04–0.06 for inorganic clays, 0.05–0.1 for organics.
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