Effective tensile strength of lightly cemented sand

An indentation test was developed to indirectly determine the effective tensile strength of lightly cemented sand by iterative method. The description of the test is followed by a discussion and comparison of the determination of the effective tensile strength of soil under a framework proposed in previous research. Test results reveal that, in general, tensile strength is proportional to indenter diameter (a) to specimen diameter ratio (b), a=b, and has no apparent relationship with the specimen height (H) to diameter ratio, H=2b. The iterative method provides a more realistic approach to compute the tensile stress beyond the traditional method. In addition, the iterated parameter, K, was found to be linearly related to the a=b ratio, for a given specimen, regardless of H=2b value. Finally, the effective tensile strength was verified by an indentation test in conjunction with the pressure plate test and consolidated undrained triaxial test under an unsaturated soil framework. © 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.