Loading Tests on Clay

Synopsis As an introduction to this Paper, a short comparison is made of different common theories for calculating failure load for loaded plates on clay. The properties are given for the clay at the actual spot where the test loadings described in the Paper were performed. The test loadings were made with plates of different shape and size. The connexion between the shape of the plates and the failure load is illustrated, and a comparison made with earlier theoretical calculations and with results from different areas. One of the main reasons for the investigations has been to try to get a picture of the movements which actually occur at failure in the clay under a loaded plate. This has been attained by taking up undisturbed clay cubes with about 35cm-edge length, whereupon a large number of lead-shots have been brought into the interior of the clay through a few holes only. (The clay ought to have remained practically undisturbed during this operation.) Afterwards a plate on the clay surface was loaded...