Non-Linear Elasto-Plastic Behaviour of Lacustrine Clay

The paper presents the experimental investigation and analysis of the non-linear elasto-plastic stress-strain behaviour of normally consolidated lacustrine clay. Drained triaxial stress path tests were performed on natural block samples of Swiss lacustrine clay. Data were analysed using plasticity theory and the shape and extent of kinematic yield and bounding surfaces were determined and found to be elliptical but not congruent. Cross-anisotropic elasticity was used to quantify elastic strains to permit plastic strain increment vectors and hence a plastic potential surface to be define

Economic Sampling and Extraction of Undisturbed, High Quality Samples in Normally Consolidated Lacustrine Clays Using a Large Diameter Tube

This paper describes the development, design and use of a large diameter sampling tube. High quality test specimens are essential for the investigation of mechanical properties of a soil for high risk projects and when complex and expensive testing methods are to be used. Block sampling is recommended to give the highest sample quality for clayey soils, however, extracting blocks of normally consolidated lacustrine silty clay without excessive disturbance was challenging due to the inherent structure of the soft varved silty clay and difficulty in maintaining Ko conditions, as well as no vertical strain, in the sample. A new sample tube, with an inner diameter of 196mm, an area ratio of 4% and an outer cutting-edge angle of 11° was designed to offer a larger cross sectional area than conventional thin walled sampling tubes, to provide the necessary side support and to prevent water ingress at the sides of the sample. The length-diameter aspect ratio was 1.275 to optimise the amount of clay sampled for subsequent testing and in an attempt to minimize the pressure in front of the tube. Samples were taken in initially newly excavated trenches at a depth of c. 1m with this new sampler and with conventionally sampled soil specimens, prior to the main testing programme with samples from 6m depth. A comparative study was then performed including preliminary unconsolidated unconfined compression tests followed by anisotropically consolidated undrained triaxial compression tests. It was important to establish whether this approach had led to an improvement in sample quality prior to embarking on an extensive triaxial stress path testing programme on this varved soil (Messerklinger, Non-linearity and small strain behaviour in lacustrine clay, 2006; Messerklinger and Springman, Geotech Test J 30(6), 2007; Messerklinger and Springman, Geotech Geol J, 2008). The results showed that the undrained shear strength of the specimens from the new sampler was consistently around 20% higher than that of specimens extruded from conventional thin walled tube samplers. This confirmed that samples with a significantly higher quality could be extracted from normally consolidated, fine grained, varved lacustrine deposits with this large diameter ‘block' sampling tub

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS