Dynamic damping ratio of mudded intercalations with small and medium strain during cyclic dynamic loading

Identifying the dynamic damping ratio attenuation behaviour of mudded intercalations with small and medium strain is valuable. This work aimed at exploring a correction model to describe the relationship between the dynamic damping ratio and small and medium dynamic strain. The impacts factors included (i) dynamic strain, (ii) confining pressure, (iii) water content, (iv) clay content, and (v) frequency. Specimens of mudded intercalations were sampled from China, and remodeled to prepare for the dynamic triaxial tests with small and medium strain. The test results show that the dynamic damping ratio under a low frequency is correlated with the small and medium dynamic strain (negative), confining pressure (positive), water content (positive), and clay content (initially positive and then negative). The correction model offers a good adaptability to the dynamic damping ratio of mudded intercalations and other soils with small and medium strain. The correction model parameters are impacted by clay content (strongly), water content (strongly) and confining pressure (weakly). When frequency is excessive, the dynamic damping ratio is correlated with the small and medium dynamic strain (positive), confining pressure (initially positive and then negative), and water content (negative); no significant correlation with clay content was detected.