Experimental data from three-point bending tests on unstabilized rammed earth specimens with varying clay content

Overview Experimental data from laboratory three-point bending tests (3PBT) for the chacaterization of the fracture behavior of unstabilized rammed earth. Three-point bending tests (3PBT) Conducted on prismatic unstabilized rammed earth specimens (100 mm × 100 mm × 450 mm), according to the European standard for concrete specimens (EN 14651) and the recommendations of the International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems, and Structures (RILEM) for the "determination of the fracture energy of mortar and concrete by means of three-point bend tests on notched beams". A notch was cut in the lower central part of each sample using a disk saw to a depth equal to 1/3 of the specimen’s height (33 mm). The notched samples were then positioned on the two roller supports, spaced 400 mm apart, and the test was carried out by applying a vertical load at the center of the top face of the beam, with an initial displacement rate of 0.09 mm/s. To compensate for the self-weight of the specimen, elastic bands were employed. Materials Four series of samples – A, B, C and D – were manufactured, each one with a different particle size distribution, achieved mainly by varying the clay content in the mixture. According to the European Soil Classification System (EN ISO14688-2), Soil A (25% clay) was classified as clayey sand, Soil B (40% clay) as gravelly clayey sand, Soil C (65% clay) as sandy clay, and Soil D as pure clay (100% clay). Specimen preparation Specimens were compacted in layers applying the compaction energy per unit volume and using the rammer specified for the Proctor compaction test (ASTM D1557-12), adding a water content equal to the optimum moisture content of the soil. Data Description The data in this repository correspond to raw measurements from uniaxial and diagonal compression tests, provided in CSV format. Files are named as XY.csv, where X indicates the series (A, B, C or D, depending on the clay content) and Y is the specimen ID. CSV files have the format: Tiempo, Deformacion, Fuerza, Fisurometro, Def. Canal 5, Def. Canal 6, Def. Canal 7, Def. Canal 8 Tiempo: testing time in seconds. Deformacion: vertical displacement recorded by the machine in millimeters. Fuerza: applied load in kilonewtons. Fisurometro: crack mouth opening displacement measure by the clamp transducer, in millimeters. Def. Canal 5, Def. Canal 6, Def. Canal 7, Def. Canal 8: vertical displacement at midspan measured by displacement transducers n. 5, 6, 7 and 8, in millimeters.