ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Experimental Assessment of Structural Collapse in Pyroclats
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1
Structures and Building Physics, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
2
Geotechnical Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
Submission date: 2024-10-27
Final revision date: 2025-01-31
Acceptance date: 2025-02-11
Online publication date: 2025-03-09
Publication date: 2025-03-09
Corresponding author
Fausto Molina-Gómez
Structures and Building Physics, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Avenida Juan de Herrera 4, 28040, Madrid, Spain
Civil and Environmental Engineering Reports 2025;35(2):15-23
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ABSTRACT
During intense volcanic eruptions, the magma forcefully expelled gives rise to pyroclastic materials, such as volcanic ashes and macro-porous rocks. This magma has the potential to shatter into small particles with a notably expansive surface area. Meanwhile, the solidification of larger magma fragments in scoriae and pumices produces a high gas content. Consequently, abundant voids and bubbles within the pyroclasts lead to high porosity and low density. The geomechanical behaviour of these pyroclasts is complex due to their internal structure and the bounding between their particles, which may break under relatively low confinements, producing a structural collapse that calls for a distinctive approach to tackling geotechnical challenges within these volcanic rock formations. This paper describes novel procedures to assess the structural collapse of various pyroclasts collected in the Canarias Islands (Spain). The outlined procedures cover sampling, laboratory handling and isotropic compression triaxial tests. Following these recommendations ensures reliable characterisation of the structural collapse of pyroclasts, which can be utilised to calibrate constitutive models and construct or design geotechnical structures
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