The shear behavior of the pipe-soil interface determines the frictional resistance of pipe jacking. In the interfacial direct shear tests of well-graded dense sand against steel pipe under both unlubricated and lubricated scenarios, the shear stress initially exhibits hardening followed by softening. The shear band forms in the hardening stage, and significant morphology of the shear band varies in the softening stage. Eventually, the shear band exhibits a bell-shaped distribution in the pattern of horizontal displacement influenced by boundary conditions and fabric anisotropy. Coarse particles exhibit greater displacement and more intense softening due to larger initial void ratios and rotational radius, while specimens with more fine particles possess smaller maximum vertical displacement away from the interface and larger critical interface friction angle. Increased normal stress restricts particle displacement, resulting in larger shear displacement at peak state, more severe particle breakage, reduced shear band thickness, and increased peak interface friction angle. The shear stress reaches the critical stage earlier with bentonite slurry (omega = 6 %) due to reduced dilatancy and particle breakage. When the slurry concentration exceeds 14 %, overall sliding of particle displacement occurs instead of the layered distribution with increased vertical particle movement and noticeable stress softening. Continuous accumulation of irreversible dilation might induce forward movement of overlying soil. Moreover, excessive slurry concentration increases hardening and interfacial friction coefficient.

With the widespread application of Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) shield technology, the generation of shield muck has been increasing yearly. This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of bentonite-silty clay modified slurry (BSC) as a soil conditioner for enhancing the workability of sands during EPB shield tunneling, thus enabling the recycling and reuse of the discarded muck (waste silty clay). Standard slump tests were conducted on three typical sand specimens from Shenyang Metro Line 6. The influence of the types of conditioners and slurry injection ratio (SIR) on slump values were examined to determine an optimal conditioning scheme tailored to the specific formation conditions. Furthermore, the study explored the combined use of BSC and foam to improve workability, employing a three-factor four-level orthogonal experiment. Finally, the rheological parameters (yield stress) derived from the slump tests provide valuable insights for assessing material flow within the tunneling system. The results show that comparative analyses with pure bentonite slurries reveal that BSC is a suitable, economical, and effective alternative for soil conditioning. The particle size distribution of sand specimens significantly influences the conditioning process, necessitating adjustments to SIR and slurry viscosity for optimal results. When the slump value of slurry-conditioned soil falls within the range of 150-250 mm, the slump test can be effectively used to estimate its yield stress under atmospheric conditions. This study contributes to the development of sustainable and economical solutions for soil conditioning in urban tunnel projects, particularly by utilizing excavated materials effectively.