INTERGRANULAR VOID RATIO AND THEIR RELATION WITH SOIL

STRENGTH COMPACTION PARAMETERS

Abstract Intergranular void ratio plays an important role on the compressional stress-strain
characteristics of soils consisting of fine and coarse grains of different percentages. The
interrelation of fine and coarse grains in a soil mix has been focus of researchers including recent
field observations of liquefied soils containing varying amount of fines with different
characteristics. However, evaluation of compression characteristics of these soils merits
importance as well. In this context Inter granular void ratio plays an imp role on the
compressional stress-strain characteristics of soils consisting of fine and coarse grains of
different percentages. From Laboratory tests on reconstituted sand and kaolinite mixtures a
threshold value of fines content (transition fine content) has been found. Coarser grain soil
matrix governs compression below this value and finer grain soil matrix governs above the same.
Furthermore, different soils have varying transition fines content which is mainly dependent on
effective stress, global void ratio, maximum void ratio of the coarser material and initial
conditions. The paper under review aims at understanding the influence of inter granular void
ratio on 1-D compressional soil behavior with emphasis on a more systematic consideration of
fines on sand behavior in order to investigates the effect of fines on one-dimensional
compression behavior of sandy soils.
Keywords: strength, compression, inter granular void ratio, fines content, clay, sand

Introduction
Research work, in relation to stress-strain
and shear strength of coarse grained soils,
focusing on clean sand, has been carried out
to clarify the factors that are efficient in
liquefaction mechanism, whereas some
other studies have, likewise, focused on the
compression mechanism of the sands.
Contrary to this coarse-grained soils may
------------------------------------------------------
contain considerable amount of clay or silt
inthe field. Research in the field on influence
of fines content on shear strength behavior of
granular soils was accelerated by observation
of liquefaction in granular soils involving
significant amount of fine grains;(Georgi
annou et al., 1990); (Covert, K. M., Yamam
uro, 1997); (Lade, P. V., Yamamuro, 1997);
(Thevanayagam, S., Mohan, 1998);(Salgado
et al., 2000);(Covert, K. M., Yamamuro, 199
7);(Yamamuro, J. A., Covert, 2001) ;(Thevan
ayagam, S., Martin, 2002);(Xenaki, V. C.,
Athanasopoulos, 2003) ;(Naeini, S. A., Baziar
, 2004). However, compressional characteris-
tics of coarse grained soils due to fine content
should also be kept in mind. Stress-strain
relationships during one-dimensional
compression were modeled mostly using
empirical equations. For example, in the
Hardin’s model, influence of fines content is
reflected on the dimensionless stiffness
coefficient for one-dimensional strain and
determination of the particle crushing stress
parameters. Another model by Pestana and
Whittle (1995), explained four parameters for
expressing non-linear volumetric behavior of
freshly deposited cohesion less soils in
hydrostatic and one-dimensional
compression, yet stress influence of fines on
compressional behavior was not accounted
for directly. Schanz and Vermeer (1998) also
established a stress-strain model for one-
dimensional compression in which models
have been developed based on the data for
cohesion less granular materials, where stress
is transmitted by direct grain contacts.
However, presence of certain amount of fines
may result in deviation of compressional
behavior of sand from clean sands.
Nevertheless, a considerably small amount of
research work has been done on intergranular
void ratio and the associated engineering
properties of soil. This paper reviews the
research conducted on the effect of
intergranular void ratio and the soil strength
and compaction.
Literature review
Over the last many decades, considerable
focus has been put into understanding the
instability of granular materials, with a
special interest in geotechnical earthquake
engineering, and studied with intergranular
void ratio models (Thevanayagam, S.,
Martin, 2002),(Thevanayagam, 2007) .
Thevanayagam (1998) suggested a formula
for intergranular void ratio based on global
void ratio and fines content (FC) as follows:
�+
𝐹��/100
1−
𝐹��/100
In the research conducted on the cyclic
induced pore water pressure generation,
densification features and dissipation (post-
liquefaction) of granular matrix it was found
that a mixture of sand and granular matrix,
containing non-plastic silt and same sand,
produce similar volumetric-strain response,
post liquefaction, at equivalent intergranular
void ratio of same nature. (Thevanayagam,
S., Martin, 2002) defined equivalent
intergranular void ratio as:
� + ( 1 − � ) ��
1 − (1 − �)��
Where, fc= FC/100, e= void ratio and b=
coefficient dependent on gradation
properties(Thevanayagam, 2007) Based on
the similar post-liquefaction strain
(volumetric) figures, sandy silt has a similar
sandy silt produces a similar response as
host silt. Moreover, it was observed that a
matrix of granular matrix containing sand
and silt, and the same host sand has like
compressibility (volume), at similar
equivalent intergranular void ratio. However,
silt content has no impact on soil
compressibility.(Thevanayagam, S., 2012) .
Considering similar silt-sand mix,
coefficient
of volume compressibility (mv) seemed to be
influence by equivalent intergranular void
ratios. It was further noted that mechanical
properties of soil, such as undrained shear
strength, cyclic strength, shear wave velocity
and shear modulus of granular matrix, have a
good correlation with the equivalent
intergranular void ratio.(T. Kanagalingam ;
S. Thevanayagam, 2006), Ni et al. 2004,
(Thevanayagam, 2000), Thevanayagam
2007a-b, (Yang, S. L., Sandven, R., &
Grande, 2006) for sandy silts and silts, and
sands and silty sands (Thevanayagam, S.,
2012)
Further, in a study by Yang et al (2004), on
cyclic behavior of silt-sand mixtures, it was
deduction was made that, with a large
dataset, intergranular void ratio can be used
to characterize the findings with less
containing fines (FC) less than limiting fine
content, based on the relationship between
cyclic stress (10 cycles) to liquefaction and
global intergrain void ratios (Yang et al,
2004). Previously it was postulated that the
strength of soil at high FC is dependent on
the inter- fine void ratio, whereas strength of
soil with lo FC depended on intergranular
void ratio, considering that the limiting FC is
known ) (Thevanayagam, S., Martin, 2002)
and (Thevanayagam, 2000) . Ratios of cyclic
stress are also decreased, with increase in
intergranular void ratios, alongwith increase
in cyclic pore water pressure. It was, thus,
concluded, the behavior (cyclic) of silt-sand
mixtures is independent of FC amount, but
can be assessed through intergrain void
ratios (S Yang, R Sandven, 2004)
In a research communication, to assess the
critical state and subsequent start of
instability of silty sand by the effect of fines
content, intergranular void ratio and simple
void ratio was utilized to investigate the
behavior of silty sand in the presence of fines
content. When the tests were conducted for
undrained behavior sand with FC, it was
found that the
peak shear strength is dependent on
intergranular void ratio, density and void
ratio.
Study carried out by M. bilKhatir et. al on
loose, medium dense and dense sand (Dr =
12,
50 and 90%) on sand silt mixture under
monotonic and cyclic loading. He considered
the matrix of sand with fines as a combination
of two sub-matrices: a coarser grain matrix
and a finer grain matrix. Moreover, series of
undrained triaxial compression tests were
carriedout on reconstituted saturated silty
sand samples with fines contents ranging
from 0 to
50%. The study show that increase in the
amount of fines leads to a decrease in the
deviator stress.
Figure 1:Influence of the fines content on the
undrained response of the sand–silt mixtures ( σ3 =
100 kPa, Dr = 50%). (M. bilKhatir et. al)
Fig 2 shows that undrained shear strength
measured at the phase transition point versus
the global void ratio and fines content. It is
clear from this, that the undrained shear
strength at the phase transition point
decreases linearly as the global void ratio
(fines content) decreases for all densities (Dr
= 12, 50, and 90%) up to 30% fines content.
It means that when the global void ratio (the
fines content) is decreased, the undrained
shear strength at the phase transition point
also decreases. This is not the case of the
sand–silt mixtures, where the behaviour of
silty sand soils is influenced by contacts
between coarse grains, which should be
quantified rather by the inter granular void
ratio than by the global void ratio. Beyond
Fc
= 30% the undrained shear strength at the
phase transition point decreases almost
linearly with increasing global void ratio
(fines content) for the three densities (Dr =
12, 50, and 90%).
hydraulic conductivity with the increase in
the fines content for both relative densities.
Moreover, the slope of the saturated
hydraulic conductivity line is very
pronounced for higher fines contents (Fc =
30, 40 and 50 %) compared to smaller fines
contents (Fc = 0, 10 and 20 %).

Figure 03 (a)

Figure 2: Undrained shear strength at the phase

transition point versus fines content and global void
ratio (σ3 = 100 kPa).

Figure 3 shows the variation of the

saturated hydraulic conductivity (ksat) with
the initial relative density (Dr) at various
fines contents. It is clear from this Figure
that an increase in the relative density
results in a decrease in the saturated
hydraulic conductivity (ksat) at a given Figure 03 (b)
fines content. However, the hydraulic
conductivity decreases with the increase of Figure 3 (a and b): Hydraulic conductivity
the fines content at a given relative density. versus global and intergranular void ratio at
It can be noticed from the results of this various fines contents (r3’ = 100 kPa)
study that there is a significant
decrease in the
Intergranular void ratio influenced the
undrained shear strength of different type of
soil. Different undrained tests are conducted
to get relationship with the intergranular
void ratio. The result of Some undrained
monotonic tests tells that global void ratio
does not represent actual behaviour of the
soil and undrained residual shear strength is
inversally proportional to the intergranular
void ratio which means that with the
increase of intergranular void ratio the
Fig. 04 Intergranular void ratio versus undrain shear strength (a) and Peak shear strength (b)
Conclusion
The global void ratio does not appear as a
pertinent parameter to explain the
mechanical response of sandy soils mixed
with low plastic fines. Undrained monotonic
triaxial tests on loose, medium dense and
dense silty sand indicate clearly that a
correlation between the undrained residual
shear strength (Sus) and the intergranular
void ratio (es) can be obtained. For the range
0-50% of the fine content, it is shown that
the undrained residual shear strength
decreases linearly with the increase of
intergranular void ratio.
undrained shear strength will decreased and
same is happening with the fine content of
the sand-silt mixtures up to 50% as well.
Undrained cyclic test results show that the
increase of the intergranular void ratio and
the fine content accelerate the liquefaction
phenomenon for the stress ratio under study
and the liquefaction resistance decreases
with the increase of the intergranular void
ratio and the loading amplitude.
In fact, when the fine content is increased in
the range of 0-50%, all the fine-grained soil
mostly fills the voids among the sand-grain
matrix and the contact between sand grains
decreases and thus the intergranular void
ratio increases. As the fine content increases,
the undrained residual shear strength
decreases up to 50% fine content. The global
void ratio is not a pertinent parameter to
explain the saturated hydraulic conductivity
response of the sand–silt mixtures. The
saturated hydraulic conductivity (ksat)
correlates very well with the fines content up
to 50 %. Indeed, there is a relatively high
degree of correlation between the fines
content (Fc) and the logarithm of the
saturated hydraulic conductivity [log (ksat)]
for both initial relative densities.
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DOI
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searchgate.net/figure/Variation-of-the-
intergranular-void-ratio-with-the-global-
void-ratio-and-fines content-r_fig6_260361
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