EFFECT OF INTERGRANULAR VOID RATIO ON ONE- DIMENSIONAL

COMPRESSION BEHAVIOR

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 in the 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;(Georgiannou et al., 1990); (Covert, K. M., Yamamuro, 1997);
(Lade, P. V., Yamamuro, 1997);(Thevanayagam, S., Mohan, 1998);(Salgado et al.,
2000);(Covert, K. M., Yamamuro, 1997);(Yamamuro, J. A., Covert, 2001) ;
(Thevanayagam, S., Martin, 2002);(Xenaki, V. C., Athanasopoulos, 2003) ;(Naeini, S.
A., Baziar, 2004). However, compressional characteristics 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.

Intergranular Void Ratio

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:

e+ FC/100
1−FC /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:
e + ( 1−b ) fc
1−( 1−b ) fc
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 (m v) 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.

References:
Covert, K. M., Yamamuro, J. A. (1997). 5th Great Lakes Geotechnical / Geoenvironmental
Conference, Michigan. Static Liquefaction of Silty Sands, 1–20.
Georgiannou, V. N., Burland, J. B., & Hight, D. W. (1990). The undrained behaviour of clayey
sands in triaxial compression and extension. Geotechnique, 40(3), 431–449.
https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1990.40.3.431
Lade, P. V., Yamamuro, J. A. (1997). Effects of non-plastic fines on static liquefaction of
sands. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 34, 918–928.
Naeini, S. A., Baziar, M. H. (2004). Effect of fines content on steady-state strength of mixed
and layered samples of a sand. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 24, 181–187.
Nguyen, T.-K, Benahmed, N., Hicher, P. –Y, Nicolas, N., K.-T. C. and J. Z. (2015).
Bifurcation and Degradation of Geomaterials in the New Millennium. Springer Series in
Geomechanics and Geoengineering.
S Yang, R Sandven, L. G. (2004). Cyclic Behaviour of Sand Silt Mixtures. Proceedings of the
International Conference On Cyclic Behaviour of Soil s and Liquefaction Phenomena,.
Salgado, R., Bandini, P., & Karim, A. (2000). Shear Strength and Stiffness of Silty Sand.
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 126(5), 451–462.
https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)1090-0241(2000)126:5(451)
T. Kanagalingam ; S. Thevanayagam. (2006). Energy Dissipation and Liquefaction
Assessment in Sands and Silty Soils. Geo Congress.
Thevanayagam, S., Martin, G. R. (2002). Liquefaction in silty soils- screening and
remediation issues. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 22, 1035–1042.
Thevanayagam, S., Mohan, S. (1998). Intergranular void ratio-steady state strength relations
for silty sands. Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics III, 75(1), 349–360.
Thevanayagam, S., S. T. (2012). No Title. In Geotechnical Applications for Earthquake
Engineering: Research Advancements.
Thevanayagam, S. (2000). Liquefaction potential and undrained fragility of silty soils. 12th
World Conf. Earthq. Eng.
Thevanayagam, S. (2007). Intergrain contact density indices for granular mixes I -
Framework. J. Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Vibrations.
Xenaki, V. C., Athanasopoulos, G. A. (2003). Liquefaction resistance of sand- silt mixtures:
an experimental investigation of the effect of fines. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake
Engineering, 23, 183–194.
Yamamuro, J. A., Covert, K. M. (2001). Monotonic and Cyclic Liquefaction of very loose
sands with high silt content. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering,
314–324.
Yang, S. L., Sandven, R., & Grande, L. (2006). Instability of sand–silt mixtures. Part of
Special Issue: 11th International Conference on Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering
(ICSDEE): Part II.