Characterization of mechanical behavior of binary granular assemblies through the equivalent void ratio and equivalent state parameter

Abstract

The proposed research of this experimental investigation aims to study the effects of fines content, fabrics type and confining pressure on the undrained shear strength response of Chlef sand-silt mixtures under static loading conditions using the equivalent void ratio (e*) and equivalent state parameter (ψ*) concepts. For this purpose, a series of undrained monotonic triaxial tests was carried out on reconstituted saturated sand-silt mixture samples with fines content ranging from 0 to 40% (Ip=5%) at an initial relative density (Dr=52%) and subjected to different confining pressures (σ’3 = 100 kPa, 200 kPa and 300 kPa). The different samples were prepared in such a way that two fabrics types were produced: dry funnel pluviated fabrics and wet deposited fabrics. The obtained results show that the wet deposited fabrics exhibits a higher state parameter (ψ) than the dry funnel pluviated fabrics. The state parameter confirms that the wet deposited fabrics were more vulnerable to liquefaction phenomenon than the dry funnel pluviated ones. Moreover, the obtained data confirm the existence of a linear relationship between the dry funnel pluviation and wet deposition in terms of equivalent void ratio (e*) and exponential relationship in terms of equivalent state parameter (ψ*).