Effect of physical parameters on static undrained resistance of sandy soil with low silt content

Abstract

Previous researches concerning the behavior of sand mixed with non-plastic fine show that the void ratio related to sand grains ( e c ) plays a more important role in comparison with the total void ratio, where soil undrained resistance will be improved due to increase in FC at the constant e c . In spite of this fact, the recent works indicate that e c is unable to show perfectly the role of the non-plastic fines that are in voids between sand grains. For this reason, an equivalent void ratio ( e c ) eq has been defined that takes into account the non-plastic fine participation ratio in the soil bearing skeleton. In the present work, the generality of the expression of ( e c ) eq is verified. For this, a set of static undrained triaxial tests were performed. The results of tests indicate that the undrained behavior of a given sand mixed with different percentages of non-plastic fine can be described by ( e c ) eq . But if the grading curves of sand change, we cannot find a logic retention between ( e c ) eq and undrained resistance of soil, unless the physical and mechanical characteristics of soil are well introduced in expression of ( e c ) eq .