Engineering behavior and correlated parameters from obtained results of sand–silt mixtures

Abstract

The results of an experimental study on sands with low-plastic silt content are presented. Flexible wall permeameter tests, drained and undrained triaxial compression tests, one-dimensional consolidation tests, and undrained cyclic triaxial tests were performed on specimens with a low plastic silt content of 0%, 15%, 30%, 40%, 50% and 60% by weight. The soil specimens were tested under three different categories: (1) at a constant void ratio index; (2) at the same peak deviator stress in a triaxial test; and (3) at a constant relative density. The results were observed to be somewhat different from previous studies with non-plastic silt content and plastic fine content. Cyclic triaxial tests showed that an increase in silt content causes a decrease in the cyclic resistance ratio with a silt content up to 40–50% and thereafter causes an increase in the cyclic resistance ratio with further increases in silt content. The results of triaxial tests indicated that the value of the peak deviator stress changed with different types of specimens, and the greater internal friction an angle has, the stronger is the liquefaction resistance. Flexible wall permeameter tests concluded that the saturated hydraulic conductivity slowly decreases with an increase in silt content in the range from 0% to 30% and considerably decreases with a silt content greater than 30%. A one-dimensional consolidation test postulated that increasing silt content decreases the coefficient of consolidation. In addition, the global void ratio did not appear to be a pertinent parameter in explaining the behavior of sand–silt mixtures, while fine content and intergranular void ratio were suitable parameters for explaining the behavior of sand–silt mixtures. Finally, correlated parameters from obtained results were also presented in this study.