Abstract
Determining the maximum and minimum void ratios of granular soils is very important because it can be correlated with engineering behaviors such as soil permeability. Empirical relationships can be used for determining the void ratio, but they have many limitations related to the shape and the size distribution of the grains. Analytical methods improve the empirical relationships. In this paper, we present enhancements to the model of Chang et al. by combining the model of Youd et al., as Chang–Youd models, to make it more convenient and also to extend its usage to be suitable for determining the maximum void ratio. The Chang–Youd models are verified with experimental tests performed by the authors. Compared with the experimental results in the literature, the Chang–Youd models are also effective but more convenient and practical.
Highlights
Enhanced Models to Determine the Minimum and Maximum Void RatiosEnhanced Method to Calculate the Minimum Void Ratio
Mono-sized, binary-sized, multisized particles were investigated experimentally by An et al [2], Fuggle et al [3], McGeary [4], and Yu and Standish [5]
Chang et al [14] presented an analytical model to determine the minimum void ratio, eMi, of granular soils composed of n-sized particles (d1, d2, . . . dn) and their volume fractions (y1, y2, . . . yn). ey assumed that the minimum void ratio for packings containing particles of equal size of d1 is e1, and the void ratio of packings containing particle size d2 only is e2
Summary
Enhanced Method to Calculate the Minimum Void Ratio. E maximum and minimum void ratios depend on particle’s shape, as R and Cu stated by Xiao et al [15] and Youd [8]. Park and Santamarina [16], based on the study of Youd [8], proposed that the minimum void ratio ei can be calculated using empirical formulas, equation (3), without loss of the model accuracy: 0.082 0.371 ei −0.012 +. Following the same way of deriving equation (1), we found that it is possible to determine the maximum void ratio from the model of Chang et al [14] if we calculate the “maximum” void ratio for a packing containing monosized particles ei Particle size di (i 1 to n) is the average particle size for each division, which corresponds to a size ratio di/di+1 < 1.8, stated by Chang et al [14]
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