Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of Gradation and Non-plastic Fines on Monotonic and Cyclic Simple Shear Strength of Silica Sand

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Monotonic and cyclic direct simple shear tests with shear wave velocity measurements were conducted on a series of silica sand gradations to examine the effect of both fines content and grain size distribution. Two test series were considered, one with parallel gradations with decreasing D50 and constant Cc, Cu values (N-series), and a second one where Cc was kept constant and Cu, D50 values varied (W-series). In both series, the fines content varied from 0 to 50%. The most dramatic effects were noted for the clean sands as the Cu value increased and for the silty sands as fines content increased from 1 to 50%. In general, static and dynamic behavior was observed to depend on the amount of fines, Cu and D50 values. The same was true for pre-cycling and post liquefaction shear wave velocities. Post-liquefaction shear wave velocities were on the order of 8–13% of the pre-cycling values.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

C c :

Coefficient of curvature

C u :

Coefficient of uniformity

D 10 :

Grain size in which 10% of soil pass (mm)

D 30 :

Grain size in which 30% of soil pass (mm)

D 50 :

Grain size in which 50% of soil pass (mm)

D 60 :

Grain size in which 60% of soil pass (mm)

CSR :

Cyclic stress ratio

\(\sigma_{axial - initial}^{\prime }\) :

Initial normal stress (kPa)

\(\sigma_{axial}^{\prime }\) :

Normal stress (kPa)

τ cyclic :

One-directional cyclic shear stress amplitude (kPa)

u r :

Pore pressure ratio

References

  • Amini F, Qi GZ (2000) Liquefaction testing of stratified silty sands. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 126(3):208–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belkhatir M, Arab A, Schanz T, Missoum H, Della N (2011) Laboratory study on the liquefaction resistance of sand–silt mixtures: effect of grading characteristics. Granul Matter 13:599–609

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bishop AW, Webb DL, Skinner AE (1965) Triaxial tests on soil at elevated cell pressure. In: Proceedings of Sixth International Conference Soil mechanical and foundation engineering, Montreal, vol 1, p 170

  • Brignoli EGM, Gotti M, Stokoe KH (1996) Measurement of shear waves in laboratory specimens by means of piezoceramic transducers. Geotech Test J 19(4):384–397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carraro J, Bandini P, Salgado R (2003) Liquefaction resistance of clean nonplastic silty sands based on cone penetration resistance. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 129(11):965–976

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carraro J, Prezzi M, Salgado R (2009) Shear strength and stiffness of sands containing plastic or nonplastic fines. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 135(9):1167–1178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castro G (1975) Liquefaction and cyclic mobility of saturated sands. J Geotech Eng Div ASCE 101(GT6):551–569

    Google Scholar 

  • Choobbasti AJ, Ghalandarzadeh A, Esmaeili M (2014) Experimental study of the grading characteristic effect on the liquefaction resistance of various graded sands and gravelly sands. Arab J Geosci 7:2739–2748

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong Y, Lu N (2016) Dependencies of shear wave velocity and shear modulus of soil on saturation. J Eng Mech (ASCE) 142(11):04016083

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doygun O (2009) Monotonic and cyclic undrained loading behavior of intermediate soils. Master thesis, University of California, Davis

  • Finn WL, Ledbetter RH, Wu G (1994) Liquefaction in silty soils: design and analysis. Ground failures under seismic conditions, Geotechnical Special Publication No. 44, ASCE, pp 51–76

  • Guccione M, Hehr L (1991) Origin of the sunk lands in the New Madrid seismic zone: tectonic or alluvial. Seisimol Res Lett 62:171

    Google Scholar 

  • Holtz RD, Kovacs WD, Sheahan TC (2011) An introduction to geotechnical engineering, 2nd edn. Pearson Education, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hough BK (1969) Basic soil engineering, 2nd edn. The Ronald Press Company, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishihara K (1993) Liquefaction and flow failure during earthquakes. Geotechnique 43(3):351–415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishihara K (1996) Soil behavior in earthquake geotechnics. The Oxford Engineering Science Series, No. 46. Oxford University, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Kokusho T, Hara T, Hiraoka R (2004) Undrained shear strength of granular soils with different particle gradations. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 130(6):621–629

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuerbis R, Negussey D, Vaid VP (1988) Effect of gradation and fines content on the undrained response of sand. In: Proceedings hydraulic fill structures, Fort Collins, USA, pp 330–345

  • Lee KL (1965) Triaxial compressive strength of saturated sands under seismic loading conditions. PhD Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley

  • Lee KL, Seed HB (1967) Drained strength characteristics of sands. J Soil Mech Found Div ASCE 93(SM6):117–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitman TD, Robertson PK, Sego DC (1994) Influence of fines on the collapse of loose sands. Can Geotech J 31(5):728–739

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polito CP, Martin JR II (2001) Effects of nonplastic fines on the liquefaction resistance of sands. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 127(5):408–415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roy TT (2010) A study of the effects of gradation on the liquefaction of silica sand. Master thesis, University of Hawaii at Manoa

  • Salgado R, Bandini P, Karim A (2000) Shear strength and stiffness of silty sand. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 126:451–462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seidman J (2007) Static and dynamic properties of various sands using a direct simple shear apparatus. Master thesis, University of Hawaii at Manoa

  • Shen CK, Vrymoed JL, Uyeno CK (1977) The effects of fines on liquefaction of sands. In: Proceedings of the ninth international conference on soil mechanical and foundation engineering, Tokyo, Japan, vol 2, pp 381–385

  • Stamatopoulos C (2010) An experimental study of the liquefaction strength of silty sands in terms of the state parameter. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 30:662–678

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart D, Knox R (1995) What is the maximum depth liquefaction can occur? In: Proceedings: third international conference on recent advances in geotechnical earthquake engineering and soil dynamics, vol III, St. Louis, Missouri, Paper No. 3.55

  • Taiba AC, Belkhatir M, Kadri A, Mahmoudi Y, Schanz T (2016) Insight into the effect of granulometric characteristics on the static liquefaction susceptibility of silty sand soils. Geotech Geol Eng 34:367–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thevanayagam S, Shenthan T, Mohan S, Liang J (2002) Undrained fragility of clean sands, silty sands, and sandy silts. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 128(10):849–859

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaid VP (1994) Liquefaction of silty soils. Ground Failures under seismic conditions. Geotechnical Special Publication No. 44, ASCE, pp 1–16

  • Vaid YP, Fisher JM, Kuerbis RH, Negussey D (1990) Particle gradation and liquefaction. J Geotech Eng 116(4):698–703

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xenaki VC, Athanasopoulos GA (2003) Liquefaction resistance of sand–silt mixtures: an experimental investigation of the effect of fines. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 23:183–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yilmaz Y, Mollamahmutoglu M, Ozaydin V, Kayabali K (2008) Experimental investigation of the effect of grading characteristics on the liquefaction resistance of various graded sands. Eng Geol 100:91–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Youd TL (1972) Compaction of sands by repeated shear straining. J Soil Mech Found Div ASCE 98(SM7):709–725

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Hawaii, 2540 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

    O. Doygun & H. G. Brandes

  2. Geolabs, Inc., 2006 Kalihi Street, Honolulu, HI, 96819, USA

    T. T. Roy

Authors
  1. O. Doygun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. G. Brandes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. T. Roy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. Doygun.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Doygun, O., Brandes, H.G. & Roy, T.T. Effect of Gradation and Non-plastic Fines on Monotonic and Cyclic Simple Shear Strength of Silica Sand. Geotech Geol Eng 37, 3221–3240 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-019-00838-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-019-00838-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation