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Intergranular void ratio and undrained monotonic behavior of Chlef sand containing low plastic fines

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Abstract

Stability analysis of soils prone to static liquefaction based on their monotonic undrained shear strength characteristics is an indispensable challenge in earthquake geotechnical engineering. This paper presents a laboratory study on the static behavior of Chlef sand–silt mixtures (with a silt content fc range from 0 to 50%); under low confining pressures. The experimental program includes undrained triaxial monotonic tests which were carried out for five types of samples, consolidated under different confining pressures (σʹc = 20, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kPa). On the samples preparation, the dry pluviation funnel has been used with a medium relative density (Dr = 60%). Main results obtained indicate that the fines content and initial confining pressure have a significant influence on instability stress and steady-state ratios of sand–silt mixtures. Moreover, the obtained data confirm the existence of a simple correlation between undrained instability stress, steady-state ratios, fines content, void ratios, and effective confining pressure. From the results obtained, nevertheless it can be concluded that the global void ratio does not represent the actual behavior of the soil under study, and the undrained residual strength decreases with a logarithmic manner with the increase of the intergranular void ratio, and a similar trend is occurring with the fine content of the sand–silt mixtures up to 50% as well.

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Abbreviations

C c :

Coefficient of gradation

C u :

Uniformity coefficient (Cu = D60/D10)

b :

Active fraction of fines in force structure

D 10 :

Effective grain diameter

D 30 :

Grain size corresponding to 30% finer

D 60 :

Grain size corresponding to 60% finer

D 50 :

Mean grain size

D :

Diameter of the sample

Dr:

Relative density

ε a :

Axial strain

e max :

Maximum void ratio

e min :

Minimum void ratio

e :

Global void ratio

e g :

Intergranular void ratio

e* :

Equivalent granular void ratio

f c :

Fines content

TFC:

Threshold fines content in decimal

φ SS :

Steady-state friction angle

H :

Height of the sample

χ :

Particle size ratio, χ = D10/d50

r :

Particle size ratio, r = (1/χ) = d50/D10

PI:

Plasticity index

σʹ c :

Initial effective confining pressure

pʹ :

Effective mean pressure

q :

Deviator stress

q S S :

Deviatoric stress at steady state

γ s :

Unit weight of solids

Δu :

Excess pore water pressure

DEP:

Dry funnel pluviation

WT:

Wet tamping

V T :

Volume of device cell

m S :

Weight of the sample used in test on gr

B :

Skempton coefficient

S us :

Residual shear stress

q S :

Deviatoric stress at the quasi-steady state

φ S :

Mobilized friction angle at the quasi-steady state

QSS:

Quasi-steady state

SSL:

Steady-state lines

q S S (ult):

Ultimate shear strength

Δu (ult):

Pore water pressure at the ultimate conditions of the tests

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Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank the reviewers for their constructive and detailed comments. Tests were performed in the Laboratory of Material Sciences and Environment (LsmE) at UHBC University of Chlef. The present study was financially supported by the General Directorate for Scientific Research and Technological Development (DGRSDT).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LsmE, Laboratory of Materials Sciences and Environment, Univ. UHBC of Chlef, 02091, Chlef, Algeria

    Ismail Benessalah & Ahmed Arab

  2. Civil Engineering Department, FGC&A Faculty, Univ. UHBC of Chlef, 02010, Chlef, Algeria

    Ismail Benessalah, Ahmed Arab & El-Hadj Meziane

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  1. Ismail Benessalah
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Correspondence to Ismail Benessalah.

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Benessalah, I., Arab, A. & Meziane, EH. Intergranular void ratio and undrained monotonic behavior of Chlef sand containing low plastic fines. Acta Mech 232, 1621–1640 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00707-020-02923-0

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