Compressibility and small strain stiffness of kaolin clay mixed with varying amounts of sand

Hyunwook Choo, Woojin Lee, Changho Lee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This experimental investigation quantifies the compressibility and small strain stiffness of kaolin clay mixed with varying amounts of sand particles. The theoretical background of binary mixtures, including critical and limiting fines contents, porosity of binary mixed soils, and the concept of interfine void ratio, were reviewed. In addition, modified oedometer tests were conducted to measure both the compression index (Cc) and maximum shear modulus (Gmax) of sand-clay mixed soils. The results of this study demonstrate that the critical fines content (FC*) of tested mixed soils is less than 40% and the limiting fines content (FCL) is around 80%; therefore, the Cc and Gmax of tested mixed soils with fines content (FC) = 80% and 90% are entirely determined by the small particles, reflecting the applicability of the concept of interfine void ratio for mixed soils with FC > FCL. In contrast, the Cc and Gmax of tested sand-clay mixed soils with FC = 40% and 60% can be captured by the concept of equivalent interfine void ratio with fitting parameter m = 0. Therefore, the mechanical behaviors of tested sand-clay mixed soils with FC* < FC < FCL are determined by both large and small particles.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-10
Number of pages10
JournalKSCE Journal of Civil Engineering
DOIs
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2016 Nov 28

Keywords

  • compression index
  • fines content
  • interfine void ratio
  • kaolin
  • sand-clay mixed soil
  • small strain stiffness

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering

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