Defining the critical state line from triaxial compression and ring shear tests

A. Sadrekarimi, S. M. Olson

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

The critical state (or critical void ratio) line is the locus of void ratio-effective stress conditions achieved after shearing a soil to large displacement and after all net void ratio changes and effective stress changes are complete. The triaxial compression test is commonly used to define the critical state line of sandy soils. In this study, we present drained and undrained triaxial compression and ring shear tests that are used to define the critical state line of a silty sand sampled from the Mississippi River near Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA. All specimens were prepared by pluviating the dry sand through air. The results show that both drained and undrained (or constant volume) triaxial and ring shear tests reach critical state at similar shear displacements prior to the onset of particle damage in the ring shear tests. A unique critical state line can be defined for these states. At larger shear displacements only possible in the ring shear tests, considerable particle crushing happens and dominates the sand behavior and only after very large shear displacements (> 750 cm) particle crushing ceases to continue and a complete particle rearrangement is reached. At this state, the stresses and volume of the sand become constant which corresponds to the critical state of the crushed sand. A unique line can also be drawn for this state. These unique critical state lines indicate that they are not influenced by the drainage conditions and shearing modes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
Subtitle of host publicationThe Academia and Practice of Geotechnical Engineering
Pages36-39
Number of pages4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Event17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, ICSMGE 2009 - Alexandria, Egypt
Duration: Oct 5 2009Oct 9 2009

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering: The Academia and Practice of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume1

Other

Other17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, ICSMGE 2009
Country/TerritoryEgypt
CityAlexandria
Period10/5/0910/9/09

Keywords

  • Constant volume
  • Critical state
  • Ring shear
  • Sand
  • Triaxial shear
  • Undrained

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology

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