Behavioural Patterns of Fine Sands

Abstract

The behavioural patterns of five fine sands are investigated in the Hollow Cylinder and the triaxial apparatus under undrained loading conditions. The paper focuses on distinctive patterns of undrained response of sands, namely an unstable or brittle response associated with strength reduction after a transient peak and a stable response when a continuous increase in strength with loading is observed. The influence of various parameters such as particle shape, grading, addition of fines, consolidation history, stress level and loading conditions on sand behaviour is examined. Particle shape and angularity has much more significant influence on sand’s response pattern than small variations in the grading curves of uniform sands. However, larger variations in the grading curves or the addition of even small contents of fines (<5%) can also alter the behaviour of a sand from stable to brittle. The response of a sand to cyclic loading is related to its response to monotonic loading. Anisotropic consolidation does not appear to alter the mobilized angle at failure and phase transformation during torsional loading.