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561U NuvcllllJea'. I!Hl1 6
.Iouruul of the
SOIL f\IECIIANICS AND FOllNDATI00:S DIVISION
Prncl.'cdings of Ihe Americun SOCil.'ly of Civil Engilll'ers
UNDRAINEDSTIlENGTH CHARACTERISTICS OF COHESIONLESS SOILS
, By H. Balian Seed,' M. ASCE. and Kenneth L. Lee,' A. M. ASC
- ' ,' I
INTRODUCTION ,.:1
; I
, '.,;r
In most practical cases where saturated couestontess soils are involved
In slablllly problems, Ihe rat e of applicallon of dl:Hur\)ing tor ces Is so slow
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that any chauges In pore water pressure Induced by Ihe loads an' di ss ipated as
u.e loading progresses. Thus the strength characteristics of lnt ereat a r e
Ihose developed under drained condtttona In the laboratory .
In cases Where rapld loading occurs, however, even cohesi on less soils
may nol have time to drain during the loading process and the undrained
strength must be determined. Such cases Involving one-directton loading might
Include (t) the effects of btast loading on soli deposits, (2) Ihe effects In the
luunedlat e epl ceut ral region of a small local ea rthquak e, for which ground
accel erations may ue very high but of very short duration, and (3) Ihe eff ect s
In ve ry clos e proximity to me causallve fault of a strong eartnquakc.atthoug},
Ihis may depend on t he r elattve position of the earlh srructure involved and
Ihe zone of fault displacement. Under more general ea rthquak e condlu ous,
conestontess soils Illay he undrained during loading but tne srr es s or sj r aln
a ppl tc a t tons will ue cyclic In uatur e , Cyc li c loading effecls a re quite dlffcl'ent
from those In whl eh the S\l'ess or strain Is Increased progressively unlll fail-
ure occurs. Conventional sf r ength det er mlnattons are only made fur Ihis laller
- unlll- .\prlli-:t9li8. To eXlendlllt: II.I-;;-on"
\\'1'111 1:1\ 1'!!'1ueSI must lie lII!!d \\'1111 Ihe Lxceullvc S!!Crcl.ry, ,\SCE. This Ilap"r is pari
of lhe copyr illhlcd Journul 01 Ihe Soli ,\Icehanlcs allil 1'0ulld"IIo,>IIS 11I\'IslulI. I'rucccdlllils
ul Ihe ,\ Il\ed e,," 01 Civil 1I11l11l"crs. \'01. !l3. :-': 0 . :-'; u\'c," loc r ,
scripl wns sull,"IHc,1 for review for poasuue (lIIlIlIcall')1I UII 1!lli" ,..c '"
I Prof. of Clv. ElIl(rll., IJnlv. of Cul lfom ill. IIcl'kl:lcr. Calif. ,
2,\Ssl. Pr of. of ElIl;rt:,. ('"Iv , of Calilurnla. Los ..\IIIl"I"s . Calli .
333

------------....---.......,............
,
1!Jli7 (j
"',lulllilJlI, .uul 1J1I. ,-dl...'li,.II;1I load al'lllkalioll,; III thh trp. an' Ih,' on ly
l'IIlHlilillll ('III1Sldl'I'( 'd h('I"('iu.
.[ "
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1'1l1::\'IOUS I:-\VESTIGATIO:-;S
'..
'
1
, Sin.,(, lhe ('arlr expr-rjuu-ut s of ougtnecrshave 1'1'1:01:'

nlH'd that 1"llrl III ,lilal" .By filling a rubhur LJag
with llah1l'alo',1 and !hell(ll'fol'lnlllj(II, Ir eynoktsueruonsu-nt ed ljualilallvl,l\,
Iha l 1111<1",' 11I"lraln.'(1 eonuit iuus , Ihl' tendency Ior dl lat iou will le ad 10 Ihe
oI"\'I'lopl1ll'lIl ,)f neRaliv(, pore wat e r pressur es IIIIhe s and and a resultillg ill-
crease ill ,;11"I'nl:lh,
II was1I11111nlll Ihed.HailedsludlcsbyCasagralllle,' however, that the uature
of Iht' vnlumt- ch aug es IIIsanus Iluring shearing, anll Iheir relauonshtp 10 Ihe
dl'lI1illy "l' Ihe lland and Ihe cOllfinlng presSure were placed on'a quautitative
bnsfs, Callal:l'al1ll(' IIl'1I\0llSlral'I'II Ihal UIllII'I'condu lo ns where volume changes
ca u o.' ,' t1l' allli lo r allY givell clllllinillg 11I'csSure, toose rluriug
slu.ar alld uuate. leadlllg10Iheposlulali on of a critical void ralio,
..ril, fo,' which 'UI volume change would occur dur iug loading, It was also
s huwn tha t lhe e ritlcnl vnid rnttn is nol a conSlanl for any given soil hUI111'-
crvases as '11,' cun(ining pressure rncreases.' .
. In kl:l'pillR wilh Ihls concept It was r ecoguized that unuer undrailled loallill,[
couuit l ous , Ioos o would lenll to cOllllll'ess leauing 10 Ihe d 'I
Ilosili\'l' plll'l' I' pressures and deus e sands would 11'111110 expalld wilh a
1'('SUIlIIlI; dccl'ease In pore waleI' pressul';s. Thet endency for I1Q.re preSSUI'es
10 during undrailled loadillg of loosesands and the decrease
III rCllglh has ort en Ut'CII clledas Ihe of flow slidedeyelonmenl In Ihe
r,
.
;
i
fnll,'willg Ihe of Ihe critical void rallocOllcepl, a ""OIller of
11II'II,",ls w,'re for delermlnlng Ihis soil characlerl sllc. llow-
eve", Ihc cOllc epl ha s beell used ollly for qualilalive of Ihe
adl'quac}' IIf Ihe of dellsity of coheslonless soils ill Ihe field alld does lIul
apllC:lI' 10 havl' Ue'Cn fO!'ljuanlilallve evaluallons of unlh-aineu slrengths.
The I.he
'lI"plOllls, II" ""lIl he llillll/lllq' 01 ,\ledln IIlgl(1 I'lIrlleles III Caillile,,"
'; er ies fl, \'01, 2U, 1'1'.
( uSagrand. ', :\ . - Claa n u.:l c r is li c s ui CllhcSlunlcsti Sulls .\ lI c c ll nt; Ihe SI.d) l li t r uf
;11,,1rar\h Fill s , iUII,;! Sull )Jechillli cs. 1925- J lIustuu :: i<:wlely uC
( h'll Lllhllu:l:n . 1!J;lo.
-'.t: asag r ;II Hh' , \ . " T il L' SIWilrlll1:: Ih.'tilslaUL:c uf Sulls I1IHI Us Ilclilliun 10 the Sl il l, i l ily
II I Lal'lh Palll:i," :-iuils Hlhl FUIlUdiliiou ConCcrcuL:c uf thL' r .:i , I-:Ul]:hU':Cf
Ih:parluH'IlI, JUlie , 19JR . - _ -
I; P" ( ' " "I'.." ux tal Shear Itctica rch Pn.lHl'illll. PI "ugI' CtiS ItcJlul"I
1111 ;,,\ ul l rael Filldillg S411\ ' C}'. Coqls uf Engineers." l' . .s.; \ 1' 111)' Ellb inc cl'
II aiel'''aI's ';1'1 11011 , \'Ieks,",r!!. )1155" I!H7,
. /.ill;hi. I,.. elt t l\llcksnn i)HOltSuh Cta}". " 1111
1I';o.,. a H lOllh-n'lH"l ' un .\ It:eh:m k s , 19-11_ - - ---
& :)on::i, hlC., r\C\ \ \Olk
." ( ;""-' '' : r .. C' , ,\\ ' I., "CrUlLal 1ll-nsilj' uf SO.lIeIllileh SIlIlIls: lroeee,Il!!Ji:!., 21111
lUll 1Il,IIIOll,II ( IClll :C un )'lcL:haHleS nutl FOllJulatlull Enginecring, HOUcrdilill.
\ d l u: r l all d s . \ 'ul. :1, pp_ 12,j-1 :1lI .
335 UNnil AI:"-n:r) S1'II ENGTII CIlAIlACTEIlIST ICS
were clal'ifie<l hy and [Win'" who showed that :
I, In all undraluert t est Oil a saturated saud, Ihepore waleI' maL
de crcase uUI 11 will 1101' drop below a value oC about -I al!u.; 011 reaching IIlis
the po ...., waleI' will ca vil a l e and sruatt buubtes of wat e r vapour aud
all' will fO"111 in Ihe soli votus .
2. In undrained lesls In which cavitallon OC!:..ll.rs In the por1: waler , Ihe
of failure in t er ms of total\Iresses will have a slope equal 1o the
a ngl e of frlcllon 01 nIl' sand.
J, In unuralned Icsls in which cavilalion 1101'S nol occur, 1111: I:nvelope of
lailure inlCrOiS of lolal slresses wlllbehorizonl al, cOlT es llondi ng "Io 'I' ,. ' O.

In a subs equent Sluuy'lI Ihe sallie lnvesttgator s domoustrutcd that the maxi-
mum effecllve prtnclpal str-ess r auoand Ihe maximum devtaror stress occur
at different stages of an undrained rest and thus Ihe angle of friction in t erms
of et tecn ve stresses , uetermtned (rom such leSIS, will vary wilh mo c rit e rion
01 lailureadopted. If Ihe maximum effecllve prtnctpa l rauo used as
a failure crllel'loo,lheresulllngangleoffrlcllonln terms of ettecuve str esses
is somewhat lower than Ihal measured in draluedtests Oilthe same sou bUI it
In good agreemenl wllh Ihal dct ermincd [rom drained lest dnta after Ihe
ext erual work done due 10ulralancflias been deducted.
Furtner evidence deruonst rat ing Ihe uidepeudence of tne unllrainell reugl h
of uoncavit attug samples ofsaturnt ed saudamisillfrom the confining pressure
used in Ihe 11'51 waspres enteduy Nash" and Penman." III a subsequent study
Newlaml aud Allely"'''' pr es ented Iurthe r undrained t est data for lead snot
and developed a method of ana lysis 10 relate Ihe resulls 10 oulaineu in
drained lesls on Ihe same malerial.
Wilh the exceplion of Ihls lallt'r sludy, however, few allelllpis have becn
madt' 10 rclal dralneu anu unuraineu slrenglh anll, fUI'lher-
IIlnre, very Iimiled dala have lIeen oblalned for noncavllating on uense
The presenl "Iully was conducled wllh Ih e dual ohjective of 11I'oviding
data to help remedy Ihls laller deficiency aod also of Ihe appll-
'''lIish"I', ,\. 1\' .. "nil Ullill, ,\. h , to" .....hc Elfeel of :ilrl:SS ' lIllh" U"lalloll
Belween alUl Pt:u-osll}" ot ::ilIlUJ." JrLl Inlcl"llullonal Cunference on Soli
all' I V'"lllliallull Enl;IlIeerlng, ZlIrlch, S\\,Ul.cl'lalltJ, \ul. I, pp, IUO-lil5,
IlJ'i::ihup, .\ . \\ and"Eldin .\. t\.. G. Tdaxtal un Sa h l r a l c ,1:iao,ls
aHtl tllelr SiJ::'ulhcal\ec 111 lhc licll c .. a l Thc orrot St n:-nglh." (iclJl cL:hnl'luc . \ 'ul. 2.
I'P, IJ-J2, - ,. ----
u I ... "on,t: Ilc sl SlilHCCuf a flne C los e l y (il"lldcd Pr uec c, linHt:i .
:. n l Inlcrnalhmnl Coutcrcl\CC 00 Soli nOli 1wulIIHllon Eng:inc ering. ZurICh.
';\\'Uwrl"nd. ID5J, \ '01. I, PI',
npcnlHilU. ,\ . u_ 'Sheu.. Chur aclt=rl!:illcsufaSal llrn((t.J Slil. in Tdaxial
Cll",prc511lon: \' 01.Ill, 1\0. 8, PI' ,
"!\e\\'I,"ul, 1' , 1.., unll Allely, II, II. . - \'olu,,,e Cha"l:es Illll'inll Ilrai",'tJ TrI "x lal Tesls
OnGranulur ,\ Iale ri a ls , Gealcchnilloe, \' 01. VII, 1957, 1111 ,
" l'e"'\lu)(I, 1'. I. .. all" ,\lIe ly, 0, II. , - Volllllle Challl:cs Iluri"l: IlIIl raille<!
Te lliS0" Salllr;,lc,J 11I1"lenl Ccolcchnl<\utl, \'01.1 \,\ u. ID5D, PI"
IH-182,

LfJkJ{e., T; L'@4 ,

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:: 336 Novcmuer, 1961 Ii su Ii UNDflAINI:;.D STlll::NGTll CIIARACTEllISTICS 331
' 0
. : t."
cauutty ,If a slmpll(ied procedure (or pr edictlug, Irorn drained lest data , the
;'(;' undl'alned str ength of saturated conestculess materla ls ,
it
ClllTlCAI. VOID (lATlO A(';O ClllTiCAL CONFINING Pflt::5SUIlE


.The )'ctalh1nship between volume changes, void rauo anu confining pressure
:H
in drained lesls on a cohestontess matertal Is IlIuslrated In Fig , I, Ita series
1
:/. of lIralned tests Is couducted, using a constant confining pressu re, on samples
.
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halt CO"'''''I' 'a,I, (-... 11.4
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---""<:,,, VOIumf t\- """c-r---(o,.
PI ....I'. :. i.
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Vo.d
Vo,'
ROllO. Rollo
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( . ,hrOi Conl..... nQ P,., ...., e, U)' . I
leI
I'll:. 1.-1l1IXfltl:\SIIlI'S IIEI'\\EI'::-; ,\ '1' F.\II.l 'IIL:.
\'1'111 u.vno. .-\:\11 <:II :\I'I :\I :\C; I'IIESSI 'IlE 1/\ IlllolINI:1I T LSTS
having different void rauos, /' e' alle.' consouuauon under the ccutinlug pres-
sure, the rvlatlousntp between volume change at Callure and void ralio aue r
consolidation will have lhe torm shown In fig . I(II). from a plot of this type,
the critical void ratio, r
cr lt'
that Is, Ihe void ratlo ..
c
or a sample (or which
uiere Is uo volume change al (allure uncle r lhe conClnlng pressure used In the
rust series can readily be deterrnlned. Ifslmllarserlell o( tests are courtucteu
ulling other confining pressures, a series or such relatiousntps can be det er-
nuneu, as shnwn In Fig. 1(/.), lealling 10 a series o( values (0)' Ihe crlt ica l
vot rt r at iu correspondrug' 10differcnt values lhe cou(lning pressnre . F'rom
these re sults. a plot can be made to show the varjatiou or Ihe cr it ical void
ratio, rcrll, with the rnagnituue or lhe confining pressure, as shown in Fig.
Ifr), All the conCining pressure Increases, lhe value orthe critical void rano
decr eases ,
Similarly, a series or drained tests eould be conducted on samptes Initially
cous ounat ed und er dllferenl confining pr easur es but having the same void
ralio after consottdauon, e
c'
under these pressures. In lhls case it would be
found thai the volume change at (allure would vary with lhe conlinlng pressure
as Shown In Fig. 1(11) and II would be possible 10 establish, (or tne particular
value orI!c used In the test serles,lhe value ora confining pressure for which
there would be no volume change at (allure. By analogy wllh lhe definition or
lhe term critical void ralio, the confining pressure for whi ch there would be
nO vulume change at (allure might be termed the critical confining pressure,
o, crll ' corresponding to a pa rtj cutar value oflhe void rallo all er consohuatton,

Void ROllO,
'fI.
O.
Vo.4 Rollo
0""
COOIQhdQIlOft
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FI ( . I)t :TWEE/\ CIlITICo\1. \,(III1IUTlll
.\ 1\11CIlITIC,\ l. C()!'>:f1NING
uy conducting similar series ortests at different values uf "r' a s eries
oC correspoudtng values of critical conllnlng pressure and void i-auo, "c could
he determined. fig. I(d, from which the relationship between o,crll and r
c
could be estaultsneu all shown In Fig. I( /l.
II (ollows (rom the definitions ol crtucal void rallo and critical confi ning
pressure that the r elauonsbtps shown in Figs . 1(1") and IU) are Identical in
Iorm. For example, It, (or rests couduct ed at a confining pressure nt 2 kg per
sq ern, the cdlical void ratio were found 10 be 0.1 Ihen II would necessarily
(011 ow thai (or tests conducted using a void rallo aller consolldalion /'c : 0.1 ,
there would be no volume change alfallure only Itthe confining pressure were
2 kg per sq em; that is, the criti cal confining pressure wouut be 2 kg per sq
cm. Thus , (or samples prepared In the same manner, the relauonslup between
the crlli cal void rallo ecrU and the confining preasur e under which samples
are initially consolidated o, c js also the relationship between the cr it lcat con-
....
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Nuvr-ruhe r, 1!l()1 c
fwinl( 1'1'I ',;sllrl' II ".,.il alhlllH' vuid rut u) aft e r eons o tuta u uu umIe r Ih(' 1'1l1l1lnlUI(
11I' 1'';SUrl', I' " , as shown in Frg. 2.
coxurr roxs AT FAIl ,Um: II'> Ul\D1IAIi"t::D TESTS
If It is as sunu-d Ihal IIIl' r elutroustup between crilical confining pressure
ruut void rnt io Is 11<11 slguitlenutly affccl ed lJy stress hislory ,Iheil the resultu
of undrn iuert rests can reallll}' ue det e rmlued In lel"O\s or me criti cal conIinwg
I'r C'ssurC's. Suppose, for example, an undr atued lesi is concluded on a sarupte
haVing a crtucal confining presaure cor r espondlug 10 tne void ratio att er
c ons ,lllda11"111, of 8 kg pel' 5'1 COl. If Ihe Inilia I conlluing 11I"essul'e in Ihe I est
wI'n' Ir s s. Ihan the cr lttcal confining pressure, say 6 kg pel' sq ern, Ihe s ample
wou"l t eud 10 di lat e during loalling and tuls t eudency would lead 10 a decrease
In P(l,"C' wat e r pr-cs sure aud a cor r esporuting increase in the eff ect i ve confining
,., I
..'... t ,
( """' 9' r-
Vel
ru.; :I. - \ ' CII I'.\IL l.'11 n.sr
'\11 \ 'CIU'\II': ell \ :\ <;1,: ,\ 1' 1',\11.1"111/
1"' C'SSUI't' , The pore water pressure would conll nue 10 change in uus way unt i]
one Ilf 1110'0 Iimillng comtu ious were r eached ;
I. III,' efll' c ll ve confining pressure lJuill up 10 a value equal 10 Ihe Cr il ica l
conlininl( pl'l'SsurC', al which slage Ihel'e woulclheno fu"'hel" lel\llency Illr vol-
unll' change; Ihus Ih,' PO,"t- waleI' pressure woulcl have no lellCl ency 10 ehang('
fUI'II,, :, ' ao,llll" sa'llll'l c w.luld ullimalely fail wilhlhe efleclivl: confining Il"es -
su... ('qual 10 Ihl' l'I"illl'al cllnfinlnl( pressul'e; or
2. Ih,' pllrl ' waleI' pl'cssure (Iroppeo 10 a value of alJoul -I almosphere, al
whkh cavil;ati"n would oceUI ' , lJefore lhe efleclive confining pressn...
ha,1 huill up III Ihe crillcai confining pressure; cavila'liOn occurre'tI Ihen'
coultl he Ilil furl her change lu p....e waleI' Ill'essure and Ihe sample would IJI'
hrllnghl 1,1 lailu re with a known pore waleI' 11I'essure of - I kg pe r:;q Clll .
The strenglh lIflhe sample wnuldlJe(lelel'mlnell lJy whichever (Iflhe cOnlliliollS
(I or 2) was r eached fll'sl.
If Ih e Inllial effective confining pressure III Ihe lesl were grealer Ihan Ihe
cnli(:al confining Ill'essure, say 12 kg per sq cm. Ihe sample would lend 10
Cllmpr('Ss during Illading wllh a resulling Increase In pore waleI' pressure and
a clll'I'esplllldlng dccr ('ase In eff ecll ve confining pressure, The ellecllve con-
fining 11l'eSSUI' e would continue 10 decl'ease unlll II l'eaehel1 a value equa l 10
Ihe crllical confining pressure al which slage Ihcre would lJe uo longer any
l endency for volume changt- and cOfl'espondingly no furlhcr lendency for
changcs in plll ' " waleI' prl'SSure anl\ eflecllve confining pressnre. Thus, again,
e UNDHAI:-IED STIIl::NGTII CIlAflACTElIlSTICS
uie sample woulcl ullimalely fall wilh Ihe effective coufi ning p... -s s u re cqua ] 10
ure crilieal confining pressure.
llased on Ihis approachtue st r eugtns of sampl es of cchestoul ess mat e riats
in uuconsottnated-umn-atned tests and consoltdated-uudra ined t cs t s can readily
he uet e r miued . Itowcver , It ahould he uoreu Ihal In addj t iun 10 rue assumption
Ihal the c r il i ca l confining pr cssure V5 votu ralto r e lat lons hip is essenllally
, llnallecll'd hy st rr-ss htstury , Ihe above reasoninjr a Iso II(nores Iht'fa ct th.u \'01
uuu- chanl:es illl'\'ilahly UCCIII' eveu in samptus which show nu volume dlanl(l' 011
Ia i lu re , All samptes of sauu lend 10 compr-ess 10 some extent uetore Ihey
di lat e anti Ihe volume changes In a sample exhlblling no volume 'cha nge at
failure In a drained leSI have Ihe Iorm shown In Fig. 3. The Ioregulng reason-
Ing assumes Ihal Ihere would lJe 110 volume changes al all hi a sampl e exlub-
il ing no volume chang e al failure.
In view of thes e assumpnons 1115 appa reut thal Ihe usc Ilf values of criucat
coufinlng Ill'essul'e deternuued (rom tlrained rests 10 compute values uf soil
st reugth under uudr alued coudtt iuns Involves some degree of approxuuauou.
Ilowever, since str-ess hlslory ettects anti volume changes under the crilical
c onfi !ling pi-ess ur es a r e likely 10 Ill' small, Ihe st rengths co .ulluled on Ihis
lJasls are likely 10 lJe sutttcteutty accurate for mOSI practrcat purpos es , fur-
the r more, a simplified anti reasonalJly accurate procedure may ollen have
auvautag es for prettrulua ry computau ons over more elauorat e lhllugh slightly
more accurate procedures.
U!'\CONSOLIOATED-Ul\OHAIl\ED TESTS ON SATUIlATEn SA:\O
To tiel ermine uie results of a series of uuccnsottdat cd -undra iuc.t rests ou
samples of saturated sand at tne s ame void rallo It woultl Ii rst ue necussary
10 estaulrsh Ihe Inillal conutuon of Ihe samples. Suppose all samples were
pr epa red 10 an initial votd r-atio (' i and then cousolidated uuue r Ihe s ame con-
fining pressure 0,1' 10 a sllghlly smaller void rallo "I" AI Ihis stage the tot al
sla'esses, pore waleI' pressures, and effecllve Slress es in any sample would
he as shown in Fig. 4(11I. Co .... esponding 10 Ihe void rallo ,', ., Ihere would lJe
some particular value of Ihe crllical confining pressure O'Cdl II will lJe as-
sumeo, as Is nOI'OIally Ihe case, Ihat Ihe consolldallon pn:ssure " .... is ap-
preciahly less Ihan Ihe cl"ltlcal confining pressure, n,c, 'II.
In a serit-s of unc,)nsolltlaled-unclralned lesls It would now lJe nec"ssa ry 10
IIlcl'ease Ihe conllning pressul"f', wlthoul allowing any lkainagc, 10 Intluce a n.
inilially "uncon,;olldaled" c ond il lons In Ihe samples. Suppose, Iherefol'e, Ihal
Ihe confining pl 'essure on Ihe samples Is Increased 10 a value a, cell, The re-
sulting slrenglh of any sample will depend on Ihe relallve OIagniluile IIfthe
cnnfl ni ng pressure o",cll ami Ihe critical confining pres,;urc ", ....11 as I\\ay he
seen froOl Ihe following ;
COfltliliofl I: COJl/ifliJlJ: Prc!isllr.: o,celt fJlcl'clls/,/1 .' '' o u.: o't' lilt! ItcJI/IIill!i
f.es!i nl/III o, urll -1 .- Afler the Confi ning pressure Is Increased II) o,cdl .the
slress cOlldlllons In a sample will be Ihose IlIuslralt,d III Fig. '1("), wilh allille
Increased pressure, O' C,,1t - 0Jr. being ca r r ied lJy Ihe pore WaleI', and Ihe
clleclive cOllflnlng pressure lJelng unchanged. AI Ihls sl age, wilhiJul any draill -
alle, Ihc axial slress would be gradually Increased. Since Ihe cllcctivc COI\-
lininl( press" re lJ" r is less Ihan o, el 'lI. Ihe sample woulcllend 10 clilale antllhe
...
November, 1061 SM 6 340
pore water pressu r e would drop. eventually reaching a value of about -I atm.
At this stagethe stress condltions woudl be those shown in Fig; 4(e). Furthe r
deviator st r ess applicallon beyond Ihlsstage wouldcause cavltatton of the pore
water and failure would be approached wllh the effecllve contuung pressure
r emalntng constantat thevalue o,ccll + I. Thus,011 failure Ihe eff ective major
Pr tnclpat str ess would be
0,/' (o,cell + I) Ian" ( 45 t .... ' ...... (I)
Since the sample wonld In fact dilate when the por e wate r pressure COlvitaled,
Ihe appr oprlate value of 0' In Ihls expr esston would be simllar to that deter-
10101 Sl ...... POll Wall. P'-....... I [Ulu,"',51......
\ I'
:1
.j \01 uk
-(}-."
[]
-0-
u.-::
'bl and au' U
6-."

0"'1,,'1
0
ali
-<J.....
LJ
1<1 ......-a.<tll
D

101
..'
.>
f'
,l"'"
u ..
lUll
FIG. '1'1'1'11
"ace] l -:", crll - I
mined bydraineotests on sampleshavtug an Initial void r alio l'r Howevr-r as
Ihe cell pressure inc r eases Ihe amount 01 dilallon will decr ease and Oil a cell
pr ossur e of o,crll -1 the appr opriate value 010' would'he that curruspuudiug
10 constant volume condllions.
The auove condtt lons would only develup p..ovlded Ihe po ..e waleI' presSII ..e
reached a value 01 -I kll per sqcm befUl'eIhe ef(ecllve conllninl:pressurehad
SM 6 UNDI1AINED STRENGTH CIiARACTEI1ISTICS JH
buill up 10 a value of o,cril; Ihal Is. pr ovided Ihe effecllve 111, .. 55111'('
011 lailur e wer e less than o,cril 0 r
(2)
I{lvinl{
This Is Ihe condllion presumed OIl Ihe ourset ,
When failure occur s under Ihese condllions, the effective major and nuuur
principal stresses a r e 1 kl{ per sq em hil{her than the corrcspoudtng lolal
st r eases so Ihal Ihe r etauvc posttlons 01 the Moh r circles lur 101011 and ef-
fecllve siresses Oil. Iailu'r e ar e as shown In FII{.4(,t). Thus lhc enve lope 01
..".
j"
EJ -Q'-.
-.,
II

0..
I
....
"'
11
,
I
I
L...J U-""'
, 11"
I "of'.t ..... ,"",!" ...
/& 1" .. ) .
7" 7
. \-- 't.._
""11101 II'M.". at
1-"1(;. ;'.-1 :-'C(I\SIlI.III,\n,II-I'\IIIl.\I\HI IT"f wr ru
"aceIl > IJJ edt - I
lailure for 101011 st res s in undralued rests will Ill' pnral h-] Ill, 11111 Sllllll'whal
higher Ihan, the corr onvo lope 101' l'fledil'l' st...sses.
I
Cmulilion l": 1'.-",; ... 11'-,' 'lll'clII>IIT,'''S'''' III "11/"1' (;.-cllh'j' Thun
o'crll 'I.-If the confininl: pr essurc Is tucrcust-d 10 0""'11 -; Il,,-ril -I,lh('
st r ess cunditlons In a sample will hI' tI,IISI' illuslr alf'(1 in fig, 5( 10). with
all the increased I:onlininl{ pres sure, 0 ......11 - 0,,,,. hl'ing carrh-rl IIythe po 1'1'
water and the effective conf iniug pressure remaining al till' va lue 0".. If now
t he deviator sl r es s is increased Ihe sample will a",lin lelld lu dilute (0,,-
0"<:1'11), the pOI"<' water pres su re will urup and till' l'fll'cliveconfinuu: I".SSII...
will Inl:nas". Ih.lWl'ver. before Ihe Ilure \\'al,'r p.."I;SU...(';111 11'-"11(0 -I all\l.
Ihf' effel'lil'e l'onl1n1nl( 11I'('SSIlI"<' will inl'...asl 10 Ihl' \';1111. ",,'ril as sh<O\\'11 in
l ' ,
Nuvr-mher, 1!l61 u
Fit:, 5(d, II Illay he 11011'11 ill Ihlslih'UI'e Ihal al Ihls Ihe po,'c w.ue r pres-
sur' is st i l] than -I '" - 0,,;.-11I. Since there will he no at in lu
w 1
1<11'1111'1' 1111' vulumc lurlher lnc r eases in deviuto r st res s will
l'aU5" 110 l'halll:1'5 ill pu...watr-r 11I'('Sslll'(' and Ihlls Ihe salllpll' will el'I'lIluall,'
Iai] wilh tlu- l'I/I'I'lil'p pn'ssun' ('l\uallu o,crll' Thl' cor rr spollililll:
I'a)u,' IIIIIll'1'/!Pl'liI'" major princ ipa! st rcss at lailure will he
u:i " 0 ", .-11 Ian" (45, , (4)
III uus cas,' Ih" appl'opriall' value 01 (\. ill Ihis exprussion wuuld he Ihal cor-
\0 constant 1'0luIIICcouditlons,
It lIlay Ill' sel'lI th.u uuder rhcsotestconditions /0'1'1'11 ' 0JlTii - I) Ihe el-
Io ct ive st ... sSls at lallllrl' an' hlliepeudeni of Ihe cell pressure used ill Ihe lest
and Ihal Ihe deviator stress causjng lallure will tie the snure re\:ardlessollhe
value ollhe cllIpressure. rotntive posutons ot the Mohr cir-
I'll'S ,1/111euw'lopesul lailurewill he asshown in fi\:.5(tll,lher-nvelopelor IUlal

r..

)
.,
I
e
ti
; , - fAv,lop. 10.
fUUllv,
SII ...H
__ (n.,c'op. 10'
IDlOI5I'Il.U
1''';, (Il-' 1'.. \11.1111-: .:\Cll:\SIlLlIlYITIJ-
IStJll.II :\""
511'1'551'5 IwiUt: p.\Iallello Ihe 1I0rmai siress axis aud I\lspl;ll:ed lrum il by all
amouul
. , . , 151 j 111;lX
A ,,"mp"sile plol 01 Ihe enveloJles 01 lallure in lenlls 01 101'11 anl\ elleclive
slr('ssl's ublaillel\ Irom ullconsolidaled-ulldl'ahll'd lests COlIl\ucled Ol'er a lull
ralll:e 01 Ilrcssures is showl\ ill fll{. 6.
CONSOLIDATED-UNDRAINED TESTSON SATURATED SANO
Thl' l'Ullililionsal lailure illcOllsolitlaled-ulldraillell lesls callbc I\clerlllllll'11
ill a simiiaI' m,llllH'r10Ihal used lor uncol\solillaled-IIIHlrained Icsls !JUI
illill :U'I'lIoul IWII si,:lIilil'all( ladors:
I, IIceause samples arc cOlls oli dal ed Illilially uuder dillereni cOllfininl:
11I'lssun' s.1I11's;ulIpll's ill allYI"sl series will have diflerelll void ralios a/ler
('uusnlidalillll .
2. Cto us ol idal l' d- II' Hlr a illl' d 110siS may III' COlllhll:lCd wilh a b'lck pressllre
-..
-
SM 6 IINOIlAINED STIlNGTII CIIAIlACTE:IlISTICS 343
un thu pore wmordurmgthe consottdutiou stage ot me rcst all(l rhe value ot the
hack Ilresslll'e will inllueuce uic test r esults.
A s c rles ul samples 01s atur atcd saud mlllhi be compacted11111 ially 10 a void
ralio "j and Iheu eonsoudared unrle r pillerelll conljllinl: pressures. For a
sump!esubjected 10atotalcOlllillilll{ pressure0"'1'11 aud hroullhllOe1luilihrium
wnh a hack pressure"b, the cuocuve consotldation pressure will he
u.... ' u...... 1\ - "1 . .... ... . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . (iii
Ulld"rlhi:; cOlllillill1t pressure 11\l' sample will auatn all "Iluilihl'ium vuid ralill
I', . whcru "" is a Iunctiou oT Ihe illilial void ratln, ( 'j,and Ih{' elleclive cou-
solilialiull pressure, 0" ,; Ihal is,
", = F/Ij./o"'I'1I - /lbll , . . (11
Currespondllll:10 Ihls void rauonlt c r cousojldntton.j nere will hL' a pariicular
vntue CJ/ the cru ical COlili llinll p r es s u r e , o, erll ; Ihal Is,
. , .. /lll
Aller eOlls ul idal ioll , l he salllpll' will be loaded10 Iarturc undeI ' uudra ineu COII-
dit ions, Durilll{lhis stage ollherest one ot two condltlons will develup; eilhcr
I. The pore waier pressure ill the sample will IIi'creas(' unt i l it reaches
a value ul -I allll "lid cavitatiou occu..s. This will ol'('ur prol'i,I,'""''' '1'11 I
u.'<;I'il allil al lallur e Ihe ettecuvc pressure Oil IhL'saIIII'll' \\'illlJl'
0i/ 0"L'1'1I 1 . elll
Thus, iI Ole lib t I / 0.)(; I'll ( f lej.(olcell - IIbll
, /10)
Ihe slrellh<th ollhesample will he conl r oll ed by Ihe cell pressu..e, 0ll'c.II'011111
Ihe elledil'e 11101101' IHlnclllal slressal lallure will he
0:,1 ' /OlL.(.1\ II Ian' (45
. \. ....
.......... (1)
o' )
lUll' lib t II lall' (45 "'2 ,or
2. Ihe pore waleI' pressure ill Ihe sample will t:halille unlil Ihe ellL'ciil'l'
prcssure become:i equal 10 o, e.-II' This will ocrllr prol'il\ed
0,(. lib I > 0"'1'11 > II "j,(o,ccll - IIbli ' , (12)
alld UII (le .. Ihese COlIl\iliolls Ihe sll'clIl,<th will be conlrollell hy Ihl' I:rilil'al COII-
(illlllll pressure; Ihal is.
u;i " o""ril =/ I"j. (0 1
1
- lid I /13)
The co.... value ollhel'lleclive lIIajor principalsires!; OIl lailure will
he
"i I = Ian ' (45 1'-). . ..lHI "HTII
'.

-
JH Novemher, I!lfi1 SM 6
TIH' stops involved In ullll:tlnf( Ihls approach are as follows:
I. Eslahllsh Ih(' reiallonshilllwlwe('n uu- ('ffeclive cousulldat ron.presaur-e
0". and ure voul rnrto atro r conscttdai ton "" as shown In fil:. 7(,/1. This rota-
rtonshtp will depend on rhe Inillal void rallo oflhe samples. rj.
2. Estnnltsh, from drained 1('515, the re lauoushlp belweeo void rat io OIlier
consullrlatlou and crillcal coofillilll: pressure as shown ill fif( o7(hI.
i'

I . I
I
L -- - _(1
S<
L , . .i
101

i'

T
e
.... ,
1 - _ _ .
I
I
/ /
SIl .... P... (8,.. I",t. , NQ , II"aill)
1.",_.,lI t .. ,...,..,lI tI. , ....,.,
., 'III p .... "". COAI'"I'" P""""
tcI
rH'. OF F.\1I.t: III-:
1.\ TESTS
J . for any value of the errecuve consolldallon pressure 0".. det e rnune Ihe
cnr r cspoudiug value of the crutcat conllnl,i\(; pressure as shown in figs. 7(11)
an\17(h). Hencc establtsh a crtttcat courtutng pressure
"3erll and the ettccuve consotluatton Ilrl'Ssure all" as shown by Ihe line AD in
Fif(.7(d .
'1 . SlIpl'rilllpose on I he pial in flf(. 7(d. a line CD expres'sing Ihe rclallon-
ship
OJ u'c t lib t i (15)
UNDllAINEO STflENGTII CI/AHACTflJSTlCS 3'15
5. Dete ruuue Ihe point of lnre rs ccuon X of the Iwo re lat iuus hips shown In
Fif( . 7(r]. for cousottdatton pressures less Ihan Ihal correspondinl: 10 point '
X, me effeclive conflnln\{ pressures at Callure will bethese dete rmincd by Ihe
line ex.for consottdattou pressures I:I'ealerlhan Ihal cor respondtng lu poinl
X,lhe ettccnve confining pressures at Callure will be tnos o det e r nrinerl hy the
line XD.
G. From a knowledge oC rue eHeclive conflnlnl: pr-essures at Iailure , a;"
dcter nune Ihe elleclive major principal stresses at CailureCrum the re lat ion-
ship
(I' a' . = , Ian-
"
4" -
0' )
..... .. ... ...... . , . , (161
1,/ 3/ 2
usinl: an appropr late value of 0' . For samples which cavitate Ihe anf(le or I r lc-
lion should be one Includlng some effects of dllallon but fur non-cavitating
samples, an angle of frlcllon cor rcspondlng 10 constant volume condtt ions
should be used .
COMPAflISON Of PrlEDICTED AND OBSERVED flESULTS
Of UNCONSOLIDATED-UNDflAINED TESTS
ON SATURATED SANDS
T'est data conClrmlng, Ihe genera I Corm oC Ihe r esulta Indlcaled In fig. 6 has
111'1'0 pr esented by Bishop and Eldln...
ll
Penman." and Newland and Allely.","
uowever, no attempt has been made In previous studies 10 check the quanllta-
live retattonsntp bel ween lesl data Crom unconsoudatcd-undrmncntesrs and
r-esults predicled Cram values of the crillcal confining pressure dete rrulned
by drained lesls. Accordingly, series oC drained and undr.uncd It;St5 were con-
ducred 10provtde data 10check Ihis relationship.
The sand used Cor Ihese studles was a Cine 10medium, unllorm sand from
the Sacramento Rier navtng void ratios at minimum and maximum densities
of 1.03 and O.GI. respecttvely. Ihe results oC several series oC druined rests
performed on Ihls sand have been reported by Lee and Seed.' This report
also contained a Iull d esc rtptton oC Ihe sand charncrertsucs and the tesung
techniques. The undrained te5t samples were Iormed and test ed Collowlng the
sa IIII' procedures.
The drained test datawhich are perunentto Ihe pr-esent study are pr-esentI'd
In figs. 6 to 10. The retattonstup between Ihe void rallo aller consolldallon
and the conClnlng pressure Car samples compacled Inllially 10 four 'tItHerenl
void ratto condtttons Is shown In fig. 6; the relalionshlp bel ween the crllical
void rallo and Ihe crillcal conClnlng pressure determlned by drained tests is
shown In FiK. 9; and the envelopes oC Callure delermlned by tesls showing no
volume change at Callure and by tesl data Cor drained 11'515 alter dilatancy
etrecrs are deducted as proposed by Bishop" and Rowe' are shown In Fig.
10. At conllnlng pressures bel ween 5 and 30 kg per sq I' m. which coverS the
\"I.ee. K. 1... and Seed, II. n." Dra ined Sirength Chuructcr lattca 01 Cohcslonless
Solis," ;\Iechunles and I\IIuI\\Ioou9 hlalerlals lIeseareh Luhor"loq', ("n'"crshy of
CIIHlorlll., Berkeley, Caill . JUlie. 1966.
'll\lshop. A, \1"" -Correspondence 00 Shear Sirellilth 01 n Salun'h,iJ :iHI In Triaxial
COlilpr ess loo." Geotet:!>"ltl".".. \'01. ;. 195;. flfI.
"Iluwe. p, Illlutuncy lIelullon lor E'lulIllJrhln, uf all
ul Pn,'C1cles In Conlacl" lIoyal Series ,\ . 1'01. 209. \leI.. I%2, (II',
[)1)0-521 .
7
-- ---- --'------ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ... .........,
__
Novl'mht'I', 1961
S/l16 STIlENGTIl CIIAIlACTEIlISTI C:i 341
range 01values 01c ritlcalconfiningpressure101' this saud 101' samples varying
Irum lonse IIIur -us e, Ihl' variuus cuve lopesshownIn Fig, 10 arc in reasonably
c los e ag rccruent . The te st dat a lor samples showlnl: no volume chalice al fall-
ure is somewhat uu ermedtate helween Ihe other Iwo curves and might there-
101' 1.' he cons i dc red 10provide a reasonablevalueof Ihe angl e of friction IIn(l"r
. :..!
... ---i , .. -.L.A...
-o
1 _ ,,_._ _-
. - ..-.
......._1_._ ..... _.
.......-.....
. u
.....,
on
000
,.'01
0 ',
060
0"
eons ta nt volume coun tu ons . From nu s envel ope, lhe ang le of friclion under
constaut volume ccnutu ons Is foullu 10be clos e 10:11 '.
from th ese dat a, values of th e undrained str engtn of lhc sanu may " ea,lily
hc predtcr ed . Fur exampl e, Ihe predictedenvelope of Iaiture lor10lal str es s es
Ior a s eries of uucousolluateu-uudratned t ests on sampl es of medium dense
s and Initi ally consot l dat ed und er a confining pr essure of 3 kg per sq CIlI hi
shown in fig. II , The position of uus envelope was del er mined a s foll ows .
The Initial void ratt o of thc m edium densesand was 1' / " 0.11. from fig. 6,
thc void rauo after consotruauou under a confining IlI 'l'SSlIl' C of :J kg per sq
'" :
2:'

fAilI. IOP. '01 co".lollo' wolulftecond,lton,
"'h""i".d b, flo4ilotoAcr
..pUtt. A"10 ....dolo '0' cit...IlU'od
.apUUlon '0 IU ' da.,Q '01 d4h ...ond
'0

-,-- --,-- ----- - - - - - - --- --- - --- - ,
--'
oOou
,,, fO - , ,.
f"lop. '0. co",lool .alum. col\4lloon,
lO
d.l mln,d 0, allhop 41k1.ont:,
1"/(; . 1I1:nnT.\ (;0.\1"/:\1:\(; I'IlES-
:il'lll' ,\.\11 \"(111' 11.1"1"11, .\F TEIi (;(l:,\SO/.lltlTIO!'>" FOil
".1:\1' .\T r/lnc 1.\lrL\/.111-: .\:;1"1"11 :"
(ap"".nlgl .,. k)p. '0' I....
no _ol...tn. ("gog. /I' .0.-..,..
t - .
, 0 lO ) 0 '0
rll; . 11l.-I: :-\\"I :1.0I'El; OF "'\ 11.1"111-: 11I:T1,:IlMI!\ TII IIY IlIL\I .\ Elln::>TS FOil
(;O:\ ST.\KT (;().\JJlTIl I!'>" l; .. _-+-
em may he seen 10 be l'r = 0.70 and from Fig. 9, the cl'lll cal connntng pres-
SUI'(, corresponding 10this void r allo Is o,crll ; 9.3 kg per sq em. Thus for
the constant volume angle o( friction, 0' ; 3'1",the eCCecllve major principal
stress at failure In any noncavtt attng test, forwhich the e((ecllve milia" prin-
o e - --" . .-- -- - - - -t- -
o. _L.---':---L-----l..---l---' cipal stress at failure will be equal 10 may be determined Irom Eq . -I
o 10 1$ 20 10 to be: oil; 9.3 tall ' 145 + (3'11/2) ; 37.2 kg per s q cm. The corr cspoudlng
value of Ihe deviator st ress at failur e In noncavllatlng tests wlllbc oj,. - 0ij
3'/ .2 - 9.3 ; 21.9 kll pel" s q Clll and Ihls condition will occur in all
n(; , Ill : Til'E E t\ CIII"I"Ie .\1. vou:
unconsolidated-undrained tests conducted wllh an applied confining pr-essure
IUTIII 01 .\11 C1unc\!. cl):\nt-.:It\G I'IiESSr/lE III :n:ll -
greater Ihan o,c"11 - I ; 6,3 kg persq em, For tests conducted at confi ning
1111 .\1.\' :11TESTS
pres s ures less than this value, cavllallon will Occur bef or e failure and the
envelope of failure for total strcsaes wilithere(ore be parallel to Ihe dratned
-, :
strengu: envel ope hUI ulspta ceu about I kg per s q ern 10ui c lefl. Thus the
' ...'
; .
.
.", '

'.;' :: ?':. '.

' . i.


.---.-
3411 Nm'('lIIh,'r , 1061 SM 6
co mple te ('I\vel" pl' nf Iailure In te rms Ilf tuta l stressus, will be thai:;III ",' n in
II.
Mnhr e ircIcs 1"1' lolal sla'eSlies at Ia iture lOr a number of uucousol idated-
uudr aiued Ies ts conducted on s aruplcs pr epared and eousultdated as outl iued
ahove are shown In fl/{. 12, for comparisonthe pr-edicted envelope, shown in
fiR. II, is also plOIll'11 with lhe rest dara. The agr-eement between predi ct ed
., .
alld ('xllI'rinlcillal rcsulrs Is exeelleul. Sl ml la r ag r eernent was onta tne u in
-- , . &.. _ .-

I
1,. ,
7 , . ._' - _ .,-_.__._ ._-
i I

;. ,1
'. ,l
'j:
... . . ..." -
. j
.j. ..-- ..- ._- " - - 00--"-1

VII; , 1\.-I-: :\\TI.I11'1': lit' FAIJ.l'lIE rouTllTAI. 1:-; I'I,Cll:-;SIlIlIJ,\TElI-

II?1
.. ;i j":::: ./
'; J
. , . ;j

;
:i
" ...; .
:..' . .. .
. 1 -
1:. :I
:::}}(;,>
. e. ..:.
. ..
. ;... .
t-
n ::;"[ :; 1'llElJlCTEII t'1l11M TEST 11:\'1',\
..........., ......._.-
i

, "
1, 11. .__l. I.
..
. 1. . .t .. II
1'\(; , (W (lllSEI\\'E11 I-'AII.I'III: CO:'\ I' I"I'II I:\S
1:\ 1":\( '( 1:\ :'11I.IIJAT1':11-rxIlIUI :-;I':1l T ESTS
several other series ot ies ts conducted on samples co mpa ct eu inilially 10 ouie r
void r atios,
COMPARISON OfPREDICTED AND ODSERVED RESULTSOF
CONSOl.IDATED-UNDRAINEOTESTS ON SATURATI::DSAND
lnvcsugaunns Similar 10 Ihal desc ribed above were conuuc t ed 10 compa rc'
Ihe strengths 01 s aturated sampl es of sand In cousotldated-undraiued l eSls
wilh tnos e predtct ed Irom a knowl edge nl Ihe cdll cal confi ni ng pressures ,
The pr-edi cted aurt measured positions 01 thetotalstress failure envel opes lor
a series 01C- Urests Ilel'l ormed "n Inlli a ll y loose sand a reshown In Fig. 13,

UNDHAI:-.IEO ST RENGT II CIlARACTERlSTI CS
H9
The measured str eugt hs are slightly higher Ihan Ihe predict ed strengths in
this case,
Similardata (or sea 'ies 01 C- U tests onInitially dense samples ol sand are
s hown In fig . 14. for these samples the predict ed and measured st reugths
are In excell enl agreement.
Two other series'01 C-U leSIS were pertorrned on samples of the same
. .. - .,_. _- _.__ ..--,-----_. -_..._-..._. ,, .
.....- _ .
__ - 0 1).. _ ._
...._ ,.. .._.0
f
3
l "
o
.
f
:A
... II'
_ _ 1__-
- .... _--
FU' . 1:l.-COMPAIlI:>OI..: OF OUSt: II \'1: : 0 ANO I'll t:IlICTEIl FAILCllt: E/\ \ 'E I. OI'I:::>
1/\ TESTS
t.-.._.._ .......
......... _.'01'. 0._100 __
...
>-- ...,- ..-
... --.....
_......... ,.._. 8
L
s.
1
FU;. OF onsuuvuu'\/\lll'lt EIlI CTHI "' .\11.1'111':
11\ C( I:\ SOI.lIl ,\ T1:Il - lJ/\Il IU INEIl
saturatedsand at intermediatedensttfes. In eacnortuese cases Ihe measured
and predtcted positions 01 Ihe strength envelope were in closeagreernenr.
Furthermore, tesrs were performed In each 01 the lour series 01 C-U test s
at confining pressures to 140 kg per sq CIII. In all cas es Ihe measured and
predl ct ed strength envelcpes continued as essenllally straight Iioe ext ens ions
01 me envelopes shown In Figs . 13and 14and wilh good agreement belween
-
-
-.
\ ' .
350 Nnvemue r , l!lli1 SI\I e
(In'di clC'' and Ilhscrvcel strengths lhe (ull rnnge '01' confining
11I' ss"...:;.
CIlITIC AI. COl" Fll\li"G rnESSUHE HIOM UNUnAIN!::UTESTS
Fig. I ShHW:; how Ihe crilical cOllfillillg pressures (or a sand may he dcle:I' -
nuued trnm onse rvaj ions 01 volume changes III a series or drniued tcs ts , III
an analogous lashilln, values may atsu lie obtained (1'0111 ous ervat tons o( rne
porc-wat cr pr es sur e changes In a series 01 uudralned tests . The changes in
IhH'c-wall'r 11I'I'ssuI'e at lallure observed I!" Ihe undra lned tosts conduct ed on
samples having differenl denstti es and subJecled 10 dHrerenl connntng pres-
sures a r e showlI In FIR. 15Ia). for te sts al any oue confiuing pressure, Ihe
void r at io (or which urcrc is no change In pore water pressure at lalllll'e may
he inle",lI'l'l ed as the crlltcal void rnuo, Atreruattvety, lor tests OIl allY One
vuirl ratio atter eonsultdat ion, the connuiug pressure lor which uier e Is no
pore wat er III'ess'II'e change at (allure may be considered 10 be the c rtti ca l
ctlnfining pressure, Values of lhe criti cal confining pressure are 1II01' e easily
det e r minect if Ihe data III Fig. 15(II)are r eplou ed as shown III Fig. 15(h). Using
either fil{. 15(11) 01' Fig. 15(1.1. II is Iws:;ihle ILl dl'll'rmine corubl nnttous 01
cdlieal cOII(inlng Ilressure and crillcal voh1 1'01110 lor Ihe whole runge or poa -
sihll' elellsily cnndltions lor Ihls sand: Ihese results are shown In Fig . Iii.
An a ltcru.u ive nu-thod or del ermlnlng values o( Ihecritlcal confining pres-
suro11'001 undrained leSIS Is simply 10noteIhe e((ecllve minor ' p.-in cipal stress
al lallnre In noncavltai ing rests, F'rom Ihe concepts preseiit ed earlier in lhe
paper , this str cs s should be equal 10 Ihe critical conllnlng pressure (or Ihe
pa rt icula r dellsily coudul on of Ihe sample. Values of Ihe crili cal confining
11I'cssure det ermlned In Ihls way for all noucavitaung rest s pedormed on Ihe
Sac ra nu-uro HiveI' saud are shown In Fig. 17. 'l'he r e.f s only a lilli e s calier in
Ihe data which dettnes a curv e similar 10 Ihal shown In fig . 16.
A compa ri s uu o( Ihe rclat ioushlps between Ihe void r ali o and rne c rtuua ]
co nCl nlng pressure del crnuued or obse rvattons or I I)volume cha nges in rtrniued
tcs ts ; (2) n( pore water prcssure changes In undrained tesrs; and (3) uie eI -
f"c1ive minor (ldnclpal st r es s a t Iaiture In noncavil aling urul ratued tcs ts is
SllllWn In 18. The retauoustnps are in close agr eemeut ove r Ihe eutir e
of void ralios . The dis crepancy occurs In Ihe loose sand range
where values of Ihe critIcal confi nIng pressure dcte rmlned Ir om dr a iued r ests
are somewhat Smaller than those determlued from Ihe uudrained tests. This
" " ; -: disc r epnncy is in accord with Ihe dlf(erence bel weenlhe ouse rveu and predr cted
:' .
value u( Ihe ulul raincel sll' englhs 01 loose sand samples shown In Fill:. 13.
: :

. " r
VAI.UI:: S OF CI II TICAI, CONFINING rnESSUm: FOn VAnIOW;
It may hc seen from Ihe preceding results Ihal Ihe crili cal confi ning 11I'es -
Slll'(' Is a significanl chal'acledsllc delel'minlng Ihe lI,ulrained slr ength <If a
cll hes hlllies s sllil a l any given slale of densily. For Sacramenlo HiveI' salid
SI\I u lJ:--:D11 AI:--:rn :iTHE:>HiTII CII AIl ACT I:: HISTI CS 35 1
Ihe criti cal coutiuing prl'SSIII'l: r anges Irurn atmost zero Iur sampl es in Ihl:
Inos l-sl star e III IWI'I' 15 kl( PCl' sq em lor samples wilh a relative density 01
100':; . fOI ' initially vr-rv uons e samples cousottuated unuer very high confining
pressllr1-s, Ihe "('ns ily a l th e end o( co nsoll da l ion Is cons tuern uty higher Ihan
__I J ...'_. ..... D
"I
I
-1
i
J
' 0
G. . ..
1..
t
i
1
1
,. J .I . . .. . . ....... __.*."" ,
J
..
GI"4 c.:.n,-., Pl _ ...... ... a-
I'll; . 1:;.-II EL\TlllN:;IIII'S IlETWI:I:N CON:iOI.lIHTlll :\
1'111::-;:>11111:, \'I1I1l1L\THI A 1''1' Ell
A:\11 1'11111: t'III::i :-iUIII: CIIANGE .\'1' F,\/I.IJIII: 1:\
I',IS:i1II ,IIL\T t:1l-IiNIlIL\INEll TESTS
Ihe 100' ., relallve density c,)ndilloll al low conllnlng pressures and under Ihese
cunditlons Ihe crili cal c,)nlining preSSure may oe as high as 30 kg per sq em.
To lIH'ow SOlli e Iighl on Ihe I'ange o( values of Ihe cl 'llIcal confi ni ng l)l'es-
sllre 10 he expe cl ':d f,lr various I}'pes of granular solis, values of Ihls soil
chara ct erislic hav e \}ecn exl ra cle ll from dala preseoled in pr evi ous s l ll,li es
.. .- . - ' .
- -
-
352
,
-
,
:
-
6
Nov('lllher, 1067 6 UNORAINED STRF:NGTII CIIARACTRISTICS 353
'- - -,1
5..: ..........._ "-"'"
"""'_"_',," _",0
o"
,t,.!
t
j .. I
1 I
.. I
--' ii--
I'll. , 1,i,-IlI-:I Xnll\SIIII'S 111''1'\\1:1-:\ \'(1111
II.\TlII \1' '1'1-:1\ ('1I\ SlIllIl.\TlII\ ,\ :- I I CIl IT-
1l' .\1. 1'11\1'1 \1\(; I'III:SS... II :
II\' I'\IIIUI \I-:II 'n. srs SII(I\\I\(; \1I1'1I1l1':
1'1l1.SSI"Ill ': (,11,\ \1;(,: .\ T 1' \11.... 11:
'-'l '---' 0. _ _'.. 11
,"
"\
........,.,..-.
.i,1
L,;

I
:.. i .
'11 ... .-- So,..., 1II1 .. .."' ._ ......
H( . 1' . -III-:I..\'1'1I1\SIIII' 111-:'1'\\,1':1-:\ v(II II
1I.\TlII .\ I T FIl ClI\S(l I IIl, \T11I1\ ,\I,ll CIIIT-
It'\( . ('1I\1'I \1 \(; PIII':SSl'IlI-:
II\' ITFH:T1n: STIII':S,;
\ 'I' 1".\ II , I' Ill: 1\ !\ IIr..; C '\ vIT\'I'IxI;
\ ' \1111,\1\1-:11 TESTS
by olher Invesllgator8.,Il->< III addttton, some further tests were performed
all a limited number of other materials. The results of Ihese tnvesugauous
a re summarized III Tallie I. Most oflhe values obtained from previous stuures
were delermlnect by drained tests. However values were obt ained from a lew
unuralned tests for loose salls.
,.. .. ---. ",-"'-"- -., .. .. _.. I
....- ..... .... \
/ .. ..,. h, ' P" ,.,,, I
;;
""'"'-<0 -_ _ , . I
1' ..
..
!
/,..
I
.............IY"I,OI/ 1 .....
J
...
j
..

II
C..I"'.' '-,...... 1".'_. -..... -tot .... t4 c...
FIG, OF IlEL\T1l1\ SIIII ' s
uE TwE Ex v 01 Il It ,\T I 0 ,\ I' 'I' I : II
C () r..; S0 1.1 IUTI () x ,\ r..; II C III'I'IC .-\ I.
CON FIN IN" .iu:
By far the highest value of the critical confining pressure uet e rnuued was
Ihe value of 110 kg per sq cm for uenae samples of Ottawa s aud . The next
highest value was 58 kg per sq cm for dense samples of glass beans, Both uf
these materials have well-rounded and very sound particles .
As mlghl be expecled In view of Ihe grealer ease of crushing, values of the
critical confining pressure 101" dense sands composed ,of subangular or an-
gul a I ' l)a r ll cles are substanllally lower lhan Ihose for sound, rounned pa rucles .
"'11I5hol' .\ . W.. " A t .nrge s hc ll r 1I0Klor Testln!: li;llllha,,,lliran' ls , I'rol:celllnljs. ,
:!nd Inl crnnUI )unl Co ni crenee On StlU fuuJ . oundillionI-:IlUluc,,rinl: . nullenlalli.
:"; el he r llln<.l s . \ '01. I. PI' , 2U1-21I.
"" t'I'II I.YIIskl . I.. . " ,\ 11 IlIvesllg_lIon 01 the nUn(ell e )' III SII" " aled SIIn' ls ."
(; r; llh'"le SllIdcnl Ih'l ,orl. IJcpal'llllell1 01 Ch'lI Engilleerlng . 1'lIh'e,'s i' )' ul Call1urni '' .
He rkc ley, 19liu,
J l ll le .... lIl11. I.. . S. un,1 l,;ullllllcncle. 0 ,. "Tbc Shc ur Slrell!:lh ul II Fllll'
Sand . I' .. Srh lnteruut lonu! Conle rence Oil Soli lind FUlllldlll lulI
1',lIglll(:erlnc. 1'01'18, 1%1. \ 'ui. I. I'I' .
:J ::\VwJc. f\. II.. "Plane xt rutn fllilurc ul a Sa ltl r ah.'ll Clar . "lhc.: :ias
pr esellted 10 Ihe Untver alty 01 london , ut London, Lnglalld, In l!lti :l. III 1"lIll1l1cII( ui Ihe
r cqutrement s lor Ihe degree 01 IlUclOr 01 Philosophy,
J 'I IInli . I,:. 11 . und Gordon. II. II., "Trlaxllli Tcstlng t::i1111t I.urge Sc ulc IIlllh Pressure
Eq"lplllelll," Proceedings 01 the Sympos lum on I.ahoralory Shcn r Tesllng 01 Solis.
TeeNllc_' Publlclllloll 1\0. J61. Amcr lcan Iur Tesllllg lind Materials.
Phlladclphla, Pa., 1963.
" Ins le y . A. I,:. and IIIll1s. S........... r luxlul Sheur Cnaructurrsucs 01 II Corupucteu
Glaclol Till tnuer l!nusually IIlgh CUllllnlllg I'ressures," Procce<.llllljs. tilh lntc rnnt tunn l
( 'oulerenec Oil Soli Mcchunlcs an,l Founuut tun EIIl:ln ecrlng. Mont ruaf , 1965. \'111. I. PI'.

-
i
. ,
c
.,
,
35-\
LII1!.!. Ilf CIlITIl' ,II. I'Ilt:SSllllt: FIlii 1' ,IIlIOI1S
Nov('nlhl' I ', 1967 e
SM Ii
Thus Ihe
355 UNDnAI!':EO STIIENGTIt CItAnACTEnlSTICS
maxlmum values 01 uio crtucat confining pressure Cor other dense
lal.l:\I'I.,11I .I I.I TU I U Ui sands studied to date appear 10 be on lhe order of 151030 kg pel' sq em .
." ',1.10 " . 1 " ... '1".. ....
elllU.. 1
\"..,.j
11.. 11,
U.. I:.lln'
."":IIIl h ' .I"

Ikll ... II,
Ilt-,., ".""",.",
" "111 , h,

'''' r '11':1',"
... ll u ll wI. r
In-"
,,/
l L!.1
11"(' "11"''''0"
SIGNlflCANCJ;: OF TItE INITIAL POnE wATEn pnEssunE
ON rue UNonAINED STnENGTII OF SANI.)
1. ;,.': 1,,, 1 .1. rl... ... .11, ,1 ..
. "
........ f .' H"."Io".i 1;&,I'l j
0 , .. 10<1.. ....;",.,
\\ .,.1"' ,1 1 ... 1
" o.;,-j " .11.1
n.w; "':.111.1
nil" ....... ".,
h . ;,.
.. ..;:.
...:.!.
,.
I,.:.,;
". ":,
II. I
...; ..
1""'.'"
1'''.11. "

1.,.11.,
)IUlUum
lo(,
I .:
1.11
.:. t
...:
".fhuhl
111":111"".. 1

Ih.lno...1
.. t
1:..,1"1'
1;. \1",
The slrellglh envelopes COl' consottdated-undr alned tests pr es ent ed in Figs,
13 and 14 were del ermined for samples In ""'llch Ihe pore water pressure was
zero at Ihe end of consotldatton; that Is , no back pressure was us ed In Ihe test-
Ing programs , Howeve r, "tne analysts of consoltdated-undralued str-engths
previously pres ented shows lhal In cases where cavltallon occurs , the
1. .. 11 11.,,,1
1.. ," .1".,.
' ul'.U"u,
, -a:! I"
".]:.
U..
I ... II.:. n.:--. 11I1I1l.o,!,"
consottdated-uudratned slrenglh of saturated conestomess matertals may he
slgnlficanlly affected by the presence oC a back-pressure In Ihe pore water al
1\" ',, 10,.1 "';' 11.1
1;' 01"'"
' ...11,,", II ', 'h',U'"1\
1.10....
: ." n...... IlIall"I' "
Ihe end oC the consondauon stage of a lest. This result may be utustrared by
considering Ihe results of undratned rests on Iwo samples, A and B, prepared
11. .. 11 . ...
""1 \' ... lp..I \h-.lhlill :1.1' n.s. III
initially 10 Ihe same void rauo and Ihe cons olidat ed under Ihe same eff ecri ve
II".
"1 'Ilhu, ..
I I".
.. ' ' ..,..
: " ' . .. .
,. .. ::,
lien."
,..... ..... I. .: c.r. 111..... . 1. .. . .. 1
!. 1\ "
confining pressure of, say, 3 kg per sq cm, \Iowever for Sample A, Ihe effec-
live couttntng pressure Is developed by applying an external pressure of 3 kg
"' 111 11"" ... ' 1".1
.. ... , :-. ..h
" "'111" 1
....,
l lo" UlI lU
110'1111.'
I. I I' . I'.''''' ':',,' '
- ,--'- - - - _ ._._-----'-- - --- -- - --- - - _
1' ,\I\I.l: 2,-UNllliAINl:ll :i1'lIl:NGTWi
.._--- -
1" :.. 1 ..1" '1 .. : I,' I.; ".;"
'",n .h'.. 11
\I .,'h,,' \ .. ....\ .... I" II.;'
"...
.1. ' 11."1
" .;". :,
\.. ""11.. 1., .. ;" .. 1 ...; ,
1, oJl.. .. .
'lui .-';11.. 1 1',. ,, - 10. ;'
l nlf ... u ,
II.:,
11'.10.:,1 \ lI n" s :1 Ill. 1.0 .": :1 ..
1..III"t:" 1;".','1 f' .I'
.111;1..... :"I.-oI.. I..... l \1 ... llu III. 1' .1;1'
1'.,11.,." .. ,.
":Io L..
",\ . ",
I
r. " " III., II I.. r 111101 ' - ,.... ,
"' .1'\ Imt.,n..
"
.r -
1'. ; .
"

11111
:.1
;110
lUll

l uI.
:1,.
.:..
;,
T
1..... 1 1;.10 n..Icu...1
I
:,.",1;111.10111.1
: '!!.:Ir'
Iuu... . Itr:.lu..1 ... , '.1 """,,1 '
"h-.I"oII .. I ;. 'frt,H) ;,J .. I
1)"'1." ':!.I 1'.11. 1:.III.llnJ;,
,.,..,...
'.U
1'.1 ' . n)l'I n lil .
f-!
'1" .11,,111 ::.. 1'l Olll e W k-:;
01 'l1li '
100 ' r hr;t.lno,1
, ..
P ,n .. .; .. IIrall......1 11.. 11 :u ao l
'f r IW:.J , ;U.. . a. l"
...;.- " . ...
._,
1.Io)s , ] .1 . .... 'l";u ' ;;ar
A
'hlll.ll
IS.. r .u. I'"i, " ."r ,,'
.1.10" (";.1111cr 1\101
._--_. - - - ,-
I.UI'., ) C I ' "nhl:'l'all}'ul
),1""UUll\ c.ulo.I,nI.
'.IkI.1t
11l"llhW I ,.
nen.to


. ,\ ' 1\
:--.. -t ---
:J I ;1
I:; . I:;
:1 7
II ./
- I - I
I b
12 !I
1'esl Coutlil ions , vnlues In kt log rame
Ilor u(lunre cenumctcr
Effecllvc conaottdatrcn so'oss
Crilical connnll'll pressuro
l:Klornul connning pros sure
1I\II1at pore water pressure
POl'O water pressu re at fullure
l:ffecllvo conUnlng pruasure lit failure
Ul\llrnlnetl arrength I EC). (6)
pel' sq em wllh no tnrernat pressure Inthe pore waterj for Sampl e U, Ihe same
ettecrlve confining pressure 15 developed by applying an exlernal pr esaur e
of 7 kg per sq em, logelher wllh an Inlernal pore waleI' preSSure (back-
pressul'e) of 4 kg per sq em. Suppose that Ihe crill cal conrlnlng pressul'e
I 11.. 1 ;-.."".1
J. . . I,,; .
\ ' Il: .1 I I. . j..
.;1 :"'1"\ ;.01 1111
\\,",1
1=0.. 1 1-
' .. al'/I.
1 ' 11110.11"11,
"f1'"
. 11.. 1".
1O.
l 'non1
' 1"Uum.. ,
- / ,'
.,
.11-=1.11)
1.1 .'.1
,
' . 4
n .I;:':,'
I'.
IIUI
,..
UIU

Iknu'
I h 'nal'
Ih,'IU"
!!_- .
'
"
;;af
I
,"'11'>"111.110

I
..11
i
""11'..("'...
I I
1.1 Ill"al.\o.-t.1
I
.n"
111111.::'
C.l .
corresponding 10 Ihe void rallo aller consolldallon Is 15 kg per sq cm anel Ihe
angle of frlcllon III lermS of eHecllve slresses Is : 37"
It Ihe samples were loaded 10 failure under undrained condillons. because
lhe lolal confining pressures are conSiderably less than Ihe Critical confining
pl'e sSUI"eS, Ihe pore waleI' pressures In bolh samples wllh drop 10 -I allll,
eav\lallon will occur. and Ihe pore waleI' pressure al failur e will remain al
Ihis value, Thus, the undrained slrenglhll oC Ihe Iwo samples will be dClet'mined
by lhe conditions shown In Table 2. Thus Ihe undrained strength oC Sample B
1""",1:011:, ,, .
.....",.,

fl.","
'"..11 '"1'
" 60, .. 1
I lI . r<1
I
11. 10 1
1'. :.:1
..,
,,:.
I un ..,
\lu.Ul.lul
H,"....
lum
I

I
--
CU.
I
,
I
_.
ll ul\ ,. a Ur of
Call'o.I(hh
would be twice as greal as Ihal of Sample A. even Illough bolh s a mpl es had Ihe
same density and were consolldaled undor Ihe same effective confilling
pl'esliure,
Tile eHecl of Ihe Inllial pore waleI' pressure on Ihe undrailled slrenglh may
II .... """'1 ",I.. 4 " h ,d
1' . 1 . . .. I,.,.. II. bl ... I ..... h hl."OII , -.,)IIII,( . "". l ulI h.1
,
'".,:1. \ ,, 1... ...1.11....101 ..' J' "I" .I4'lIl1O: _."'I.I. s l'IlU. oIlJ:II...1 lit l.r l.S14U hl_I":I ' U'I I ' ': 111
also be Illustraled hy Ihe dala obtailled for Sacramenlo nlvel' sand. The lesl
dala Cor consolidated-undrained testll wllh noback preSSure, shown In Fill. 14,
.. ..11".,:.
may. be rep loll ed as IIlusll'aleJ In Fig. 11110Bhow Ihe relalionship bel ween Ihe
., 't ":':
; I., .
. "
...

....
--
....
Novelllhe r. 1961 SM 6
356
etfecllvl.' confining 11I'essu"e 011 any sample and Ihe deviator srr eas at lailure
loa' Ihal sample. On tne same figure a re shown Ihe values or ui e deviator
st ress es at lalhll'l ' ILII' rest s courtuctcd wilh Ihe same etfecllve confillinc pres-
sures dnl"illg cllnsolioali on. bul wilh .. iffenlll values ollhe initial pore water
prr-ssure In tue samples c1urhlK Ihe cons olidall on stage. The large illllul:nce
01 rne (nilial pore water pr essure 011 Ihe undratned BIIellcl\. oCsalllpies In
which c av r tatiou occur's Is readily appa r enl ,
Tues e results omphasf ze Ihe Imporlance, In tesuug saturat cd s a uus , ot
.cor r ect labor.uory r epreseuta t ton, not only 01 Ihe initi al eff ec ll ve stress
10
60
,u, per Iq em
? .. ;:t...-
,..' .:'
- ...... "
.
40
o
.
I
'
.3

.. 30
U
Il-
Iqcm
..
! u P."q em
cii 20
o
ii
i
a 10
o
10 20 30
InlliQIConlohdohon p,.nult." - kQPIIaqem
l c
ru; IU.-I:\Fl.n::O>CI: or 1:\11''''1. 1'1IIII:-\\xn:Il I'IlESSl'IlI, 0:\ ST IlE:" GT Il UF
S ,\ :\ Il I:\ l 'lI:\ SlIl IIl.\TH. " :-' IIIl .\I :\I :li T ESTs
couutuon on a soil etemenr, but also 01 Ihe Inilial pore water pressure In soli
elements which may be suhJecled 10 undrained loading condillons .
EFFECTOfOVERCONSOLIDATION ON CRITICAL
CON fINING PRESSURES
Due 10 Iluctuattons In ground waler level a granular soil may be over-con-
sutldated at Ihe lime iI Is subjected 10 uudralned loading, wilh a r esultlng et-
IeI.'I on the values ollhe crtucat conttnlug pressures delermlnlng Ihe undrained
slrclIglh. To tuvesugntc Ihls possihllily. a number 01 dense s amples 01 sand
were prepa r cd and tested In normally consotldat ed-undratned t ests , Each 01
Ihese samples had Ihe same Inilial volrt ratto, e j : 0.61. but uecaus e 01 Ihe
which uccur rert IllIrlnl( consctldut lou, Ihe void ratios, "c' at Ihe
:;Ial'l nf Ihe uuuralued te sts were tess than the inllial va tue , In audlttou. other
-
SM 6 UNOIl.AlNEO STIl.ENGTII CIIARACTEIl.JSTICS 351
dense samples were prepared 10 Ihe same Inllial void ralio,l'j : 0.61 and
ea ch ot thes e was consolldat ed under a couttntng pressure 01 40 kg per sq CIII.
AI uusslage ttie conll nlng pressures on Ihe samples were reduced. each 10 a
difCer enl value, and Ihe samples were allowed to rebound 10 an equttturium
coudluon. The over - cons oltua t ed samples were Ihen loaded 10 failure under
undrained condtuous .
The str engths oC both normally and over -consolldaled samples are plotted
as a Cunction 01 the void rallo 011 Ihe end 01 consolldallon in Fig . 20. II may
lie s een Ihal the data dellne a unique relallonshlp and for thls soil, Ihe uu-
00.-- - - - -,-- - - -...,-- ----.
'0
00
t
:I
l '"
If

j.0
ii
1.0

e...o'I. 0,.100 Ia.
Q Holfn4lllJ' &OA*Nld
0..' - aftNl.lSQl.,
.0
i
.
ON 060 .n
VQt4 RGltO 01 5"w. Q' I.Jr4tfWMd ta ... ..,
FIG. 20.- l::rr I:: CT OVEIICONSOUn.\ -
TION 0:-: IlEI.ATI()NSIIIP BET\\lE!::N
I'IIE:;51\,1': :>TIII::NGTII AND VOIIl
Il"TIO AT r"llUIl .1' NONCAVITATING
CONSOI.ID"n :o-UNIIIlAIN1::11 TESTS
drained strength at any void rallo Is apparently Independent 01 whelher the
sample Is normally or over-consolldaled.
ENVELOPE Of FAILURE IN TERMS OF EFfECTIVESTRESSES
FOR UNDRAINED TE,STSATCONSTANT VOLUME
To del ermine Ihe undrained sf rength 01 a saturated sand in a noncavllallng
t est II Is necessary 10 know Ihe angle of Irlctlon or envelope of lallure under
cons ta nt volume condili ons . Several ways 01 delerminlng Ihls Ir oru drained
t est data have already been des cr tbed .
The rest dala for noncavllallng undrained tests provides means 101' deler-
,"'- -
:l5U Novemher, 1967 SM 0
mining (hc enve lope or (allure. In terms o( ettecttve str esses, (01' constant
volume con.uuous.
T'est <Iala (1'" (he e((eclive stress condlttous at (ailure (lletlned as Ihe
<Icvl'lupmenl Il( the maximum etrecuve principal str es s ralio) in all ollhe
noncavlt attng unrtratued testa performed on the Sacra menlo Rive r sand arc
plnrted in Fig, 21, The data. Including results for normally awl over-
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1\ IlFLFFECTlI'E sr ue ss us FOil CON-
ST.Il\T 1'111.1' M I': c o xIII T I () NS IN 1111-11 NEil
I!\II I;KIlIl,IIKFII TESTS
consolidated samples, loose and dense sand, and high ami low confining pres-
sures. define an essenlially lineal' relallonshlp corresponding 10an angle of
friction or 3(j", This resutt Is compn red wilh rne range of values ueternuned
(1'0111 draillell t ests (sec Fig , 10) in Fig, 22. II Is In good general agreement
"' .
SM 6 STilENGTlI CIiAHACTElllSTICS 359
wilh the envelopes 01 lailurc determined by deducrtug dtlataucy effects (rom
the results ot drained rr-sts on dense sand and In excultent agreement wllh the
envelope of (allu,'(' dl'lc'l'IlIinect hy drained rests showing 110 vofume change at
(allure ,
CONe LUSIONS
A method has been described lor derer mnuug the undrained str ength ot
saturated sands trom data obtained 11'001 drained tests, For this purpose the
undrained strength of samples in which cavllallon occurs has been expr es sed
In terms of the applied stresses and an angle of Ir tctlon Including some dila-
tancy ettects, However, Ihe undrained strength of noncavltat ing sa mples has
been shown to be determined with a satisfaclory degree ot accuracy by the
crilical confining pressure of the soil and the angle of friction corr espondlng
10 constant volume conditions, regardless of the magnitude ot the confining
pressure 10 which the sample Is subjected,
Thus, the critical confining pressure Is a significant cua ractertsttc of a
soil and for Ihe sand Investigated It was found to depend only on Ihe void
ratio, However. for ollie I' cohestontess materials II might well be Influt!nced
to some extent hy Ihe method by which a sample Is brought to any void ratio
concuuon,
The crillcal confining pressure has the physical meaning that II is the
confining pressure for which a sample of granular soil will exhibit no volume
change at failure during shear, Thus II tends 10 be higher for soils which a re
strongly dllatant then for soils which are not , SlI'ongly dtlataut sotts Include
dense cohestouless mater ia ls and soils with very sound, rounded grains, For
suen materials, the crilical conltnlng pressure may be as high as 100 kg per
sq ern. However, for many dense sands and gravels the critical confining
pressure will be In the range- of 10 to 30 kg per sq ern .
Because of Ihe va r latton of volume change with axial sli'ain, even fOl'
samples showing no volume cnange at tal lur e, analyses of undrained strengths
In terms of the critical confining pressures determined by drained rests are
1101 rigorously correct but they are apparenlly su((lclenlly accurate for prac-
tical purposes, However. In analyse,;l of practical problems, such as the
stability of the upstr-eam slope of a dam under undrained loading condutons,
It may be more expedtent to us e a critical conllnlng pressure det e rmlued under
simple shea r and plane strain conduons. Such a value might be determlued
experlmenlally by finding the normal pressure, Onerll. ror which failure
would occur In a simple shear or direct shear test wllh no volume change at
failure, It could Ihen be used to determine the undrained strength of a sat-
ura led cohestonleas soli in shear In an analogous fashion to lhe use of the
critical confining pressure, a,erlt, In determining the strength of samples
under t riaxla l compression lest conditions. Test data indicate mat (lnerll
may be from and greater than values of a,crtl Ior a conestonless
material at any gtveu VOid ratio,
Utilized in the manner outlined above, values 01 critical confining pres-
sures, det errnlued under appropriate deformation conditions, would seem 10
-... '