STRESS-STRAIN BEHAVIOR,

VOLUME CHANGE, AND

SHEARING OF SANDS

CRITICAL STATE

Critical State
Definition:
It is the soil state at which shearing
occurs at constant volume and constant
shearing stress
At critical state, soil density and stress
are in equilibrium, that is, the soil has no
need to contract or dilate

SOURCES OF DRAINED
SHEAR STRENGTH

What factors contribute to the

strength of sand?
Density
Confinement

Sand Effect of DR
Drained > no excess pore pressure
CD triaxial tests on dense and loose sand specimens
Same initial confining stress but different initial DR
q = 1 3

q
Dense specimen

Loose specimen

Drained > no excess pore pressure

q

q = 1 3

Dense specimen

CRITICAL STATE

Loose specimen

vol
Loose specimen

Contractive
(contraction)
(dilation)

Dense specimen

d
Dilative

Critical-state void ratio

e
Contractive specimen

e at critical state

ecs
Dilative specimen

Sources of shear strength

Friction between soil particles
Particle rearrangement
Interlocking between particles

Sources of shearing strength

Shearing strength of contractive sands is due
primarily to friction between soil particles and
particle rearrangement
Shearing strength of dilative sands is due to
interlocking between particles that has to be
overcome by dilation (for dilation to occur,
energy must be supplied to the soil for it to
overcome the confining stress)

Sand Effect of confinement

Drained > no excess pore pressure
CD triaxial tests on contractive sand specimens
Same initial DR but different initial confining stress
q =1-3
3qcs

33

2qcs

23

qcs

Critical-state envelope

Critical-state envelope

3c

2c

23

33

Sand Effect of confinement

Drained > no excess pore pressure
CD triaxial tests on dilative sand specimens
Same initial DR but different initial confining stress
q =1-3
qcs

1/2qcs
1/4qcs

1/2 3
1/4 3
d

Critical-state envelope

contractive

dilative

Critical-state envelope

3c

c
2c

cs
1/2c
1/4c

1/43

1/23

23

33

Sand Effect of confinement

Drained > no excess pore pressure
CD triaxial tests on dilative sand specimens
Same initial DR but different initial confining stress
q =1-3
qcs

qpeak

1/2 3
qpeak

1/4 3
d

Peak and critical-state envelopes

contractive

dilative

Critical-state envelope

3c

c
2c

Peak envelope

peak
peak

1/43

1/23

23

33

Peak and critical-state friction angles

contractive

dilative

Critical-state envelope

c
Peak envelope

peak
peak

Higher peak

Confinement

Lower peak until c is reached

Critical-state friction angle

Also called constant-volume
The at very large strains
c= 28o to 36o @ silica sands
c= 37o to 44o @ carbonate sands