Influence of gradation on shear strength and volume change behavior of silty sands

The results of an experimental program regarding the effects of gradation on shear strength and volume change behavior of silty sands are presented. Consolidated drained direct shear tests were performed on two clean base sands and twelve silty sands obtained by mixing those base sands with two different non-plastic silts at various fines contents (≤ 25%). Drained shear strengths were observed to be not significantly influenced by either base sand gradation or silt gradation or fines content for the studied range. Increasing fines content has increased the volumetric contraction of specimens at similar void ratio. However, the amount of increase in volumetric contraction of silty sands were found to be affected by silt gradation when other influencing factors such as fines content, base sand gradation and mineralogy were kept the same. Moreover, the amount of increase in volumetric contraction of silty sands were also found to be affected by base sand gradation when other influencing factors such as fines content, silt gradation and mineralogy were kept the same.