The behaviour of granular soils at elevated stresses

The behaviour of three diverse granular soils has been investigated over a wide range of stresses (50 kPa-58 MPa) allowing a general framework to be developed for the behaviour of granular soils. Characteristic features such as a normal compression and critical state lines may be identified and the description of the mechanics of these soils is therefore similar in many respects to the critical state framework developed for clay soils. For granular soils, the principal means of volumetric compression is through particle crushing and this gives rise to some unusual features, notably that for these soils the critical state is not at the apex of the state boundary surface. Particle breakage has been quantified and unique relationships identified between the degree of breakage and the stresses applied, both for isotropic compression and at the critical state. -Author