The paper presents a study of the influence of grain-size distribution curve on the small strain shear modulus Gmax of quartz sand with subangular grain shape The results of 163 resonant column tests on 25 different grain-size distribution curves are presented It is demonstrated for a constant void ratio that while Gmax is not influenced by variations in the mean grain-size d50 in the investigated range, it significantly decreases with increasing coefficient of uniformity Cu = d60 / d10 of the grain-size distribution curve Well-known empirical formulas (eg, Hardin’s equation with its commonly used constants) may strongly overestimate the stiffness of well-graded soils Based on the RC test results, correlations of the constants of Hardin’s equation with Cu have been developed The predictions using Hardin’s equation and these correlations are in good accordance with the test data Correlations of the frequently used shear modulus coefficient K2,max with Cu and empirical equations formulated in terms 

Influence of the Grain-Size Distribution Curve of Quartz Sand on the Small Strain Shear Modulus Gmax

Simultaneous measurements of seismically induced pore-water pressure changes and surface and subsurface accelerations at a site undergoing liquefaction caused by the Superstition Hills, California, earthquake (24 November 1987; M = 6.6) reveal that total pore pressures approached lithostatic conditions, but, unexpectedly, after most of the strong motion ceased. Excess pore pressures were generated once horizontal acceleration exceeded a threshold value.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/244/4900/56.full.pdf

Dynamics of liquefaction during the 1987 superstition hills, california, earthquake.

Strength development in silty clay stabilized with calcium carbide residue and fly ash

The paper examines the validity of assuming that granular material behaviour can be considered as cross-anisotropic, linear elastic, within a kinematic ‘kernel’ yield surface that is dragged through stress space with the current effective stress point. Data from more than 300 high-resolution triaxial probing and bender element tests performed on 15 samples are reported in which both small stress cycles and shear wave measurements in both the vertical and horizontal directions were conducted on sand and glass ballotini specimens under various effective stress states. It was found that behaviour is not fully elastic. However, provided the effective stress ratio, R, was kept below around 2·2, most features of the very small-strain behaviour could be described in terms of strongly anisotropic compliance terms that varied with void ratio and current effective stress state, apparently independently of the specimen's stress history. The anisotropy depended on the effective stress states. Specimens loaded to R va...

On the applicability of cross-anisotropic elasticity to granular materials at very small strains

This paper presents the results of a systematic laboratory investigation on the static behavior of silica sand containing various amounts of either plastic or nonplastic fines. Specimens were reconstituted using a new technique suitable for element testing of homogeneous specimens of sands containing fines deposited in water (e.g., alluvial deposits, hydraulic fills, tailings dams, and offshore deposits). The fabric of sands containing fines was examined using the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Static, monotonic, isotropically consolidated, drained triaxial compression tests were performed to evaluate the stress-strain-volumetric response of these soils. Piezoceramic bender element instrumentation was developed and integrated into a conventional triaxial apparatus; shear-wave velocity measurements were made to evaluate the small-strain stiffness of the sands tested at various states. The intrinsic parameters that characterize critical state, dilatancy, and small-strain stiffness of clean, silty, and clayey sands were determined. All aspects of the mechanical behavior investigated in this study (e.g., stress-strain-volumetric response, shear strength, and small-strain stiffness) are affected by both the amount and plasticity of the fines present in the sand. Microstructural evaluation using the ESEM highlighted the importance of soil fabric on the overall soil response.

Shear Strength and Stiffness of Sands Containing Plastic or Nonplastic Fines

A kriging method of interpolation used to map liquefaction potential over alluvial ground

Shaking table tests on the lateral response of a pile buried in liquefied sand

The 2011 Tohoku earthquake off the Pacific coast of Japan (Mw = 9.0) contained a huge source region of approximately 450 km by 200 km and caused extensive damage to various structures. Damage caused by the tsunami was tremendous and many lives were lost. In addition to the damage to concrete structures, seawalls were seriously damaged, probably as a result of scouring. On the other hand, some reinforced soil walls were barely damaged, although they were inundated by the tsunami. This paper briefly reviews the reinforced soil walls in Japan and then summarises the seismic performances of approximately 1600 walls in the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. It also reports some case histories for the reinforced soil walls that were subjected to the direct impact of the earthquake (shaking) and the tsunami. Although seismic motion was much higher than the design value for a wide area and the impact of the tsunami was not considered in the design, fewer than 1% of the walls were seriously damaged and more than 90...

https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/pdf/10.1680/gein.14.00008

Performance of reinforced soil walls during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake

Quasi-elastic stiffness parameters of dense Toyoura sand were measured at various stress states during similar consolidation and p′-constant shear tests in a hollow cylinder apparatus and a triaxial apparatus equipped with local deformation transducers and bender elements. Test results from these two test setups were compared. Although the Young's moduli from the triaxial apparatus were slightly lower than those from the hollow cylinder apparatus, they followed approximately the same power laws with the effective normal stresses. The shear modulus Gvh from the hollow cylinder apparatus was almost the same as that from the shear wave velocity measurement in the triaxial apparatus. The Poisson's ratios were also similar from both test setups. The vertical Young's modulus was found to be smaller than the horizontal Young's modulus. The anisotropy in Young's moduli followed a power law with the effective stress ratio. However, the Poisson's ratios were not dependent on the mean effective pressure or the shear stress level. The symmetry of the stiffness matrix was also examined.

Measurement of Quasi-Elastic Stiffness Parameters of Dense Toyoura Sand in Hollow Cylinder Apparatus and Triaxial Apparatus with Bender Elements

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/sandf1995/42/1/42_1_147/_pdf

Jiro Kuwano

Papers

A kriging method of interpolation used to map liquefaction potential over alluvial ground

Shaking table tests on the lateral response of a pile buried in liquefied sand

Performance of reinforced soil walls during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake

Measurement of Quasi-Elastic Stiffness Parameters of Dense Toyoura Sand in Hollow Cylinder Apparatus and Triaxial Apparatus with Bender Elements

Effects of Initial Fabric and Shearing Direction on Cyclic Deformation Characteristics of Sand.