RATIONALIZATION OF SKEMPTON'S COMPRESSIBILITY EQUATION

Soils primarily being particulate media, any attempt to understand, interpret, generalize and predict their volume change behaviour would greatly enhance the rational approach to geotechnical engineering problems. This paper deals with the development of a scientific basis for assessing the volume change response of fine grained, uncemented, normally consolidated, saturated soil systems. A generalized equation has been derived for the compressibility of saturated, normally, consolidated uncemented soil systems based on the Gouy-Chapman diffuse double layer theory. It has been shown that Skempton's compressibility equation is a logical consequence of development from the diffuse double layer theory. At present this equation is extensively employed to obtain the ranges of compression index values of soil systems with only liquid limit water contents known. An engineering approach has been developed in the present investigation to identify the natural systems under equilibrium for any one of the three material states, namely normally consolidated, overconsolidated and cemented. Thus with a knowledge of the initial void ratio, overburden pressure, and void ratio at liquid limit, it is possible to determine the applicability of Skempton's equation for engineering application. The viability of the above approach has been demonstrated with extensive published experimental data. (Author/TRRL)

Media Info

  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: p. 433-443
  • Serial:
    • GEOTECHNIQUE
    • Volume: 33
    • Issue Number: 4
    • Publisher: Thomas Telford Limited
    • ISSN: 0016-8505

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00384566
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
  • Files: ITRD, TRIS
  • Created Date: May 30 1984 12:00AM