Compression Behaviour of Chlef Sand and Transition of Fines Content Using Pressure-Dependent Maximum Void Ratios of Sand

This paper presents a study on Chlef sand to examine the effect of fines content (Fc), relative density (RD) and initial conditions on the compressibility behavior. The interpretation of the results is based on the concept of the intergranular voids ratio (es) and two hypoplastic parameters model Hs and n for calculation of the maximum voids ratio. The œdometric tests results made in the laboratory show that the fines content transition (Fct) of Chlef sand is in good agreement with the results published in the literature. The results obtained indicate that the higher value of fines fraction (Fc) in the sand cause an increase in the compressibility coefficient (Cc) and the granular compressibility coefficient (Cc-s). Moreover increasing the density from 65 to 80% decreased both coefficients (Cc) and (Cc-s). The samples prepared with the moist tamping method (w = 3%) have compressibility coefficients greater than samples prepared by the dry pluviation method (w = 0%). We have shown that the fines content transition (Fct) depends on the initial state of the samples (relative density, preparation method and maximum void ratio). Finally the granulometric characteristics (D10, D50 and Cu) have a significant effect on compression behavior. Nevertheless a good exponential correlation has been found between the compressibility coefficient (Cc), the granular compressibility coefficient (Cc-s) and the effective diameter (D10), the average diameter (D50) and the uniformity coefficient (Cu).