Intergranular state variables and stress-strain behaviour of silty sands

Relative contributions by the coarser and finer grains in a silty sand to its stress–strain response are affected by the intergranular matrix structure. The nature of this contribution is illustrated using an intergranular matrix phase diagram in terms of void ratio (e), fines content (FC), and intergranular and interfine void ratios (es and ef). New intergranular state parameters (ψs, ψf) and (es, ef) are introduced as state variables to characterize silty sands; es and ef dictate the steady-state characteristics of silty sand at low and high fines contents, respectively; ψs and ψf reflect the plastic compressibility characteristics at low and high fines contents, respectively. Using these state variables, the anticipated stress–strain–strength behaviour of silty sand in comparison to that of the host sand is presented. Similar stress-strain behaviour is expected at the same es and initial confining stress σ′c, with a few exceptions. At a constant void ratio e, es increases while ef decreases with additi...