1097

Interpretation of the limits in shear strength in

binary granular mixtures
Luis E. Vallejo

Abstract: Many natural slopes and rockfill structures are made of a mixture of rock fragments and sand-size particles. To
analyze the stability of such natural slopes and rockfills, a knowledge of how rocksand mixtures develop their shear strength
is needed. Laboratory tests conducted on mixtures of glass beads of two different sizes (5 and 0.4 mm) have indicated that
their shear strength depends upon the relative concentration by weight of the large and small beads in the mixtures. If the
concentration by weight of the large beads is greater than 70%, the shear strength of the mixtures is controlled by the frictional resistance of the large beads. If the concentration of the large beads is less than 40%, the shear strength of the mixtures is controlled by the frictional resistance of the small beads. If the concentration of the large beads is between 40 and
70%, the shear strength of the mixture is partially controlled by the frictional resistance provided by the large beads in the
mixtures. These limits are very similar to those reported for rocksand mixtures. To date, no explanation has been put forward to account for why these limits exist. This study presents an explanation for their existence. The explanation is based
on the porosity developed by the mixtures and the type of structural support provided by the coarse and fine grains.
Key words: shear strength, granular mixtures, porosity, fabric, compaction.
Rsum : Plusieurs pentes naturelles et structures en enrochement sont constitues dun mlange de fragments de roches et de particules de la grosseur du sable. Pour analyser la stabilit de tels talus naturels et remblais en enrochements, il faut savoir comment les mlanges de roches et de sable dveloppent leur rsistance au cisaillement. Des
essais en laboratoire faits sur des mlanges de billes de verre de deux dimensions diffrentes (5 mm et 0,4 mm) ont indiqu que leur rsistance au cisaillement dpend de la concentration relative en poids des petites et grosses billes dans
les mlanges. Si la concentration en poids des grosses billes est plus grandes que 70 %, la rsistance au cisaillement
des mlanges est contrle par la rsistance en frottement des grosses billes. Si la concentration en poids des grosses
billes est infrieure 40 %, la rsistance au cisaillement des mlanges est contrle par la rsistance en frottement des
petites billes. Si la concentration des grosses billes est entre 40 % et 70 % la rsistance au cisaillement du mlange est
partiellement contrle par la rsistance en frottement fournie par les grosses billes dans les mlanges. Ces limites sont
trs semblables celles rapportes pour les mlanges roc-sable. Jusqu ce jour, aucune explication na t propose
pour lexistence de ces limites. Cette .tude prsente une telle explication. Cette explication est base sur la porosit
dveloppe par les mlanges et le type de soutien structural fourni par les grains grossiers et fins.
Mots cls : rsistance au cisaillement, mlanges granulaires, porosit, fabrique, compactage.
[Traduit par la Rdaction]

Introduction

1104
Notes

Many cohesionless soil deposits around the world contain

rock fragments (material larger than the No. 4 sieve) (Poesen
and Lavee 1994). Engineering structures such as rockfills are
made of a mixture of rock and sand-size particles (Marsal
and Fuentes de la Rosa 1976). The finer material in the mixture helps reduce point-to-point contact between the large
particles, preventing their rotation and reorientation, which
is one of the causes of the long-term settlement of rockfills.
To analyze the stability of rockfills, or that of natural slopes
made of rocksand mixtures, their shear strength must be
determined.
Few laboratory investigations involving the determination
of the shear strength of cohesionless soilgravel mixtures
Received August 8, 2000. Accepted March 19, 2001.
Published on the NRC Research Press Web site at
http://cgj.nrc.ca on October 12, 2001.
L.E. Vallejo. Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, 949 Benedum Hall, University of Pittsburgh,
Pittsburgh, PA 15261, U.S.A. (e-mail: vallejo@civ.pitt.edu).
Can. Geotech. J. 38: 10971104 (2001)

have been conducted to date. Table 1 indicates the results of

some of the triaxial tests conducted by various researchers
on granular binary mixtures. These tests used mixture proportions that varied between 0 and 100% of gravel and sand.
From the results of the tests it was determined that the shear
strength of the granular mixtures (obtained from the maximum values of shear strength measured in the triaxial apparatus or from plots of the MohrCoulomb failure envelope)
was controlled by either the gravel or the sand, depending
on their relative concentration by weight. Table 1 indicates
the percentages of gravel in the mixtures which controlled, partially controlled, or had no control at all on the
shear strength of the mixtures.
Using the average of the reported values in Table 1, it was
determined that when the percentage by weight of gravel in
the granular mixtures was greater than 70%, the shear strength
of the mixtures was basically that of the gravel material
alone. That is, for a percentage of gravel greater than 70%,
the shear strength of the mixtures was controlled by the frictional resistance between the gravel particles. When the concentration by weight of the gravel in the mixtures was less
than 49%, the shear strength of the mixtures was basically

DOI: 10.1139/cgj-38-5-1097

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Can. Geotech. J. Vol. 38, 2001

Table 1. Shear strength from triaxial tests as a function of percentage by weight of gravel in gravelsand mixtures.
Percentage of gravel in the mixture

Average

Mixture shear strength

frictional resistance of
the gravel

Mixture shear strength

frictional resistance of
the gravel and sand

Mixture shear strength

frictional resistance of
the sand

>65
>70

6540
7050

<40
<50

>80
>70
>65
>70

8055
7050
6550
7049

<55
<50
<50
<49

that of the sand surrounding the gravel. That is, if the percentage of gravel in the mixtures was less than 49%, the
shear strength of the mixtures was controlled by the sand
and was basically equal to that of the sand with zero gravel.
For the case in which the percentage of granular material in
the granular mixtures was between 49 and 70%, the shear
strength of the mixtures was partially controlled by the gravel.
That is, if the concentration by weight of the gravel in the
mixtures was between 49 and 70%, the shear strength of the
mixtures was equal to the partial shear strength provided by
the gravel plus the partial shear strength provided by the
sand particles. To date, no explanation has been put forward
to account for why these limits of gravel content in the mixtures exist at which the gravel controls, partially controls, or
has no control at all on the shear strength of the granular
mixtures. An explanation for the existence of these limits is
proposed based on the porosity developed by the mixtures
and the type of structural support provided by the coarse and
fine grains.

Reference
Fragaszy et al. 1992
Marsal and Fuentes de la
Rosa 1976
Vasileva et al. 1971
Doddiah et al. 1969
Holtz and Gibbs 1956

Fig. 1. Static compaction apparatus.

Porosity of binary granular mixtures

To gain an understanding of the reasons why limits of
concentration by weight of gravel in gravelsand mixtures
exist at which it controls, partially controls, or has no control at all on the shear strength of the mixtures, laboratory
and theoretical analyses of the changes in porosity (or grain
concentration) developed by the mixtures of large (5 mm)
and small (0.4 mm) spherical glass beads are presented. The
changes in porosity that different proportions of the large
and small glass beads develop when mixed together seem to
explain why these limits exist.
Samples used and laboratory procedure
For the laboratory investigation of the changes in porosity
developed by mixtures of two different sizes of granular material, spherical glass beads of two different diameters were
used. Gravel was represented by glass beads with a diameter
of 5 mm, and fine sand by glass beads with a diameter of
0.4 mm. The specific gravity, GS, of the glass beads was the
same for both sizes and was equal to 2.55.
Particle angularity, surface roughness, and particle size are
three important parameters that have been found to influence
the porosity in granular materials (Bowles 1979; Kolbuszewski
and Frederick 1963). Using rounded, smooth glass beads
will prevent angularity and surface roughness from influenc-

ing the porosity of the mixtures (Vallerga et al. 1957). Thus,

the absence of these two parameters in the porosity measurements will make the porosity results easier to analyze.
The glass bead mixtures were prepared by mixing various
proportions of the 5 mm and 0.4 mm beads. For this study,
samples of binary mixtures weighing 300 g were prepared.
The mixtures were placed in a plastic bag and shaken until
they appeared visually homogeneous. The mixtures were then
slowly poured into a cylindrical Plexiglas container (Fig. 1).
The cylindrical container with transparent walls had inside
and outside diameters of 6.35 and 9 cm, respectively, and a
height of 12 cm. While in the container, the binary granular
mixtures were subjected to three different normal (compacting) static stresses of 13.9, 56, and 84.3 kPa to determine
their effect on the porosity of the mixtures.
Porosity measurements
After the mixtures were poured into the container, the vertical pressures were applied and left in place for a period of
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1099

Fig. 2. Changes in porosity in the coarsefine granular mixture

for normal stress sn = 13.9 kPa.

24 h. After this time, the porosity of the granular mixtures,

nmix, was determined using the following relationship:

[1]

n mix

W
W
V0 - c + f
gf
gc
=
V0

where V0 is the bulk volume of the mixture 24 h after the application of the normal stress; Wc and Wf are the weights of
the coarse (5 mm) and fine (0.4 mm) particles, respectively,
in the mixture; and gc and gf are the unit weights of the
coarse and fine particles, respectively.
Since the area of the sample in the Plexiglas container is
known (31.67 cm2), one only needs to measure the height of
the sample after application of the normal stresses to obtain
the bulk volume of the sample. The height of the sample was
easily measured through the walls of the transparent container, or estimated using the readings from a dial gauge attached to the piston that applies the normal stress to the
sample. The unit weights of the coarse and fine granular particles were obtained from the product of their specific gravities (which is the same for both coarse and fine particles)
and the unit weight of water. Thus, eq. [1] and the equipment described in Fig. 1 can be used to obtain not only the
porosities of the granular mixtures but also the porosities of
the unmixed large beads and unmixed small beads.
The porosities measured using eq. [1] and the equipment
described in Fig. 1 represent average total porosities for the
mixtures and include the effect of the container wall on the
porosity and the effect of the boundaries of the large particles on the porosity in the fine matrix that surrounds the
large particles (Pillai 1977; Fragaszy et al. 1990, 1992).

Fig. 3. Changes in porosity in the coarsefine granular mixture

for sn = 56 kPa.

Coarse grain concentration in the mixtures

The concentration by weight, wc, of the coarse particles in
the mixtures was determined using the following relationship:
[2]

wc =

Wc
Wf + Wc

The porosities of the mixtures calculated using eq. [1] and

the associated coarse grain concentrations by weight calculated
using eq. [2] were plotted as laboratory results in Figs. 24.
An analysis of these figures indicates that nmix depends on
the fractional concentration of each particle population. The
porosity of the mixture of coarse and fine particles is less
than the porosities of the pure components. The porosity of
the mixtures also was found to decrease as the level of normal
stresses applied to them increases, and tends towards a minimum value regardless of the normal stress applied (points
e, h, and k in Figs. 24).
The theoretical minimum porosity of the binary
granular mixtures
Figure 5 is used to gain an understanding of the particle
packing and porosity characteristics acquired by binary granular mixtures under different levels of normal (compacting)
stress. Figure 5A shows coarse grains enclosing a void space.
When small amounts of fine granular material are added to
the coarse particles, the bulk volume of the fine grains will
occupy a portion of the voids between the coarse grains
(Fig. 5B). If one continues adding fine material to the coarse
grains, there will be a moment at which the voids in the
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Can. Geotech. J. Vol. 38, 2001

Fig. 4. Changes in porosity in the coarsefine granular mixture

for sn = 84.3 kPa.

Vvf, represents the volume of the voids in the bulk volume of

the fine grains which fills the void space between the coarse
particles (Fig. 5C). Vf is the volume of the fine grains, and
Vc is the volume of the coarse grains. Since the void volume
in the coarse grains, Vvc, is completely occupied by the bulk
volume of the fine grains, the following relationship applies
to this case:
[4]

nc = Vvc = Vvf + Vf

The porosity in the bulk volume of the fine grains can be

obtained from the following relationship (Fig. 6B):
[5]

nf =

Vvf
Vvf + Vf

Using eqs. [4] and [5], the following relationship is obtained for Vvf:
[6]

Vvf = nfnc

Thus, the minimum porosity of the mixture, nmix-min, can

be obtained from the following relationship (Fig. 6B):
[7]

coarse material will be completely occupied by the bulk volume of the fine grains. At this point, the binary mixture develops the condition of minimum porosity.
After the minimum-porosity condition has been reached in
the coarsefine granular mixture, there is no more space between the coarse grains for additional fine grains. Thus, if
one adds fine grains beyond the minimum porosity conditions, the only way to increase the volume of fine grains in
the mixture is for the coarse grains to become separated, and
the fine grains become the dominant material in the mixture.
At this stage the coarse grains float in the matrix of fine
grains (Figs. 5D, 5E).
The minimum porosity of the mixture as shown in Fig. 5C
can be obtained with the help of Fig. 6, which represents the
phase diagram indicating the solids and void components of
the mixture. Figure 6A represents the case in which there are
only coarse grains in the mixture, Fig. 6B represents the
case when the voids in the coarse grain skeleton are completely filled by the bulk volume of the fine grains, and
Fig. 6C represents the case in which there are only fine
grains in the mixture.
The porosity of the structure with only coarse grains, nc,
can be obtained from the following relationship (Fig. 6A):
[3]

nc =

Vvc
= Vvc
VT

where Vvc is the volume of the voids between the coarse

grains, and VT is the total volume of the coarse grains plus
the voids. This total volume is equal to 1.
The porosity of the coarsefine grain mixture at minimum
porosity, nmix-min, can be obtained from Fig. 6B. In Fig. 6B,

n mix-min =

Vvf
= nf nc
VT

Therefore the minimum porosity of the mixture can be obtained from the product of the porosities of the pure fine
grains and the pure coarse grains. Both of these porosities
are known quantities, since they were measured during the
static compaction tests with the use of eq. [1]. Also, eq. [7]
has been previously obtained by Kezdi (1979), although Kezdi
used a more complex analysis than the one presented in this
study.
The concentration of coarse grains in the mixture, wc-min,
at conditions of minimum porosity can be obtained easily
using eqs. [2][7] and Figs. 6A and 6B. This particular coarse
grain concentration can be obtained from
[8]

wc-min =

(1 - n c )g c
n c (1 - n f )g f + (1 - n c )g c

The points of minimum porosity concentration of coarse

grains by weight have been plotted in Figs. 24 as point B.
If the porosities of the pure coarse grains and the pure fine
grains are joined with the points of minimum porosity, a plot
ABC is obtained from which the theoretical porosities of the
mixtures can be determined as a function of the concentration by weight of the coarse grains in the mixtures. The line
AB represents the porosities coarse grain concentrations
for the mixtures that are controlled by the coarse grains
(structure supported by the coarse particles) (Figs. 5A5C).
The line BC represents the porosities coarse grain concentrations in the mixtures that are controlled by the fine grains
(structure supported by the fine particles) (Figs. 5D5F).
Figures 24 indicate that the theoretical minimum porosities
are very difficult to achieve with the laboratory mixtures.
The laboratory binary mixtures did not develop a single and
very distinctive value of minimum porosity such as that given
by the theoretical plots (point B), but instead developed two
smooth transitional zones of low porosity values located to
the left and right of the points representing the minimum
laboratory porosities. These transitional zones are located
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1101

Fig. 5. Changes of fabric in the coarsefine granular mixture.

Fig. 6. Phase diagram for the coarsefine granular mixture.

between points d and e and e and f in Fig. 2, points g and h

and h and i in Fig. 3, and points j and k and k and m in
Fig. 4.
The laboratory porosity values for a coarse grain controlled structure are located in sections Ad, Ag, and Aj of
the laboratory curves in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The
laboratory porosity values for the fine grain supported structure are located in sections fC, iC, and mC of the laboratory
curves in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, respectively. These sections follow the general trend and are close to the lines representing
the theoretical relationships for the coarse grain and fine
grain supported structures (Figs. 24).
The values of porosity and the related close grain concentrations at the boundaries between the coarse grain supported
structure, the two transitional zones of low porosity, and the
fine grain controlled structure shown in Figs. 24 will help
in explaining the limits of coarse grain concentration values
in binary granular mixtures that control, partially control, or

have no control at all on the shear strength of the mixtures

as shown in Table 1.
Classification of the binary granular mixtures based on
their porosity
Table 2 shows the range of values of the porosity and the
related coarse grain concentration for the coarse grain supported structure, the fine grain supported structure, and the
two transitional zones of low porosity depicted in Figs. 24.
The two transitional zones of low porosity values depicted in
Figs. 24 are the sections of the laboratory curves located
immediately to the left and right of the minimum porosities
given as points e, h, and k.
Using the laboratory porosity coarse grain concentration
relationship for the case when a compaction pressure of
13.9 kPa was applied to the mixture (Fig. 2; Table 2), one
can clearly distinguish very distinctive boundaries that can
be used to classify the mixtures as one of the following: (i) a
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Can. Geotech. J. Vol. 38, 2001

Table 2. Classification of the binary granular mixtures based on

porosity and coarse grain concentration values obtained from laboratory curves of Figs. 24.

grain supported structure if the coarse grain concentration

varies between 40 and 0%.

Range of
porosities (%)

Shear strength of binary granular mixtures

Range of coarse grain

concentration (%)

Coarse grain supported structure

35(A) to 25(d)
100(A) to 80(d)
33(A) to 21(g)
100(A) to 80(g)
32(A) to 20(j)
100(A) to 80(j)
Transitional coarse grain supported structure
25(d) to 24(e)
80(d) to 70(e)
21(g) to 20(h)
80(g) to 70(h)
20(j) to 18(k)
80(j) to 70(k)
Transitional fine grain supported structure
24(e) to 28(f)
70(e) to 40(f)
20(h) to 25(i)
70(h) to 40(i)
18(k) to 26(m)
70(k) to 40(m)
Fine grain supported structure
28(f) to 38(C)
40(f) to 0(C)
25(i) to 36(C)
40(i) to 0(C)
26(m) to 35(C)
40(m) to 0(C)

Normal stress
(kPa)
13.9
56
84.3
13.9
56
84.3
13.9
56
84.3
13.9
56
84.3

Note: Letters in parentheses represent porosity and coarse grain

concentration values shown in the laboratory curves of Figs. 24.

coarse grain supported structure, (ii) a transitional coarse

grain supported structure, (iii) a transitional fine grain supported structure, or (iv) a fine grain supported structure.
A coarse grain supported structure has zero or very small
amounts of fine grains in the voids and is represented by
Figs. 5A and 5B. For a binary mixture to be classified as a
coarse grain supported structure, the coarse grain concentration
by weight values must vary between 100 and 80% (Fig. 2;
Table 2).
A transitional coarse grain supported structure is mostly
supported by the coarse grains and is represented by Fig. 5C.
For a binary mixture to be classified as a transitional coarse
grain supported structure, the coarse grain concentration by
weight values must vary between 80 and 70% (Fig. 2; Table 2).
A transitional fine grain supported structure is mostly supported by the fine grains and is represented by Fig. 5D. For a
binary mixture to be classified as a transitional fine grain
supported structure, the coarse grain concentration by weight
values must vary between 70 and 40% (Fig. 2; Table 2).
A fine grain supported structure has zero or very small
amounts of coarse grains. If coarse grains are present, they
float in a matrix of fine grains (Figs. 5E, 5F). For a binary
mixture to be classified as a fine grain supported structure,
the coarse grain concentration by weight values must vary
between 40 and 0% (Fig. 2; Table 2).
A further simplification of this classification system can
be made if the two transitional classifications are merged.
This simplified classification system is as follows: (i) a binary granular mixture can be classified as a coarse grain
supported structure if the coarse grain concentration varies
between 70 and 100%, (ii) a binary granular mixture can be
classified as a transitional coarsefine grain supported structure if the coarse grain concentration varies between 70 and
40%, and (iii) a binary mixture can be classified as a fine

The binary mixtures that were prepared for the porosity

measurements were also subjected to direct shear testing.
After the samples were statically compacted under the normal stress described in Figs. 24, they were removed and
placed in a direct shear apparatus that enclosed cylindrical
samples with the same diameter as that of the compaction
device used for the porosity measurements. The samples
were sheared under the same normal stresses that were used
during the static compaction tests. That is, the normal stresses
used in the direct shear testing of the mixtures were 13.9,
56, and 84.3 kPa. A rate of displacement equal to 0.02 mm/
min was used during the direct shear testing.
Figure 7 shows a plot of the measured peak shear strength
tpeak versus the concentration by weight, wc, of the 5 mm diameter beads in the mixture for the three normal stress levels
used in the static compaction and direct shear tests. An analysis of Fig. 7 indicates that the shear strength of the mixtures changed depending on the concentration of 5 mm and
0.4 mm diameter beads in the mixture. When the concentration of the 5 mm diameter beads, wc, was greater than 70%,
the shear strength of the mixtures was basically equal to the
shear strength of the 5 mm beads alone. When the concentration of the 5 mm diameter beads was less than 40%, the
shear strength of the mixture was basically that of the 0.4 mm
beads alone. For intermediate concentrations of the 5 mm
diameter beads (between 40 and 70%), the shear strength of
the mixtures seems to be provided in part by the frictional
resistance between a portion of the 5 mm diameter beads
and in part by the frictional resistance between a portion of
the 0.4 mm diameter beads. The limits of shear strength
measured in the glass bead mixtures seem to follow the
same general trends as those found by other researchers for
gravelsand mixtures (Table 1).

Relationship between porosity and shear

strength
In Figs. 24, representing the laboratory relationship between porosity and the coarse grain concentration (wc) in the
mixtures, the points at which the mixtures develop the minimum porosities have been marked as e, h, and k. They indicate that the mixtures reached a minimum value of porosities
at an average concentration of 70% of the 5 mm diameter
beads in the mixture (Table 2). Figures 5A5C show that the
coarse beads control the structure and behaviour of the mixtures when the coarse grain concentration is greater than
70%. If this is the case, any shear strength tests run on the
mixtures with coarse grain concentrations greater than 70%
should reflect the control of 5 mm diameter beads on the
measured strength. An analysis of the results of the shear
strength tests run on the mixtures seems to indicate that this
is in fact the case. Figure 7 indicates that when the concentration of coarse beads was greater than 70%, the shear
strength of the mixtures was basically that of the 5 mm diameter beads alone.
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The theoretical nmixwc relationships given by the plot ABC

in Figs. 24 indicate that the binary mixture should reach a
minimum porosity at a single point given by the intersection
of the straight line AB (representing the nmixwc relationship
for the coarse grain controlled structure) and the straight line
BC (representing the nmix wc relationship for the fine grain
supported structure). Thus, theoretically the change from a
coarse grain controlled mixture to a fine grain controlled
mixture is abrupt and takes place when the mixtures reach
minimum porosities (point B in Figs. 24). The laboratory
samples, however, did not reach the minimum porosities in
an abrupt way. After the fine beads were added to the coarse
bead structure, the coarse grain controlled mixtures reached
their minimum porosities gradually (points e, h, and k in
Figs. 24). Also, after reaching the minimum porosities, the
granular mixtures experienced a gradual increase of porosity
up to the point at which the fine particles completely controlled the behaviour of the mixture (given by points f, i,
and m in Figs. 24; Table 2).
Thus, the porosity measurements indicate that there is a
transition zone between the coarse grain controlled structure
and the fine grain controlled structure. In this transition zone,
the coarse grain portion and the fine grain portion in the
mixtures both controlled the porosity of the mixtures (Fig. 5D).
Any shear strength tests run on the mixtures with coarse
grain concentrations ranging between 70 and 40% should reflect the partial contribution of the coarse and fine grains to
the shear strength of the mixtures. An analysis of the results
of the shear strength tests run on the mixtures seems to indicate that this is in fact the case. Figure 7 indicates that the
shear strength of the mixtures decreased from that measured
in the coarse grain controlled structure (wc 70%) to that
measured in mixtures controlled by the fine grain controlled
structure (wc 40%). Thus, the shear strength measured in
mixtures having a coarse grain concentration between wc =
70% and wc = 40% is in fact related to the porosities in the
transition zones shown in Figs. 24.
An analysis of Figs. 24 indicates that when the coarse
grain concentration in the mixtures is less than 40%, the porosities of the mixtures are controlled by the fine grain matrix
surrounding the dispersed coarse grains (Fig. 5E). Any shear
strength tests run on a mixture of dispersed coarse grains in a
matrix of fine grains should reflect the control of the structure
by the fine grains. Figure 7 in fact indicates that when the
mixtures had coarse grain concentrations of less than 40%,
the shear strength of the mixtures was in fact controlled by
the fine grains. However, Fig. 7 also shows that the coarse
grains in concentrations of less than 40% seem to reinforce
somewhat the predominantly fine matrix (Bolton et al. 1991).
Thus, the limits of shear strength in binary granular mixtures at which the coarse grain fraction controls, partially
controls, or has no control at all on the shear strength have
been explained in this study by the changes in porosity experienced by the mixtures when subjected to a static compression test. The shear strength values were found to be related
to the changes in porosity values that cause binary granular
mixtures to behave as a coarse grain supported structure, a
transitional coarsefine grain supported structure, or a fine
grain supported structure. The analysis presented in this
study has given a detailed explanation of how binary granular mixtures develop these structures.

1103
Fig. 7. Peak shear strength of the binary mixtures as a function
of the normal stress used in the direct shear testing.

Conclusions
From laboratory and theoretical analyses of the changes in
porosity experienced by granular mixtures of grains of two
different sizes and subjected to static compaction and direct
shear strength tests, the following conclusions were established:
(1) From static compaction tests it was determined that
the percentage by weight of coarse grains in a binary mixture influences not only its porosity but also the way the
structure of the mixture is supported. It was determined that
when the coarse grain concentration is greater than 70%, the
mixture structure is totally supported by the coarse grains.
When the coarse grain concentration is between 70 and 40%,
the coarse grains and the fine grains each partially support
the mixture structure. When the coarse grain concentration is
less than 40%, the mixture structure is completely supported
by the fine grains in the mixture.
(2) Since the shear strength of a binary granular mixture is
directly influenced by the frictional strength between the
grains that hold the structure in place, the coarse grain concentration limits that classify a mixture as a coarse grain,
coarsefine grain, or fine grain supported structure were also
found to be effective in the binary granular mixtures when
they were subjected to direct shear strength tests.
(3) Porosity measurements in coarsefine grain mixtures
indicated that the porosity of the mixtures was dependent on
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the concentration by weight of the coarse and fine grains.

The porosity of the mixtures was found to be less than the
porosities of the two components, that is, fine grains (0.4 mm
in diameter) and coarse grains (5 mm diameter).
(4) The porosity of the mixtures decreased as the level of
static compaction increased. Also, regardless of the compaction stress used, the mixtures acquired a minimum porosity.
The minimum porosity of the mixtures represents the boundary between a coarse grain controlled structure and a partially fine grain controlled structure.

References
Bolton, M.D., Fragaszy, R.J., and Lee, D.M. 1991. Broadening the
specifications of granular fills. In Geotechnical Engineering
1991, Transportation Research Record 1309, Soils, Geology,
and Foundations, pp. 3541.
Bowles, J.E. 1979. Physical and geotechnical properties of soils.
McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
Doddiah, D., Bhat, H.S., Somasekhar, P.V., Sosalegowda, H.B.,
and Ranganath, K.N. 1969. Shear characteristics of soilgravel
mixtures. Journal of the Indian National Society of Soil Mechanics
and Foundations Engineering, 8(1): 5766.
Fragaszy, R.J., Su, W., and Siddiqi, F.H. 1990. Effects of oversize
particles on the density of clean granular soils. Geotechnical
Testing Journal, 13(2): 106114.

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2001 NRC Canada