Effect of kaolin and degree of saturation on shear strength parameters of silty sand

Geo technical engineering

The properties of clean sands pertaining to shear strength have been studied extensively. However, natural sands generally contain significant amount of silt and/or clay. The mechanical response of such soils is different from that of clean sands. Shearing resistance of soil is very important while designing various structures which have direct contact with soil, for example, sheet piles, retaining walls and shallow foundations. This paper addresses the effect of percentage kaolin on the shear strength parameters of sand. The strength behavior of silty sand can be interpreted from its relative compaction, mean confining pressure and relative dilatancy. The present work considers direct shear test results on silty sand at different degree of saturation. A series of direct shear test was performed on samples of silty sand with and/or without replacement of percentage fines replaced by percentage kaolin under varying degree of saturation as 05, 50%, 75%, and 100%, compacted at maximum dry density. Results depicted that as degree of saturation increased the angle of internal fiction and cohesion decreased in both the condition i.e. with and without replacement of percentage fines with percentage kaolin.

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