The Earthquake Engineering Online Archive

Strength evaluation of coarse-grained soils

Siddiq, Farhat H.; Seed, Raymond B.; Chan, Clarence K.; Seed, H. Bolton; Pyke, Robert M.

UCB/EERC-87/22, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, 1987-12, 61 pages (495/S54/1987)

An investigation was made to ensure the most accurate estimates of the strength behavior of earth dam fill material. Based on results of tests of laboratory specimens, it is concluded that the test relative density for the matrix giving the same undrained strength as that of the prototype is about half way between the average relative density of the matrix in the prototype material and the relative density of the total prototype material. Since tests were performed on only one type of gravel and the prototype samples were prepared at only one relative density, this conclusion is described as tentative and further investigation, by tests on gravels with different gradations tested at different relative densities, is recommended.

Available online: http://nisee.berkeley.edu/documents/EERC/EERC-87-22.pdf (2 MB)