One dimensional compression properties of crushable soils related to particle characteristics

Materials such as decomposed granites, volcanic soils, and carbonate sands are known to undergo particle crushing at low stress levels. Such particle crushing greatly effects their mechanical characteristics. The properties of four soils are described in terms of their particle size gradings, compression characteristics, particle roundness and variability. A roundness coefficient has been defined combining particle aspect ratio and roughness characteristics. It has been shown that the less round the particle shape was, the weaker the single particle crushing strength. At low stress levels the compression index for crushable soils was higher than that for less crushable silica sands, The compression index at yield was shown to be related to the d(50) single particle crushing strength, As the coefficient of uniformity and particle variability increased, so the radius of curvature of the yield zone for the one-dimensional compression curve increased.