Pore Size Distribution of Sandy Soils and the Prediction of Permeability
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING JOINT HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROJECT FHWA/IN/JHRP-81/15 PORE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SANDY SOILS AND THE PREDICTION OF PERMEABILITY CM. Juang te^^^ ^^- PURDUE UNIVERSITY INDIANA STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2011 witii funding from LYRASIS members and Sloan Foundation; Indiana Department of Transportation http://www.archive.org/details/poresizedistribuOOjuan Interim Report PORE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SANDY SOILS AND THE PREDICTION OF PERMEABILITY To: H. L. Michael, Director August 13, 1981 Joint Highway Research Project Project: C-36-5N From: R. D. Holtz, Research Engineer Joint Highway Research Project File: 6-6-14 Attached is an Interim Report on the HPR-1(19) Part II Research Study entitled "Effects of Pore Size Distribution on Permeability and Frost Susceptibility of Selected Subgrade Materials". This is the fourth report from this study and it covers Task E of the approved work plan. The author of the report is Mr. Charng-Hsein Juang who worked under the supervision of Prof. C. W. Lovell and myself. The report title is "Pore Size Distri- bution of Sandy Soils and the Prediction of Permeability". The results of the study show the usefulness of pore size distribution parameters for characterizing the fabric of sandy soils. They are also useful for predicting the permeability of such soils. The author has developed a statistical prediction equation which uses the PSD parameters and which is shown to give an accurate estimate of permeability for compacted soils ranging from sands to clays. The Report is a partial fulfillment of the objectives of the Study. Copies will be submitted to the IDOH and FHWA for their review, comment, and acceptance. Sincerely yours. X^ y' R. D. Holtz Research Engineer IDH : cm c: A. G. Altschaeffl G. K. Hallock C. F. Scholer W. L. Dolch D. E. Hancher K. C. Sinha R. L. Eskew J. F. McLaughlin C. A. Venable G. D. Gibson R. D. Miles L. E. Wood W. H. Goetz P. L. Owens E. J. Yoder M. J. Gutzwiller G. T. Satterly S. R. Yoder Interim Report PORE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SANDY SOILS AND THE PREDICTION OF PERMEABILITY by Charng-Hsein Juang Graduate Instructor in Research Joint Highway Research Project Project No. : C-36-5N File No.: 6-6-14 Prepared as Part of an Investigation Conducted by Joint Highway Research Project Engineering Experiment Station Purdue University in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Highways and the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration The contents of this report reflect the views of the author who is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Federal Highway Administration. The report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana August 13, 1981 j TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE 1 . Report No. 2. Govornment Accession No. 3. Recipient s Cotolog No. FHWA/IN/JHRP-81/15 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Roport Dote August 13, 1981 PORE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SANDY SOILS AND 6. Performing Organtzotion Code THE PREDICTION OF PERMEABILITY 7. Author^) 8. Performing Organizotion Report No, Charng-Hsein Juang JHRP-81-15 9. Performing Organizotion Nome ond Address 10. Work Unit No. Joint Highway Research Project Civil Engineering Building 1 ) Contract or Grant No. Purdue University HPR-1(19) "Part II W. Lafayette. Indiana 47907 11 Type of Report and Period Covered 12. Sponsoring Agency Name ond Addres' Indiana Department of Highways Interim Report State Office Building 100 North Senate Avenue 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 15. Supplementary Notes Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Part of the Study titled "Effects of Pore Size Distri- bution on Permeability and Frost Susceptibility of Selected Subgrade Material.q". 16. Abstroct I The soils used in this study were a and sand two sand-clay mixtures. Kneading I compaction was used to prepare samples of sand-clay mixtures while pluvial compaction was used to prepare compacted samples of sand. The testing program consisted of the permeability test and the pore size distribution (PSD) test. A technique for the \ preparation of PSD specimens of cohesionless sands has been developed. The mercury intrusion technique was used to conduct PSD test. Falling head tests under back I pressure were used to measure permeability. j The pore size density function of the sands studied showed a single modal char-' acteristic on a log diameter scale while that of sand-clay mixtures showed bimodal '; characteristics on the same scale. The influence of varying v'ater content and ' compactive effort on the fabric of the sandy soils studied was characterized by I their pore size distributions and pore size density functions. j A permeability model which related the pore size distribution to the permeabili-j ty of soils has been proposed. The prediction of permeability by the proposed modelj was excellent (e.g. R^ = for ' 0.98) both the author's and Garcia-Bengochea ' s (1978) data. Thus, the proposed permeability model can provide an excellent predictive i tool for a rather wide range of compacted soils. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement compacted sandy soils, pore size No restrictions. This document is distribution, permeability available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161, 19. Security Closslf. (of this report) 20. Security Closslf. (of tfiis page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclass if ied Unclassified 109 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-69) XI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to express his sincere gratitude to Professors R. D. Holtz and C. W. Lovell, his major advisor and former advisor respectively, for the contributions of their time, effort, and ideas to the work presented in this dissertation. Special thanks are also due Professor Lovell for helping the author to surmount personal set- backs and obstacles. The author is also greatly indebted to Professor D. N. Winslow for valuable discussions on mercury intrusion technology, and to Professor G. P. McCabe for helpful discussions on mathematical pro- blems. Special thanks are due Professor M. E. Harr for his support during the author's first-year study at Purdue. The laboratory assistance provided by Mrs. Janet Lovell was ex- tremely helpful. The secretarial work by Mrs. Edith Vanderwerp and thesis typing by Ms. Linda Gibson were greatly appreciated. The financial support for this research was provided by the State of Indiana and the Federal Highway Administration through the Joint Highway Research Project at Purdue University. Finally, very special thanks are extended to my wife, Anne, for her assistance in both laboratory and computer work, and many sacri- fices during the course of this study; indeed this dissertation would not have been possible without her help. Ill TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xi SUMMARY xii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Fabric and Its Role in Geotechnical Engineering. 1 1.2 Objective of This study 3 CHAPTER II THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 4 2.1 Pore Size Distribution ^ 2.1.1 Theoretical Background of Pore Size Distribution and Pore Size Density Function • ^ 2.1.2 The Measurement of Pore Size Distribution and Its Limitation 5 2.1.3 The Applications of Pore Size Distribution. H 2.2 Permeability Model ^2 12 2.2.1 Relation of Permeability to Pore Geometry . 2.2.2 Proposed Permeability Model 16 23 CHAPTER III TESTING PROGRAM AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES . 3.1 Testing Program 23 3.2 Soil Studied 25 25 3.3 Compaction ..... 3.3.1 Pluvial Compaction for Soil A 25 28 3.3.2 Kneading Compaction for Soils B and C . IV Page 3.4 Permeability Tests , c = 31 3.5 Specimen Preparation and Drying and Pore Size Distribution Tests 37 CHAPTER IV PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION 39 4.1 Compaction. .... ......... 39 4.1.1 Sample Nomenclature. ............. 39 4.1.2 Dry Density versus Water Content Relationships for Soils B and C 39 4.1.3 Pluvial Compaction Result for Soil A '^5 4.2 Permeability '^5 4.3 Pore Size Distribution 50 4.3.1 Data Reduction 50 ^^ 4.3.2 Data Presentation , . 4.3.3 Pore Size Distribution Curves and Fittings of the Curves 57 4.3.4 Comparison of Pore Size Curves 71 4.4 Prediction of Permeability by Proposed Model 85 4.5 Applicability of Proposed Permeability Model 91 CHAPTER V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 96 5.1 Summary . 96 5.2 Conclusions 98 5.3 Recommendations for Future Research , 101 REFERENCES. 103 APPENDICES Appendix A-1: Freeze Drying Method ... 108 Appendix A-2: Determination of Pore Size Distribution. 112 Appendix A-3: Computer Program for PSD Data Reduction and plotting and Sample Output 125 Page Appendix A-4: The Graphical Presentations of PSD Original Data 135 Appendix A-5: Use of the Computer Program SPLINE and Results 152 Appendix A-6: Calculations of Functional Values from SPLINE 167 Appendix A-7: Correction of Unconnected Pores, 168 Appendix A-8: Pore Size Curves Expressed as a Percentage of Total Pore Volume 173 Appendix A-9 : Prediction of Permeability: Computer Program and Output 194 Appendix A-10: Prediction of Permeability : Garcia-Bengochea's (19 78) Data 222 VI LIST OF TABLES Table Page 3-1 Classification Properties of Soils Studied • 26 4-1 Sample Code Designation 40 4-2 Specifications for Impact Compaction Test 4 1 4-3 Impact Compaction Data and Coefficient of Multiple Determination '^2 4-4 Kneading Compaction Variables for Each Sample Point of Soils B and C 44 4-5 Pluvial Compaction Variables for Each Sample Point of Soil A ^6 4-6 Permeabilities of Samples Tested .....