Statistical Analysis of Stress Transmission and Onset of Internal Instability under Vertical Effective Stress
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24, Issue 3
Abstract
Variables that can be considered in experimental investigations of internal instability of earth dam materials are often bounded by practicality and feasibility constraints. To overcome these shortcomings, a total of 164 previous published experimental results were compiled to study statistically the relative significance of vertical effective stress, grain size ratio (D15/d85), fines content, coefficient of uniformity (Cu), and specimen length in the mechanism of internal instability. The present statistical results agreed with previous experimental findings on the combined dominant roles played by fines content and stress in the internal instability. However, the stress reduction factor was found to be inversely correlated with the vertical effective stress, which was not reported previously. The scale effect of specimen size has significant positive correlations with both the stress reduction factor and critical hydraulic gradient, whereas the influences of Cu and D15/d85 were minimal, in contrast to previous experimental findings. An improved theoretical hydromechanical envelope for predicting internal instability of cohesionless soil in the space of stress-gradient–stress reduction factor was proposed in this study. The unstable envelope moved with increasing applied hydraulic gradient until the state of material touching the envelope.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data used are available from the corresponding author by request.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Prof. Xing Zheng Wu from the Hebei University for his useful comments. The financial support from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2022YFC3005501), the IWHR Research and Development Support Program (GE0145C072023, GE0145B032021), and State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin (SKL2022TS05) are acknowledged.
References
Ahlinhan, M. F., and M. Achmus. 2010. “Experimental investigation of critical hydraulic gradients for unstable soils.” In Proc., Int. Conf. on Scour and Erosion, 599–608. Reston, VA: ASCE.
ALsakran, M. A., J.-G. Zhu, and W. Er-lu. 2021. “Experimental study for assessing the onset of suffusion and suffosion of gap-graded soil.” Soil Mech. Found. Eng. 57 (6): 458–464. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11204-021-09693-4.
Chang, D., and L. Zhang. 2011. “A stress-controlled erosion apparatus for studying internal erosion in soils.” Geotech. Test. J. 34 (6): 579–589.
Chang, D. S., and L. M. Zhang. 2013. “Critical hydraulic gradients of internal erosion under complex stress states.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 139 (9): 1454–1467. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000871.
Chen, R., L. Liu, Z. Li, G. Deng, Y. Zhang, and Y. Zhang. 2021. “A novel vertical stress-controlled apparatus for studying suffusion along horizontal seepage through soils.” Acta Geotech. 16: 2217–2230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-021-01164-2.
Deng, G., L.-L. Zhang, R. Chen, L.-l. Liu, K.-X. Shu, and Z.-L. Zhou. 2020. “Experimental investigation on suffusion characteristics of cohesionless soils along horizontal seepage flow under controlled vertical stress.” Front. Earth Sci. 8: 195. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.00195.
Fannin, R. J., and P. Slangen. 2014. “On the distinct phenomena of suffusion and suffosion.” Géotechnique Lett. 4 (3): 289–294. https://doi.org/10.1680/geolett.14.00051.
Garner, S. J., and R. J. Fannin. 2010. “Understanding internal erosion: A decade of research following a sinkhole event.” Int. J. Hydropower Dams 17 (3): 93–98.
ICOLD (International Commission on Large Dams). 2013. “Internal erosion of existing dams, levees and dikes, and their foundations.” In Internal erosion processes and engineering assessment. Vol. 1, edited by R. Bridle and R. Fell. Paris: ICOLD. Bulletin 164.
Indraratna, B., J. Israr, and M. Li. 2018. “Inception of geohydraulic failures in granular soils – an experimental and theoretical treatment.” Géotechnique 68 (3): 233–248. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.16.P.227.
Israr, J., and B. Indraratna. 2017. “Internal stability of granular filters under static and cyclic loading.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 143 (6): 04017012. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001661.
Israr, J., and B. Indraratna. 2019. “Study of critical hydraulic gradients for seepage-induced failures in granular soils.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 145 (7): 04019025. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002062.
Israr, J., G. Zhang, and J. Israr. 2020. “Characterization of internal instability potential of granular soils subjected to uniaxial static and cyclic loading.” Pak. J. Eng. Appl. Sci. 26: 16–29.
Istomina, V. S. 1957. Filtracionnaja ustojčivost gruntov (Soil stability to seepage). [In Russian.] Moscow: VODGEO.
Jiang, Z., W. Wang, S. Feng, and H. Zhong. 2013. “Experimental of study on the relevance between stress state and seepage failure of sandy-gravel soil.” [In Chinese.] J. Hydraul. Eng. 44 (12): 1498–1505.
Ke, L., and A. Takahashi. 2014. “Experimental investigations on suffusion characteristics and its mechanical consequences on saturated cohesionless soil.” Soils Found. 54 (4): 713–730. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2014.06.024.
Kenney, T. C., and D. Lau. 1985. “Internal stability of granular filters.” Can. Geotech. J. 22 (2): 215–225. https://doi.org/10.1139/t85-029.
Kezdi, A. 1979. Soil physics. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.
Lefebvre, M. 2006. Applied probability and statistics. New York: Springer.
Li, M. 2008. “Seepage induced instability in widely graded soils.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of British Columbia.
Li, M., and R. J. Fannin. 2008. “Comparison of two criteria for internal stability of granular soil.” Can. Geotech. J. 45 (9): 1303–1309. https://doi.org/10.1139/T08-046.
Li, M., and R. J. Fannin. 2012. “A theoretical envelope for internal instability of cohesionless soil.” Géotechnique 62 (1): 77–80. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.10.T.019.
Li, W. C., Y. F. Chu, G. Deng, H. Cai, D. S. Xie, and M. L. Lee. 2023. “Study of shear induced stress redistribution in gap-graded soils by discrete element method.” Comput. Geotech. 156: 105248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2023.105248.
Li, W. C., G. Deng, X. Q. Liang, X. X. Sun, S. W. Wang, and M. L. Lee. 2020. “Effects of stress state and fine fraction on stress transmission in internally unstable granular mixtures investigated via discrete element method.” Powder Technol. 367: 659–670. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2020.04.024.
Li, W. C., Y. F. Wen, H. Cai, M. C. Xue, D. S. Xie, and L. M. Lee. 2014. “Discussion of ‘Critical hydraulic gradients of internal erosion under complex stress states’ by D. S. Chang and L. M. Zhang.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 140 (11): 07014028. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001173.
Liang, Y., T.-C. J. Yeh, J. Wang, M. Liu, Y. Zha, and Y. Hao. 2019. “Onset of suffusion in upward seepage under isotropic and anisotropic stress conditions.” Eur. J. Environ. Civ. Eng. 23 (12): 1520–1534. https://doi.org/10.1080/19648189.2017.1359110.
Liang, Y., T.-C. J. Yeh, Y. Zha, J. Wang, M. Liu, and Y. Hao. 2017. “Onset of suffusion in gap-graded soils under upward seepage.” Soils Found. 57: 849–860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2017.08.017.
Liu, J. 1992. Soil seepage stability and control. [In Chinese.] Beijing: Water Power Press.
Luo, Y., B. Luo, and M. Xiao. 2020. “Effect of deviator stress on the initiation of suffusion.” Acta Geotech. 15: 1607–1617. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-019-00859-x.
Maroof, M. A., A. Mahboubi, and A. Noorzad. 2021. “Effects of grain morphology on suffusion susceptibility of cohesionless soils.” Granular Matter 23 (1): 8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-020-01075-1.
Moffat, R., and R. J. Fannin. 2011. “A hydromechanical relation governing internal stability of cohesionless soil.” Can. Geotech. J. 48 (3): 413–424. https://doi.org/10.1139/T10-070.
Moffat, R., and P. Herrera. 2015. “Hydromechanical model for internal erosion and its relationship with the stress transmitted by the finer soil fraction.” Acta Geotech. 10 (5): 643–650. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-014-0326-z.
Moffat, R. A., and R. J. Fannin. 2006. “A large permeameter for study of internal stability in cohesionless soils.” Geotech. Test. J. 29 (4): 273–279.
Prasomsri, J., T. Shire, and A. Takahashi. 2021. “Effect of fines content on onset of internal instability and suffusion of sand mixtures.” Géotechnique Lett. 11 (3): 209–214. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgele.20.00089.
Prasomsri, J., and A. Takahashi. 2020. “The role of fines on internal instability and its impact on undrained mechanical response of gap-graded soils.” Soils Found. 60: 1468–1488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2020.09.008.
Shire, T., and C. O’Sullivan. 2013. “Micromechanical assessment of an internal stability criterion.” Acta Geotech. 8 (1): 81–90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-012-0176-5.
Shire, T., C. O’Sullivan, K. J. Hanley, and R. J. Fannin. 2014. “Fabric and effective stress distribution in internally unstable soils.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 140 (12): 04014072. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001184.
Skempton, A. W., and J. M. Brogan. 1994. “Experiments on piping in sandy gravels.” Géotechnique 44 (3): 449–460. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1994.44.3.449.
Slangen, P., and R. J. Fannin. 2017a. “The role of particle type on suffusion and suffosion.” Géotechnique Lett. 7 (1): 6–10. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgele.16.00099.
Slangen, P., and R. J. Fannin. 2017b. “A flexible wall permeameter for investigating suffusion and suffosion.” Geotech. Test. J. 40 (1): 20150287. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ20150287.
Slangen, P. H. H. 2015. “On the influence of effective stress and micro-structure on suffusion and suffosion.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of British Columbia.
Terzaghi, K. 1939. “Soil mechanics–A new chapter in engineering science. The 45th James Forrest lecture.” J. Inst. Civ. Eng. 12: 106–142. https://doi.org/10.1680/ijoti.1939.14534.
Terzaghi, K., R. B. Peck, and G. Mesri. 1996. Soil mechanics in engineering practice. Chichester, UK: Wiley.
Thevanayagam, S., and S. Mohan. 2000. “Intergranular state variables and stress-strain behaviour of silty sands.” Géotechnique 50 (1): 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2000.50.1.1.
Tomlinson, S. S., and Y. P. Vaid. 2000. “Seepage forces and confining pressure effects on piping erosion.” Can. Geotech. J. 37 (1): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1139/t99-116.
Wan, C. F., and R. Fell. 2008. “Assessing the potential of internal instability and suffusion in embankment dams and their foundations.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 134 (3): 401–407. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2008)134:3(401).
Wang, S., J.-s. Chen, Y.-l. Luo, and J.-c. Sheng. 2014. “Experiments on internal erosion in sandy gravel foundations containing a suspended cutoff wall under complex stress states.” Nat. Hazards 74 (2): 1163–1178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-014-1243-z.
Zhong, C., V. T. Le, F. Bendahmane, D. Marot, and Z.-Y. Yin. 2018. “Investigation of spatial scale effects on suffusion susceptibility.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 144 (9): 04018067. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001935.
Zou, Y.-H., Q. Chen, and C.-R. He. 2013. “A new large-scale plane-strain permeameter for gravelly clay soil under stresses.” KSCE J. Civ. Eng. 17 (4): 681–690. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-013-0217-0.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24 • Issue 3 • March 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 12, 2023
Accepted: Sep 10, 2023
Published online: Jan 12, 2024
Published in print: Mar 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jun 12, 2024
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.