Technical Notes
Apr 15, 2013

Capillary Tube Model for Internal Stability of Cohesionless Soil

Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 5

Abstract

Kovacs’ criterion to assess the potential for internal instability of cohesionless soils that was proposed, but never tested experimentally, is verified with reference to a database of laboratory test results. The inherent margin of safety is described, and a threshold boundary between stable and potentially unstable gradations is established. A variation on the method is then presented, termed the simplified-Kovacs criterion.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for research on internal stability of soils at the University of British Columbia is provided by the NSERC and the British Columbia Hydroelectric Power Authority.

References

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Published In

Go to Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139Issue 5May 2013
Pages: 831 - 834

History

Received: Oct 7, 2011
Accepted: Jun 14, 2012
Published online: Apr 15, 2013
Published in print: May 1, 2013

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Authors

Affiliations

Geotechnical Engineer, British Columbia Hydro, 6911 Southpoint Dr., Burnaby, BC, Canada V3V 4X8. E-mail: [email protected]
R. Jonathan Fannin [email protected]
Professor of Civil Engineering, Univ. of British Columbia, 6250 Applied Science Ln., Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4 (corresponding author). E-mail: [email protected]

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