Analysis of mobilized stress ratio of gap-graded granular materials in direct shear state considering coarse fraction effect

Weathered rockfill materials, characterized by a mixture of soil matrix and rock aggregates, are widely distributed in mountainous areas. These soils are frequently used for subgrade or riprap in engineering practice, and the mobilized shear strength is crucial for analyzing the displacement and stability of these geo-structures. A series of direct shear tests are performed on a gap-graded soil with a full range of coarse fraction. The behavior of gap-graded soils is analyzed, and a simple model is proposed for the evolution of mobilized stress ratio during direct shearing process based on mixture theory. The change of inter-aggregate configuration is incorporated by introducing a structure variable which increases with coarse fraction and decreases approximately linearly with the overall horizontal shear strain in double logarithmic plot. It reasonably reflects a gradually transformation from a matrix-sustained structure into an aggregate-sustained one with the increase of coarse fraction. The model has four parameters, and at least two direct shear tests need to be done for the calibration. Validation of the model is done by using the test data in this work and those from the literature.

Automated summary

The study focused on the mobilized shear strength of weathered rockfill materials and their applications in engineering practice. Through direct shear tests, a simple model based on mixture theory was proposed to reflect the evolution of stress ratio in the direct shearing process of gap-graded soils, providing theoretical and practical guidance.