Correlations for Estimating Coefficients for the Prediction of Maximum and Minimum Index Void Ratios for Mixtures of Sand and Non-Plastic Silt

Abstract

One common method of estimating emax and emin for mixtures of sand and silt requires that the values of several empirical constants be determined. These empirical constants are the filling coefficients, a, and embedment coefficients, b, which can be determined either via lab testing or correlations. The study reported here developed simple correlations for estimating the filling and embedment coefficients using readily obtained laboratory data. These models were found to be excellent in producing filling and embedment coefficients that accurately predicted values of the index void ratios for sand and silt mixtures, with most R2 values being 0.94 or greater.

Keywords

• maximum index void ratio
• minimum index void ratio
• sand–silt mixtures
• void ratio predictive models
• filling coefficient
• embedment coefficient