Gravel Content Effect on the Shear Strength of Clay-Gravel Mixtures

Gravel content is an important factor affecting the mechanical properties of clay-gravel mixtures. To study the effects of gravel content on the shear strength of clay-gravel mixtures, constant-strain-rate drained triaxial compression tests were conducted for various mixtures. The gravel contents were 30%, 40%, 50% and 70%. The confining pressures were varied from 50kPa to 300kPa. Test results indicate that the deviator stress at failure under the same confining pressure increases with the increase in gravel content. As the gravel content in the mixtures is between 30% and 50%, the shear strength is jointly attributed by clay and gravel. An increase in gravel content results in slight increases in both the cohesion intercept and internal friction angle. At gravel content of up to 70%, the shear strength of the mixture is controlled by that of the gravel, and the cohesion intercept and the internal friction angle increase sharply.