Theoretical Proof Of

Stress And Void Ratio Relationship Of Soils

THEORETICAL PROOF OF
STRESS AND VOID RATIO RELATIONSHIP OF SOILS
Ir. LING KAH JAI
Perunding Ingenieur

ABSTRACT recompression. This definition is depicted in

Figure 1. Cc is thus a particular value of Ci.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The mathematical expression of the index Ci is
The author has pointed out in his earlier paper that thus similar to Cc:
for soils undergoing confined compression:
- de
a) The plot of e versus log p is not linear Ci =  ...(1)
when the range is extended. d(log10p)
b) It is observed that there is a linear
relationship between the compression Index Ci could thus be the same as the
index Cc and the initial void ratio eo. recompression index or the compression index,
depending on the stress and void ratio condition of
the soil.
1.1 Summary of Observations

Observations have shown that the plot of virgin 1.3 Derived Equation for Soil
compression of a soft soil in the format of e Undergoing Virgin Compression
versus log p is not linear but concave. However,
there normally exists a near linear portion of the It was assumed that there is a linear relationship
curve for a soft soil (undergoing recompression) between the void ratio e and the negative
whereby its negative slope is conventionally gradient Ci of the plot of e versus log10 p for soft
defined as compression index Cc. Evidences soils undergoing virgin compression. That is, Ci
quoted in the previous paper show that the and e are related by:
relationship between the compression index Cc
and the initial void ratio eo is linear.
Ci = m(e – em) ...(2)

1.2 Definition for Index Ci Where Ci and e are constants.

Compression index Cc is the negative gradient of This assumption is also shown in Figure 1.
the at the linear or quasi-linear portion of plot of e
From this assumption, the author derived the new
versus log p.
stress and void ratio relationship below for soft
soils undergoing virgin compression.
Since this semi-logarithm is not linear, Cc could
not be used to represent the negative gradient of pbc (e – em) = KB ...(3)
the curve at other position. The author defines the
index Ci as the negative gradient at any point of
the plot of e versus log p, irrespective of whether
a soil is undergoing virgin compression or

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 Theoretical Proof Of
Stress And Void Ratio Relationship Of Soils

Figure 1

Note that the zone of negative p in figure (b) is inadmissible.

Figure 2: Graphs according to or derived from Equation 4

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 Theoretical Proof Of
Stress And Void Ratio Relationship Of Soils

1.4 Postulated Equation for familiar and similar to the compression curves of
Recompression natural soils.

It is speculated that the equation for The curve has an initial convex portion fitting to a
recompression is as follows: final concave portion. In between the convex and
concave curve, there is an inflexion point which
(p + pk)bc (e - em) = KB ...(4) has the maximum gradient. This part of the curve
is always taken as straight plot conventionally
where the gradient is taken to be the gradient.
2.0 CONSISTENCY OF THE THEORY
The author thus re-defines Cc as the maximum
WITH THE OBSERVATION
negative gradient of an Oedometer
compression curve in the plot of void ratios
2.1 General versus logarithms of stresses.
In this section, it will be verified that Equation 4 is
2.3 Derivation of Compression index
consistent with the observed linear relationship
between the initial void ratio eo and the from Postulated Equation
compression index Cc.
The initial void ratio can be easily determined by
substituting zero for p in Equation 4. Thus:
Differentiate Equation 4:
pkbc(eo - em) = KB ...(8a)
bc(p + pk)(bc – 1) dp(e - em) + (p + pk)bc de = 0

eo = em + KB/pkbc ...(8b)
bcKBdp KBde
 +  = 0
As shown in Figure 2a, the compression index CC
(p + pk) (e - em)
is most likely taken to be the negative slope at the
de bc(e - em) point of inflexion, where the maximum slope
-  =  ...(5) (maximum Ci) occurs.
dp p + pk
The compression index can be derived from
By definition, the index Cin and Ci are the negative Equation 7 by the calculus method, i.e. by
gradients of the compression curves plotted in e equating the first derivative of Ci with respect to p
versus lognp and e versus log10p respectively: as zero:

de de de Ci de p
Cin = -  = -  = - p   = logn10 bc 
d(lognp) dp/p dp dp dp p + pk

Ci = logn10 Cin pk
+ logn10 bc (e – em)  = 0
de (p + pk)2
= - logn10 p 
dp i.e

Substitute Equation 5 into the above: bc(e - em) p

-  
p p + pk p + pk
Cin = bc(e - em) ...(6)
p + pk pk
p + (e – em)  = 0
Ci = logn10 bc(e - em) ... (7) (p + pk)2
p + pk
Consequently, the maximum slope occurs at
Figures 2b, 2c, and 2d show the relationship of p
versus e, Ci versus log p, and Ci versus e p = pk/bc ...(9)
according to or as derived from Equation 4.
bc
Cc = logn10 (e - em)  ...(10)
2.2 Redefinition of Compression index
1 + bc
Figure 2a Shows the theoretical plots of e versus
Replace p by pk/bc (Equation 9), and KB by (eo
log p for postulated Equation 4. This curve is

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 Theoretical Proof Of
Stress And Void Ratio Relationship Of Soils

- em)pkbc (Equation 8a) in Equation 4.

Rearrange it to obtain (e - em):

(pk/bc + pk)bc (e - em) = pkbc(eo - em)

(e - em) = (eo - em)pkbc /(pk/bc + pk)bc

= (eo - em)/(1/bc + 1)bc

Replace (e - em) in Equation 10 by the above

equivalent:

(eo - em) bc
Cc = logn10  
(1/bc + 1)bc 1 + bc

That is,

Cc = r(eo - em) ...(11)

Where r is a constant expressed by:

r = logn10[bc /(1 + bc)](1 + bc)
...(12)

Thus, the relationship between the derived

expression of the compression index CC from
Equation 4 and the initial void ratio eo is linear.
This completes the proof that the Equation 4 is
consistent with the observations.

REFERENCE
[1] Ling, K. J., (1997), “Stress vs. Void Ratio
Relationship and Peat”, Proceedings of
Conference on Recent Advances in Soft Soil
Engineering, Kuching, March 5-7 1997, pp
263-283.

BIOGRAPHY
Ir. Ling Kah Jai, B.Eng (Civil), M.I.E.M., P.Eng.,
graduated in 1987 with First Class Honours in
Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University
of Malaya (Kuala Lumpur). After graduation, he
worked for a year with a Contractor and then for
another 2 years with Antah Biwater JV as a site
Engineer for Malaysia Rural Water Supply
Schemes Project.

In 1990 he joined KTA (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, an

engineering consultant firm, as a Civil Engineer.
He was an Associate of the firm before he left in
1997.

He is now the Principal of Perunding Ingenieur, a

civil, structural and geotechnical engineering
consultant firm based in Sarawak, Malaysia.

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