Similarity of internal stability criteria for granular soils

Abstract

Internal instability produces segregation in fine particles, modifies drainage properties, and increases pore pressures, capillary retention, and possible frost damage. Three criteria are commonly used to assess the internal instability of granular soils. It is shown here that they can take similar mathematical expressions where the secant slope of the grain-size distribution curve indicates the risk of internal instability. Key words : suffossion, groundwater flow, gradation.