DEVELOPMENT OF K0 IN SOFT SOILS

This Paper presents observations of the development of K(o), the coeff icient of lateral earth pressure at rest, in a soft kaolin undergoing one-dimensional consolidation up to 150 kPa. A consolidometer with flu sh diaphragm transducers was linked to a system controlled by micropro cessor for controlled gradient consolidation. Remoulded and artificial ly sedimented samples of kaolin in distilled and sea water chemistry w ere used in the experimental programme. Experimental observations indi cate that K(o) is not a constant but varies linearly with void ratio. It is suggested that the traditional empirical correlations between K( o) and friction angle phi' may be applicable at low stress levels, giv en that phi' may be higher at low effective stress levels than at high er values.