Limiting compression curves

Depending upon the initial water content of the soil sample, a family of co mpression curves is possible. Identification of characteristic limiting wat er contents for any fine grained soil system, along with the unique mechani sms controlling them, helps obtain the limiting compression curves. In the present note, it has been demonstrated that the compression curve obtained with its origin at the free swell limit of the soil represents the global u pper bound compression curve, and that the compression curve obtained after the soil has reached equilibrium under cyclic consolidation represents the global lower bound compression curve. The compression curve obtained with its origin at the settling limit water content of the soil is the stress-fr ee reference state curve as well as the upper bound compression curve for t he homogeneous soil sample.