homogeneity
homogeneity
I try to find a definition for homogeneity of granular soils and here are my questions:
1- Is there any kind of definition?
2- How can I know if a constructed soil of a dam body (for example the soil is a widely graded soil) is homogeneous?
3- If there is a definition, how I can quantitavely estimate the homogeneity of soil at each point (or more exactly area) in the field.
4-I think, the common method is to take sampls and compare them, ( for instance, comparing the grain size distribution) but if I have two different grain size distribution, how can I estimate the degree of homogeneity?
I would really appreciate if anyone can give me some tips.





RE: homogeneity
I don't know of any universally applicable procedure for quantifying homogeneity. You can do statistical analysis of differences in grain size, CPT, PI, etc., and look for a small standard deviation, but that won't tell the whole story because of the importance of spatial distribution, vertical and horizontal.
There, I have given you a vague answer that basically translates as "You will have to figure it out based on the specifics of your problem."
RE: homogeneity
Engineered fill is one instance where the assumption of homogeneity is usually appropriate.
RE: homogeneity
Imagine you have a grain size distribution consisted of just two fractions (D0=0 ; D50=1mm ; D100=2mm) and if you consider a vertical segregation (for instance all of grains with 2mm diameter is on the top of the grains with 1 mm diameter) and homogenous material a very well mixture of these two grains, you can admit that the coefficient of uniformity or grain size distribuion can not give you any information about the homogeneity. Even the permeability is an average value that for both situations will give the same result and if we consider the third dimension it will be more abstract.
I like this sentence: "The best we ever see is something that we can approximate as homogeneous in the analysis without affecting the results of the analysis too much, and that is site-specific. [dgillette]" The problem is that for labratory experiments, it will be a good definition but in situ it seems to be impossible that we analyse the whole embankment to see if we have homogeneity.
it is really pitty that we can go to the mond but we are unable to define the homogeneity of soil. :(
Thanks
RE: homogeneity