Models by Jean Biarez for the Behavior of Clean Sands and Remolded Clays at Large Strains - Multiscale Geomechanics: From Soil to Engineering Projects - page 112

soils” may be defined as the integration of the grain properties (called “nature of
grains”) in their spatial configuration (or “arrangement of grains”) and their
mechanical boundary conditions (which can be represented by the consolidation
stress tensor).

Arrangement and
confinement of grains
(DM)

Mechanical
properties of soils
(CM)

Nature of
grains (DM)

+ 

Table 5.1. Logical framework for statistical connections

For a long time now it has been possible to compare the behavior of laboratory
soils to that of natural soils and the method to do so has been well established thanks
to a unified vision of clays, sands and granular soils as granular media. We will
argue in favor of this unified vision by referring to the explanatory scheme in
Table 5.1 for statistical connections between parameters. This approach will enable
better integration of specific natural behaviors, such as anisotropy, cohesion,
cracking, etc. We can better understand this method of transition, introduced by
Biarez, through the representation in Figure 5.1. The numerical formulation of the
models, which Biarez drew in graphic form [BIA 75], is the work of Favre [FAV 80,
FAV 02]; similar work can also be found in Biarez and Hicher [BIA 94].

Remoulded
clays

Remolded
clays

Unifiedview of
granular materials

Uniformed-
graded
sands

Triaxial
and
Oedometer

«glues»
Anisotropy
Fissuration etc.

Well-graded
sands

Reference models
for natural soils

Silts

Large
deformations

Reference models
for remolded soils

Referencemodels
forremouldedsoils

Clayey sands

Small
deformations

Very loose
sands

Nature + Arrangement = Mechanical properties

etc.