Compressibility Behavior of Soils: A Statistical Approach

Compressibility behavior of soil is an important parameter that implies the change in volume under applied stress, on other words, it is the relationship between void ratio and effective stress. Depending on the type of soil and their origin, the compressibility behavior varies over a wide range. Researchers presented numerous void ratio-effective stress relationships consist of different sets of equations which produce a good fit with their consolidation test data. These sets of equations for different types of soils become complex for understanding its consolidation behavior using a specific model. This paper introduces a new equation, developed by statistical analysis, to represent the compressibility behavior of both natural soils and soft soils. Results obtained from the statistical analysis in terms of coefficient of determination (R²), a measurement of the goodness of fit, indicate the acceptability and validity of the proposed equation. Experimental data from literature are generated for the statistical analysis and an elaborate discussion is presented for the applicability of the proposed universal compressibility equation. Finally, this research opens the opportunity for parametric study of the coefficients of the proposed equation that may lead to develop a relationship between the compressibility and index properties of soil.