Microstructural interpretation of effective stress equations for unsaturated sands

Abstract It was fairly accepted to interpret soil behaviour at the microstructural level by utilising effective degree of saturation instead total in stress equation for unsaturated fine-grained soils. However, this interpretation pure sands under-represented literature. On basis shear strength evolution with suction, paper reports a series experimental tests evaluate use fine sands. The comprised direct and unconfined-compression different suction profiles. analysis test results suggested that contribution trivial almost equal saturation, therefore, evolution, owing effect, can be related single variable, Bishop’s equation. In addition, it hypothesised attributed fabric changes.