Compaction behaviour and particle crushing of a crushed sandstone particle mixture

Abstract

The density-moisture curves for five crushed sandstone particle mixtures, with different grain size distribution curves, were determined by a standard compaction test. The values of the maximum dry density and optimum moisture content, deduced from the compaction tests, range from 2.04 to 2.11 g/cm³ and from 7.56 to 10.11%, respectively. The variations of the maximum dry density and optimum moisture content of the mixtures, with the median particle size, gravel content, uniformity coefficient and curvature coefficient, were analysed. The grain size distribution curve for each tested material after compaction was analysed by a standard sieve analysis test for the purpose of analysing the particle crushing. Testing results indicate that the difference in the grain size distribution curves after compaction, for the tested materials with the same original particle size distribution curve and different water contents, is very small. The average relative breakage was therefore used to evaluate the particle crushing. The effects of the factors, such as the median particle size, gravel content, uniformity coefficient and curvature coefficient, on the average relative breakage, were analysed based on the testing data.

Keywords:

• sandstone particle mixture
• particle size
• maximum dry density
• optimum moisture content
• average relative breakage
• experiment

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial supports from the National Science and Technology Support Programs in P.R. China under Grant No. [2011BAB09B01], [2012BAB05B04]; the Chongqing Science and Technology Commission of China under Grant No. [cstc2013jcyja30009]; and the Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering in P.R. China under Grant No. [SKLH201314], respectively.