The relative density of geologically aged, British fine and fine-medium sands

Abstract

Abstract Values of relative density ( D r ) have been measured on 20 samples of uneemented, virtually matrix-free, fine and fine-medium quartzose sands ranging in age from Recent to Jurassic. For all except Recent and younger Pleistocene sands, which were impregnated in situ , the in situ dry density (ρ d ) was measured on intact, block samples. A single method was used for ρ d min (Kolbuszewski's tilting method) and three methods for ρ d max : namely the vibrating hammer procedures of Kolbuszewski, B. S. 1377 Test 14 and slow pouring. A general trend of increasing D r with geological age was given by all the methods used for determining ρ d max . Even with the Kolbuszewski method, values of D r > 100% were obtained on some of the sands: a maximum of 1120eing recorded on the Grantham Sand of Jurassic age. Values of D r using the B.S. 1377 procedure ranged between 23 and 57 0.000000or the Recent and Pleistocene sands and between 90 and 122 0.000000or the Tertiary and Mesozoic sands. The ease of the slow pouring method for ρ d max recommends it as a potentially useful diagnostic test to determine the degree of locking in geologically aged sands.