Dilatancy (granular material) dilation. Because of dilatancy, the angle of friction increases as the confinement increases until it reaches a peak value. After the peak strength of the soil is mobilized the angle of friction abruptly decreases. As a result, geotechnical engineering of slopes, footings, tunnels, and piles in such soils have to consider the potential decrease in strength after the soil strength reaches this peak value. Poorly / uniformly graded silt with trace sand to sandy that is non-plastic can be associated with challenges during construction, even when they are hard. These materials often appear to be granular because the silt is
Paxton (soil) Paxton (soil) The Paxton soil series was established in Worcester County, Massachusetts in 1922, and is named for the town of Paxton where it was first described and mapped. Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Oxyaquic Dystrudepts. Paxton soils are in the Inceptisol soil order of soil taxonomy. The term "coarse-loamy" indicates that the soil has less than 18% clay and at least 15% or more particles that are fine sand or coarser. The term "mixed" indicates no single mineral is over 40 percent. The term "active" represents a ratio of the cation-exchange capacity to clay of the pedon. The term "mesic"