Fractal compression of soil

For soils that are subjected to one-dimensional plastic compression, it is usually found that a linear normal compression line emerges when voids ratio, e, is plotted against the logarithm of vertical effective stress, σ′_υ (Terzaghi&Peck, 1948; Novello & Johnston, 1989). It has been proposed (McDowell et al., 1996; McDowell & Bolton, 1998) that this phenomenon can be explained by a theory of fractal compression, in which a work equation predicts the correct form of compression law if a fractal distribution of grain sizes emerges. A fractal distribution of grain sizes is one...