Influence of particle size on the correlation between shear wave velocity and cone tip resistance

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 599-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mourad Karray ◽  
Guy Lefebvre ◽  
Yannic Ethier ◽  
Annick Bigras

The construction of the Péribonka dam involved deep compaction of its foundation using vibroflotation and dynamic compaction. Surface wave testing was used, in addition to classical tests (cone penetration tests (CPTs) and standard penetration tests (SPTs)) for the assessment of vibrocompaction. More than 900 shear wave velocity (Vs) and 1000 CPT profiles were obtained. This set of tests performed prior to and following vibrocompaction constitutes an important data bank, used in this study to establish a relationship between normalized shear wave velocity, Vs1, normalized tip resistance, qc1, and mean grain size, D50. Using the Péribonka project data obtained on fairly coarse sands in conjunction with the Canadian Liquefaction Experiment (CANLEX) project data obtained on fine sands has confirmed the significant effect of particle-size distribution on the relationship between Vs and qc. The paper proposes a correlation between Vs1, qc1, and D50 for uncemented and Holocene-age granular soils in continuity with the relation developed by Wride et al. from the CANLEX project.

2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
C E (Fear) Wride ◽  
P K Robertson ◽  
K W Biggar ◽  
R G Campanella ◽  
B A Hofmann ◽  
...  

One of the primary objectives of the Canadian Liquefaction Experiment (CANLEX) project was to evaluate in situ testing techniques and existing interpretation methods as part of the overall goal to focus and coordinate Canadian geotechnical expertise on the topic of soil liquefaction. Six sites were selected by the CANLEX project in an attempt to characterize various deposits of loose sandy soil. The sites consisted of a variety of soil deposits, including hydraulically placed sand deposits associated with the oil sands industry, natural sand deposits in the Fraser River Delta, and hydraulically placed sand deposits associated with the hard-rock mining industry. At each site, a target zone was selected and various in situ tests were performed. These included standard penetration tests, cone penetration tests, seismic downhole cone penetration tests (giving shear wave velocity measurements), geophysical (gamma-gamma) logging, and pressuremeter testing. This paper describes the techniques used in the in situ testing program at each site and presents a summary and interpretation of the results.Key words: CANLEX, in situ testing, shear wave velocity, geophysical logging, pressuremeter.


Author(s):  
Mariusz Lech ◽  
Marek Bajda ◽  
Katarzyna Markowska-Lech

The use of resistivity and seismic cone penetration tests for site characterization The use of resistivity and seismic cone penetration tests for site characterization. Recent application of cone penetration tests to geotechnical and environmental site characterization has generated a wide collection of new sensors. This paper presents methods of interpreting geotechnical in situ investigations carried out by electrical resistivity (RCPT) and seismic (SCPT) cones. It contains some fundamental equations and the description of in situ electrical resistivity and shear wave velocity measurements and presents the results of SCPT and RCPT investigations at the experimental Stegny site in Warsaw. The aim of the paper is to present the approach to determination of shear wave velocity and porosity of clayey soils. According to the test results obtained, it can be concluded that both applied techniques are very useful to estimate the distribution of clay deposits and some of their geotechnical parameters.


2010 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 709-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Long ◽  
Shane Donohue

A database of research-quality piezocone cone penetration test (CPTU) and shear wave velocity, Vs, information for Norwegian marine clays has been assembled to study the small-strain stiffness relationships for these materials and to examine the potential use of CPTU and Vs data in combination for the purposes of characterizing these soils. Data for sites where high-quality block sampling was carried out have mostly been used. Improvements have been suggested to existing correlations between the small-strain shear modulus, Gmax, or Vs and index properties for these soils. Recent research has shown that CPTU corrected cone tip resistance, qt, and especially the pore pressure measured during CPTUs, u2, and Vs can be measured reliably and repeatably and are not operator or equipment dependant. Therefore, a new soil classification chart involving the normalized cone resistance, Qt, and normalized shear wave velocity, Vs1, or Vs1 and Δu/[Formula: see text] (where u is the pore-water pressure and [Formula: see text] is the in situ vertical effective stress) is presented. Using this chart it is possible to clearly distinguish between clays of different overconsolidation ratios (OCRs).


2013 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 382-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taeseo Ku ◽  
Paul W. Mayne ◽  
Ethan Cargill

A new exploratory procedure for collecting continuous shear wave velocity measurements via cone penetration testing using a special autoseis source is presented whereby wavelets can be generated and recorded every 1 to 10 s. The continuous-interval seismic piezocone test (CiSCPTu) offers a fast, productive, and reliable means to expedite the collection of downhole shear wave velocity profiles, as well as additional readings on cone tip resistance, sleeve friction, and penetration porewater pressures with depth. A site in Windsor, Virginia, is utilized for illustrating the collection of data, calibration, and post-processing issues arising from large numbers of wavelets that require filtering, windowing, and selection in both time and frequency domain analyses. At the test site, the geology consists of shallow Holocene deposits of clays and sands to 8 m that are underlain by much stiffer calcareous sandy marine clay soils of Miocene age, which extend beyond the termination depths of the soundings at 30 m.


1992 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-366
Author(s):  
Roman D. Hryciw

Abstract Cone Penetration (CPT), Flat Dilatometer (DMT) and Seismic Shear Wave Velocity tests were conducted in four regions of the New Madrid seismic zone. Test results are compared to existing liquefaction criteria and to surface evidence of liquefaction (sandblows) during the 1811–1812 events. In general, all three tests confirm the presence of liquefaction-prone strata at locations with evidence of liquefaction. A “sand blow index” (SBI), which accounts for both local and regional sand blow intensity, correlates reasonably well against the minimum values of DMT horizontal stress index, the normalized CPT tip resistance, and the normalized shear wave velocity at each test location. An upperstratum clay also appears to play a significant role in inhibiting sand blow formation. Its thickness also correlates well with the SBI.


2015 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 66-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R. McGann ◽  
Brendon A. Bradley ◽  
Merrick L. Taylor ◽  
Liam M. Wotherspoon ◽  
Misko Cubrinovski

Author(s):  
Meen-Wah Gui ◽  
Dong-Sheng Jeng

The application of cavity expansion theory in the back estimation of cone penetration tests conducted in calibration chambers has been carried out by many researchers. However, the theory is seldom employed by centrifuge modelers. Based on the work of spherical cavity expansion of previous researchers, this study proposed an analytical solution that incorporates the effects of cone geometry and surface roughness and the effect of compressibility to estimate the cone tip resistance. The calculated results are compared with the measured cone penetration resistance of four cone penetration tests performed in the centrifuge. The cone penetration tests were conducted in granular soil specimens having relative densities ranging between 54% and 89%. The comparison demonstrates the capacity of the cavity expansion theory in the prediction of the centrifuge cone penetration resistance.


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