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

Abstract

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 (V s ) 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, V s1 , normalized tip resistance, q c1 , and mean grain size, D 50 . 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 V s and q c . The paper proposes a correlation between V s1 , q c1 , and D 50 for uncemented and Holocene-age granular soils in continuity with the relation developed by Wride et al. from the CANLEX project.