Strain Field Around Cones in Steady Penetration

Abstract

The strain field during cone penetration is studied. The strain field is obtained by integrating the strain rates induced by the cone in steady penetration of an inviscid, incompressible fluid along paths of particle movement. The results indicate that cone penetration induces a complicated field of axial, radial and shear strains. The octahedral strain variation from 30 % to 0.2 % along a distance 15 times the radius of a 60 degree cone exceeds the strains corresponding to the peak strength of soft cohesive soils. Strains sharply decrease for decreasing apex angles.