EVALUATION OF SOIL PARAMETERS FROM PIEZOCONE TESTS

Abstract

The interpretation and evaluation of soil parameters determined by cone penetration tests (CPTs) have been a part of our research program for the last 15 to 20 years. A theoretical framework has been established, and CPT results have been compared and calibrated to laboratory data for a wide variety of soils. The pore pressure measurements that enable us to find effective shear strength parameters, as well as settlement parameters (such as the coefficient of consolidation) have been especially useful. In general, piezocone penetration test data have proved to be very useful and valuable additions to sampling and laboratory investigations. In some soils, we believe that the in situ method provides us with better data because sampling and laboratory handling may give us disturbed samples and erroneous results. In this paper, our interpretation and evaluation of piezocone data are demonstrated for a medium-stiff, overconsolidated clay.