In-situ Determination of Compressibility of Louisiana Soils Using Piezo-Cone Penetration Test (PCPT): Fid-Bau Portal

In-situ Determination of Compressibility of Louisiana Soils Using Piezo-Cone Penetration Test (PCPT)

M. T. Tumay / I. H. Bakar

This report reflects the study to investigate the possibility of using a piezometer probe to determine the stratiagraphy, the stress history, the coefficient of consolidation, and the coefficient of compressibility of a compressible soil stratum. These parameters are required for the determination of the magnitude and the rate of consolidation settlement. Three different locations were selected for this study. The compressible soil stratums at these locations range from very soft high plasticity to very stiff medium plasticity clay. A piezometer probe which measures continuously and simultaneously the cone tip resistance and the pore pressure was used in this study. Five different types of piezo-cone tips of various shapes and positions of piezometric elements were used. Four of these were used for the first time. The two types of in-situ piezometer cone penetration testing (PCPT) measurements taken were the continuous pore pressure and tip resistance generated during penetration of the probe and the decay of excess pore pressure after the penetration is stopped. These measurements were analyzed to determine the parameters needed in the calculation of consolidation settlement. Conventional laboratory classification and consolidation test were also conducted on 'undisturbed' samples obtained from the sites. The results obtained form the two types of testings were compared with one another.