Interpretation of Secant Shear Modulus Degradation Characteristics from Pressuremeter Tests
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 12
Abstract
Nonlinear shear modulus degradation characteristics are of interest in many geotechnical engineering applications, such as ground deformation caused by seismic shaking and deep excavations in clay, weathered rock, and stabilized soil. This paper presents an approach to derive the secant shear modulus degradation characteristics from in situ pressuremeter tests, which is based on a digital filter algorithm. The algorithm is described, and data preparation procedures are presented. Use of the algorithm is illustrated by means of pressuremeter data for soils stabilized with deep mixing methods on the Boston central artery/tunnel (CA/T). The nonlinear secant shear modulus degradation characteristics from the digital filter approach are shown to be in good agreement with those from the curve fitting and transformed-strain approaches. They also compare favorably with the results of other in situ and laboratory tests performed in conjunction with the CA/T stabilized soils. The algorithm is implemented by a 26-line MATLAB code in an appendix of the paper.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank Professor Xiang-Song Li at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) for providing details of the digital filter algorithm. Thanks are extended to Professor Charles W. W. Ng at HKUST for his encouragement and support to pursue research on the digital filter algorithm. Part of the work summarized in this paper was performed under a research project sponsored by Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff (B/PB). The writers also thank the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, Massachusetts Highway Department and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for their support. Special recognition is extended to Al Dimillio, Richard Cheney, and Jerry DiMaggio of FHWA, and to John Hughes of Hughes Insitu Engineering Ltd. The writers are especially grateful to David Yang of Raito, Inc. for his insights and guidance regarding deep mixing methods.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 12 • December 2007
Pages: 1556 - 1566
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Aug 4, 2006
Accepted: Oct 27, 2006
Published online: Dec 1, 2007
Published in print: Dec 2007
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