In Situ Lateral Stress Measurement in Glaciolacustrine Seattle Clay Using the Pressuremeter
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 5
Abstract
Pressuremeter testing was conducted for the State Route (SR) 99 Bored Tunnel project in Seattle, Washington, to estimate in situ soil stress-deformation parameters along the tunnel alignment. Many of the tests were conducted in a very stiff to hard glaciolacustrine clay known as Seattle clay. This unit is historically known for deep-seated slope failures and many of these failures have been attributed to the release of high, locked-in lateral stresses. Estimation in situ lateral stresses along the tunnel alignment was a primary focus of the exploration program. Due to the hard consistency of this unit and the potential for cobbles, neither self-boring pressuremeter nor dilatometer testing was feasible; therefore, prebored pressuremeter testing was used. Using several lateral stress estimation techniques, including a novel in situ creep testing approach, the in situ lateral stresses in the Seattle clay were estimated to be significantly higher than what would be expected by assuming a simple, laterally constrained, vertical loading and unloading stress path due to glaciation. Deformational features commonly encountered in Seattle clay indicate its stress history also has included significant lateral shearing. The memory of this shearing within the fabric of the clay may influence the in situ stress state and response to lateral unloading.
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Acknowledgments
The author thank the WSDOT for permission to publish this paper. Thanks also to Red Robinson, Bill Laprade, and Stan Boyle with Shannon and Wilson, Inc. and Dr. Fred Kulhawy with Cornell University for their helpful criticism and advice. Pressuremeter testing was conducted by In Situ Engineering of Snohomish, Washington.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 5 • May 2014
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 13, 2012
Accepted: Nov 23, 2013
Published online: Dec 24, 2013
Published in print: May 1, 2014
Discussion open until: May 24, 2014
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