Effects of Soil Conditions on the Cone Resistance of Lightweight Penetrometers
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 7
Abstract
When exploration depth is shallow or site access is limited, a dynamic lightweight penetrometer is an attractive alternative to large penetrometers. Cone resistance, regardless of the penetration test, is influenced strongly by soil conditions: dry unit weight, overburden stress and water content of the surrounding soil, and fines content. This study explored the effects of these parameters on the cone resistance is in a calibration chamber. A series of tests was conducted in clean sands and mine tailings materials, subjected to different overburden stresses and prepared to different void ratios and degrees of saturation. It was found that dry unit weight and overburden stress significantly increases cone resistance. The effects of water content on cone resistance were more significant in mine tailings materials than in clean sands. An overburden correction factor for a dynamic lightweight penetrometer is proposed based on soil conditions, including fines content. Differences from common correction factors used for large penetrometers were observed, and were attributed to the type of soil and range of overburden stress explored in this study.
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Data Availability Statement
All data and models generated during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge funding provided by DI Interdisciplinaria Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV), 14ENI2-26905: “Inteligencia Artificial para el Monitoreo de la estabilidad de Depósitos de Relaves.” The second author thanks Dirección General de Investigación, Innovación y Postgrado (DGIIP) of Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, for their economic support during completion of postgraduate studies. The authors also thank staff of Laboratorio de Ensaye & Control de Materiales (LEMCO) at Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María for their continuous support.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 7 • July 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jul 8, 2019
Accepted: Feb 5, 2021
Published online: May 11, 2021
Published in print: Jul 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Oct 11, 2021
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Cited by
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