Cone Penetration Resistance in Coarse-Grained Gravelly Soils
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 1
Abstract
Centrifuge testing data are presented to elucidate the influence of particle size and gradation on cone penetration resistance. The physical, index, and material properties of nine test soil mixtures, sharing a common geologic origin and ranging in from 0.18 to 2.58 mm and from 1.53 to 9.86, were quantified and compared to the range of values exhibited by clean sands in the literature. Each centrifuge model was subjected to dynamic loading and characterized by six cone penetration test (CPT) soundings performed at values ranging from 23% to 96%. The coarser soils exhibited higher cone penetration resistances than clean sands under comparable conditions due to the continuum failure mechanism becoming compromised (more likely as decreased) and the variation in mechanical properties with particle size (e.g., and ). This study provides insight into the multifaceted influence of soil gradation on penetration resistance, which can be leveraged in engineering practice to improve the in situ characterization of coarse-grained gravelly soils.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors appreciate the funding and support provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (No. CMMI-1300518) and the California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the NSF or the Division of Safety of Dams. This work would not have been possible without the discussions with Professor Ross Boulanger and the support from the technical staff at the University of California, Davis CGM: Chad Justice, Anatoliy Ganchenko, Tom Kohnke, and Dan Wilson. The assistance, training, and advice provided by graduate students Brian Sawyer, Greg Shepard, Mohammad Khosravi, Trevor Carey, and Kate Darby are greatly appreciated. Undergraduate interns Diana Melendez, Evan Barnell, and Brian Morales are thanked for their assistance.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 149 • Issue 1 • January 2023
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 8, 2020
Accepted: Aug 22, 2022
Published online: Oct 31, 2022
Published in print: Jan 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Mar 31, 2023
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