Modified NTH Method for Assessing Effective Friction Angle of Normally Consolidated and Overconsolidated Clays from Piezocone Tests
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VIEW THE REPLYPublication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 145, Issue 10
Abstract
An effective stress limit plasticity solution developed at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH) provides a theoretical evaluation of the effective stress friction angle () for soft to firm normally consolidated (NC) to lightly overconsolidated clays (LOC) from piezocone penetrometer tests (CPTu). A modified NTH method using the equivalent stress concept is detailed to allow the evaluation of effective stress friction angle for overconsolidated (OC) clays. The solution requires a knowledge of the soil stress history, specifically, the overconsolidation ratio (OCR). A wide variety of clays have now been calibrated using this approach, including measured CPTu and triaxial data collected from six categories: (1) laboratory chamber tests in NC clays; (2) centrifuge testing in NC clays; (3) centrifuge tests in OC clays; (4) field CPTu in natural NC-LOC clays; (5) field CPTu in OC intact clays with ; and (6) field CPTu in OC fissured clays. Results from compiled databases are statistically shown to validate the CPTu-interpreted values in comparison with laboratory benchmark values obtained from CAUC and CIUC triaxial tests made on high quality samples. Case studies of CPTu soundings conducted in the aforementioned categories are presented to elaborate the application of the NTH solution.
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Acknowledgments
The authors sincerely appreciate the support of ConeTec Group of Richmond, BC. The authors also want to acknowledge the help and advice of the late Dr. Rolf Sandven of Trondheim who unexpectedly passed away in October 2016.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 145 • Issue 10 • October 2019
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©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jun 1, 2018
Accepted: Mar 26, 2019
Published online: Jul 24, 2019
Published in print: Oct 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Dec 24, 2019
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