Static Plate Loading Tests on Overconsolidated Clay

Three in situ static plate loading tests carried out on a medium stiff, overconsolidated clay deposit are described and interpreted. In addition to the plate loading test results, the results from undrained static laboratory tests on Haga clay are also presented. The project aimed mainly at investigating the reliability of using laboratory tests to determine the in situ static shear strength and stiffness of overconsolidated clays. It was possible to obtain reasonably good agreement between measured and calculated values of bearing capacity and displacements, provided the calculations were based on laboratory tests with the same type of load application and the same time to failure as in situ. For the displacmment calculations it was essential to account for load distributions and the very nonlinear stress-strain properties.