Analysis of load-settlement behaviour of shallow foundations in saturated clays based on CPT and DPT tests

Abstract

]Static Penetration Test (CPT) and Dynamic Penetration Test (DPT) are commonly used in-situ tests in a routine geotechnical investigation. Besides their use for qualitative investigation (lithology, homogeneity and spatial variability), they are used as practical tools of geotechnical characterization (resistance to the penetration, soil rigidity) and modern foundation design as well. The paper aims at presenting the results of an extensive research work on the evaluation of the 1D primary consolidation settlement of saturated clayey soils on the basis of the CPT or DPT tests. The work is based on an analysis of the correlations between the tip resistance to penetration measured in these tests and the parameters of compressibility measured by the compressibility oedometer test, through a local geotechnical database in the northern Algeria. Such an analysis led to the proposal of two methods of calculation of the settlement, one based on the CPT test and the other one on the DPT. The comparison between the predicted settlements and those computed on the basis of the oedometer test showed a good agreement which demonstrate the possbility to use the CPT and DPT tests as reliable tools of computation of foundation settlements in clayey soils.