Applicability of shear wave velocity to evaluate state of granular materials with fines

Abstract

Evaluation of state of cohesionless soils is a key issue in majority of geotechnical projects, especially when the major concern is liquefaction phenomenon. Standard approaches based on static or dynamic penetration tests are of limited or no use in granular materials containing considerable amount of fines. Therefore, there is a need to look for alternative approaches to identify state of materials containing certain amount of fines. One of a conceivable approaches rests on shear wave velocity (Vs) measurement. It results from the fact that Vs reflects state of stress and void ratio as well. A little is known to what extent shear wave velocity might reflect state of soil, especially, when it contains certain amount of fines. The paper concerns possibility of evaluation of state of cohesionless soils containing fines on the basis of shear wave velocity. The approach is based on hybrid approach i.e. laboratory and field measurement of shear waves velocity which enables projection of correlation between void ratio and normalized shear wave velocity measured in the laboratory for a given soil on a field profile. Thus, the determined void ratio profile is used to determine undrained shear strength on the basis of steady state line determined in the laboratory for the same soil batch. This procedure was carried out for twokinds of soil containing 10 and 36% of fines, which represent a sand-like material and transition zone behavior. Comments concerning applicability of this approach are given in the conclusion.