Consolidation After Undrained Piezocone Penetration II: Interpretation

A rational interpretation method for estimating the in situ consolidation and permeability characteristics of clays from pore pressure dissipation measurements after piezocone penetration is presented. The method is based on linear consolidation analyses and initial pore pressure distributions calculated by the strain path method for undrained penetration in Boston blue clay (BBC). Extensive dissipation measurements in BBC are consistent with predictions for two cone angles and various locations of the porous element. Backfigured values of the coefficients of consolidation and permeability are in reasonable agreement with laboratory and field performance data.