Stiffness and Penetration Resistance of Sands versus State Parameter

Abstract

Normalized small strain Young and shear moduli of pluvially deposited predominantly silica Ticino sand are well correlated against the state parameter as defined by Been and Jefferies. The same holds true for normalized cone resistance measured during the calibration chamber tests performed on the same test sand. It is shown that also parameters obtained from other kinds of penetration tests are correlatable against the state parameter of a sand. These findings might indicate a way to rationalize the correlations between penetration resistances and stiffness of sands being the latter referred to the preyield behavior of a sand.