Inclined Piezocone Penetration Aspects - Theoretical Interpretation and Experiment Verification

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***9907951TumayRapid growth and boom in surface construction and underground infrastructure inU.S. cities and suburbs increases the demand on geotechnical engineering.Geotechnical engineers are facing increasing challenges to improve in-situtesting tools for accurate site characterization of soil properties andefficient evaluation of geomedia improvement. The piezocone penetrometer test(PCPT) is a simple, fast, and repeatable test that can provide continuoussoundings of the subsurface. The PCPT test data can be effectively utilized forsoil stratigraphy and identification, and the evaluation of engineering soilproperties.The use of piezocone penetrometer for site investigation is currently limitedto vertical testing. The vertical intrusion of the cone penetrometer is notalways possible due to existing obstructions and/or lack of access. Moreover,in many cases the soil strength parameters and/or flow characteristics areneeded at an inclination plane due to the nature of soil (i.e. bedding,inclined foundation) or the alignment of reinforcing structure (i.e. soilnails, batter piles). The use of piezocone for inclined penetration has not yetbeen thoroughly investigated. The main objective of this research is to extend the application of piezoconepenetrometer by intrusion at different inclination angles, and to bring out thefundamental aspects (experimental and theoretical) of the inclined penetration.Many questions remain to be answered and interpretation methods need to bedeveloped before the inclined piezocone penetration is applied to practice. Theinfluence of the angle of inclination and soil anisotropy on the cone tipresistance, sleeve friction, generated pore pressures and their dissipationwill be investigated. The inclined piezocone penetration will be analyzed usingthe finite element methods. The outcome of this research will set the standardtowards the inclined use of the piezocone penetrometer for site investigationsin locations where it is impossible to perform vertical penetrations, andwhenever strength and consolidation parameters at a horizontal or inclineddirection are needed, as in soft ground tunneling.This research will have a significant impact toward improving subsurfaceinvestigation and introducing a new technique of inclined piezocone penetrationtesting and its interpretation to accurately evaluate soil properties forbetter design and analysis. It will also help in understanding the effect ofthe soil's inherent and induced anisotropy so that better interpretationmethods can be developed.***