The following work aims to determine the appropriate values by using in situ testing of geomechanical parameters that are useful in practical geotechnical problems. In this case, the parameters related to the Mohr-Coulomb elastoplastic... more
The following work aims to determine the appropriate values by using in situ testing of geomechanical parameters that are useful in practical geotechnical problems. In this case, the parameters related to the Mohr-Coulomb elastoplastic model will be analyzed, one of the most used by the consultancy specialized in the subject. The results of these trials were obtained through testing in the experimental field of the University of Brasilia (UnB) on porous clay typical of Brazilian Midwest, with dependent intrinsic etastability of its internal structure and the partial saturation. The soil parameters were estimated through field tests (CPT, DMT, PMT, and SPT-T), in order to understand the mechanical behavior of this residual lateritic soil. The analysis of these field tests allows estimating the geotechnical properties of soil and strength parameters, deformation and stratigraphic identification. This
analysis provides an interesting opportunity when selecting the parameters required for geotechnical design of the basic and detail engineering of a specific project, as it gives the designer an important opportunity to stop relying solely on laboratory tests, which sometimes may not be entirely reliable in a soil with these characteristics.
The existence of thick compressible clayey silt deposits along the Sava River provides major obstacle for design and construction of highway embankments in this region. To understand the consolidation and permeability characteristics of... more
The existence of thick compressible clayey silt deposits along the Sava River provides major obstacle for design and construction of highway embankments in this region. To understand the consolidation and permeability characteristics of this alluvial layer and then to develop reliable soil parameters for earthwork design and construction, a comprehensive soil testing program was carried out. The program consisted of both in situ tests [e.g., standard penetration test borings, piezocone penetration test (CPT) soundings, Marchetti flat dilatometer test soundings, Lefranc test and CPT pore pressure dissipation tests] and laboratory tests (e.g., soil index tests, consolidation tests). The field and the laboratory test results showed that the clayey silt deposit was highly overconsolidated at the top and lightly overconsolidated at greater depths. The findings obtained from this study will be beneficial for future design and construction of Embankments along the Sava River.
Late Glacial coversand landscapes are important archives of environmental change during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition as well as of Final Paleolithic human adaptation to these changes. However, extensive reconstruction of these... more
Late Glacial coversand landscapes are important archives of environmental change during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition as well as of Final Paleolithic human adaptation to these changes. However, extensive reconstruction of these landscapes is hampered by the fact that they are often preserved best when covered with later eolian, alluvial and/or marine sediments. These paleolandscapes are generally mapped by means of manual or mechanical coring to date, which is rather expensive and labor-intensive. This study aims to develop a more efficient methodology to map paleolandscapes buried within the coversand and below Holocene floodplain deposits , using a case study in NW Belgium. Electric cone penetration testing is established as a primary technique for mapping the paleotopography of thin organic rich layers within the coversand, in combination with core sampling for lithostrati-graphic correlation and validation. Radiocarbon dating and pollen analyses are used to investigate the chronological and biostratigraphic context, respectively. The results reveal the paleotopography of three undulating organic rich stabilization surfaces within the coversand, which were formed from the GI-1d to GI-1a. These paleosurfaces provide valuable contexts for studying Final Paleolithic archaeology in the coversand region specifically, but the developed methodology is applicable to Paleolithic archaeology in general. K E Y W O R D S electric cone penetration testing, Final Paleolithic geoarchaeology, paleotopographic modeling, prehistoric paleolandscape mapping
