CPTu in

Consolidating Soils
PAULUS P. RAHARDJO.
PROFESSOR OF GEOTECNICAL ENGINEERING,
UNIVERSITAS KATOLIK PARAHYANGAN - INDONESIA
 Outline of Presentation
1. Background of Study
2. CPTu and its interpretation
3. Consolidating Soils
4. Method of Analysis
5. Examples and Case Histories
6. Conclusion Summary
Back Ground of Study

Soft Soils in South East

Asia are “Consolidating
Soils” (Cox 1970)
Background of Study
Due to the thickness and
recent formation, the site is
known as underconsolidated

Mahakam Delta, East Borneo

Consolidating Soils
In Consolidating Soils, there is existing excess pore
pressure due to
- Its own weight during sedimentation
- Load or fill placement
- Pile driving
FOCUS OF INTEREST :
What is the value of the existing excess pore
pressure ?
What is the degree of consolidation?
What is the current shear strength ?
What is the Rate of Pore Pressure Dissipation?
 Background of Study : WHY CPTu Tests ?
- Continuity of data along the depth of penetration
- Repeatability
- Measure Pore Pressure
- Mesure tip resistance  representing trend of
effective stress

(Larsson, 1992)

SATURATION OF THE PORE ELEMENT CONE PENETRATION TEST IN THE FIELD

 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The interpretation of The interpretation of
CPTu for normally CPTu for Consolidating
consolidated clay soils
and slightly, or strongly soils
overconsolidated soils there is hydrostatic
there is hydrostatic pore water pressure
pore water pressure BUT THERE IS INITIAL
BUT NO INITIAL EXCESS EXCESS PORE PRESSURE
PORE PRESSURE
THERE should be A DIFFERENCE IN
THE METHOD OF INTERPRETATION
 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
PREVIOUS Study :

Schmertmann (1978)  based on the shape of tip resistance qc

Robertson (1986)  classify consolidating soils as sensitive fine
grains (high Bq, small qc)
Tanaka and Sakagami (1989)  high value of Bq > 0.75
Rahardjo et al (Atlanta, 2009)  Use of Dissipation Test
Rahardjo et al (Fukuoka, 2015)  Use of Bq value
Rahardjo et al (Bandung, 2016)  Effective Stress Concept
Classification Chart by Robertson et al
(1986)
Consolidating
Soils are refered as

• Small value of qc
• Small value of Rf
• High value of Bq

But no information
On the Degree of
Consolidation
 DETERMINATION OF THE DEGREE OF Consolidation
UNDERSTANDING THE MEASUREMENT OF CPTu ON RECLAIMED SITE

ui ui
Reclaimed u3
Unreclaimed
Site
Site

uf
uf = u 0 u0 u2
Log time Log time u1

Dup = excess pore pressure due In Consolidating Soils

to cone penetration
qc =‘lower’ tip resistance
u2 Du = residual excess pore pressure
fs = ‘lower’ friction
u0 = hydrostatic pore water pressure
u2 = ‘higher’ pore pressure
Degree of Consolidation interpreted by
Method of extrapolation of dissipation test
(Rahardjo et al, Atlanta – 2009)
Dissipation Curve at 8.38 m t50 = 59.95 Minute

0.2
U [%] = 1-(ut/ui)
0.18

Excess Pore Pressure Due

U [%] = 1-(ut/p)
Excess Pore Water Pressure (MPa)

0.16 To Insertion Of CPTu Cone Find u50

ui
uf
u50
0.14 t50

0.12 p = pressures due to fill placement

Garis t50
1
2

0.1 Depth = 9.82 m

Garis u0
3

0.08
Excess Pore Pressure
Due To Fill Material
u0 = 68 kPa 2

0.06
Weight
uf = 117 kPa
Hydrostatic Pore Water Pressure ut = 117-68 = 49 kPa
0.04
1 10 100 1000 10000 Ds = 64.6 kPa
Log Time (Min.)
Measured Extrapolated t50 u0 U = 24.54 %
Method of Determination of the
Degree of Consolidation Based on Bq value

OVERCONSOLIDATION
DEGREE OF
RATIO (OCR)
CONSOLIDA
TION

Setionegoro 2012 Rahardjo et al 2013

Investigation of Mud eruption and Dyke Failure Hazard
Investigation of Mud Deposit – East Java
damages of the thousands of houses and infrastructures including highways

The second mud eruption center was also shown

Investigation of Mud Eruption Disaster Area

CPTu-2 CPTU-1
CPTu-10
CPTu-9
CPTu-5

CPTu-8
Results of CPTu at MUD ERUPTION AREA

CPTu-9 :
through the mud
Ground water -2.0 m
0-2 m : mud crust
6-14 m : mud
14-15m: silty sand (lenses)
> 15m : soft clays
Results of CPTu at MUD ERUPTION AREA

CPTu-9 :
through the mud
Ground water -2.0 m
0-2 m : mud crust
6-14 m : mud
14-15m: silty sand (lenses)
> 15m : soft clays
Interpretation of CPTu-09 (inside the dyke)
Mud Characterization by CPTu-10
CPTu-10
Results of CPTu at MUD ERUPTION AREA

CPTu-10 :
through the mud
Ground water -0.0 m
0-2 m : mud crust
2-21 m : mud
(consolidating mud) Bq = 0.8-1.2)
> 21m : soft clays
Results of CPTu at MUD ERUPTION AREA

CPTu-10 :
through the mud
Ground water -0.0 m
0-2 m : mud crust
2-21 m : mud
(consolidating mud) Bq = 0.8-1.2)
> 21m : soft clays
Interpretation of CPTu-10 (center of eruption)
 Method Based on Effective Stress (Rahardjo, 2016)

ISOCHRONE
- excess pore pressure
- effective stress profile
Method based on Effective Stress Approach
Effective Stress in Pore water pressure
Consolidating Layer
METHOD BASED ON EFFECTIVE STRESS
(Rahardjo et al, 2016)
 qt (MPa)
qt (MPa)
Determination of the degree of Consolidation
0
0
O
0.5 1 based on Effective Stress Concept
qt (MPa)
2
0
qt (MPa)
0.5 1
• Determine Thickness of
4
0
Consolidating Layer based
2

6
Perkiraan grafik qt saat
U=100% berdasarkan
Metode Schmertman
4
on qt
untuk NC Clay

8 6
• Draw “qt” for the Normally
Depth (m)

10 8
Consolidating Layer
Depth (m)

10
Nilai qt pada
12

• Degree of Consolidation at
akhir lengkung

12

14
14
Specific Depth
16 16

18 18
𝒒𝒕(𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑪𝑷𝑻𝒖)
𝑼𝒕,𝒛 =
20
20
𝒒𝒕(𝒂𝒕 𝑼=𝟏𝟎𝟎%)
 Determination of the degree of Consolidation
based on Effective Stress Concept
Isochrone
U vs z/H

0
U
0.5 1
• Plot data Ut,z VS z/H
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
• The degree of Consolidation can be
0.4 Calculated by :
z/H

0.5
0.6
𝟏
𝒛
0.7 ഥ = න 𝑼𝒕 𝒅
𝑼
0.8 𝑯
𝟎
0.9
1
Example of Calculation
 CONCLUSIONS
• The use of CPTu for investigation of CONSOLIDATING SOILS
and the degree of consolidation (specially residual pore
pressure) is very effective and prospective for future use
and application.
• The use of empirical correlation for degree of consolidation
(OCR < 1.0) as well as the over-consolidation ratio using Bq
value is very usefull.
• To obtain information on the proportion of soil resistance
and pore pressure, Bq** = u2 / qt is prospective.