SUMMARY

ACCURACY OF DETERMINING PRE- CONSOLIDATION PRESSURE FROM

LABORATORY TESTS

1.1 OBJECTIVE OF PAPER

For fine grained soils the correct prediction of pre consolidation pressure is essential for studying and
evaluating important parameters such as compressibility and strength which in turn give a good insight
about settlement behavior of such soils. The objective of this paper is to analyze the efficacy of
graphical determination techniques of pre consolidation pressure formulated from results of laboratory
oedometer tests in order to compare accuracy of results and subsequently recommending the most
precise method.

2.2 METHODOLOGY APPLIED

Total 30 consolidation tests carried out in study under review including 7 x Incrementally loaded (IL)
tests and 23 x Controlled Rate of Strain (CRS) tests, conducted on two types of Canadian soils,
classified as low plasticity clays (CL) as per USCS. In IL tests the specimens were subjected to
incremental loading by sustaining specimen at a specific incremental loading for 60 minutes and the
corresponding void ratio was noted for formulating End of Primary Consolidation Curves. Whereas in
Controlled Rate of Strain Tests the soil specimen was consolidated by application of vertical load at a
constant strain rate. For each soil type trial tests were conducted first in order to calculate strain rate as
per ASTM 2010 according to which the selected strain rate should develop 3% to 15% base excess pore
pressure ratio at culmination of load application for measuring the consolidation coefficient.
In both of the above mentioned consolidation tests the load application was carried out in excess
of the in-situ pre consolidation pressures in order to prevent sample disturbance effects on results. This
load termed as imposed pre consolidation pressure (Ϭ´ p,i) was attained by load application of 2 - 3 hours
so that primary consolidation is completed and excess pore water is fully dissipated. Afterwards
unloading of specimen was carried out and reloading was done in excess of imposed pre consolidation
pressure. This cycle was repeated for certain specimens so that compression behavior can be studied for
different Ϭ´p,i without effect of disturbance of sample. The absolute error calculation for respective
predictive procedures calculated by the expression IϬ´p - Ϭ´p,iI and for determination of overall accuracy
of the predictive methods under study Root Mean Square Error formula has been used.

3.3 RESULTS
Results of determination of pre consolidation pressure using semi-logarithmic, bi-logarithmic and strain
energy predictive methods show that all procedures give overestimated values of Ϭ´p with bilograrithmic
graphical approach utilizing slopes of virgin compression curves along with recompression curve gave
more precise predictions of pre consolidation pressure. Also more inaccuracy observed in Ϭ´p
calculation with soil samples having low Plasticity Index. Furthermore, results show that Oikawa (1987)
method has minimum RMSE whereas Burland (1990) has lowest average error. Moreover, Oikawa,
Onitsuka et al., Butterfield, and Boone methods calculate similar values of Ϭ´p. On the other hand,
accuracy of most recommended method in books and laboratory i.e Casagrande’s method is the lowest.

.4.4 SPECIFIC TAKEAWAYS FROM STUDY

Bilograrithmic graphical approach utilizing slopes of virgin compression curves and recompression
curve provides more precise predictions of pre consolidation pressure. Also among the IL and CRS test
conducted in the study, the CRS test results tend to be more accurate as they provide sufficient data
points for improving prediction of graphical interpretation methods.
The graphical predictive methods result analysis shows that although these calculate
overestimated values of Ϭ´p yet selection of predictive method with more accuracy is critical in order to
avoid faulty analysis resuting from calculation of reduced consolidation settlement values.
The application of Oikawa (1987) and Burland (1990) methods for estimation of Ϭ´ p has been
found to be safer and more conservative due to less error. Among the 11 methods examined in this
study, a bilogarithmic graphical technique suggested by Oikawa (1987) was found to provide the most
accurate with an average overestimation potential of 16.8 kPa. This method is simple with enhanced
accuracy due to determination of Ϭ´p from oedometer test results by oint established by intersection of
tangent lines drawn to the compression and recompression portions in a log (1 + e) vs log(Ϭ´v) plot.
Although the Casagrande procedure is commonly referred to in books and lab procedures yet its
inaccuracy of predictions makes it less recommended as to selection of data points in non-linear portion
of e-log curve makes this method error prone and less accurate
Calculation of Ϭ´p is more convenient and accurate for clay with high PI values as the curve plot
of void ratio vs effective vertical stress for the same tend to show a clearer transition between virgin
compression curve and recompression curve