Useoftheseismicdilatometer(SDMT)toestimateinsituG-γdecaycurvesinvarioussoiltypes.docVIP

Use of the seismic dilatometer (SDMT) to estimate in situ G-γ decay curves in various soil types Sara Amoroso Università degli Studi dellAquila, Studio Prof. Marchetti sara.amoroso@ Paola Monaco Università degli Studi dellAquila paola.monaco@univaq.it Diego Marchetti Studio Prof. Marchetti diego@marchetti-dmt.it Abstract This paper illustrates the use of the seismic dilatometer (SDMT) to assess the in situ decay of stiffness with strain level (G-γ curves or similar) in different soil types. The approach adopted in this study relies on the ability of the SDMT to provide both a small strain stiffness (G0 from VS) and a working strain stiffness (constrained modulus MDMT from usual DMT interpretation). At various test sites working strain DMT moduli (GDMT or EDMT, derived from MDMT by elasticity theory) are compared with same-depth reference stiffness decay curves back-figured from the observed behavior under a full-scale test embankment (Treporti) or footings (Texas), obtained by laboratory tests (LAquila) or reconstructed by combining different in situ/laboratory techniques (Western Australia). Typical ranges of the shear strain γDMT associated to GDMT in different soil types are inferred from the intersection of the DMT data points with the reference stiffness decay curves. 1 Tentative method for deriving in situ G-γ decay curves from SDMT The seismic dilatometer (SDMT) is the combination of the flat dilatometer (DMT) with an add-on seismic module for measuring the shear wave velocity VS (Marchetti et al. 2008). Methods for deriving G-γ curves from in situ tests have been proposed by various Authors (e.g. Lehane Fahey 2004 from SCPT and DMT). The approach adopted in this study relies on the ability of the SDMT to provide routinely, at each test depth, information on stiffness both at small strains (small strain shear modulus G0 obtained from VS) and at operative strains (constrained modulus MDMT obtained by the usual DMT interpretation). Such two stiffness values ma