SEDL / STP / STP740-EB / STP28772S

Concepts for a Shear-Normal Gage to Estimate In Situ Soil Strength and Strength Angle

McNeill, RL
Technical staff member, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M.

Green, SL
Technical staff member, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M.

Pages: 15    Published: Jan 1981

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Abstract

Concepts are developed whereby the in situ shear strength (S) and the effective soil strength angle (φ') at large strains can be calculated from the readings of a combined shear/normal-stress gage mounted on the face of a rough penetrator. It is possible to calculate S and φ' even if interface friction is the mechanism of failure, unless that friction is local to the gage face. For the case of local friction, the method yields only the interface friction angle δ. Experimental results are encouraging, and the method is being studied for application to a deepwater wire-line device for in situ determinations of S and φ'.