SEDL / STP / STP399-EB / STP44627S

An Evaluation of the Field Vane Test in Sensitive Clay

Eden, W. J.
Research officer, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ont.

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 1966

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Abstract

For the past 10 years, the Division of Building Research has employed the field vane apparatus to measure the undrained shear strength of the sensitive Leda clays of Eastern Canada, which have an overconsolidation of from 0.3 to 5.0 tons/ft.² The apparatus has also been used in the nearly normally consolidated varved clays of northern Ontario and Quebec. This paper summarizes this experience and attempts to assess the usefulness of the field vane in relation to other field evidence.

For the soft, lightly overconsolidated clays (undrained shear strength less than 0.5 tons/ft²), the field vane yields consistent undrained strengths which have correlated well with other field evidence. For stronger clays (overconsolidated from 3 to 5 tons/ft²), the value of field vane tests is questionable.