Assessment of the degree of saturation in sands by bender element testing
Assessment of the degree of saturation in sands by bender element testing
The propagation of the P-wave is affected by the compressibility of the porous fluid in the granular media. This effect provides alternatives to estimate the degree of saturation of sands by measuring the P-wave velocity. In the laboratory, such an estimate is usually made using Skempton’s B-value (or B-value). However, the B-value is not suitable for use in the field because undrained conditions cannot be guaranteed during measurement. This study aims to assess the degree of saturation in partially to fully saturated sands using P-wave velocity measurements obtained by bender element tests. The measurements of P-wave velocity were compared with theoretical predictions based on Biot-Gassmann theory of wave propagation in fluid-saturated granular media. Therefore, the P-wave velocity proved a more reliable approach to assess the degree of saturation, as shown by the good agreement between the theoretical predictions and experimental results.
Fausto Andres Molina-Gomez; Antonio Viana Da Fonseca; C. Ferreira; Giovanni Cascante
18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)
A - New developments on structural design
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