Quantifying Stiffness and In-situ Stress Anisotropies from Pressuremeter Testing
Quantifying Stiffness and In-situ Stress Anisotropies from Pressuremeter Testing
This study explored the use of pressuremeter testing (PMT) to characterize stiffness and in-situ stress anisotropies. By integrating multi-caliper deformation measurements with analytical and numerical modeling, this study demonstrated that deformation anisotropies, such as in Opalinus Clays, can be effectively resolved. Transversely isotropic elastic parameters were estimated by fitting the apparent borehole moduli derived from the PMT unloading data, whereas the anisotropic creep behavior was captured using a viscoelastic model implemented in a finite element (FE) simulation. Controlled laboratory experiments under known polyaxial stress conditions revealed that borehole expansion after yielding reflects the orientation and magnitude of the horizontal stress anisotropy. These observations were further supported by FE simulations, which enabled an inversion procedure to estimate the horizontal boundary stresses based on post-yield deformation. The findings highlight the potential of advanced pressuremeter test interpretation as a practical approach for in-situ geomechanical characterization.
Lang Liu; Rick Chalaturnyk; Derek Martin; Silvio Giger; Haifeng Fu
8th International Symposium on Pressuremeters (ISP2025)
Site Characterization and parameter determination
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