1 /A /2 6

Field and laboratory measurements of soil stiffness

Mesure sur place et en laboratoire de raideur de sol

R. J. JARDINE, Department of Civil Engineering, Imperial College, London, UK

A. FOURIE, Department of Civil Engineering, Imperial College, London, UK
J. MASWOSWE, Department o f Civil Engineering, Imperial College, London, UK
J.B. BURLAND, Department of Civil Engineering, Imperial College, London, UK

SYNOPSIS A s i m p l e a n d p r e c i s e m e t h o d o f m e a s u r i n g l o c a l a x i a l s t r a i n s o n t r i a x i a l s a m p l e s is
d e s c r i b e d a n d it is d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t c o n v e n t i o n a l m e t h o d s o f s t r a i n m e a s u r e m e n t c a n l e a d t o v e r y
significant under estimates of soil stiffness. R e s u l t s o f t r i a x i a l t e s t s on s a m p l e s o f L o n d o n C l a y
s h o w t h a t t h e u n d r a i n e d s t r e s s - s t r a i n b e h a v i o u r is s t r o n g l y n o n - l i n e a r b u t n o t g r e a t l y i n f l u e n c e d b y
sampling or stress-path. T h e u n d r a i n e d s t i f f n e s s e s at s m a l l s t r a i n s a r e in g o o d a g r e e m e n t w i t h
values obtained from high quality insitu tests and from b a c k -analysis of field m e a s u r e m e n t s . Good
a g r e e m e n t is o b t a i n e d b e t w e e n l a b o r a t o r y d e t e r m i n e d u n d r a i n e d s t r e s s - s t r a i n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s a n d
i n s i t u s t r e s s - s t r a i n b e h a v i o u r d e d u c e d f r o m t h r e e i n s t r u m e n t e d l o a d i n g t e s t s in L o n d o n C lay.

INTRODUCTION Two series of triaxial tests have been carried

The back analysis of obse r v e d ground movements
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h f o u n d a t i o n s a n d e x c a v a t i o n s in
st i f f clays often leads to s t i f f n e s s e s w h i c h are
m o r e t h a n an o r d e r o f m a g n i t u d e g r e a t e r t h a n
v a l u e s m e a s u r e d in t he l a b o r a t o r y . In the p a s t
these d i f f e r e n c e s h a v e b een a t t r i b u t e d to sample
d i s t u r b a n c e ( M a r s l a n d 19 71) a n d t h e c h o i c e o f
i n a p p r o p r i a t e s t r e s s p a t h s (Parry 1979).
F o l l o w i n g t h e w o r k o f C o s t a F i l h o (1980) a
simple, precise me tho d of routinely m easuring
l o c a l s t r a i n s on s a m p l e s h a s r e c e n t l y b e e n
d e v e l o p e d ( B u r l a n d a n d S y m e s (1982)). Using this
t e c h n i a u e J a r d i n e e t al (1984) h a v e s h o w n t h a t
s i g n i f i c a n t err o r s can result f rom c o n v e n t i o n a l
m e t h o d s of s t r a i n m e a s u r e m e n t and t h a t at s m a l l
s t r a i n s t h e a c t u a l s t i f f n e s s is f r e q u e n t l y m u c h
greater than that deduced from external
measurements. In this p a p e r the results of a
comprehensive series of laboratory tests, usinq
the n ew techniques, on samples of London Clay
are reported. T h e s e d ata are com p a r e d w ith
stiffness profiles derived from high quality
insitu tests and stress-strain characteristics
deduced from field measurements.
LABORATORY MEASUREMENT OF STIFFNESS
The technique used for m e asuring the mean local
axial strains of triaxial samples makes use of
a p a i r of a x i a l d i s p l a c e m e n t g a u g e s m o u n t e d on
the specimen. T h e p r i n c i p l e o f t h e g a u g e is
that the r e lative v e r t i c a l d i s p l a c e m e n t b e t ween
t w o f o o t i n g s b o n d e d t o t h e s a m p l e m e m b r a n e is
converted to a rotation by means of a hinged
arrangement. T h e r o t a t i o n is m e a s u r e d b y m e a n s
o f an e l e c t r o l y t i c level. T h e d e v i c e can
r e s o l v e t o less th a n l u m o v e r a r a n g e o f 15mm,
is s i m p l e t o m o u n t a n d is n o t d a m a g e d w h e n t h e
s a m p l e is t a k e n t o f a i l u r e . A full description
o f t e c h n i q u e is g i v e n b y J a r d i n e e t al (1984).
ou t u s i n g the n e w te c h n i q u e s on u n d i s t u r b e d
s a m p l e s o f L o n d o n C l a y f r o m s i t e s at C a n o n s P a r k
in N o r t h L o n d o n a n d B e l l C o m m o n in E p p i n g F o r e s t
The samples wer e obta i n e d by thin w a l l e d push
s ampling and were t ested u n c o n s olidated u n ­
drained with pore pressure measurement.
T h e results of a t y p ical test on a sam p l e from
C a n o n s P a r k a r e g i v e n i n F i g u r e 1. The observed
e f f e c t i v e s t r e s s p a t h is p l o t t e d in F i g u r e 1(a).
V a l u e s o f l o c a l l y m e a s u r e d a x i a l s t r a i n are
i n d i c a t e d a n d it is o f c o n s i d e r a b l e p r a c t i c a l
im p o r t a n c e to n ote that a sh e a r stress eaual to
a q u a r t e r o f t h e f a i l u r e v a l u e is r e q u i r e d
b e f o r e a s t r a i n o f 0 . 1 % is a c h i e v e d . In F i g u r e
1 (b) t h e s t r e s s - s t r a i n c u r v e s o b t a i n e d f r o m
local and e x t e r n a l m e a s u r e m e n t s are compared.
It can be seen that the e x t e r n a l mea s u r e m e n t s ,
wh i c h have b e e n c o r r e c t e d for load cell
compliance, lead to apparently linear initial
stress-strain behaviour. However the local
measurements show much stiffer non-linear
behaviour.
In F i g u r e 1(c) t h e r e s u l t s o f t h e i n t e r n a l
m e a s u r e m e n t s o f s t i f f n e s s are p l o t t e d in t e r m s
of E u / c u versus log strain w h e r e is t h e
s e c a n t iindrained Y o u n g ' s m o d u l u s . The strongly
n o n - l i n e a r n a t u r e o f t h e s a m p l e r e s p o n s e is
evident with Eu/c values decreasing from about
1,700 at 0.003% strain to more commonly acc e p t e d
v a l u e s of 1 0 0 to 2 0 0 at 0 . 5 to 1.0% st r a i n . It
should be noted that the initial linear portion
of the externally measured stress strain curve
g i v e s an E u / c u v a l u e o f 3 0 0 w h i c h is a p p r o x i m ­
ately six times less than the i n itial value
obtained from internal measurements.
For e ase of p r e s e n t a t i o n the s t i f f n e s s - s t r a i n
c h a r acteristics can be repre s e n t e d by the two
p a r a m e t e r s E u /0 - 0 l ) , t h e u n d r a i n e d s e c a n t
m o d u l u s a t 0 . 0 1 % s t r a i n , a n d L, t h e i n d e x o f

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(a) Undrained stress path. (b) Initial stress-strain behaviour. (c ) S t i f f n e s s - s t r a i n characteristic.

Figure 1. Typical London Clay UU test data (Canons" P a r k 7,3m depth)
P r o f ile a t
Eu MPa C a n o n s Ftark
linearity d e f i n e d as E u ( o -1 / E u ( o .oi)
50 100
COMPARISON OF INSITU AND LABORATORY
MEASUREMENTS
Figure 2 shows the results of UU triaxial
tests on s a m ples of L o n d o n C lay from Canons
P a r k , w i t h the s o i l p r o f i l e i n d i c a t e d on the
s a m e figure. . A s h a r p i n c r e a s e in u n d r a i n e d
s t r e n g t h w a s observed, p a s s i n g f r o m the
d i s t u r b e d t o t h e u n d i s t u r b e d L o n d o n Clay.
T h e r e i s a c o r r e s p o n d i n g i n c r e a s e in
Eu(o.ol) at a r o u n d 4.3 m e t r e s de p t h . The
v a l u e s o f Eu (o.ol) from Bel l Common are also
p l o t t e d , b u t w i t h d e p t h d e f i n e d as d i s t a n c e
from the top of the London Clay.
For comparison the distributions of E u from
c a m k o m e t e r and large 'diameter Plate tests
c a r r i e d o u t n e a r b y a t H e n d o n (Viindle a n d W r o t h
( 1 9 7 7 ) ) a r e s h o w n o n F i g u r e 2. A l s o s h o w n is
the d i s t r i b u t i o n of Eu w i t h depth o b t a i n e d f ro m
the back a n alysis of the m e a s u r e d m o v e m e n t s of
an e x c a v a t e d r e t a i n i n g w a l l in c e n t r a l L o n d o n
( C o l e a n d B u r l a n d (.19 7 2 ) ) .
T h e r e s u l t s g i v e n in F i g u r e 2 s h o w t h a t the
v a l u e o f E u (o.ol) is. s u b s t a n t i a l l y i n f l u e n c e d
by geological history but does not increase
r a pidly w i t h depth w i t h i n the u n d i s t u r b e d
L ond o n Clay. T h e v a l u e s o f E u (0 .0 i) are
considerably larger than apparent values of
obtained from high quality insitu tests and
field m e a s u r e m e n t s of the settlement of
structures. B u t l e r (1975) n o t e d t h a t f o r
f o u n t J a t i o n s o n L o n d o n C l a y E u= 4 0 0 c u . T h e s e
results might be anticipated since the measured
boundary displacements for surface loading or
p r e s s u r e m e t e r tests are st r o n g l y i n f l u e n c e d by
the more highly stressed, lower stiffness, Figure 2. Comparison of laboratory Eu
o.ol
regions. T h e r e f o r e the b ack analysis of such v a l u e s wi t h i n s i t u d a t a .
measurements using linear elasticity will give
s tiff n e s s e s wh i c h are gene r a l l y lower than the and stress p a t h on u n d r a i n e d stif f n e s s a n u m b e r
small strain triaxial values. H o w e v e r the o f l a b o r a t o r y t e s t s w e r e c a r r i e d o u t on r e c o n ­
p r o f i l e o f Ey d e d u c e d f r o m o b s e r v a t i o n s o f s t i t u t e d London Clay. The samples were consoli­
g r o u n d m o v e m e n t s a r o u n d e x c a v a t i o n s lies closer dated one-dim e n s i o n a l l y from a slurry and
t o t h e E u (o.ol) p r o f i l e . T h i s is t h o u g h t t o further consolidated and swelled back under K 0
r e s u l t f r o m th.e w e a k e r i n f l u e n c e o f l o c a l l y conditions to various o v e r c o nsolidation ratios
o v e r s t r e s s e d z o n e s in s u c h p r o b l e m s ( S i m p s o n e t u s i n g a t r i a x i a l s tr e s s p a t h cell. Undrained
al 1979). compression and extension tests were then
c a r r i e d out.
It is o f c o n s i d e r a b l e i n t e r e s t to n o t e tha t
dynamic values of shear modulus G o b tai ned by J a r d i n e e t al (1984) h a v e s h o w n t h a t t h e n o n -
Abbiss (1981).using geophysical methods give d i m e n s i o n a l r a t i o E u/Po' is less s e n s i t i v e to
v a l u e s o f E (=3 x G) w h i c h a r e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 3 0 % O C R a n d g e n e r a l l y m o r e s a t i s f a c t o r y t h a n E u /c^
g r e a t e r t h a n t h e v a l u e s o f E u (0 .0 i) f o u n d in U U ( P Q ' is t h e i n i t i a l m e a n e f f e c t i v e s t r e s s ) .
tests. Figure-3(a) shows characteristics of Ey/p'o
versus log strain for the tests on r e c o n s t i t u ­
INFLUENCE OF STRESS HISTORY
t e d L o n d o n C l a y . I t c a n b e s e e n t h a t E u/ p 1 f o r
To investigate the influence of stress history e x t e n s i o n is g e n e r a l l y a b o u t 5 0 % o f t h a t f o r

512
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Ja. Ik range for

Po' Hi' Canons Park

Test ’Eu/P0')ooi L (means)

ocr=3Comp 880 0-42 (Eu/FbTooi L
ocr=3 Ext 482 0 26 Bell C. 687 0-45
ocr=7 Comp 650 0-45 Canons P. 587 0-39
ocr=7 Ext 422 038

Axial strain % A xial strain %

(a) Reconsituted London Clay,K0 consolidated. (b) Intact London Clav, summary of UU tests.

Figure 3. Laboratory stiffness-strain characteristics.

compression.
F i g u r e 3 ( b ) s h o w s t h e e n v e l o p e s o f E u / p '0 f o r
the UU tests on h igh q u a l i t y s a m ples from
Canons Park and Bell Common. A l t h o u g h the
s c a t t e r is s o m e w h a t larger, t he a g r e e m e n t w i t h
t h e t e s t s o n t h e r e c o n s t i t u t e d m a t e r i a l is
r e m a r k a b l y good. In g e n e r a l the v a l u e s of E„
for a UU test fall bet w e e n the corresp o n d i n g
values for K 0 c ompression and K 0 extension
tests on r e c o n s t i t u t e d material. Thus the
i n f l u e n c e o f s a m p l i n g a n d s t r e s s h i s t o r y is n o t
as d o m i n a n t as h a s p r e v i o u s l y b e e n t h o u g h t .
FIELD MEASUREMENTS OF STRESS-STRAIN BEHAVIOUR
As m e n t i o n e d p r e v i o u s l y , w h e n the s t r e s s - s t r a i n
pr o p e r t i e s are non - l i n e a r , b a c k - a n a l y s i s of
m e a s u r e d b o u n d a r y d i s p l a c e m e n t s leads to values
of Eu w h i c h are lower than the small strain
laboratory values. The direct me a s u r e m e n t of
i n s i t u s t r e s s - s t r a i n b e h a v i o u r is g r e a t l y
fa c i l i t a t e d whe n local strains are measured. In
th i s s e c t i o n an a n a l y s i s o f d a t a f r o m t h r e e s u c h
f i e l d t e s t s o n L o n d o n C l a y is p r e s e n t e d .
M a r s l a n d an d E a s o n (1973) p r e s e n t th e r e s u l t s
values of Eu wer e c a l c ulated using ela s t i c
theory. I n F i g u r e 4(a) t h e v a l u e s o f E u/ c ^ f o r
each level can b e seen to agree w i t h the results
o b t a i n e d from the deep plate test. At this site
the Lond o n Clay e x t ends to the surface and a
v a l u e o f K 0 = 2 . 5 h a s b e e n a s s u m e d in o r d e r t o
o b t a i n v a l u e s o f p 0 '. I n F i g u r e 4(b) t h e v a l u e s
o f E u / P 0' are p l o t t e d and r e a s onable a g r e e m e n t
is a g a i n o b t a i n e d w i t h t h e p l a t e t e s t . The high
v a l u e f o r 0 . 5 m d e p t h is t h o u g h t t o b e d u e t o
surface desiccation.
C o m p a r i s o n o f t h e E u / p Q' v a l u e s i n F i g u r e 4(b)
from the loading tests w i t h laboratory values
( F i g u r e 3(b) s h o w s t h a t t h e y a r e a b o u t 2 0 %
g r e a t e r than the m e a n values f rom the UU tests.
H o w e v e r , t h e v a l u e s o f E u / p 0' f r o m t h e a n i s o t r c p -
ically consolidated compression tests agree well
wit h the values from the field loading tests,
b u t h a v e s m a l l e r v a l u e s o f L.
3m square load test «
= 0 26 <
F = o uu >
= 0 62 <

Eu.
Mean L = 057
<Eu/p¿)001 = 750

o f a n l a t e l o a d i n g t e s t in w h i c h d i s p l a c e m e n t s Po'
of th e grou n d w e r e m e a s u r e d at various depths V
(¡.m]
d u r i n g l o a ding at a c onstant rate of p e n e t r a t i o n
of 2.5 per minute. T h e p l a t e w a s 865rcm d i a m e t e r
an d the test wa s c a r r i e d out at a site in Central G.(1 5m)
• I0 5m)
Lon d o n at the b ase of a 9 0 0 m m d i a m e t e r 17.5m
deep shaft. The results allow the direct
calculation of average strains for three levels 0.01 0.1 1 .0 0.01 0.1 1

b e n e a t h the p l a t e for v a r i o u s a p p l i e d loads. V e rtic a l s tra in (% )

The sec a n t Y o u n g ' s m o d u l u s Eu c o r r e s p o n d i n g to
each value of strain can be e v a l u a t e d using (a) Normalised bv Cu . (b) Normalised by p'Q
e l a s t i c the o r y to obtain the stress changes. At Figure 4. Field stiffness-strain characteris­
this site the average laboratory u ndrained tics from loading tests.
strength C u was 20GkN/m . F i g u r e 4(a) s h o w s
F i e l d d ata f rom a c o m p l e t e l y diffe r e n t type of
of plo t of E u / c u vslog v e r t i c a l strain for the
l o a d i n g is g i v e n b y t h e m e a s u r e m e n t o f v e r t i c a l
three levels. I t is e s t i m a t e d t h a t a t a d e p t h
s h e a r s t r a i n s a t t h r e e d e p t h s c l o s e to an
o f 1 7 . 5 m o n t h i s s i t e , w h i c h is o v e r l a i n b y
i n s t r u m e n t e d j a c k e d - i n - p l a c e t u b u l a r ?steel pile
a b o u t 7m o f g r a v e l a n d s o f t clay, the v a l u e of
at H e n d o n p r e s e n t e d b y C o o k e , P r i c e a n d Tarr
K 0 is a b o u t 1.5 g i v i n g p 0 1 = 2 4 0 k N / m . Figure
(1979). Since the shear stresses tr a n s f e r r e d to
4 ( b ) s h o w s a p l o t o f E u / p 0 ' vs l o n g v e r t i c a l
the g r o u n d w e r e ac c u r a t e l y m e a s u r e d the d ata can
strain.
be used to d etermine directly the r e l a tionship
R e c e n t l y a l o a d i n g t e s t w a s c a r r i e d o ut on b e t w e e n s h e a r s t r e s s "tyjj a n d s h e a r s t r a i n ^
L o n d o n Clay a t B r a c k n e l l . The test consisted for the London Clay. In F i g u r e 5(a) t h e
of l o ading a 3m square area at grou n d level relationships between secant and log li
to an a v e r a g e p r e s s u r e o f l l O k p a w i t h are p l o t t e d for the three i n s t r u m e n t e d levels
s e t t l e m e n t s m e a s u r e d a t d e p t h s o f 0 , 1, 2, 3 a n d r em o t e from the p i l e tip. The marked non-
5 metr e s b e n e a t h the centre. The average l i n e a r i t y o f t h e s t r e s s - s t r a i n r e l a t i o n s h i p s is
strains between each level were evaluated three e v i d e n t a n d is s i m i l a r i n f o r m t o t h e l a b o r a t o r y
h o u r s a f t e r loading and the c o r r e s p o n d i n g r e s u l t s g i v e n i n F i g u r e 3.

513
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Shear wave measurements of the elasticity of the
Gw (Mpa)

ground. G e o t e c h n i q u e 31, 1, 9 1 - 1 0 4 .
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B u t l e r F.G. (1975).
Shear strain ( %) Hea v i l y o v e r - c o n s o l i d a t e d clays. Conf.
Major principal strain
Settlement of Structures, Cambridge, London,
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Figure 5. Field stiffness-strain characteris­ C o l e K.W. an d B u r l a n d J.B. (1972).
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initial undrain^d strength C yo. For undrained T h e m e a s u r e m e n t o f s o i l s t i f f n e s s in the
p l a n e s t r a i n t h e m a j o r p r i n c i p a l s t r a i n 61='iiv h / 2 triaxial apparatus. G e o t e c h n i q u e 3 4 , 3.
a n d f o r a n i s o t r o p i c m a t e r i a l E u = 3 G vh. In M a r s l a n d A. (.1971)..
F i g u r e 5(b) t h e v a l u e s o f 3 0 ^ ^ . ' ar e p l o t t e d Laboratory and insitu measurements of the
a g a inst log E l - The valu e s agree r e m a r k a b l y defor m a t i o n m o duli of London Clay. Proc. Symp.
w e l l w i t h the results o b t a i n e d from the Int. o f S t r u c t u r e a n d F o u n d a t i o n ,
anisotropically consolidated compression tests B irm i n g h a m , pp 7-17.
g i v e n in F i g u r e 3(a).
M a r s l a n d A. a n d E a s o n B . J . ( 1 9 7 3 ) .
M e a s u r e m e n t s o f d i s p l a c e m e n t s in t h e g r o u n d
b e l o w l o a d e d p l a t e s in d e e p b o r e h o l e s . Proc.
CONCLUSIONS Symp. Field Instrumentation, London,
1. A s i m p l e , p r e c i s e t e c h n i q u e o f r o u t i n e l y Butterworths.
m e a s u r i n g local s t r a i n s on t r i a x i a l s a m ples has R a n d o l p h M . F . , C a r t e r J . P . a n d W r o t h C . P . (1979).
b e e n d e v e l o p e d w h i c h is a c c u r a t e t o a b o u t 2 x D r i v e n p i l e s in c l a y - the e f f e c t s of
10 ^ s t r a i n . installation and subsequent consolidation.
2. U s i n g t h e t e c h n i q u e i t h a s b e e n s h o w n t h a t G e o t e c h n i c r u e 29 , 4 , 3 6 1 - 3 9 3 .
conventional laboratory methods of measuri ng
soil stiffness can lead to very signi f i c a n t P a r r y , R . H . G . (197° ).
errors. D i s c u s s i o n Proc. 7th Eur. Conf. SMEE.
3. A s e r i e s o f t e s t s o n s a m p l e s o f L o n d o n C l a y Brighton, pp 129-131.
using the n e w t e chnique sho w that the undr a i n e d S i m p s o n B. e t a l ( 1 9 7 9 ) .
s t r e s s - s t r a i n b e h a v i o u r is s t r o n g l y n o n - l i n e a r Design pa r a m e t e r s for stiff clays.
h a v i n g E u / p 0' values w h i c h dec r e a s e from about Proc. 7th Eur. Conf. S MFE, B r i g h t o n , V o l . 5,
800 at 0 . 0 1 % s t r a i n to a b o u t 300 at 0 . 1 % strain. 91-125.
Values of stiffness obtained from high quality
insitu tests and field measurements fall within W i n d l e D. a n d W r o t h C . P . ( 1 9 7 7 ) .
this range. I n situ measur e m e n t of the properties
4. T e s t s o n r e c o n s t i t u t e d s a m p l e s o f L o n d o n of stiff clays. P roc. 9th Int. Conf.
Clay show that stress relief due to sampling and SMFE. T o k y o , V o l 1, 3 4 7 - 3 5 2 .
applied stress path do not have a dominant
i n f l u e n c e on m e a s u r e d stiffness.
5. T h e a n a l y s i s o f t h e d a t a f r o m t h r e e f i e l d
l o a d i n g t e s t s on L o n d o n Clay, in w h i c h l ocal
strains w i t h i n the soil mass have been measured,
give non-linear stress-strain properties which
agree remarkably well with those determined
f rom t r i a x i a l tests.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
M u c h of the f i e l d w o r k d e s c r i b e d in this p a p e r
was carried out bv the B u i l d i n g Research
E s t a b l i s h m e n t and the c o n t r i b u t i o n s are g r a t e ­
fully acknowledged. The results of the loading
test at B r a c k n e l l are p u b l i s h e d w i t h the
pe r m i s s i o n of P e t e r B r e t t A s s ociates.

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