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ABSTRACT: Sample quality has a direct influence on the results of geo-mechanical parameters obtained in laboratory and in situ tests, potentially causing serious technical and economic consequences. In the study of soft soil behavior using laboratory tests, it is important to evaluate, and be able to quantify sample quality, and if necessary and possible, to correct the effects of sample disturbance and to obtain geotechnical parameters appropriate and necessary for engineering projects. This paper presents and discusses the results of sample quality evaluation and the correction of compressibility parameters results to account for the effects of sample disturbance. The samples were taken from two study areas located in the Suape Port and Industrial Complex in Pernambuco, Brazil. Proposals presented by Coutinho (2007) and Futai (2010) were used to evaluate sample quality, and proposals presented by Schmertmann (1955), Oliveira (2002) and Coutinho (2007) were used for correction of compressibility parameters that were altered by the effects of sample disturbance. The results from these study areas were satisfactory for all the proposals presented in this paper. It was possible to obtain compression parameter corresponding to good quality samples using the proposals for correcting the effects of sample disturbance.
Keywords: sample quality, compressibility parameters, oedometer test
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1INTRODUCTION
The qualitative study of soft clay samples is very important in order to be able to obtain the appropriate values for geotechnical parameters resulting from laboratory tests used in engineering projects. The quantitative effect of an inappropriate sampling can bring serious technical and economic and consequences.
Efforts have been made during research projects to understand, quantify, minimize, and whenever possible, to correct the geotechnical parameters resulting from the sample disturbance of the Recife soft clays (Coutinho 1976; Ferreira 1982; Ferreira & Coutinho 1988; Coutinho et al. 1998; Oliveira et al. 2000, Oliveira 2002; Coutinho 2007; Bello 2011). The studies cited above were carried out by the Geotechnical Research Group (GEGEP/ UFPE) coordinated by the first author.
This paper presents and discusses the results of sample quality evaluation, and correction of the effects of sample disturbance extracting in two areas studied in the Suape Industrial and Port Complex in Pernambuco, Brazil (Bello 2011). Proposals presented by Coutinho (2007) and Futai (2010) were used to evaluate sample...