A PLUVIAL DEPOSITION METHOD TO RECONSTITUTE WELL-GRADED SAND SPECIMENS

Stationary pluviators generally use one or more sieves to spread the s and flow exiting from the hopper through one or more holes over the de sired area. On the other hand, traveling pluviators do not need a siev e or mesh because in this case it is possible to move an opening or a nozzle over the area of interest. Traveling pluviators are preferable to stationary pluviators, especially in the case of well-graded cohesi onless soils, because they provide more uniform specimens. However, tr aveling pluviators have drawbacks, specimen layering being the most re levant. This technical note illustrates an experimental procedure to r econstitute large specimens of well-graded sands using a traveling plu viator. The effects of specimen layering on mechanical soil properties became negligible with this technique as it was possible to assess pe rforming a series of CPT tests with both a standard cone and a 20-mm c one.