Rs. Ferreira et Pk. Robertson, LARGE-STRAIN UNDRAINED PRESSUREMETER INTERPRETATION BASED ON LOADING AND UNLOADING DATA, Canadian geotechnical journal, 31(1), 1994, pp. 71-78
Traditionally pressuremeter tests results are interpreted using only t
he loading pressure-expansion data. An interpretation method has been
developed that makes use of both the loading and unloading portions of
a pressuremeter test and incorporates nonlinear, undrained soil behav
iour. This method has been modified to handle large strains. The propo
sed interpretation accepts that some level of soil disturbance exists
during the early stages of a pressuremeter test, and hence more emphas
is is placed on the unloading portion of the test. A methodology is de
scribed to allow this interpretation procedure to be applied to self-b
ored, prebored, and full-displacement undrained pressuremeter tests. T
he proposed method is evaluated using self-boring and full-displacemen
t pressuremeter test results from various published field projects. Th
e interpretation is accomplished using commercially available microcom
puter software that can perform the curve-matching process for both lo
ading and unloading portions of the test.