Analysis of self-boring pressuremeter (SBPM) and Marchetti dilatometer (DMT) tests in granite saprolites

This paper presents the analyses of the results of the site investigation p rogramme carried out at the Kowloon Bay site in Hong Kong. The tests consis ted of self-boring pressuremeter (SBPM), Marchetti dilatometer (DMT), and l aboratory tests carried out in a granite saprolite, which can be described as a lightly cemented sand. The purpose of this research project is to stim ulate the development of methods to interpret data obtained from tests in r esidual soils. In particular, the work aims to evaluate the analyses of the SBPM data through a curve-fitting technique. Both the loading and unloadin g portions of the SBPM curve were analysed and the results compared with th ose from other tests. The advantage of this analysis technique is the possi bility of constructing a theoretical curve that reproduces a pressuremeter test from which a set of fundamental parameters can be derived, namely the friction angle, cohesion intercept, lateral stress, and shear modulus. The DMT proved to be a reliable tool that yielded good soil parameters at a sma ll fraction of the cost of the other in situ tests.