Rigorous test of the performance of shear-wave velocity correlations derived from CPT soundings: A case study for Groningen, the Netherlands. Issue 140 (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kruiver, Pauline P.; de Lange, Ger; Kloosterman, Fred; Korff, Mandy; van Elk, Jan; Doornhof, Dirk
• Is Part Of: Soil dynamics and earthquake engineering. Issue 140(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Shear-wave velocity -- Soil properties -- Cone penetration test -- Empirical correlation; Soil dynamics -- Periodicals; Earthquake engineering -- Periodicals; Sols -- Dynamique -- Périodiques; Génie parasismique -- Périodiques; 624.176205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.soildyn.2020.106471
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0267-7261

Abstract

Abstract: An improved correlation between shear-wave velocity V S and cone penetration test (CPT) parameters was derived for the Groningen region, the Netherlands, using a set of 154 pairs of CPTs and seismic CPTs. An analysis of a high-quality subset showed that the subdivision into Holocene versus Pleistocene intervals or into cohesive versus non-cohesive intervals did not significantly improve correlation, nor did filtering out of the transition intervals between clay and sand in the non-cohesive dataset. In addition, using q t or q c resulted in similar regression results. We therefore propose a single new equation and we applied this to all available CPTs in the region. The analysis of the fitting bias showed that there is a trend relative to the measured V S . We therefore recommend performing SCPT measurements when very soft soils ( V S < ~100 m/s) are encountered, rather than relying on the empirical correlation based on CPT parameters. The comparison of the V S30 values from CPTs to the model V S30 of Groningen shows that correlation is excellent: 90% of the calculated V S30 values from the CPTs fall within one standard deviation of the VS30 of the corresponding geological zone of the model. Although the resulting CPT- V S correlation is specific for the Groningen region, the approach can be applied to other regions with a paired SCPT-CPT dataset. Highlights: High-quality set of 154 co-located CPTs and seismic CPTs is available for Groningen. Regression on V S = f( q c, f s, effective stress) has been applied to predict V S . No soil classification is required to convert raw CPT data to V S and V S30 . No significant difference between correlations for Holocene and Pleistocene soils. Systematic bias results in overprediction of V S in very soft soils.