Influence of Soft Soil Samples Quality on the Compressibility and Undrained Shear Strength – Seven Lessons Learned From the Vistula Marshlands

Abstract

This technical article presents the influence of sample quality on the compressibility parameters and undrained shear strength (cu) of soft soils from the Vistula Marshlands. The analysis covers: (1) quality of soft soil according to three criteria: void ratio (Δe/e0 index), volumetric strain (Δɛv) and Cr/Cc ratio; (2) influence of storage time on quality; (3) influence of sample quality on undrained shear strength (cu), and (4) reliability of compression and undrained shear strength parameters estimation. The sample quality of three different soft soils (peat, organic clays, and organic silts) was investigated using dataset of geotechnical investigations from the Vistula Marshlands. The reliability of oedometer tests and compressibility parameters determination was shown. Different undrained shear strength estimates (from lab and field tests) were juxtaposed with sample quality. In situ estimates of undrained shear strength were compared with results of triaxial tests and direct simple shear test on reconstituted samples as well as SHANSEP estimates.

Keywords

• soft soils
• soil sample quality
• constrained modulus
• deformation properties
• undrained shear strength