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Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications
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Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications; 1997; v. 12; p. 365-371;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.ENG.1997.012.01.34
© 1997 Geological Society of London

Section 5: Laboratory studies

Measurement of stiffness of soils using small strain triaxial testing and bender elements

M. A. Gordon & C. R. I. Clayton

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 5XH, UK

With the growing appreciation of the value of measuring very small strain stiffness, Gmax, by determining shear wave velocities, the authors have installed piezoceramic bender elements into a conventional triaxial cell. Whilst the installation process and high speed data acquisition requirements presented no serious problems, interpretation of bender element data was not as straightforward as was first thought. This paper describes the tests carried out and theproblems encountered. Analytical techniques which remove the subjective nature of shear wave travel time determinations are discussed along with ways to discriminate between near field compressional-wave components and genuine shear waves.