Abstract

Cone penetration testing (CPT) is one of the most used site characterisation tools in geotechnical engineering. In offshore areas dominated by carbonate sediments, CPT is extensively used to characterise material types and assess their strength and flow characteristics. However, unlike for non-carbonate sediments where large number of empirical relationships are available correlating the CPT response with the corresponding soil behaviour and associated engineering parameters, there is still a lack of data correlating the CPT response with engineering behaviour of carbonate sediments. This paper presents CPT responses for different types of marine carbonate sediments. First, a brief background on carbonate sediments including key terminologies used and their characteristics in comparison to their non-carbonate counterparts are discussed. This is followed by examples of CPT data from major offshore project sites representing different type of materials ranging from uncemented fine grained (Muds and Silts) and coarse grained (Sand) sediments to variably cemented carbonate materials. The CPT results are then used, in combination with laboratory test data, to evaluate the suitability of standard soil behaviour type charts and indices available in the literature. Typical zone of results for carbonates sediments as a function of normalized cone parameters are also presented for reference purposes. Some challenges on the direct use CPT based methods to engineering analyses for carbonate sediments and the key areas of research from a practical engineering perspective are also briefly discussed.

Abstract

Cone penetration testing (CPT) is a widely used technique for soil characterisation. The introduction of the Global Industry Standard for Tailings Management (GISTM) in 2019 increased the necessity for understanding tailings properties (particularly shear strength), requiring better risk management and monitoring of tailings storage facilities (TSFs) to achieve zero fatalities. The complexity of tailings materials, influenced by ore processing, slurry deposition and water management techniques, causes greatly different geotechnical characteristics compared to other soils, requiring specialised monitoring equipment and in-depth investigation. One main aspect in interpretation of tailings properties is understanding the pore water pressure (PWP) within the deposited tailings layers which has often been overlooked in engineering studies. For example, in cases of interbedded layers of silt and sand, the downward drainage due to underdrain systems and lateral flow due to differences in lateral and vertical hydraulic conductivities can lead to the formation of distinct ‘perched’ phreatic surfaces in-between layers due to dissimilarity in material permeabilities. The use of commonly assumed linear PWP profiles in such cases can result in misinterpretations, hence, overestimation of tailings’ effective strengths. In these instances, instruments like vibrating wire piezometers (VWPs) have been widely used. However, VWPs provide limited data for understanding the true PWP profile. CPT with PWP measurements (CPTu) has therefore become a practicable technique for identifying internal PWP and distinguishing deposited layers. As such, a detailed approach to CPT data interpretation is required for interlayered tailings facilities with perched phreatic surfaces. This paper presents how CPTu techniques, combined with graphical interpretation, and VWP data can be used to understand complex internal profiles of interlayered TSFs.