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Dilatometer test
Fernando Schnaid
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
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STANDARDS
Eurocode 7 (1997). Geotechnical design - Part 3: Design assisted by field
testing, Section 9: Flat dilatometer test (DMT).
ASTM D 6635-01 (2001). "Standard Test Method for Performing the Flat
Plate Dilatometer ".
MANUALS
Marchetti, S. & Crapps, D.K. (1981). "Flat Dilatometer Manual". Internal
Report of G.P.E.
Schmertmann, J.H. (1988). Rept. No. FHWA-PA-87-022+84-24 to
PennDOT, Office of Research and Special Studies, Harrisburg, PA, in
4 volumes.
US DOT - Briaud, J.L. & Miran, J. (1992). "The Flat Dilatometer Test".
Dept. Transp., Fed. Highway Adm., Washington, D.C., FHWA-SA-91-
044, 102 pp.
ISSMGE TC16 (2001): DMT in Soil Investigations
DMT on the INTERNET
Bibliographic site <www.marchetti-dmt.it> download papers
Basic reference

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DMT: LAYOUT
Slides:courtesy
from Silvano
Marchetti
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Penetration
DMT USING A
PENETROMETER
DMT USING A
DRILL RIG
5
6
7
8
Dilatmetro ssmico
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Measurements and parameters
A- pressure: lift-offpressure membrane starts to expand
B- pressure: 1,1 mm movement of centre of membrane
C-pressure: closing pressure ( uo)
Calibration in ar
A = external pressure to be applied to membrane
B = internal pressure required to move 1,1 mm
( ) ( ) B Z B A Z A p
m m
+ = 05 . 0 05 . 1
0
( ) B Z B p
m
=
1
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Measurements and parameters
a) Material Index: I
D
b) Horizontal stress index: K
D
c) Dilatometer modulus E
D
'
vo
o o
D
u p
K

=
( )
o D
p p E =
1
7 . 34
o o
o
D
u p
p p
I

=
1
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Typical results
Id : soil type
Courtesy from Marchetti
Obs :
Kd = 2
OCR 1
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Typical results: seismic
Courtesy from Marchetti
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Repeatability
Cestari (SGI), Lacasse (NGI), Lunne (NGI), Marchetti (Aq)
NC clay Onsoy, Norway
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Interpretation
Marchetti, 1981
From A, B (p
0
, p
1
) :
Kd : an
amplified Ko
Theory of
elasticity
Rm=f(Kd,Id)
Distortion,
Horiz to Vert
Drained-
undrained
Undrained shear strength
after Powell & Uglow, 1988
after Powell & Uglow, 1988
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DMT: NC Clay
Cu in Tokyo Bay Clay
Geotechnical Research Center
Kiso-Jiban Consultants Co.,
Tokyo
Iwasaki K., Tsuchiya H., Sakai Y.,
Yamamoto Y. (1991). "Applicability of
the Marchetti Dilatometer Test to Soft
Ground in J apan", GEOCOAST '91,
Sept. 1991, Yokohama 1/6
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Cu: Skeena Ontario Canada
Vs Field Vane
Mekechuk J . (1983). "DMT Use on C.N. Rail Line British Columbia",
First Int.Conf. on the Flat Dilatometer, Edmonton, Canada, Feb 83, 50
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Cu: National Site BOTHKENNAR UK
Nash et al., Gotechnique, June 1995, p. 173
0
5
10
15
20
Z

(
m
)
kPa
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Cu: National Site FUCINO
Note the various Nc for CPT(U)
A.G.I., 10th ECSMFE Firenze 1991, Vol. 1, p. 37
Z

(
m
)
kPa
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Cu: 2 Malaysian Clays
Vs Field Vane
Wong, J .T.F. & Dobie, M.J .D. 1990. Marchetti Dilatometer:
Interpretation in Malaysian Alluvial Clays. Seminar on Geotechn.
Aspects of the North-South Expressway, 5-6th Nov, pp. 87-96.
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Cu: Recife
Coutinho et al.,
Atlanta ISC'98
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OCR
Kamei T. and Iwasaki K. (1995).
"Evaluation of Undrained shear
strenght of cohesive soils using a
flat dilatometer"
Note
Marchetti (1980)
original: OK
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OCR
FEM, Yu (2004)
FEM, Yu (2004)
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M: ONSOY Clay (NORWAY)
Norwegian Geotechnical
Institute (1986). "In Situ Site
Investigation Techniques and
interpretation for offshore
practice". Report 40019-28 by
S. Lacasse, Fig. 16a, 8 Sept 86
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M: Tokyo Bay Clay
Geotechnical Research Center
Kiso-Jiban Consultants Co., Tokyo
Iwasaki K, Tsuchiya H., Sakai Y.,
Yamamoto Y. (1991) "Applicability of
the Marchetti Dilatometer Test to Soft
Ground in J apan", GEOCOAST '91,
Sept. 1991, Yokohama 1/6
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M: Bangkok Clay
Seah and Rasheed unpublished results
SIMILAR CONCLUSIONS for M
Generally satisfactory for everyday practice,
w/o local correlations (clay)
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DILATOMETRO SSMICO (SDMT)
ALTERNATIVAS
2 sensores
Amplificador
Independe do operatodor
SDMT S - DMT
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Seismic Dilatometer (SDMT)
Seismic Dilatometer (SDMT)
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SDMT at Fucino (J une 2004)
AS RECORDED
RE-PHASED
9 m
10 m
11 m
12 m
13 m
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Comparison with other techniques
(after Merchetti, 2006)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
0 100 200 300 400
V
s
(m/s)
Z

(
m
)
SDMT P.I.
SDMT T.I.
SCPT P.I.
Fucino Research Site
Venezia - Treporti
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G - curve
HARA (1973)
YOKOTA et al . (1981)
TATSUOKA (1977)
SEED & I DRI SS (1970)
ATHANASOPOULOS (1995)
CARRUBBA, MAUGERI (1988)
MAUGERI
S. Loui s 1995
0.05 to 0.1%
Telespazio
Fucino Centro
Telespazio,
Marchetti (2006)
Zelazny Most, Poland, Marchetti (2006)
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Final comments
Validation is restricted to sedimentary
deposits
Cimentation effects not known
(structuration and destructuration)
Empirical approaches will preveil
Easy to used device
Used worldwide
Grazie tanto
Muito obrigado
www.cesup.ufrgs.br/fernando
fernando@ufrgs.br