Experimental determination of stress-strain-time characteristics in laboratory and in situ tests

Abstract

All soil parameters required for engineering design calculations are related to a soil model or theory and are calculated from the results of tests using theories, empirical correlations or a combination of these. The report considers the basic soil deformation theories; the parameters required for these theories; the factors likely to influence their values; laboratory and in situ tests which are able to evaluate these parameters and the procedures for conducting the tests and analysing the results. A particularly important feature of soil stiffness is the highly non-linear stress-strain behaviour which is found over almost the whole range of loading. The report considers particularly the consequences of non-linear behaviour for interpretation of test results.