Effect of silt/clay content on shear wave velocity in the Yellow River Delta (China), based on the cone penetration test (CPT)

Abstract

The Yellow River Delta is famous for its fine-grained silt, which acts as both cohesive and non-cohesive soil, and has been considered worldwide. The cone penetration test (CPT) is widely used for evaluating the formation of fine content (FC), but it is inaccurate for demarcating fine particles, including silt and clay particles. In situ CPT and shear wave velocity (Vs) measurements were carried out in the abandoned lobes of the northern Yellow River Delta, to further refine the definition of the fine content and establish models for the silt content (SC) and clay content (CC), in addition to investigating the bond between the SC/CC and Vs. The results suggest that (1) the boundary between the silt content and clay content can be clearly delineated, and the fine content in the soil layer can be further refined by the CPT; (2) the gradation of the soil layer can be further improved by establishing the relationship between the cone penetration test and the silt and clay contents; and (3) the silt and clay contents were used as the parameters to calculate Vs, and the CC-Vs and SC-Vs models were established.