Estimating plasticity index directly from piezocone penetration tests in saturated natural soils.

Plasticity index, I_p, is a relatable parameter for most geotechnical engineers, because I_p can be used to estimate other soil properties, such as internal friction angle, compression index, and low-strain shear modulus. Consequently, a method for estimating I_p directly from a piezocone penetration test (CPTU), which measures cone resistance, sleeve friction, and pore pressure would be useful for many practising geotechnical engineers. This technical note presents a method for estimating I_p profiles entirely from CPTU data. The new method has been calibrated using a case database of 258 complementary measurements taken, in natural soils, at 25 globally distributed marine sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]