Abstract
A triaxial device which enables static cone penetration test to be performed on sand specimens with the same stress conditions and fabric characteristics as those of static and cyclic triaxial tests is developed. In order to examine the relationship between cone penetration characteristics and static and cyclic mechanical properties of sand with any fabrics, a series of cone penetration tests, static triaxial compression and extension tests and liquefaction tests on the specimens prepared by different methods was conducted by using this apparatus. Test results showed that cone penetration resistance value depends strongly not only on the density but also on fabric characteristics of the sand specimen. It was recognized, however, that there exists a unique correlation between the penetration resistance and angle of shearing resistance or cyclic undrained triaxial strength irrespective of the fabric characteristics of the sand specimens. It was also clarified that the characteristics of dilatancy due to the cone penetration are intimately connected to those in the static triaxial test. Penetration resistance values under any effective confining stresses were calculated on the basis of the cavity expansion theory which takes account of the fabric anisotropy-dependent compressibility of sand. It could be seen that predicted penetration resistance values agree well with observed ones.
