Correlations Analysis of Shear Wave Velocity of Macau Soils

LOK TMH; LEE HY; NG IT

doi:10.13512/j.hndz.2014.03.002

Abstract：Dynamic soil properties are important parameters for earthquake-resistant design. However, corresponding information is very scarce for Macau soils. This paper presents the preliminary correlation results between V S and SPT blow counts on Macau soils based on recent field tests obtained from the site investigation program for the design of the Macau Light Rapid Transit (LRT) project. Five pairs of Down-Hole (DH) and Seismic Cone Penetration Test (S-CPT) were performed at various locations to measure the shear wave velocity together with Standard Penetration Test(SPT) carried out in the corresponding boreholes. A preliminary correlation relationship of shear wave velocity(V S) and SPT blow counts(N) was also developed based on a power function. Compared with the Design Brief of LRT in which a preliminary correlation guideline is presented, this correlation, established based on the testing results, generally predicts higher shear wave velocity for soft to medium soft soils. Favorable coefficients of determination were also obtained for the newly established correlation evaluated with a different data set from an independent study for Macau soils.