Geotechnical characteristics of sensitive Leda clay at Canada test site in Gloucester, Ontario

Paul W. Mayne; Ethan Cargill; Bruce Miller; Paul W. Mayne; Ethan Cargill; Bruce Miller

doi:10.3934/geosci.2019.3.390

AIMS Geosciences

2019, Volume 5, Issue 3: 390-411. doi: 10.3934/geosci.2019.3.390

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Case report Special Issues

Geotechnical characteristics of sensitive Leda clay at Canada test site in Gloucester, Ontario

1.
Geosystems Group, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0355 USA
2.
ConeTec Group, Charles City, VA 23030 USA
3.
ConeTec Group, Chicago, IL USA

Received: 18 February 2019 Accepted: 18 June 2019 Published: 25 June 2019

In 1954, the Canadian Geotechnical Research Site No. 1 was established as a testing and experimentation site for the soft and highly sensitive Leda clays that were deposited within the now-drained Champlain Sea. The Gloucester test site has a shallow groundwater table taken as hydrostatic at 0.8 m and is underlain by a sequence of leached marine sediments that make-up the Leda clays and extend about 22 m below grade. Below that are dense glacial tills and limestone bedrock. Previous research studies at the site have included full-scale construction, monitoring, and instrumentation of shallow foundations, embankments, drilled shafts, and driven pilings. Recently, a series of in-situ tests in 2012 and 2014 included type 1 and 2 piezocone soundings, porewater dissipations, and both conventional downhole tests and continuous-interval shear wave velocity measurements have been undertaken. Selected results obtained from laboratory, in-situ testing, and geophysical tests over the past six decades are presented.
- clays,
- cone penetration,
- field testing, in-situ tests,
- piezocone,
- porewater pressures,
- sensitivity,
- shear wave velocity,
- triaxial tests,
- vane shear
Citation: Paul W. Mayne, Ethan Cargill, Bruce Miller. Geotechnical characteristics of sensitive Leda clay at Canada test site in Gloucester, Ontario[J]. AIMS Geosciences, 2019, 5(3): 390-411. doi: 10.3934/geosci.2019.3.390

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Abstract

In 1954, the Canadian Geotechnical Research Site No. 1 was established as a testing and experimentation site for the soft and highly sensitive Leda clays that were deposited within the now-drained Champlain Sea. The Gloucester test site has a shallow groundwater table taken as hydrostatic at 0.8 m and is underlain by a sequence of leached marine sediments that make-up the Leda clays and extend about 22 m below grade. Below that are dense glacial tills and limestone bedrock. Previous research studies at the site have included full-scale construction, monitoring, and instrumentation of shallow foundations, embankments, drilled shafts, and driven pilings. Recently, a series of in-situ tests in 2012 and 2014 included type 1 and 2 piezocone soundings, porewater dissipations, and both conventional downhole tests and continuous-interval shear wave velocity measurements have been undertaken. Selected results obtained from laboratory, in-situ testing, and geophysical tests over the past six decades are presented.

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