Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society ISSN:1229-2427(Print) 2288-646X(Online) 한국지반공학회 논문집

The penetration testing provides 1 dimensional profiles of properties applicable to limited investigation areas, although N-value has been linked to a wide range of geotechnical design parameters based on empirical correlations. The nondestructive test using elastic waves is able to produce 2 or 3 dimensional property maps by inversion process with high efficiency in time and cost. As both N-value and elastic wave velocities share common dominant factors that include void ratio, degree of saturation, and in-situ effective stress, the correlation between the two properties has been empirically proposed by previous studies to assess engineering properties. This study presents the experimentally measured elastic wave velocities of Jumunjin sands under at-rest lateral displacement condition with varying the initial void ratio and degree of saturation. Results show that the stress condition predominantly influences the wave velocities whereas void ratio and saturation determine the stress-velocity tendency. The correlation among the dominant factors is proposed by multiple regression analysis with the discussion of relative impacts on parameters.