Use of piezocone to predict maximum stiffness for Venetian soils

A comprehensive geotechnical in-situ and laboratory investigation into the soils forming the upper quaternary basin of the Venetian Lagoon has been recently carried out. The research presented here is particularly concerned with the estimate of maximum tangential stiffness Gmax of the Venetian soils via selected tests such as in situ cross-hole, down-hole and laboratory bender element and resonant column tests. An attempt to relate the maximum stiffness with the results of piezocone test is subsequently performed. Despite their incompatible strain levels, it is shown that an association between Gmax and the two measured quantities - tip resistance qc and generated excess pore pressure du - is quite possible in the case of Venetian soils. Therefore, a relationship linking Gmax to qc and du is proposed, that could find a moderate applicability for a preliminary estimate of Gmax profile with depth in the Venetian ground.