Flat Dilatometer (DMT). Some Recent Advances

This paper illustrates recent developments in the DMT interpretation on two topics (1) DMT In Partially Draining Saturated Silts (“Niche Silts”) (2) Estimating by DMT the liquefaction resistance CRR in clean sand. As to the “Niche Silts” topic, the paper addresses the case when DMT is executed not in sands (“permeable”) or in clays (“impermeable”), but in niche silts, a specific niche of relatively permeable silts requiring a special DMT interpretation, because, during the test, there is partial drainage. If the A and B readings in niche silts are interpreted using the usual DMT formulae, the derived parameters may be in error. As to the “Liquefaction” topic, the paper illustrates the today recommended methods for estimating CRR in clean sand by DMT. If only DMT results are available, then CRR can be estimated by correlations CRR=f(KD). If, besides DMT, also CPT results are available, then CRR can be estimated using a correlation based on both CPT and DMT results, namely a correlation CRR=f(KD, Qcn).