Utilizing piezovibrocone in marine soils at Tauranga Harbor, New Zealand

Piezovibrocones have been developed to evaluate the liquefaction potential of onshore soils, but have not yet been utilized to evaluate the in-situ liquefaction behavior of offshore marine and volcanoclastic sediments. Two static and vibratory CPTu (Cone Penetration Tests) were performed at Tauranga Harbor, New Zealand. The lithology is known from nearby drillholes and the influence of vibration on different types of marine soils is evaluated using the reduction ratio (RR) calculated from static and vibratory CPTu. A sediment layer with high potential for liquefaction and one with a slight reaction to cyclic loading are identified. In addition to the reduction ratio, the liquefaction potential of sediment is analyzed using classic correlations for static CPTu data, but no liquefaction potential was determined. This points to an underestimation of liquefaction potential with the classic static CPTu correlations in marine soil. Results show that piezovibrocone tests are a sensitive tool for liquefaction analysis in offshore marine and volcanoclastic soil.