Using a Modified Plate Load Test to Eliminate the Effect of Bedding Errors

摘要

Plate load tests have been used extensively in the past to determine the bearing capacity and the stiffness of soil. Two of the main advantages of plate load tests are the cost-effectiveness of the test and the relative straight forward test procedure. The plate test can cither be performed vertically or horizontally. The test consists of a plate that typically varies in diameter between 150 mm and 600 mm, which are loaded using a hydraulic pump and jack. The displacement of the plate is typically measured with two or more calibrated displacement measuring devices attached to the plate. This paper reports the results of a vertical plate load test designed to eliminate the effect of bedding errors that occurs during plate tests by using telescopic probes to measure the displacement below the centre of the plate. A series of plate tests were performed to determine the effectiveness of installing telescopic probes to eliminate the bedding errors. The measured vertical displacement of the plate was compared with the relative displacement of the telescopic probes and the stiffnesses were compared. The test apparatus, methods and results are discussed in this paper.