36th Annual William H. Mueser and Phillip C. Rutledge Memorial Lecture

ABOUT THE MRCE LECTURE:

The Mueser Rutledfe Lecture was established with ASCE Metropolitan Section Geotechnical Group in 1991 to honor William H. Mueser (1900-1985) and Philip C. Rutledge (1906-1990), former partners of Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE). MRCE has established an endowment to provide funding for this lecture series. The goal is to have nationally and internationally known speakers with construction experience in foundations to deliver interesting talks of practical significance in the design and construction of foundations.

Registration: ASCE MET members please use promo code "ASCE" to waive registration fee. $20 fee for non-members.

LECTURE SUMMARY

This lecture will provide an overview of selected analytical and empirical developments towards the in-situ evaluation of soil engineering parameters using the cone penetration test (CPT) and piezocone (CPTu). Carefully compiled databases from CPTu soundings coupled with high-quality laboratory test programs on a variety of soils have been utilized to define statistically determined trends for selected geoparameters.

Benchmark results rely on an understanding of engineering geology coupled with advanced laboratory methods, including: triaxial compression, simple shear, and one-dimensional consolidation testing on undisturbed samples of clays, silts, and sands. Closed-form analytical solutions based on critical state soil mechanics, cavity expansion, and effective stress limit plasticity are used for CPT interpretations, with empiricism employed when necessary.

Methodologies for assessing the effective stress friction angle, preconsolidation stress, and state parameter of soils from CPTu soundings are illustrated with case studies. For clays, the CPTu also provides estimates of undrained shear strength, rigidity index, and sensitivity, as well as the coefficient of consolidation that is obtained from dissipation testing. A new soil behavioral type chart is being devised to better discern regular clays from organic soils, sensitive clays, and fissured fine-grained soils.

THE SPEAKERS:

Paul W. Mayne, PhD, P.E. Dr. Paul W. Mayne is an international consultant on geotechnical site characterization and Emeritus Professor at Georgia Tech, where he served on the faculty from 1990 to 2022. With 50 years in geotechnics, Dr Paul W. Mayne has produced 390 publications, delivered over 170 lectures and participated in over 130 continuing education courses. Dr Paul W. Mayne holds three degrees from Cornell University.

Selected honors and contributions:

· 59th Terzaghi Lecture, ASCE GeoCongress 2023, Los Angeles

· Co-Author, The Cone Penetration Test (2023): Better Information. Better Decisions

· Initiated the International Conferences on Site Characterization

· ASCE Geo-Institute Cross-USA Lecturer (2018–2019)

· Co-Author, 2019 NCHRP Manual on Subsurface Investigations

· Vice President, ISSMGE North America (2014-2017)

· Chair, International Committee TC 102 on In-situ Testing (2000-2013)

· Author, NCHRP Synthesis 368 on Cone Penetration Testing (2007)