Parametric Study of the Stress–Strain Relationships for Plane Strain Expansion of a Cylindrical Cavity

A study was conducted of the parameters involved in predicting the average stresses and strains developed in the soil surrounding the probe during the pressuremeter testing. Both elastic and plastic stress–strain responses of the soil were studied. The results are presented in convenient plots which will enable practitioners to predict the average strains in the elastic zone and the average stresses in the plastic zone and to compare these strains and stresses with stress–strain responses from laboratory direct shear and triaxial tests. A wide range of soil parameters were utilized in theoretical analyses to represent the characteristics of cohesive soils, cohesionless soils, and soils with both friction and cohesion properties. The results indicate that the average strain in the elastic zone of soil surrounding the pressuremeter ranges from 10 to 32% of the hoop strain at the test boring cavity wall and that the average stress in the plastic zone of soil surrounding the pressuremeter ranges from 16 to 60% of the radial stress at the test boring cavity wall.