Developing correlations between the soil fines content and CPT results using neural networks

Knowledge of the fines content is necessary for all soil classification systems and an important factor in the evaluation of soil strength in liquefaction and seismic settlement analysis. This paper presents the application of cone penetration test, CPT data for estimating the soil fines content. The correlation can be used either as a first estimate of fines content (for example in the offshore environment) or to provide statistical information on the variation of fines content within a given area of interest (e.g. for a regional liquefaction study). The paper shows how field and laboratory test data were used with a neural network to correlate the CPT results and the fines content. Data from five site investigation locations across Northern Croatia were utilised. Verification of the approach is performed using field and lab test data from the Veliki vrh landslide.