Volume 36, N. 3, September-December 2013 | DOWNLOAD PDF(7 downloads)
Abstract
Thick wall (6.6 mm wall thickness) plastic samplers, 97.2 mm in internal diameter (area ratio of 29%), 700 mm in length (length of soil sample 640 mm), with a cutting edge angle of 23°, without clearance and with a sampler head have been used to collect very soft clay samples at Sarapuí II test site. Very good to excellent and good to fair quality samples have been surprisingly obtained in most cases, which were attributed to a combination of five factors: the absence of an inside clearance, the low friction of the plastic sampler, the small “trick” to close the top of the sampling rods assuring that suction would be imposed on the top of the sample, the very careful handling and trimming process, combined with no extrusion of the sample, and the small ratio between specimen diameter and sample diameter. It is still too early to propose the use of thick wall plastic samplers - in combination with the procedures outlined above - to be used in regular undisturbed soft clay sampling, and more research is needed to identify the role of each procedure in the final result. However, if confirmed, the procedures adopted will allow significant cost saving with respect to the use of thin wall brass (or stainless steel) samplers.
