Geotechnical characterization of the estuarine deltaic deposits in the Guayaquil city through in situ and laboratory tests

Abstract

According to previously available research and seismic microzonation studies a large area of the Guayaquil (Ecuador, South America) sits on estuarine deltaic deposits which consist of weak and highly compressible clays with diatoms. The nature of these finegrained deposits may determine difficulties in a proper estimation of the soil properties. In this respect, the paper provides a detailed geotechnical and geophysical characterization of these soft clays, carried out in the estuarine complex of the Ecuadorean city. Borehole logs, standard penetration tests (SPT), piezocone tests (CPTu), a seismic dilatometer test (SDMT), a non-invasive geophysical survey, and laboratory tests were performed and then compared to analyze the static and dynamic geotechnical parameters of these deposits. The interpretation of the results highlighted the higher reliability of CPTu and SDMT rather than SPT and characterization lab testing to estimate soil shear strength, compressibility and stress history due to the soft nature of these clays, underlining also a certain sensitivity to the presence of the diatoms.