Effects of Tar on CPT and Shear Wave Velocity Correlations for the LA Metro Purple Line (D-Line)

The Los Angeles (LA) Metro Purple Line (D-Line) Extension project requires the design and construction of deep station excavations and tunnels for rail transit from downtown to west LA. The tunnel alignment for Reach 2 of the Westside Purple Line Extension 1 construction transects naturally- occurring tar-infused soils, which have been known to cause challenging construction conditions in southern California, as well as many other locations around the world. Two stations in similar geology but located within and outside tar soils were compared. The soil investigations of the tunnels and station excavations consisted of subsurface exploration including deep soil borings, Cone Penetration Testing (CPT), seismic velocity measurements, pressuremeter testing, and gas measurements, among others. The results of CPT and shear-wave velocity testing provide extensive data in tar soils unique to Southern California and an opportunity to increase our understanding of four-phase soil materials and the effects of tar on soil behavior interpretation and engineering properties. CPT correlations for conventional (non-tar-infused) soils were found to be inadequate for tar soils in the Los Angeles basin. The CPT based Soil Behavior Type Index (SBTn) determined in tar soils suggested the presence of much finer-grained material than determined from laboratory testing and field observations. Additionally, the presence of tar soils amplified the difference between CPT correlations for shear wave velocity (V-s) and direct V-s seismic CPT measurements.