CPT in a tropical collapsible soil

A test site was established in Primavera do Leste, a city 200 km east of Cuiaba, Central-West region of Brazil, one of the main Brazilian areas of soya and corn production. The research aimed at improvement of the knowledge of soil characteristics in that region, where serious problems related to foundations of silos are frequent. The present paper presents cone penetration tests performed in dry and rainy seasons. One block sample and tube samples have been collected, and characterization, determination of clay minerals and oedometer tests in specimens in natural water content and on soaked specimens have been performed. Soil collapsibility of the upper layer was verified. CPT results indicated three soil behaviour types, however for one of those layers the soil behaviour type was not properly indicated by the CPT. The CPTs performed in dry and rainy seasons allowed the conclusion that the variation of the water content is limited to 2.0-2.5 m depth.