• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.335-342
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• 2003

In order to analyze the deformational behavior accurately, the in-situ testing technique which provides the reliable deformational characteristics at whole strain ranges, needs to be developed. The pressuremeter is a unique method for assessing directly the in-situ shear modulus of soils with strain amplitude. This paper introduces a new alternative, the cavity strain measuring system in pressuremeter designed for whole strain ranges of $10^{-5}$%∼20%. Not only in the synthetic calibration chamber but also in the field, the pressuremeter tests were performed to determine the compliance of the new developed pressuremeter system. The variation in shear modulus with strain amplitude above $5\times 10^{-2}$% was reliably determined by the developed pressuremeter. It is concluded that the major cause of error in small cavity strain measuring is not from the cavity strain measuring system but from the friction between measuring arm and membrane during unloading-reloading loops.