Title: Random number generation and other approaches for development of geotechnical correlations: limitations, uncertainties and future scope

Authors: Saha Dauji

Addresses: Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400094, India; Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, 400094, India

Abstract: Correlation expressions are extensively employed to estimate unknown static or dynamic soil/rock parameters from known or easily measured variables and these derived properties are used as inputs for numerical analysis of founding media or foundation design. Such expressions are usually generated using data from subsurface exploration, laboratory or surface tests. Synthetic data has been used to develop correlation expressions for soil or rock in certain cases. Whereas engineers have to work around the aleatory uncertainty of founding media, the epistemic uncertainty arising due to procedures adopted for generation of data, and development or validation of correlation models should definitely be reduced. This study would sensitise the foundation designers about the strengths and limitations of correlation equations of soil properties available in literature and thus enabling them to take informed and judicious decisions for safe foundation design. Further, this article attempts to sensitise researchers regarding limitations of approaches for synthetic data generation and model evaluation through simulations and calculations.

Keywords: soil investigation; synthetic data; random number generation; rock properties; soil properties; correlation expression; linear interpolation; uncertainty.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIE.2024.138644

International Journal of Earthquake and Impact Engineering, 2024 Vol.4 No.2, pp.182 - 207

Accepted: 19 Oct 2023
Published online: 22 May 2024 *

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