Interpretation of CPTu in “unusual” soils

The paper deals with the interpretation of CPTu in unusual soils, such as shallow clayey layers above the water table and loose, intermediate - permeability soils (loose silt mixtures). The paper shows an approach that could be used for the first type of soil to infer the effective vertical stress from CPTu measurements and in particular from the Ic index. The approach has been checked on a very limited amount of experimental evidence. Moreover, an empirical correction of the Ic index is provided in order to obtain a more realistic soil profiling of loose silt mixtures. The foundation soils of the Serchio River levee system and some dredged sediments, which had been stored in the Port of Livorno, have been considered for the second type of soil.