CPT-Based Shear Wave Velocity Correlation Model for Soft Soils with Graphical Assessment

Shear wave velocity is a key parameter for evaluating the mechanical properties of soils, and direct measurement is technically demanding and costly. Realizing rapid prediction by establishing correlations between other parameters and shear wave velocity is an economical solution. Combined with the drilling data from 12 different areas of Shanghai’s soft ground layer, the regression models of shear wave velocity Vs and cone penetration resistance Ps versus burial depth H were established, and the new models were assessed by the existing regression models, graphical analyses, and statistical assessment methods. The results show that the existing regression models between shear wave velocity and cone penetration resistance cannot effectively predict the shear wave velocity of soft soil layers in Shanghai; the shear wave velocity of soft soil layers is closely related to cone penetration resistance and burial depth; and the newly established regression model can more accurately calculate the shear wave velocity of soft soil layers in Shanghai. This study provides an economical and effective solution for the rapid prediction and engineering application of shear wave velocity in soft soil layers.