Spatial correlation length of normalized cone data in sand: case study in the north of Denmark

The main topic of this study is to assess the anisotropic spatial correlation lengths of a sand layer deposit based on cone penetration testing with pore pressure measurement (CPTu) data. Spatial correlation length can be an important factor in reliability analysis of geotechnical systems, yet it is rarely estimated during routine site investigations. Results from two different sites in the north of Denmark are reported in this paper, indicating quite strong anisotropy due to the depositional process, with significantly shorter spatial correlation lengths in the vertical direction. It is observed that the normalized cone resistance is a better estimator of spatial trends than the normalized friction ratio.