Application of geo-statistics and pairwise established CPTbased correlations for line infrastructure

Parameter determination is the first step in geotechnical engineering. Engineers are often confronted with limited data, large variations and different types of tests, both in-situ and laboratory tests. Within this complex setting, Codes require cautious estimates, so called characteristic values, preferable substantiated with observations and statistical methods. In this study, these statistical methods for populations and trend-functions are elaborated. Most codes and standards only refer to population statistics, whereas the reality is that, with the use of CPTs, trend functions such as correlations or transformation functions are more relevant. The aim of this paper is to provide a method how to use CPT and laboratory tests in practice in order to calculate characteristic values, on the basis of pairwise established CPT-based correlations, typically applicable for line infrastructure projects such as levees.