TY - JOUR

T1 - Evaluating statistical homogeneity of cone penetration test (CPT) data profile using auto-correlation function

AU - Hu, Yue

AU - Wang, Yu

N1 - Funding Information: The work described in this paper was supported by a grant from the Research Grant Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Project no. CityU 11203322) and a grant from Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission (Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macau Science and Technology Project (Category C) No: SGDX20210823104002020), China. The financial support is gratefully acknowledged.

PY - 2024/1

Y1 - 2024/1

N2 - Cone penetration test (CPT) data profile is often numerically modelled using random field theory and based implicitly on a fundamental assumption: statistical homogeneity of the preprocessed stationary CPT data profile. In classical random field theory, statistical homogeneity evaluation may only be achieved if the CPT data profile is infinite in length. While in engineering practice, it is often the case that a CPT data profile has limited sounding depth. This leads to a critical question that whether the CPT data profile satisfies statistical homogeneity assumption to enable proper random field modelling. This paper proposes a novel non-parametric method for evaluating statistical homogeneity of a single CPT data profile. A novel unified representation of CPT data profile pattern is developed in this study using discrete cosine transform (DCT)-based auto-correlation function (ACF). Statistical homogeneity evaluation of a CPT data profile is reformulated as statistical analysis of pattern similarity between the original CPT data profile and its partial segment profiles. The proposed method is general since it is distribution-free and does not require a parametric correlation function. The proposed method performs well on both simulated and real examples and can identify the possible locations of heterogeneity in a CPT profile.

AB - Cone penetration test (CPT) data profile is often numerically modelled using random field theory and based implicitly on a fundamental assumption: statistical homogeneity of the preprocessed stationary CPT data profile. In classical random field theory, statistical homogeneity evaluation may only be achieved if the CPT data profile is infinite in length. While in engineering practice, it is often the case that a CPT data profile has limited sounding depth. This leads to a critical question that whether the CPT data profile satisfies statistical homogeneity assumption to enable proper random field modelling. This paper proposes a novel non-parametric method for evaluating statistical homogeneity of a single CPT data profile. A novel unified representation of CPT data profile pattern is developed in this study using discrete cosine transform (DCT)-based auto-correlation function (ACF). Statistical homogeneity evaluation of a CPT data profile is reformulated as statistical analysis of pattern similarity between the original CPT data profile and its partial segment profiles. The proposed method is general since it is distribution-free and does not require a parametric correlation function. The proposed method performs well on both simulated and real examples and can identify the possible locations of heterogeneity in a CPT profile.

KW - Auto-correlation function

KW - Bayesian compressive sampling/sensing (BCS)

KW - Cone penetration test (CPT)

KW - Ergodicity

KW - Random field

KW - Spatial variability

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85176087060&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.compgeo.2023.105852

DO - 10.1016/j.compgeo.2023.105852

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85176087060

VL - 165

JO - Computers and geotechnics

JF - Computers and geotechnics

SN - 0266-352X

M1 - 105852

ER -