Soil and Rock Classification from High Pressure Borehole Expansion Tests

Physical and mechanical properties used to characterize soil and rock are different according to the various approaches and targets of the different activities involved, namely soil mechanics, rock mechanics or engineering geology. The Authors suggest that the data obtained during a borehole expansion test, which can be summarized by a Ménard E-modulus and a limit pressure, be used in an overall classification ranging from loose soils to hard rock without any discontinuity based on the soil Pressiorama ® as developed for soils these last 10 years.