ABSTRACT
In order to try to improve the understanding of the behaviour of compressible silts a comparative sampling exercise was undertaken at a site where data was also available from monitoring a highway embankment. Two fixed piston samplers and an open drive sampler were used. Specimens obtained from each of the samplers were of only moderate quality. There was evidence to suggest that those from the ELE fixed piston sampler were slightly superior. Normal compression stiffness and rate of consolidation parameters derived in the laboratory and in the field were similar. However the laboratory tests underestimate secondary compression, probably due to macro-fabric effects. The sampling process appears to alter the initial density of the sam-ples and the behaviour of the material, particularly at small strain, is sensitive to this. Further efforts should be made to obtain high quality samples of silt in order to improve the understanding of the material behaviour.
