APLICATION OF KRIGING WITH TREND TO SOIL CHARACTERIZATION IN TOP HOLE DESIGN

Abstract

In top hole designs, geotechnical characterization is fundamental in the study of the axial load capacity of the soil and its implications on the design of the conductor casing. The present work estimates soil parameters from CPTu (piezocone penetration test) data using geostatistical methods, with evaluation of trends, variograms, and kriging. Results suggest that universal and residual kriging are good tools for soil characterization in top hole section design, considering their capacity to support spatiality of the phenomenon and the mapping of the uncertainties involved.