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Shiao Huey Chow

Shiao Huey Chow photo

BEng (Hons) MEng
Postgraduate Research Student
Centre for Geotechnical Research



School of Civil Engineering, Room 101
Phone: +61 2 9351 2145
Fax: +61 2 9351 3343
Email: scho3626@usyd.edu.au



Research project - Rapid Penetration of Objects into Clay

Supervisor: A/Prof David Airey

Soil investigations in remote areas such as swamp, jungle, offshore or even lunar terrain have always been difficult due to site accessibility problem. Free falling penetrometer could be a solution with some reported early attempts in offshore site investigation. The penetrometer was dropped from vessel and penetrated rapidly into the seabed. A “rate effect” was observed, where the soil strength is higher when penetrated rapidly as compared to static condition. However, this rate effect was negligible for cohensionless soil. On the other hand, an increase in tip and shaft resistance was observed with increasing impact velocity for clay. Empirical relationships have been developed to relate the dynamic and static soil resistance for clay.

Recent advancements include developments of numerical models on objects penetrating into soil. However, accurate interpretation of test data is still hard to achieve due to lack of appropriate theory to predict the soil response under rapid penetration by penetrometer. Rapid penetration into the ground creates large strain locally in soil and existing numerical models mostly cover small strain response of the ground. Therefore, better theoretical understanding of the soil response at large strain under rapid penetration is needed. In addition, more research is required to understand the factors affecting the performance of penetrometer such as its shape and mass, impact velocity and stress history. This research therefore aims to investigate rate effects associated with rapid penetration of objects into clay.

Free falling penetrometer

Selected publications

  • Chow, S. H., Norshida Ismail and A Naser Abdul Ghani (2009). Shear Strength Characteristics of Sand-Waste Material Mixture. Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, in print.
  • Chow, S. H., Chow, S. T., A Naser Abdul Ghani and Anas Ibrahim (2008). Development of a Laboratory Model Retaining Wall Test Facility. Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Science & Technology: Application in Industry & Education, Penang, Malaysia, pp. 216-222.
  • Chow, S. H., Anas Ibrahim and A Naser Abdul Ghani (2007). Investigation on Compressive Strength of OPC-Waste Material Geocomposite. Proceedings of the Malaysian Infrastructure Technology Conference 2007, Kedah, Malaysia, pp. 107-113.
  • Chow, S. H., Ng, S. F. and Salwah Che Mat (2007). An Investigation on e-Learning Readiness of Engineering Students. Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, Vol. 68, No. 4, pp. 56-64.
  • Chow, S. H. and Wong, K. S. (2004). Model Pile Pull-Out Tests Using Polyethylene Sheets to Reduce Downdrag on Cast Insitu Piles, Geotechnical Testing Journal, ASTM, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 230-238.