Short courses

Four short courses will take place on the 2 and 3 September 2025. Theoretical sessions will follow a practical session on site, where participants will have the opportunity to see the testing equipment in action, performing real tests. The tests performed will then be treated and discussed during the theoretical courses.
In situ tests covering different testing techniques treated during the short courses will run in parallel on the same testing site: Ménard pressuremeter, high definition/high pressure pressuremeter, phicometer.

Short Course 1: Ménard Pressuremeter tests (ISO 22476-4 standard)

Speakers:

• Jean-Pierre Baud
• Julien Habert*
• Robert Heintz
• Jacques Monnet

Summary of content:

• Interpretation of Ménard pressuremeter tests/Principle
• Interpretation of Ménard pressuremeter tests/Practice
• Use of Ménard parameters in the design (Classification charts, shear friction estimate and calculations)

Short Course 2: Phicometer Borehole Shear Test (ISO 22476-16 standard)

Speakers:

• Jean-Pierre Baud
• Robert Heintz*
• Moulay Zerhouni

Summary of content:

• Analysis of data from the demonstration phicometer test
• Calculation of φi, ci
• Correlations between φi-φ’, ci-c’

Short Course 3: Pressuremeter tests in Hard Soils & Soft Rocks (HSSR) (ISO 22476-5 standard)

Speakers:

• Yasmin Byrne*
• Alexandre Lopes
• Robert Whittle

Summary of content:

• Introduction to PMT in transitional materials: scoping, equipment
• Data analysis including complexities of understanding structural breakdown
• Determination of advanced ground parameters and practical applications

Short Course 4: Pressuremeter tests in Ground improvement

Speakers:

• Hamidi Babak
• Jean-luc Chaumeny
• Jérome Racinais
• Serge Varaksin*

Summary of content:

• The pressuremeter as design tool for rigid inclusions
• The behaviour of Landfills improvement as determined by the pressuremeter using the slotted casing technique calibrated by zone load tests. German case histories
• Behaviour of sabkha’s silts treated by dynamic substitution comparing Finite elements and analytical model of the composite medium
• Study of Calcareous sand behaviour in terms of limit pressure and Ménard modulus under dynamic compaction

* short course lead