Characterization of geotechnical variability of soils: The case of Kayseri undifferentiated quaternary units

In geotechnics, the uncertainty of parameters such as soil strength, compressibility and permeability plays a critical role in design and risk assessments. This study aims to use coefficient of variation (COV) and Monte Carlo simulation methods to reduce the uncertainty of geotechnical parameters. Within the scope of the research, probabilistic distributions of geotechnical properties such as (N1)60 value, undrained shear strength, modulus of elasticity and limit pressure values are analyzed. For this purpose, data from field and laboratory tests were analyzed and the variability of key parameters was determined by statistical methods. Monte Carlo simulation was applied to evaluate the relationship between the uncertainty in soil properties and the number of experiments performed. The results show that the use of coefficient of variation and Monte Carlo simulation can significantly increase the reliability of geotechnical designs. In the evaluations made by using the coefficient of variation and Monte Carlo simulation, many geotechnical parameters are within the reference values of various researchers in the literature as a result of these simulations. In some parameters, even if they are not completely within the references, they give us healthier values.