The paper presents an approach to identify the state of fine sands on the basis of shear wave velocity measurement. Large body of experimental data was used to derive formulae which relate void ratio with shear wave velocity and mean effective stress for a given material. Two fine sands which contained 8 and 14% of fines were tested. The soils were tested in triaxial tests. Sands specimens were reconstituted in triaxial cell. In order to obtain predetermined void ratio values covering possible widest range of the parameter representing a very loose and dense state as well, the moist tamping method with use of undercompaction technique was adopted. Fully saturated soil underwent staged consolidation at the end of which shear wave velocity was measured. Since volume control of a specimen was enhanced by use of proximity transducers, representative 3 elements sets (i.e. void ratio e, mean effective stress p’ and shear wave velocity VS) describing state of material were obtained. Analysis of the test results revealed that relationship between shear wave velocity and mean effective stress p' can be approximated by power function in distinguished void ratio ranges. This made possible to derive formula for calculating void ratio for a given state of stress on the basis of shear wave velocity measurement. The conclusion concerning sensitivity of this approach to the fines content was presented.

Reliable evaluation of stress-strain characteristics can be done only in the laboratory where boundary conditions with respect to stress and strain can be controlled. The most popular laboratory equipment is a triaxial apparatus. Unfortunately, standard version of triaxial apparatus can reliable measure strain not smaller than 0.1 %. Such accuracy does not allow to determine stiffness referred to strain range most often mobilized in situ i.e. 10-3 ÷ 10-1%, in which stiffness distribution is highly nonlinear. In order to overcome this problem fundamental modifications of standard triaxial apparatus should be done. The first one concerns construction of the cell. The second refers to method of measurement of vertical and horizontal deformation of a specimen. The paper compares three versions of triaxial equipment i.e. standard cell, the modified one and the cell with system of internal measurement of deformation. The comparison was made with respect to capability of stiffness measurement in strain range relevant for typical geotechnical applications. Examples of some test results are given, which are to illustrate an universal potential of the laboratory triaxial apparatus with proximity transducers capable to trace stress-strain response of soil in a reliable way.