{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:22:37Z","timestamp":1760059357611,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":70,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]],"date-time":"2025-06-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1749427200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Associate Laboratory Advanced Production and Intelligent Systems ARISE","award":["LA\/P\/0112\/2020","UIDB\/04029\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0112\/2020","UIDB\/04029\/2020"]}]},{"name":"R&amp;D Unit Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE)","award":["LA\/P\/0112\/2020","UIDB\/04029\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0112\/2020","UIDB\/04029\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Geotechnics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This paper discusses the principal sources of uncertainty in the execution and interpretation of Bender Element (BE) tests conducted on reconstituted sand samples. Based on the experience accumulated by the Geotechnical Laboratory of the University of Coimbra, the study addresses three critical stages of the testing process: sample preparation, test execution, and result interpretation. For each stage, the key challenges are identified, and potential solutions are proposed. Particular emphasis is placed on the control of relative density and sample saturation during preparation, as well as on factors affecting signal quality and time lag of the system during test execution. The interpretation of the results is analyzed with respect to the limitations of currently employed methods. The overall reliability of the procedures employed throughout the testing process is also assessed, with the results providing guidance for improving the accuracy and consistency of BE test outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/geotechnics5020039","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]],"date-time":"2025-06-09T05:54:05Z","timestamp":1749448445000},"page":"39","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Sources of Uncertainty in Bender Element Testing: Execution and Interpretation Challenges in Reconstituted Sandy Soils"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"5","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0271-7243","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ant\u00f3nio M. G.","family":"Pedro","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, Advanced Production and Intelligent Systems (ARISE), Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE), University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Paulino Dias","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"COWI A\/S, D-20457 Hamburg, Germany"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0945-3175","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Ara\u00fajo Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group on Sustainability, Cities and Urban Intelligence (SUScita), Polytechnic University of Coimbra, 3045-093 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6078-0393","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paulo","family":"Coelho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, Research Centre for Territory, Transports and Environment (CITTA), University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1680\/jgele.19.00073","article-title":"Performance of Gel-Push sampling in liquefiable soils","volume":"10","author":"Ferreira","year":"2020","journal-title":"G\u00e9otech. 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