[FOUNDATION ENGINEERING] CHAPTER TWO SITE … · 2.1 purpose of sub-soil exploration Determining...

[FOUNDATION ENGINEERING] Assist lecturer : Haidar Hassan

CHAPTER TWO

SITE INVESTIGATION

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CH.2 SITE INVESTIGATION

Site investigation refers to the procedure of determining surface and sub-

surface condition in an area of proposed construction.

2.1 purpose of sub-soil exploration

Determining the nature of soil at the site and its stratification.

Obtaining disturbed and undisturbed soil samples for visual

identification and appropriate laboratory tests.

Determining the depth and nature of bedrock, if when encountered.

Observing drainage condition from and into the site.

Assessing any special construction problems with respect to the

existing structures nearby.

Performing some in-situ field tests.

Prediction of settlement.

Location the ground water table level.

2.2 planning site investigation

The actual planning of a sub-surface exploration program includes some or all

the following steps:

1. Assembly of all available information on dimensions, anticipated load,

type and use of structure, the requirements of local building codes.

2. Reconnaissance of the area.

A- Field trips: accessibility of the site, nature of drainage condition, open

cuts, cracks in nearby structures.

B- A useful information can be gathered from: geological survey maps,

aerial photographs, existing soil exploration reports, published soil

manuals, agronomy maps.

3. A preliminary site investigation; few borings are made or test pit is

opened to establish in general manner the stratification, the type of soil

to expected and possibly the location of ground water level.


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4. Detailed site investigation; additional borings are made, laboratory tests to

have design information and finally the report is prepared.

There are two complementary stages:

5. Verification (during construction); compare the actual soil condition with

soil report information.

6. Observation (after construction); compare the actual foundation behavior

with the expected one.

2.3 Methods of Exploration

1) Trial pits: excavation into the earth that permits visual inspection of the

condition exposed in wall of the pit. Samples can be taken. Limited for

shallow depth (4 to 5) m.

2) Borings:

A. Auger (hand and mechanical); see figure (2.1).

B. Percussion drilling; see figure (2.2).

C. Wash boring; see figure (2.3).

D. Rotary drilling; see figure (2.4).

3) Geophysical explorations:

A. Seismic; refraction and reflection.

B. Electrical resistivity.

Figure (2.1)


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Figure (2.3)

Figure (2.2)

Figure (2.4)


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2.4 Soil Samples

There are two types of samples

6.4.1 Disturbed samples; used for identification, chemical and classification

tests. Soil structure is highly effected.

6.4.2 Undisturbed sample; used to determine the mechanical properties of

soil. Little effect on soil structure.

2.5 Causes of Disturbance

2.5.1 Stress relief.

2.5.2 Volume displacement of the sample.

See Figure (2.5)

Area ratio = -

100%

For good samples; Ar 12% for 50 mm diameter samples

≤ 15% for 75 mm diameter samples

≤ 20% for 100 mm diameter samples

2.5.3 Friction (bearing capacity failure)

See Figure (2.6)

Inside clearance ratio = Cr = -

100%

For good samples; 0.5≤ Cr ≤3

2.5.4 Soil shattering.

See Figure (2.7)

(Figure (2.5

(Figure (2.6

(Figure (2.7


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2.5.5 Water table.

2.5.6 Loss of hydrostatic pressure.

2.5.7 Environment.

2.5.8 Handling and transporting.

2.6 Soil samplers

1) Thin wall sampler (Shelby tube); See figure (2.8)

2) Split-spoon sampler ; See figure (2.9)

3) piston sampler; See figure (2.10)

4) scraper bucket

(Figure (2.8 (Figure (2.9

(Figure (2.10


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2.7 Number Of Boring

1) For individual building of less than (300 m2) plan area; (3) B.Hs are the

minimum. (Not to be on a straight line).

2) For large site or group of building; (5) B.Hs are the minimum. (one at

each corner and one at the middle).

3) For some special structures;

A. Retaining walls; maximum spacing is (120 m) at centerline with

some B.Hs located on both sides of the centerline.

B. Slope stability problems; (3-4) B.Hs at critical zone and (1) B.Hs

outside this zone.

C. Highways; (250-500) m spacing.

D. Earth dams; (40-80) m spacing.

4) As guideline use Table (2.1) below.

Figure 2.11


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2.8 Depth of Borings

1) Highways and airfield; minimum depth is (3) m but should extend below

artificial fill or compressible layer.

2) Retaining wall and slope stability problem;

A. Below artificial fill or compressible layer.

B. Deeper than possible surface of sliding.

C. Deeper than wall base width.

D. Equal to the width of bottom cuts.

3) Structural foundations;

A. Single narrow strip footing; depth 3(footing width) 6m.

B. Group of overlapping stress zone footing or raft;

Depth 1.5(least width of the group or raft) see figure (2.12)

(Figure (2.12


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C. For heavy structures (pressure > 200 kPa), the depth of one of the

B.Hs. should be extend to (2B).

D. The depth of B.Hs. should extend to the point where the net

increase in stress due to the building load is less than (10%) of the

contact pressure.

E. The depth of B.Hs. should extend to the point at which the net

increase in stress due to the building load is less than (5%) of the

contact pressure.

F. If piled foundation is expected, depth of boring should extend to (3-

5) times pile diameter or (3 m) into the bearing stratum.

G. For light steel or narrow concrete buildings; depth 3S0.7

for heavy steel or wide concrete buildings; depth 6S0.7

Where (S) is the number of stories and depth in meters.

2.9 Field Tests

2.9.1 Standard penetration test.

It is the most popular and economical method to obtain sub-surface

information. The test consist of driving the standard split-spoon sampler a

distance of 460 mm(18 ") into the soil at the bottom of boring, using a 63.5

kg (140) lb driving mass falling free from a height of 760 mm (30''). The

number of blows required to drive the tube the last 305 mm (12'') should be

counted to obtain the (N) value.

2.9.2 Factors affecting N-values:

A. Effect of overburden pressure.

B. Variation in high of fall.

C. Friction along the guides.

D. Use of damaged drive shoe.

E. Poor setting of spoon.


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F. Inadequate cleaning of B.H

G. Failure to maintain sufficient hydrostatic pressure in the B.H. Driving

a stone ahead of the sampler.

2.9.3 Advantages of (S.P.T.);

A. The test is too economical.

B. It produce a visual profile of a greet percentage of boring depth.

C. Long service life of equipment in use.

D. The accumulation of a large S.P.T. data-base which is continually

expanding.

2.9.4 Corrections of N-values

A. Pore water pressure; in very fine, or silty saturated sand, Terzaghi and

Peak recommended that (N) be corrected if (N>15) as;

N' = 15 +

(N-15)

B. Overburden effect; Peak, Hanson and Thornburn (1974) proposed the

following empirical correlation for converting the field standard

penetration number (N) to an effective overburden pressure of 95.76

kPa(1 ton/ft2). See figure (2.13)

N'= CN. N = 0.77log

. N

where:

N' = number of correct blows.

N= number of measured of blows in field.

q' = effective overburden pressure ( kPa).

For q' > 23.9kPa


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Example 1

For the soil profile shown below, S.P.T carry out in field and the number of

blows was (20) at depth 10m. Find the correct number of blows.

(Figure (2.13

sat = 20 kN/m3γ

Very fine saturated sand 10m

2m * A N=20

W.T N.G.L


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2.10 Con Penetration Test

A con is pushed into the soil stratum and the corresponding resistance is

measured. The resistance may be of the cone alone, or a cone resistance and

the side or skin resistance of a sleeve. The cone resistance is related to the

undrained shear strength, since the test is so rapid (see figure 2.14). The cone

forced into the ground at a rate varying from (10 to 20 mm/s). This test is

preferable for fine sands, silty fine sands and clay deposits. The data obtain

are used to estimate bearing capacity and settlement for footing or pile

capacity.

2.10.1 Advantages of (C.P.T.)

A. Quick and economical.

B. Gives a continuous resistance of strata.

C. Give skin friction of soil.

D. Reliable for sand below water table.

E. No boring is required.

2.10.2 Limitations of (C.P.T.)

A. Not suitable for gravely soils.

B. Dose not reveals types of soils encountered.

C. No samples are taken.

D. Test depth (15-25) m.


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S.P.T C.P.T

2.11 vane shear test

It consists of inserting a four blades vane into the soil at the required depth

and measuring the required torque (T) for rotating the vane ( i.e. shearing the

soil).

T = cu π (

)

Where:

D,h = diameter and height of vane blades.


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cu= undrained shear strength of clay soils.

It is used to estimate the undrained shear strength of clay soils-particularly

soft clays. See figure (2.14)

(Figure (2.14


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2.12 Plat Load Test

It involves loading a horizontal plate, while observing the settlement. The

test is usually carried out, in a test pit, by applying a series of load in

increments of (1/5) the working load to be applied by the foundation , up to

least twice the working stress. The deformation is observed under constant

load until the settlement rate drops to less than (0.25 mm/hr). Plate load test

is used in the following situations;

A. On soft jointed and fractured rocks.

B. On granular or cohesive soils containing boulders.

C. Where a structure is particularly sensitive to settlement.

The following factors must be considered:

A. Size of plate; the diameter (or width) of the plat should be at least (6)

times the size of the largest soil practical, or in rock should be more

than (6) times of spacing between horizontal fractures. The minimum

plat size is (300 mm).

(Figure (2.15


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B. Number of test; soils are highly variable. To obtain the variation of

soil properties, series of tests should be carried out at different

locations and depths.

The test result can be used in bearing capacity and settlement predictions.

2.12 soil exploration report

At the end of soil exploration program, a soil exploration report is prepared for

the use of the planning and design office. Any soil exploration report should

contain the following information:

A. Scope investigation.

B. General description of the proposed structure for witch the

exploration has been conducted.

C. General description of the site.

D. Details of boring.

E. Description of sub-soil conditions as determined from the soil

samples collected

F. Ground water table as observed from the B.Hs.

G. Details of foundation recommendations.

H. Any anticipated construction problems.

I. Limitations of the investigation.

The following graphic also need to attached to the soil exploration report:

A. Site location map.

B. Location of borings with respect to the proposed structure.

C. Boring logs. See figure (2.16)

D. Laboratory test results.


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E. Other special information.

Figure (2.16) typical borehole log

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