Ground Investigation (GI) 

Ground Investigation (Land)
Land ‐ Field Works

• Conventional GI Methods 
Ground Investigation (3) - (1) Excavation
S
Sampling
li Techniques
T h i ( )
(2) Drilling
ll
Top‐up course for TCP T3 on GIFW and  (3) Sampling Å
Building Works with Significant Geotechnical 
content (4) Field Testing
20 November 2013 (5) Instrumentation
Part II
2013/10/29 Land GI 1 2013/10/29 GI Section 2

Ground Investigation (GI)  Ground Investigation (GI) Land –
Land – Sampling Field Works Common Types of Samples

• Get sample into the sampler from subsurface formation ;
﹣Block samples
Block samples
• Identify collected ground materials soil/rock ;
﹣U76 and U100 samples
• Confirm ground profile & Ground Model ;
• E
Ensure collected representative samples with a minimum 
ll d i l ih i i
﹣Split barrel / Liner standard penetration test samples  
Split barrel / Liner standard penetration test samples
disturbance during the sampling. before and after as well ; SPT
• Provide undisturbed samples for Laboratory testing : ﹣Thin
Thin‐‐walled Piston Samples P76 / P100)
¾ Index tests , i.e. Shear strength ﹣Rotary Core Samples
¾ Classification tests, PSD, limits  ﹣Mazier Samples (
¾ Engineering design parameter tests
﹣Groundwater samples

2013/10/29 GI Section 3 2013/10/29 GI Section 4

(GI) Land ‐ Excavation
Block Sample 
Block Sample > 230mm cube
• Collected from Trial Pits and 
Trenches
• By manual excavation to the 
required depth
• Collect block sample from the 
sides/bottom or other specified 
location of trial pits or trial 
trenches or from slope stripping.
• Samples shall be not less than 230 
mm cube.
• Prevent sample from :
¾Loss of Moisture Contents;
¾Vibrations, Shocks
¾Unnecessary damages Cut up at least 50 mm
GI Section 5 2013/10/29 Min annulus 25 mm GI Section 6
below sample base

1
 Subsurface Sampling (GI) Land ‐ Field Works
Open Tubes Samplers Sampling ‐ Open Tube Sampler
Area Ratio affects sample disturbance
I Drive sampling involves with displacement action, which  • Robust sampler driven by dynamic / 
tends to Forces and Deformation in soil during the course of  static force.
action . • Break up sample from formation by 
• Normal size Ø = 50mm,  g p
rotating 2 complete revs  before 
• U76 Ø  Æ
U76 Ø   Æ 77mm(
77mm(± ± 1mm),  withdrawal
U100 Ø Æ101(
U100 Ø Æ ± 1mm) , 
101(± • Sample collected in torsion/tensile or 
• Length => 450mm, swelling  failure or combination in 
• Cutting edge tapered 20°°,
Cutting edge tapered 20 borehole

• Area ratio ≤ 30%.
Area ratio ≤ • Suitable for fine to coarse soils, but 
not very good for coarse soils or 
• Min Core Recovery 80%  gravels.
• Quality ~ class 2‐highest 
2013/10/29 7 8
Quality ~ class 22--highest

(GI) Land ‐ Field Works
Piston Sampling‐ Piston Sampler

2013/10/29 GI Section 9 2013/10/29 GI Section 10

(GI) Land ‐ Field Works Rotary Core Samples

Piston Sampling ‐ Piston Single Tube Core Barrel

• Piston sampler Ø= 75mm,  • Rotary coring by portable 
• 100mm (± 1mm), or up to 250mm ,  electric drill, 
L = 1000mm • Hand portable single tube 
• Single barrel thin wall
Single barrel thin wall core barrel,
b l
• Area ratio ≤ 10%, tapered 10°
• Min core recovery 90%P • without protection between 
• Piston remains stationary when  sample & flushing medium
barrel  driven down by static thrust. • useful for checking mass 
• Suitable for sampling in very soft to  concrete / masonry retaining 
firm soils.
wall thickness, geometry and 
• Highest quality ‐ Class 1 filling materials
2013/10/29 GI Section 11 2013/10/29 GI Section 12

2
 Common Rotary Sampler for Rock Rotary Core Samples
Double‐tube Core Barrel Double‐tube core barrel)
• Sample collected  by rotary core  • T2‐101 (Ø) = 101mm
drilling.
• Core =  84mm,
• by rotating drill bits and cylindrical 
by rotating drill bits and cylindrical 
core barrel  i.e. single, double,  • T2 76/ TNW (Ø) =  76mm 
triple core barrel.
p • /
T2 / TNWCore = 62 /61 mm
/
• Drilling fluid pumping down thru 
drill rod to lubricate drill bits and 
T2-101
flushes cuttings/drill debris up to  Double tube
the borehole and ground surface. core barrel –
• Drill hole normally supported by  hard rock
sampler
casing to avoid collapse.
• Flushing media : water, air‐
Flushing media : water, air‐foam or 
drilling .

2013/10/29 GI Section 13 2013/10/29 GI Section 14

Cutting shoes – Mazier / Double‐tube 

Triple‐tube core‐barrel – Retractable
Core barrel T2 – 101

• Triple  tubes  
retractable
• Mazier

damaged cutting shoe ‐ Mazier
Good cutting shoe
2013/10/29 GI Section 15 2013/10/29 GI Section 16

Triple‐tube core‐barrel – Retractable Triple‐tube core‐barrel – Retractable

Acceptable Dimensions of Core Barrel & Liner
• Outer and Inner Tubes , L ~ 1.1m,  
PVC Liner ~ 1m，
• Area ratio 10 ~ 15%, inside clearance 
1.5 ~ 3.5%
• Cutting shoe protect sample from 
flushing medium，
• Samples require proper storage and 
protection from
damages/disturbance during 
delivery

2013/10/29 GI Section 17 2013/10/29 GI Section 18

3
 (GI) ‐ Field Works
Non‐retractable triple‐tube barrel Rotary Sampler ‐ Triples tubes (Non‐R)

• Triple ‐tubes  • Slightly/ moderately 
• Non‐ retractable weathered Rock
• Multiple‐Lining  • Good for soil and rock 
Core Barrel weak layers

2013/10/29 GI Section 19 2013/10/29 GI Section 20

Triple‐tube core‐barrel – Retractable Sampling ‐ Causes of Sample Disturbances

2013/10/29 GI Section 21 GI Section 22

Sampling – Min Quantities of Soil Samples 
Required for Lab Testing Field Samples Storage / Delivery
• Field samples kept  
in core boxes for 
delivery and
delivery and 
storage.
• Disturbed jar 
samples
• Rock cores ‐ H sizes

GI Section 23 2013/10/29 GI Section 24

4
 Field Samples Storage / Delivery Field Samples Handling / Delivery

¾ Within 3 working days of the date of completion of the

drillhole,, the samples and/or cores contained within each core
drillhole
box shall be photographed.
¾ The photograph shall contain a reference board of minimum
dimensions 350 mm (height) by 1000 mm (length). The
reference board shall contain:
(a) the Ground Investigation title,
(b) the core box number,
(c) the depth below ground level at the start and finish of all
material in the core box, and
(d) a reference scale over the entire board length marked in
2013/10/29 GI Section 25 100mm units.

Total Core Recovery( % of core recovered ) Total Core Recovery
under HKSAR 's Works Contract ( % of core recovered ) 
Three categories of drilling 
Categories
(A) Category “A” ‐ Water/Air‐foam flush with triple tube core barrels
using
i split
lit inner
i t b (4C‐MLC,
tube (4C MLC HMLC or NMLC).
NMLC)

(B) Category “B” ‐ Water/Air‐foam flush with double tube core barrels

(T2‐101, TNW or products having equivalent
functions or performance approved),

(C) Category “C” ‐ Water/Air‐foam flush with single tube core barrels

(corehole).
2013/10/29 GI Section 27 2013/10/29 GI Section 28

Groundwater Samples  Design Consideration for Sampling 
Methods (Sample Quality Classes)

• Collecting Ground Water  • Determine which class of sample to be collected，
sample  >= 2 litres per sample
• Consider ground conditions and test requirements
• Check any contamination from 
ground surface or flushing  • Design which sampling method to use，
Design which sampling method to use
medium, • Classification of Sample Quality (Class 1 to Class 5)
• Take water sample once hit 
• Undisturbed samples: Class 1 – Class 2，
groundwater,
• Sample contents may change  • Disturbed samples: Class 3 – Class 5
• Deliver to Lab ASAP。

2013/10/29 GI Section 29 2013/10/29 GI Section 30

5
 Sampling Quality required for Laboratory  Materials and Sampling Procedures Conditions
Materials/Environment Samplers / Sampling Procedures
Testing CDG, CDV & Colluvium ﹣Block sample from dry excavation
Sample Quality Laboratory data determined ﹣Large diameter (102mm﹚
(102mm﹚Triple tube retractable w
air foam flush for Class 1 Samples
Class 1 Total strength parameters, Effective strength parameters,
﹣Triple tube retractable>74mm﹚
retractable>74mm﹚for Class 1 or 2 Samples
Compressibility,
Dnsity and porosity, water content) , ﹣Open tube U100 sampler for class 2 to 4 samples
Fabric & remoulded properties 。
properties。 ﹣SPT split sampler for Class 3 to 4
Class 2 Test，similar to Class 1 samples,
Insensitive soils for Lab Test， samples ﹣Bulk /Jar samples
p from dryy excavation for Class 3 to 4
density。
but only classification, moisture contents & density。 Alluvial & Marine ﹣Piston sampler for Class 2 to 3 samples
Class 3 Determine soil structures ﹙fabric examination), Moisture deposits：granular soils，
deposits： soils， ﹣Open tube sampler U100 w/ core-
core-catcher for class 4
soil。
contents and Plasticity of soil。 SAND、SILT
including SAND、 SILT、、 samples
sandy SILT ﹣SPT split barrel sampler Class 4
Class 4 Obtain lab remoulded data and Sequence of strata﹚, Soil
strata﹚
Classification and remoulded properties。
properties。 ﹣Light percussion shell
Alluvial, Marine deposits,: ﹣Piston for Class 1 samples
Class 5 Rough examination of soil strata, None (approximate
Very soft to soft cohesive ﹣Thin-
Thin-wall sampler Class 1 to 2 samples
sequence of materials only 1
solid ( clays, silty clay or ﹣Open tube U100 for class 2 to 3 samples
31 sandy clay s r clays)
2013/10/29 GI Section 32

Sample Quality and Sampling Procedures
Samples Handling
Materials Composition Sampler / Sampling Procedures

Alluvial and Marine deposits: ﹣Triple tube retractable (>74mm﹚

(>74mm﹚for Classe
Firm to very stiff cohesive 1 to 2 samples
SOILS ﹣Open tube - U100 for Class 2 to 3 samples • Proper Storage
﹣Light percussion clay cutter Class 5
• Ensure sample test data representative 
Alluvial and Marine Deposits:
p ﹣The sampling
p g procedures
p for soils derived from
Cohesive and Granular soils insitu rock weathering apply. • Avoid storing samples in heated up area
containing boulder 、cobble 、
Gravel • Preserve original moisture contents
Fills ﹣See sampling procedures for relevant soil type and
composition under 'Alluvial and Marine Deposits' • Store up in sealed container with rubber 
above. cover
Rocks - All rock types found ﹣Diamond core drilling with double or triple triple--tube
in H K, including boulders in core-barrel. The latter generally causes less
core- • Use tin foils & molten wax as sealer
Colluvium disturbance and gives better core recovery,
2013/10/29 especially
GI Sectionin highly fractured or jointed rocks.33 2013/10/29 GI Section 34

Block Sample 
Field Samples Handling & Storage
Sample Packing
• Sample collected  (1) A reference number shall be assigned to each Common Ground Sample 
(both disturbed and undisturbed) and groundwater samples taken, The 
by hand dug from  number shall be unique for that Investigation Station and shall be in 
Trial Pit or Trial  order of depth below ground level. The number shall also be shown on 
Trench， the records adjacent to the sample symbol.

• Record the position,  (2) All sample containers and tube samples shall be clearly marked both on 

the side and the top of the sample with a permanent marker pen with 
depth and  the following information:
orientation of the  (a) Works Order number, if any,
sample collected。 (b) Reference number of the Investigation Station,
(c) Reference number of the sample,
(d) Date of sampling, and
(e) Depth of the top of the sample below existing ground level.
2013/10/29 GI Section 35 36

6
 Field Samples Handling & Storage Field Samples Handling & Storage
(3) Each core box shall be identified by the following information, which 
• Standard  shall be clearly marked on the top, both ends and beneath the core box 
lid using waterproof ink or paint:
Core‐box  (a) Contract number,
for the  (b) Works Order number, if any,
storage of 
t f (c) Ground Investigation title,
a) Small Jar  (d) Investigation Station number,
samples /  (e) Depths of material contained, and
Disturbed (f) Core box number.
b) Rock  (4) The depths at which each core run started and finished shall be recorded 
at the ends of each core run by permanent marker pen on the edge of the 
cores box or on wooden blocks which fit between the dividing slats. If a core 
run is contained in two sequential core boxes, the abbreviation "cont'd" 
shall be used on the adjacent edges of the core boxes.
2013/10/29 GI Section 37

(GI) Land ‐ Field Works
Sampling

END
END 
Sampling

2013/10/29 GI Section 39