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INTERPRETATION OF COMPRESSIBILITY CHARACTERISTICS FOR COASTAL SOIL

OF BANGLADESH

Conference Paper · December 2018

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 Proceedings, International Conference on Disaster Risk Management,
Dhaka, Bangladesh, January 12-14, 2019

INTERPRETATION OF COMPRESSIBILITY CHARACTERISTICS FOR

COASTAL SOIL OF BANGLADESH

Z. A. Urmi1 and M. A. Ansary2

ABSTRACT

This study presents an approach to correlate compression index directly with CPT (qc) and SPT (N60)
parameters and also with index properties (liquid limit, plasticity index, void ratio). For this study soil
samples have been collected from 17 different locations of coastal embankments of Bangladesh. 17 pairs of
CPT and SPT together with one dimensional consolidation and Atterberg limit tests have been done to
establish these correlations. Liquid limit and Plasticity Index range from 30-43 and 6-25 respectively and
most of the soil samples are low to medium plastic clay and silt. For a variation of N60 from 2-10 and qc
from 0-2.5 Mpa coefficient of compressibility (Cc) ranges from 0.1-0.3 for studied soil type. This study
presents a new insight on a possible exponential correlation of Cc with qc/N60 and qc.

Introduction

Compressibility characteristic of a soil is one of the basic requirements for foundation design. In most of the
geotechnical investigation with limited budget, such important parameter is determined through empirical
correlations without proper laboratory investigation. A number of large-scale construction projects have
recently been carried out in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Soft ground improvement has been raised as an
important issue in the utilization of areas of soft ground. In particular, the compressibility characteristics of
soft clay are carefully examined for large-scale construction projects, such as the Cox’s Bazar Airport
project and the Chittagong sea port. There are other upcoming projects like the new sea-port that is
proposed to build at Maheshkhali. It is well known that coastal clay is highly compressible compared to
most mineral soils. Marine clay typically has a high-water content and an extremely low bearing capacity.
Volume change or settlement of clay sediments is also dependent on the portion of silt and clay fractions,
especially for highly colloidal clays with large equilibrium void ratios. The colloidal-size particles (<0.001
mm) with greater surface area per unit mass have the ability to attract large amounts of water. Since liquid
limit is a measure of the water attracted to these clay particles, some correlation between liquid limit and
soil compression index would be expected. Likewise, as bearing capacity, density, soil consistency
(soft/hard) are some of the influencing factor for standard/cone penetration resistance value, it indicates a
possibility that afore mentioned in-situ tests may also be influenced by void ratio or compressibility
characteristics. Many approaches had been taken by a number of researchers (Skempton 1944; Terzaghi and
Peck 1967; Lambe and Whitman 1969; Mayne 1980; Nakase et al. 1988; Yin 1999) in different parts of the
world to establish empirical correlations for compressibility with easily obtainable index properties like
natural moisture content, liquid limit, plasticity index and void ratio. There are also some insightful studies
for Bangladeshi marine soil which correlate compressibility index with void ratio (Siddique A. 1986;
Ansary M.A.1999). But there is hardly any research to interpret compressibility characteristic directly from
in-situ test results. This study will present a comparative analysis of the two approaches to determine
compressibility index from the available correlations with index properties (liquid limit, plasticity index,
void ratio) and from the CPT-SPT values.

Subsoil Investigation

General

As for subsoil investigation, both laboratory and field investigation has been done. 17 pairs of high quality
Cone Penetration Test and Standard Penetration Test have been carried out in Satkhira, Barguna, Laxmipur,

1
Graduate Research Assistant, Bangladesh Network Office for Urban Safety (BNUS), BUET, Dhaka-1000,
Bangladesh
2
Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, BUET, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
 Interpretation of Compressibility Characteristics for Coastal Soil of Bangladesh
Z.A. Urmi1 and M. A. Ansary2

Bhola, Chottogram and Cox’s Bazar district. Each pair of CPT and SPT was carried out as close as
possible, maximum horizontal distance was not greater than 5m. Location and geology of the investigated
regions are shown in Error! Reference source not found..

Figure 1. Location (left) and Geology (geology) of studied region

The investigated site includes acid sulphate Sunderbans saline soil in Shatkhira, saline tidal floodplain soil
in Borguna and Bhola, calcareous saline alluvium in Laxmipur and grey/red brown piedmont soil in
Chottogram and Cox’s Bazar (European Soil Data Centre 1977).

Field Investigation

Standard Penetration Test

SPT were conducted per ASTM D1586. Boreholes for the SPT were advanced by wash boring. Shelby
tubes were used to obtain undisturbed representative samples from 2-4m depth. Potential source of
uncertainty which may affect SPT N-value has been carefully considered. Borehole drilling, soil sampling
and SPT N-value recording procedures were observed by experienced geologist during the entire test
program and this individual provided visual descriptions of the collected samples. The SPT N-value and
disturbed samples were collected every 1.5 m intervals up to 30 m depth or to the depth of maximum
resistance. Rope and cathead SPT hammer-release was used and the efficiency of hammer was 60%.
Correction for overburden stress (Liao and Whitmann 1985) has been done to obtain normalized SPT (N1,60)
value.

Cone Penetration Test

CPT soundings were advanced using a Hogentogler type piezocone penetrometer with a cross sectional area
of 10 cm2 and which can measure the pore water pressure (u2), as well as the cone tip resistance (qc) and
sleeve friction(fs). To perform the test, the cone was pushed vertically into the ground at a constant rate of
approximately 20mm/sec. During the advancement, measurements of dynamic pore water pressure, tip
resistance and sleeve friction were recorded continuously at 10 mm depth increments. The typical
penetration depth for this study was 30 m below from ground surface. Pore pressure correction has been
done to obtain corrected CPT (qc1) value.

For this research, only undisturbed samples have been used, so the in-situ properties of depth 2-4
m are of concern. Within this depth SPT blow count N60 varies from 4-8 and Cone Tip Resistance
(qc) varies from .2-2.4 Mpa.

Laboratory Investigation

A pair of Liquid Limit and Plastic Limit Test was done for each borehole as per ASTM 4318. 4 out of 17
samples were silts and the rest were low plastic clays as shown in the plasticity chart in Figure 2 .
Consolidation test has been as per ASTM D 2435. e-logP curves have been produced for each sample to
determine the coefficient of compressibility (Cc). All the index properties are summarized in
 Proceedings, International Conference on Disaster Risk Management,
Dhaka, Bangladesh, January 12-14, 2019

.
Table 1: Index Properties of Soil

Location Borehole Depth (m) LL PL PI qc1 N1,60 N60 e1 Cc 

BH1 2.10-2.55 39 19 20 0.498 4.539 3 0.796 0.248
Satkhira BH2 3.60-4.05 39 27 12 1.776 11.168 8 0.750 0.200
BH3 3.60-4.05 31 22 10 1.871 8.612 6 0.580 0.157
Tankibazar BH2 3.60-4.05 33 20 13 2.257 5.934 4 0.605 0.170
BH1 3.60-4.05 37 30 7 1.974 7.290 5 0.620 0.145
Bhola BH 2 3.60-4.05 36 23 13 0.889 7.290 5 0.722 0.199
BH3 3.60-4.05 37 27 10 1.044 5.934 4 0.703 0.206
BH1 3.60-4.05 32 14 18 0.669 7.290 5 0.612 0.182
Borguna
BH4 3.60-4.05 39 20 19 1.016 8.612 6 0.760 0.217
BH1 3.60-4.05 32 21 11 0.669 8.612 6 0.756 0.193
Patharghata
BH2 3.60-4.05 40 21 19 0.847 5.842 5 0.684 0.202
BH1 2.10-2.55 33 21 12 1.488 5.934 4 0.674 0.186
Ramgoti
BH2 2.10-2.55 37 26 11 1.919 8.612 6 0.620 0.188
BH1 2.10-2.55 43 18 25 0.913 15.987 8 0.770 0.259
Anwara
BH2 2.10-2.55 27 21 6 2.360 3.098 2 0.567 0.120
BH1 2.10-2.55 42 25 17 0.734 9.904 7 0.747 0.239
Maheshkhali
BH2 2.10-2.55 32 18 14 0.263 5.934 4 0.678 0.188

Figure 2 : Plasticity Chart for the studied samples

Analysis and Results

Interpretation of Cc from Index Properties:

Conventional regression equations generally relate compression index to one soil variable, namely liquid
limit (LL), void ratio (e), or plasticity index (PI) are as summarized in Error! Reference source not
found.. Most of these equations are linear in form. In this research, the relationships between compression
index and soil parameters are investigated for the void ratio, liquid limit and plasticity index. The
Laboratory obtained compressibility index have been plotted against liquid limit (LL), plastic limit (LL),
initial void ratio e0 and the void ratio e1 (at a consolidation pressure of 1tsf) as illustrated in Error!
Reference source not found.. Study points formulate linear correlation similar to the previous ones but
 Interpretation of Compressibility Characteristics for Coastal Soil of Bangladesh
Z.A. Urmi1 and M. A. Ansary2

have different slopes (mostly flatter than the previous ones) and intercepts.

Table 2: Empirical Correlations for Compression Index with Soil Parameters

Equation Reference Applicability

For Cc = f(LL )
Cc = 0.013(ω1 – 13.5) Yamagutshi 1959 All clays
Cc = 0.017(ω1 – 20) Shouka 1964
All clays All clays
Cc = (ω1 – 13)/109 Mayne 1980
For Cc = f(eo)
Cc = 0.54(eo – 0.35) Nishida 1956 All clays
Cc = 0.43(eo – 0.25) Cozzolino 1961 Brazilian clays
Cc = 0.75(eo – 0.50) Sowers 1970 Clays with low plasticity
For Cc = f(e1)
Cc = 0.39(e1 – 0.14) Siddique (1986) Marine Bangladeshi Soil
Cc = 0.384(e1 – 0.06) Ansary (1999) Marine Bangladeshi Soil
For Cc = f(PI)
Cc = 0.02 + 0.014PI Nacci et al. 1975 North Atlantic clay
Cc = 0.046 + 0.0104PI Nakase et al. 1988 Best for PI < 50%

Figure 3: Correlations of Compression Index with Index Properties

Table 3: Observations from Error! Reference source not found.

Correlation with Proposed Equation Coefficient of determinant, R2

Liquid Limit , LL Cc=0.0066LL-0.042 0.64
Plasticity Index, PI Cc=0.006PI-0.1069 0.75
Initial Void Ratio e0 Cc=0.31e0-0.0565 0.77
Void Ratio at 1tsf Cc=.42e1-.0933 0.75

Interpretation of Cc from in situ tests:

Laboratory obtained compressibility index have been plotted against corrected SPT blow count (N1,60),
Cone tip resistance (qc1) and (qc1/pa)/N1,60 as illustrated in Figure. The curves show that higher SPT values
 Proceedings, International Conference on Disaster Risk Management,
Dhaka, Bangladesh, January 12-14, 2019

give higher Cc value whereas in case of CPT or CPT-SPT ratio an increase causes decrease in the
compressibility index which is quite contrary to the linear proportional CPT-SPT correlation. Though the
correlation between Cc and SPT appears to be linearly proportional like existing correlation with index
properties, the R2 value is much less than Cc vs CPT or (qc1/pa)/N1,60 curves. The observations have been
summarized in Error! Reference source not found.. In the cases of CPT and CPT-SPT ratio-based
correlations, exponential curves give slightly higher determinant values than that of the linear curves.

Figure 4: Correlations of Compression Index with In-situ Parameters

Table 4: Observations from Figure 4

Correlation with Proposed Equation Coefficient of determinant, R2

SPT blow count N1,60 Cc=.01(.63N1,60+14.56) 0.27
Cc=.24e-0.19qc1 0.4458
Cone tip resistance qc1
Cc=.2336-.0333 qc1 0.4142
Cc=.2231e-0.086(qc1/pa)/N1,60 0.6453
CPT-SPT ratio (qc1/pa)/N1,60
Cc=.2198-.0145 (qc1/pa)/N1,60 0.5575

Conclusion

In this paper, potential correlations between the compression index and field investigation results have been
investigated for the first time for Bangladeshi soils along with a comparative analysis of the existing
correlation between compression index and index properties of soil. Results of this study indicates that
index properties are more reliable parameters to determine compression index than SPT or CPT data.
Nevertheless, it is clearly visible from the study that the new correlations (R2> 60%) provide useful
guidance for preliminary assessments of the compressibility of Bangladeshi coastal soils.

References

Ansary, M.A., Siddique, A. and Sarullah, A.M.M. 1999. “Compressibility and permeability characterstics
of selected coastal soil of bangladesh”, Indian Geotechnical journal, 29(2), 162-185.

Mayne, P.W. 1980. “Cam-clay predictions of undrained strength”, Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering
Division, ASCE, 106(11), 1219–1242.

Nacci, V.A., Wang, M.C., and Demars, K.R. 1975. “Engineering behavior of calcareous soils”, American
Society of Civil Engineers, New York, 1, 380–400.

Nakase, A., Kamei, T., and Kusakabe, O. 1988. “Constitute parame- ters estimated by plasticity index”,
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Nishida, Y. 1956. “A brief note on compression index of soil”, Journal of Soil Mechanics and Foundation
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Siddique, A. 1986. “Permeability and consolidation characteristics of normally consolidated clays”, M.Sc
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Yin, J.-H. 1999. “Properties and behaviour of Hong Kong marine deposits with different clay contents”,
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