SOIL MECHANICS-I

LECTURE NO. 5

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
TAXILA

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SOIL INVESTIGATION/
SOIL EXPLORATION

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 SOIL SAMPLING
 Two types of soil samples can be obtained

 Disturbed Sample (DS)

 Undisturbed sample (UDS)

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DISTRUBED SAMPLE (DS)

A sample is said to be disturbed when its

natural conditions such as structure,
texture, density, natural water content,
and stress conditions are disturbed
during recovery. Disturbed samples are
recovered by using shovel, from auger
cuttings etc.

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Disturbed Sample
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Disturbed Sample
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Laboratory Testing for Disturbed Samples
 Disturbed samples are normally used for
determining index properties of the soil such
as;
1. The unit weight,
2. Specific gravity.
 The samples also used for classification test
such as;
1. Sieve and hydrometer analysis to obtained the
particle size distribution,
2. Atterberg limit tests to find the consistency of
cohesive soil.
UNDISTURBED SAMPLE (UDS)

 UDS are retrieved from the soil mass

without disturbing the structure, density,
natural moisture content etc. Such a soil
sample should retain the original
properties of the soil mass as closely as
possible.

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BLOCK Core

UNDISTURBED SAMPLE
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UNDISTURBED SAMPLE (UDS)
o It is nearly impossible to obtain a truly
undisturbed sample of soil;
o so in general usage. the term "undisturbed"
means a sample where some precautions have
been taken to minimize disturbance or
remolding effects.
o In this context, the quality of an "undisturbed"
sample varies widely between soil laboratories

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Laboratory Testing for Undisturbed Samples
 Undisturbed samples are needed for more
sophisticated laboratory test such as;
1. Shear strength, include the unconfined
compression test, direct shear or shear box test
and Triaxial test under unconsolidated undrained
(UU), consolidated undrained (CU), and
consolidated drained conditions (CD).
2. Consolidation test.
The consolidation test is usually performed on
standard oedometer cell.
 SOIL SAMPLING
 The sampling procedures varies according to the type of
strata in which the investigation takes place. Undisturbed
samples are normally needed for clays at every 1.5 m
depth or change of stratum.

 Undisturbed sample are not practical for sand and gravel

due to the lack of cohesion.
 SOIL SAMPLING

 If a test pit is available in clayey soil, an undisturbed

sample may be obtained by simply carving a sample
very carefully out of the side of the test pit. Such a
sample should then be coated with paraffin wax and
placed in an airtight container.

 A more common method of obtaining an undisturbed

sample is to push a thin tube into the soil, thereby
trapping the undisturbed sample inside the tube and then
to remove the tube and the intact sample.
UNDISTURBED SAMPLE (UDS)

UNDISTURBED SAMPLE (UDS)

 SOIL SAMPLING
 The following data should be attached to the sample
1. Project name,
2. Name of drilling operator,
3. Date of the sampling,
4. Borehole number and sample number,
5. Depth of sample.
 SOIL SAMPLING

 Care should be taken during shipment and

storage of the UDS for testing in the laboratory
because these processes may result in serious
sample disturbance.
 On arrival at the laboratory, it is important to
check the conditions of the samples and
compare them with the states recorded in the
field.
 The samples should be stored in a room where
the temperature and humidity are kept constant
and similar to the in situ-conditions.
SOIL SAMPLING
 Visual inspection of undisturbed samples
should be made to ensure that there is:
1. no visible distortion of strata in the sample,
2. no opening or softening of the material,
3. specific recovery ratio (SRR) should not be
less than 95%,
SOIL SAMPLING

 The SSR can be defined as follows:

 SSR = length of undisturbed sample recovered from the tube

Length of the tube
Common Sampling Methods

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 GROUND WATER TABLE LEVEL
 Groundwater conditions and the potential for
groundwater seepage are fundamental factors in
virtually all geotechnical analyses and design
studies.
 Accordingly, the evaluation of groundwater
conditions is a basic element of almost all
geotechnical investigation programs. Groundwater
investigations are of two types as follows:
 Determination of groundwater levels and
pressures.
 Measurement of the permeability of the subsurface
materials.

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GWT

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GWT

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Preparation of Boring Logs
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1. Name and address of the drilling company

2. Driller’s name
3. Job description and number
4. Number, type, and location of boring
5. Date of boring
6. Subsurface stratification, which can he
obtained by visual observation of the soil
brought out by auger, split-spoon sampler, and
thin-walled Shelby tube sampler
Preparation of Boring Logs
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7. Elevation of water table and date observed, use of casing

and mud losses, and so on
8. Standard penetration resistance and the depth of SPT
9. Number, type, and depth of soil sample collected
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1. A description of the scope of the investigation
2. A description of the proposed structure for which the
subsoil exploration has been conducted
3. A description of the location of the site, including any
structures nearby, drainage conditions, the nature of
vegetation on the site and surrounding it, and any other
features unique to the site
4. A description of the geological setting of the site
5. Details of the field exploration—that is, number of
borings, depths of borings, types of borings involved,
and so on

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6. A general description of the subsoil conditions, as
determined from soil specimens and from related
laboratory tests, standard penetration resistance and
cone penetration resistance, and soon
7. A description of the water-table conditions
8. Re commendations regarding the foundation, including
the type of foundation recommended, the allowable
hearing pressure, and any special construction
procedure that may he needed; alternative foundation
design procedures should also be discussed in this
portion of the report
9. Conclusions and limitations of the investigations

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 The following graphical presentations should he
attached to the report:
1. A site location map
2. A plan view of the location of the borings with
respect to the proposed structures and nearby
spot
3. Boring logs
4. Laboratory test results
5. Other special graphical presentations

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Example Table
of Contents for
a Geotechnical
Investigation
(Data) Report

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FIELD STRENGTH TESTS
The following are the major field tests for
determining the soil strength:
1. Vane shear test (VST).
2. Standard Penetration Test (SPT).
3. Cone Penetration Test (CPT).
4. The Borehole Shear Test (BST).
5. The Flat Dilatometer Test (DMT).
6. The Pressure-meter Test (PMT).
7. The Plate Load Test (PLT).
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FIELD STRENGTH TESTS

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Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
This test has been used extensively in USA,
UK and Pakistan for estimating the relative
density and angle of internal friction of
coarse-grained, granular soils especially
sands, silty sands etc.

Please Study ASTM D 1586

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Standard Penetration Test (SPT)

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Standard Penetration Test (SPT)

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Cone Penetration Test (CPT)

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Cone Penetration Test (CPT)

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