CE-5202

Illustrative Examples on Standard Penetration Test

Sukumar Baishya
Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
NERIST

March 11, 2020

1 Introduction
A geotechnical engineer must be able to apply all the necessary corrections to the measured
SPT values to get the corrected SPT values. It has been discussed (in class) that SPT values
are correlated to various geotechnical properties like relative density, shear strength, bearing
capacity of foundations etc. Thus, finding corrected SPT resistance in a bore hole is an essential
skill to be developed by a Geotechnical engineer. In the following, application of corrections
to SPT are illustrated with the help of examples. Students are encouraged to get familiar with
similar examples available in text books/ reference books.

2 Illustrative Examples
Ex-1: The field N value in a fully submeged fine sand deposit at 6 m depth is recorded as 40.
Calculate the corrected N value as per IS:2131. Given, the average saturated unit weight
of the deposit is 19kN/m3

Solution:

Since the soil is fully submerged therefore, dilatancy correction is needed, in addition to
overburden pressure correction.
Now,
γsub = γsat − γw = 19 − 10 ≈ 9kN/m3

∴ Effective overburden pressure at 6 m depth is σ̄ = 9 × 6 = 54 kN/m2

Correction factor for Overburden pressure is obtained as:
2000 2000
CN = 0.77 log10 = 0.77 log10 = 1.2078.
0
σ̄ 54
∴ N = 1.2078 × 40 = 48 > 15).
Using Dilatancy correction, we have, N 00 = 15 + 0.5(N 0 − 15) = 15 + 0.5(48 − 15) = 31.5 ≈
31 .

Ex-2: SPT was conducted at a silty site with a hand operated hammer of efficiency 45%, at
every 1 m depth. The depth of GWT at the site was 1.5 m and the soil had a specific

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gravity Gs = 2.7, with an average void ratio of 0.44. The measured N values at four
depths in a bore hole is indicated in the Table 1 below. Calculate the corrected SPT value
N1(60) at these depths. Assume that the drill rod, bore hole and samplers were in standard
conditions.

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 Table 1:
Depth(m) 1.2 2.2 3.2 4.2
Nobs 7 4 3 5

Solution:

We have,

Gs γ w
γd =
1+e
 
Gs − 1
γsub = γw
1+e

Using these equations the appropriate densities at a depth can be calculated, which can
then be used for calculating the overburden pressure, and, finally the correction factor
CN at the required depths. Now, since the bore-hole, drill rod and samplers used in the
SPT sounding are in standard conditions, therefore,

N1(60) = CN CE Nobs

The value of correction factor for hammer can be obtained as

Hammer Efficiency (%) 0.45
CE = = = 0.75
60% 0.60
Also, using the given values of Gs and e, the dry and submerged densities of the soil are
obtained as

Gs γ w 2.7 × 10
γd = = = 18.75 kN/m3
1+e (1 + 0.44)
   
Gs − 1 2.7 − 1
γsub = γw = 10 = 11.8 kN/m3
1+e 1 + 0.44
2.7 × 10
Now at 1.2 m depth, γd = = 18.75 kN/m3
1.44
Therefore, overburden pressure at this depth = σ̄ = 18.75 × 1.2 = 22.5 kPa
2000
Therefore, the effective overburden correction factor CN = 0.77 log10 = 1.5
22.5
Using the values of CN and CE , the corrected SPT at 1.2 m can be obtained as

N1(60) = 0.75 × 1.5 × 7 = 7.875 = 7.9

Similarly, at 4.2 m depth, the effective overburden pressure can be obtained as

γd × 1.5 + γsub × (4.2 − 1.5)

Using the values of dry and submerged densities, effective overburden pressure is ob-
tained as
σo = 18.75 × 1.5 + 11.8 × (4.2 − 1.5) = 59.985 kPa.

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 2000
The overburden correction factor is obtained as CN = 0.77 log10 = 1.17
59.985

Hence,
N1(60) = 0.75 × 1.17 × 5 = 4.39 = 4.4

The values of N1(60) at other depths can be calculated in a similar manner.

For convenience and to avoid errors, student is advised to do the calculations in a tab-
ular form. In professional geotechnical engineering practice, use of spread-sheet pro-
grams (e.g. MS Excel, Libre Office etc.) are extensively used.
Also note that N1(60) can assume fractional value and need not be an integer as in case of
field SPT counts.

Ex-3: Complete all the calculations of Ex-2 in tabular form.

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