OBJECTIVE ¢ Nature of soil deposit ¢ Depth and thickness of various soil strata « Location of ground water table « Collection of soil and rock sample and determination of engineering properties e In-situ properties by field testWHAT IS THE NEED ? ¢ To determine the type of foundation required for the proposed project at the site, i.e. shallow foundation or deep foundation. « To make recommendations regarding the safe bearing capacity or pile load capacity ¢ Ultimately, it is the subsoil that provides the ultimate support for the structuresHOW ? « The three important aspect are > Planning > Execution > Report writing « Planning ¢ To minimize cost of explorations and yet give reliable data. * Decide on quantity and quality depending on type, size and importance of project and whether investigation is preliminary or detailedHOW (Cont’d..) * Execution: *Collection of disturbed and/or undisturbed samples of subsurface strata from field. * Conducting in-situ tests of subsurface material and obtaining properties directly or indirectly. e Study of ground water conditions and collection of sample for chemical analysis. e Laboratory testing on samplesHOW (Cont’d..) « Report writing: «Description of site conditions — topographic features, hydraulic conditions, _ existing structures, etc. supplemented by plans/drawings. ¢ Description of nature, type and importance of proposed construction ¢ Description of field and lab tests carried out. e Analysis and discussion of data collected ¢ Preparation of charts, tables, graphs, etc. ¢ Calculations performed « RecommendationsSITE INVESTIGATION ¢ Acomplete site investigation will consist of : « Preliminary work Collecting general information and already existing data such as study of geologic , seismic maps, etc. at or near site. Study site history — if previously used as quarry, agricultural land, industrial unit, etc. ¢ Site Reconnaissance: Actual site inspection. To judge general suitability various tests and Decide exploration techniquesMETHODS OF EXPLORATION « Direct methods * Trial pits or Trenches ¢ Semi-direct methods * Borings e Indirect methods ¢ Penetration tests « Geophysical methodsDIRECT AND SEMI DIRECT METHODS ¢ Test pits « Adopted for minor structures, Small buildings ¢ Suitable upto small depths (< 2m) * Geotechnical characteristics of disturbed samples ¢ Boring « Used for epecaton at greater depths where direct methods fai «Provide both disturbed as well as undisturbed samples depending upon the method of boringBORING (Cont'd..) ° The different types of boring methods are : » Auger boring > Wash boring » Rotary drilling > Percussion drillingAUGER BORING ¢ This method is fast and economical ¢ Suitable for soft to stiff cohesive soils ¢ Soil sample collected is disturbed * Not suitable for very hard or cemented soils, very soft soils, as then the flow into the hole can occurAUGER BORING (Cont'd..) e Used for advancing borehole into the ground ¢ Suitable when the borehole is kept dry and unsupported « Hand operated (3-5 m) or power driven ¢ Post hole and helical auger e Rotating and pressing mechanism ¢ Testing of samples collected in the AugerAUGER BORING (Cont’d..)POWER DRIVEN AUGER BORINGWASH BORING Suitability * Exploration below GWT + For all soils except gravel and boulders Technique * Making of hole for short depth using an auger * Installation of casing pipe (manually/power) * Installation of tripod, pulley and winch * Hollow drill bit screwed to a hollow drill rod connected to a rope passing over a pulley * The hollow drill bit assembly placed in the hole * Water is forced through the swivel and the drilling rod using a pump * the rods are rotated and also moved up and down either manually or with a mechanized rig * The loosened soil comes out of the borehole in the form of slurry through the annular space between the rod and side of hole * The suspension is led to a settling tank where the soil particle settle * Water collected in the sump is re-circulated againWASH BORING (Cont'’d..)WASH BORING (Cont'd..) * Limitation * Very disturbed sample * Cannot be used for evaluation of engineering properties * Sample can be extracted by replacing the drilling bit with a samplerPERCUSSION DRILLING * Suitable for hard soil and soft rock where auger boring and wash boring can not be employed * Hole is made using auger « Installation of casing pipe . Heavy drill bit called ‘Churn bit’ is attached to drill rods ¢ Bore hole is extended by repeated blows of the drill bit using winch system ¢ Water is forced through the drill rod assembly for breaking stiff soil or rock ¢ Slurry removed by bailers ¢ Method cannot be used in loose sand and is slow in plasticity « Formation gets badly disturbed by impactPERCUSSION DRILLING (Cont’d..)ROTARY DRILLING ¢ Suitable for rock strata and can also be used for sands and silt ¢ Method is fast in rock formation ¢ Drill bit fixed to drill rod is rotated by power ¢ The soil collected in the drill bit can be removed and boring is continued « Water/Bentonite slurry can be forced under pressure through the drill rod * Rock cores may be obtained by using suitable diamond drill bitPLANNING AN EXPLORATION PROGRAMME * Include: ¢ Site plan of the area « A layout plan of proposed structure with column location and expected loads « Location of bore holes and field tests SPT, Vane shear test ¢ Planning of other field tests SCPT, DCPT, Plate Load Test ¢ Bore log data and different laboratory tests for evaluation of strength and compressibility characteristics of different soil Grain size, Specific gravity, Plasticity, Triaxial shear test, consolidation testPLANNING AN EXPLORATION PROGRAMME (CONTD.) ¢ Spacing of boring: * depends on type, size, weight of proposed structure SSS) Peden ce 1 Highway 300-600 2 Earth dam 30-60 3 Borrow pit 30-120 4 Multistory building 15-30 5 Single story building 30-90PLANNING AN EXPLORATION PROGRAMME (CONTD.) * Depth of boring: ¢ Type of structure ¢ Should penetrate all strata that could consolidate ¢ For bridge and tall building the boring should extend to rock ¢ 1.5 times the width of footing below foundation level e For embankment and dam 0.5 — 2 times the height ¢ Single storey — 3.5 m, Double storey — 6.5 mSOIL SAMPLING In general soil samples are categorized as shown in figureSOIL SAMPLING (Cont'd..) « Disturbed sample : In such sample natural soil structure is modified or destroyed y If water content and mineral content are also modified then it is a non-representative or remolded sample > If water content and mineral content are not modified then it is representative sample e Undisturbed sample : Natural soil structure, water content and mineral content are preservedSOIL SAMPLING (Cont'd..) ¢ For the purpose of atterberg’s limit, specific gravity, grain size analysis either representative or undisturbed sample should be used « Undisturbed sample are desired for coefficient of permeability, consolidation parameter and shear strength parameter,FIELD METHODS TO DETERMINE BEARING CAPACITY OF SOIL « Plate load test ¢ Standard penetration test (SPT) « Static cone penetration test (SCPT) « Dynamic cone penetration test (DCPT) « Field vane shear testFIELD METHODS TO DETERMINE BEARING CAPACITY OF SOIL * Plate load test * Standard penetration test (SPT) ¢ Static cone penetration test (SCPT) ¢ Dynamic cone penetration test (DCPT) ¢ Field vane shear testPLATE LOAD TEST * Significance . Caermeation of allowable bearing capacity of sub soi ¢ Suitable for gravel/boulder strata when SPT and DCPT does not give dependable results * Also used to determine the modulus of subgrade reaction (K) useful for design of pavements « Apparatus * Bearing plates Square MS plates( 30, 45, 60 ,75 and 100 cm) Circular plates (30 cm , 75 cm dia.) Dial gauge (0.01 mm) Magnetic base Hydraulic jack stop watch Spirit levelPLATE LOAD TEST (Cont’d..) * Test location ¢ Conducted at proposed foundation level * If GWT is above test level it is lowered down to test level e Selection of test plate ¢ Side of test plate atleast equal to 4 times the maximum size of particle at the test level ¢ Circular plates are used for circular footings and road pavement « General size of plates are 30 cm, 45cm, 60cm, 75 cm or 100 cm * Test pit « Excavated upto the level of foundation for proposed structure Apel. Cg te Le gt bt ua lth af niantonPLATE LOAD TEST (Cont'd..)PLATE LOAD TEST (Cont'd..) Procedure of test + Application of seating load of 0.07 kg/cm? + Load removed after 5-10 min, Dial gauge is set to zero * The load is then applied in cumulative in equal increment of 0.5 to 1 kg/cm? « For each increment, settlement are noted down at different time interval of 1, 2.25, 4, 6.25, 9, 16, 25 min, ‘1hr, 2hr, till the rate of settlement is not more than 0.02 mm/min, not less than hr for sandy gravelly soils * Inclays, the settlement measures are taken for 24 hours for each load increment * Application of next higher load and the process is repeated * Test is continued till a total settlement of 25 mm under normal condition or 50 mm (under special condition like dense gravel, gravel-sand mixture) is reached or till failure occurs whichever is earlier * Calculation of final settlement corresponding to each loading intensity (Average of settlement of all three or four dial gauge readings) e When settlement does not reach 25 mm continue the test tillSTANDARD PENETRATION TEST (SPT) * Significance * Determination of in-situ parameters of soil * Determination of bearing capacity * Apparatus + Augers, Split spoon sampler, Drive weight assembly, A-rods, Tripod(fitted with winch and pulley), Boring guide * Procedure * Bore hole with hand auger up to about 1.5 m depth * sampler is seated through 150 mm by giving blows of 63.5 kg hammer falling freely through 750 mm height * Number of blows for 150 mm penetration is counted * Sampler further driven by 300 mm and number of blows are recorded for each 150 mm penetration * The number of blows for first 150 mm penetration are discarded * The total blows for the second and third 150 mm penetration are recorded as Penetration resistance (N-value)STANDARD PENETRATION TEST (Cont'd) * Collection of soil sample « Sample is taken out of borehole and is opened If sandy material, the sample collected in polythene bag, in case of clay it should be steel tube « The tube is sealed with wax to avoid evaporation of soil mixture * Corrections of N ¢ Correction of overburden pressure ¢ Correction factor N= 0.77 log 20/p, * Correction for dilatency (N>15) N’ cor = 15 + % (N,-15)UTILITY OF Ne VALUES *Estimation of geotechnical properties Estimation of allowable bearing Cohesive soil teria Cohesionless soil eae a aD 25-30 BEY 30-35, ] |STATIC CONE PENETRATION TEST ¢ Significance ¢ Most useful where soil properties gets disturbed by boring/blows e Useful on very soft and loose soils where transportation of heavy equipments required for SPT and DCPT test may not be possible ¢ Useful for determination of bearing capacity at different depths below foundation level ¢ Skin friction values required to be used for determining the length of pilesSTATIC CONE PENETRATION TEST (Cont'd) ¢ Apparatus * Steel cone * Friction jacket * Sounding rods * Sounding tubes/mantle tubes ¢ Driving and measuring instrument * Capacity of equipment available * 3ton © 10 ton * 20 tonSTATIC CONE PENETRATION TEST (Cont'd) e Recording of cone and friction jacket resistance ¢ Determination of cone penetration resistance ¢ Determination of ultimate bearing capacityFIELD VANE SHEAR TEST « Significance ¢ Determination of in-situ shear strength of saturated clay of very soft to medium consistency ¢ Difficulty in sampling and underestimate of shear strength of such soil in laboratory e Undrained strength both in undisturbed and remoulded samples are obtained for estimating the sensitivity of the soilFIELD VANE SHEAR TEST (Cont’d..) e Vane ¢ Four mutually perpendicular blades, L =2D ¢ Dia. 37.5 mm, 50 mm ,75 mm or 100 mm ¢ Dia of central rod to which the blades are welded >12.5 mm Torque applicator « Attachment to secure the string of rods connecting the vane ¢ Speed control (0.1°/sec) Rod system * The rods connect the vane to the torque applicator ¢ Rods are 1m and can resist the maximum torqueFIELD VANE SHEAR TEST (Cont’d..) * Procedure . Bore hole is made by suitable method up to the required ep * Casing may be driven upto the full depth of the hole « Vane is then connected to 1m extension rods as required * The assembly is then lowered into the borehole * The vane is then pushed inside bottom surface to a depth 5 times the dia of the hole « The assembly is then connected to torque applicator through a connector * Vane is rotated at the rate of 0.1°/s after a minimum period of five minutes « The vane is rotated till shear failure or when the torque indicator dial gauge moves back * Note the maximum divisions of the torque application « Using the calibration chart provided by the manufacturer convert the reading into Torque cm-kaFIELD VANE SHEAR TEST (Cont’d..) « Sensitivity « After the determination of maximum torque, the vane is rotated rapidly through a minimum of ten revolutions « Remoulded strength is determined within one minute after completion of revolutions ¢ Sensitivity = Undisturbed strength/ Disturbed strengthReferences « Geotechnical investigation for road work by Shri Sudhir Mathur, CRRI, New Delhi © www. nptel.ac.in * www.cdeep.iitb.ac.in