2024
Subsurface Investigation for Building at Chyasal
Subsurface Investigation for
Building at SYAMBA
Building Geotech 03
Client
Prepared By
Associates Pvt.Ltd Chyasal,
Lalitpur
Shantinagar, Kathmandu
Subsurface Investigation for Building at Chyasal
Table of Contents
List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................ i
List of Figures ........................................................................................................................................... i
SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................. 1
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 2
1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................... 2
1.2 Location of Boreholes ................................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Objective of Investigation ............................................................................................................. 3
1.4 Scope of Work .............................................................................................................................. 3
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 General Geology of Site................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Seismicity and Liquefaction.......................................................................................................... 5
2.2.1 Analysis of Liquefaction ........................................................................................................ 5
2.3 Field Tests and Laboratory Tests .................................................................................................. 7
2.4 Penetrometer Tests ........................................................................................................................ 7
2.4.1 Standard Penetration Test (SPT) ............................................................................................ 7
i. Disturbed Sample ........................................................................................................................ 8
ii. Undisturbed Sample: ................................................................................................................... 8
2.4.2 Dynamic Cone Penetration Test (DCPT) ............................................................................... 8
2.5 Bearing Capacity Analysis ............................................................................................................ 9
2.5.1 For Shallow foundation .......................................................................................................... 9
2.5.2 For bored cast in-situ concrete piles..................................................................................... 11
2.6 Modulus of Subgrade Reaction (Ks) ........................................................................................... 12
3. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................... 13
3.1 Desk study................................................................................................................................... 13
3.2 Field investigation ....................................................................................................................... 13
3.2.1 Drilling ................................................................................................................................. 13
3.2.2 Standard Penetration Test (SPT) .......................................................................................... 13
3.2.3 Sample collection ................................................................................................................. 14
3.2.4 Ground Water Table............................................................................................................. 14
3.3 Laboratory investigation ............................................................................................................. 14
3.3.1 Natural Moisture Content (NMC) ........................................................................................ 15
3.3.2 Specific gravity .................................................................................................................... 15
3.3.3 Grain size analysis ............................................................................................................... 15
3.3.4 Atterberg’s Limit.................................................................................................................. 15
Geotechnical and Associates Pvt. Ltd.
Subsurface Investigation for Building at Chyasal
3.3.5 Direct shear test.................................................................................................................... 15
3.4 SPT Correction............................................................................................................................ 15
3.5 Determination of Bearing Capacity ............................................................................................ 15
3.6 Analysis of Liquefaction ............................................................................................................. 16
4. RESULTS ......................................................................................................................................... 17
4.1 Field Test .................................................................................................................................... 17
4.2 Laboratory Test ........................................................................................................................... 17
4.3 Standardization of SPT (N) Value .............................................................................................. 17
4.4 Liquefaction Analysis ................................................................................................................. 17
4.5 Bearing Capacity ......................................................................................................................... 25
4.5.1 Sample Calculation .............................................................................................................. 25
5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ................................................................................ 27
5.1 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 27
5.2 Recommendation ........................................................................................................................ 27
Geotechnical and Associates Pvt. Ltd.
Subsurface Investigation for Building at Chyasal.
List of Tables
Table 1-1 Location of Boreholes ...................................................................................................................... 2
Table 2-1 Severity Due to Liquefaction as per Iwasaki et al. (1982) ..................................................................... 6
Table 2-2 method of Analysis......................................................................................................................... 9
Table 2-3 Bearing Capacity Factors................................................................................................................. 9
Table 2-4 Shape Factors ............................................................................................................................. 10
Table 2-5 Relation between cone penetration and SPT value ............................................................................... 11
Table 3-1 Details of Laboratory Tests ........................................................................................................... 14
Table 4-1: Corrected SPT details at each borehole .......................................................................................... 18
Table 4-2: Liquefaction analysis for each borehole using Idriss and Boulanger 2014, Iwasaki 1982 20
Table 4-3: Chinese Criteria for susceptibility to liquefaction adapted to ASTM definition of soil
properties .............................................................................................................................................. 23
Table 4-4 Sample Calculation for Raft foundation (Shear Failure Criteria)........................................................... 25
Table 4-5 Bearing Capacity Calculation for different footing Size for different depth (Settlement Criteria) .................... 25
Table 4-6: Calculated Bearing capacity for raft based upon shear and settlement criteria............................................ 25
Table 4-7: Proposed Bearing capacity for raft foundation at different depths and of different sizes ................................ 26
Table 5-1 Summary of Bearing Capacity obtained for various Boreholes and Mat Foundation ................................... 27
List of Figures
Figure 1-1 Project Location along with the location of Boreholes ............................................................................. 2
Figure 2-1 Geological Map of Nepal (Dahal, 2006) .......................................................................................... 4
Figure 2-2 Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment Map of the Nepal Himalaya .................................................. 5
Figure 2-3 Chart for vertical stain factor ........................................................................................................ 11
Figure 3-1 Seismic hazard map at 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years (NBC-105 2020). ............................. 13
Figure 3-2 Standard Penetration Test ............................................................................................................ 14
Figure 4-2: Chinese Criteria for liquefaction potential ....................................................................... 24
Geotechnical and Associates Pvt. Ltd.
Subsurface Investigation for Building at Chyasal
SUMMARY
This report presents the result of the site investigation and laboratory tests for the Construction of Building in
Chyasal. The field test i.e Standard Penetration Test (SPT) was conducted by drilling 3 borehole of 16m depth
each and samples were collected during the drilling process. SPT Test was carried out at every 1.5 m depth.
Laboratory tests (natural moisture content, particle size distribution, specific gravity, density and direct shear)
were performed using the samples collected from the drilling process. The borehole log of borehole has been
attached in the Annex section which comprises of the type of soil at every layer and also the N-Value obtained
at site for each layer.
The findings about the site's permissible bearing capacity of the underlying soil layer for various footing sizes
have been presented. The potential for liquefaction of the underlying soil layer has also been evaluated, and the
results have been presented along with an assessment of the material's susceptibility to liquefaction.
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Subsurface Investigation for Building at Chyasal.
Chapter 1
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
This report is prepared for the design of foundation for Building in Chyasal as per the agreement between client
and consultant, Geotechnical and Associates Pvt. Ltd., Chyasal, Lalitpur. The work presented in this report
contains the geotechnical recommendation for the proposed project.
The soil investigation comprises of three phases and they are
➢ Field Tests
➢ Laboratory tests
➢ Analysis and Interpretation of results
The first phase comprises of field tests in the form of penetration tests which are achieved in the respective sites.
Required number of boreholes is drilled at required interval to complete the borehole logging and also to
determine the penetration values. The samples need to be collected at required interval to carry out the required
tests in lab which is done once the field tests are completed.
The second phase of investigation comprises of laboratory tests which are done on the samples collected from
site. The details of the lab tests performed have been discussed in the later part of the report.
The allowable bearing capacity of the soil for various size footings is then determined using the findings of the
laboratory tests. Both shear failure and settlement criteria are used to calculate the bearing capacities, and the
minimum value of the results is then chosen as the soil's actual bearing capacity.
1.2 Location of Boreholes
Three boreholes have been drilled at various locations at site. The coordinates of the location of boreholes are
as follows:
Table 1-1 Location of Boreholes
Borehole Latitude Longitude
Number
BH-1 27.67570000 N 85.3347333 E
BH-2 27.6750500 N 85.33463167 E
BH-3 27.67587167 N 85.33469333 E
Figure 1-1 Project Location along with the location of Boreholes
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Subsurface Investigation for Building at Chyasal.
1.3 Objective of Investigation
The objectives of the soil investigation are presented below:
➢ To investigate the nature of the soil and rock deposits
➢ To assess the thickness of various soil strata and rock layers
➢ To identify the location of the Ground Water Table (GWT)
➢ To obtain insitu soil properties of the underlying layers by performing different field tests
➢ To collect soil and rock samples for determining engineering properties in the lab
➢ To determine the engineering properties of the soil and the rock sample
➢ To determine the bearing capacity of the underlying layer for different type and size of footing based
on the field and the lab test results
➢ To check the susceptibility of the underlying layers to liquefaction
➢ To recommend soil improvement techniques if needed
1.4 Scope of Work
The scope of work includes the following:
➢ Mobilizing necessary plant, equipment and personnel to the project site, setting up the equipment,
shifting of the equipment from one test location to another location.
➢ Making bore hole of required meter depth at specified location using suitable approved method of
boring.
➢ Conducting standard penetration tests in the bore holes at 1.50 m interval in depth & at every change
of strata, whichever is earlier.
➢ Collecting undisturbed soil samples from bore holes.
➢ Collecting disturbed soil samples from bore holes at regular interval and at every identifiable change of
strata to supplement the boring records.
➢ Recording the depth of ground water table in all the bore holes if observed up to the depth of
exploration during boring work as per specifications
➢ Conducting the laboratory tests on selected disturbed / undisturbed soil samples collected from various
bore holes.
➢ Determination of bearing capacity for various footing types and sizes
➢ Check the susceptibility of the underlying layer to liquefaction.
➢ Preparation and submission of reports
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