Site Geology

Soil Penetration
Characteristi

Defnitio
Profle
Shear Wave

Geology
NSCP 2015 (Section 208.4.3)
Velocity

Type
Site
Soilns
Soil

Test
c

Reported By:
Asuncion Maria Frely M.
Aguinaldo, Patrick A.
 What is Site Geology?

• Geology is an earth science concerned with the

Soil Penetration
Characteristi

Defnitio
Profle
Shear Wave

solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and

Velocity

Type

Site
the processes by which they change over time.
Soilns
Soil

Test
c

• Site an area of ground on which a town, building,

or monument is constructed.
 NSCP 2015 (Sec. 208.4.3)
• Each site shall be assigned a soil profile type based
on properly substantiated geotechnical data using
Soil Penetration
Characteristi

Defnitio
Profle
site categorization procedure set forth in Section
Shear Wave
Velocity

208.4.3.1.1 and Table 208-2.

Type

Site
Soilns
Soil

Test

• Exception:
c

When the soil properties are not known

in sufficient detail to determine the soil
profile type, Type Sd shall be used. Soil
profile type Se or Sf need not be assumed
unless the building official determines that
type Se or Sf may be present at the site or
in the event that Type Se or Sf is
 208.4.3.1 Soil Profile Type
Soil Profile Types , and are defined in Table 208-2 and Soil
Soil Penetration

Profile Type is defined as soils requiring site-specific

Characteristi

Defnitio

Soil Profle
Shear Wave

evaluation as follows:
Velocity

Type
Site
ns
Soil

Test
c

1. Soils vulnerable to potential failure or collapse under

seismic loading, such as liquefiable soils, quick and highly
sensitive clays, and collapsible weakly cemented soil.
2. Peats and/or highly organic clays where the thickness of
peat or highly organic clay exceeds 3.0m.
3. Very high plasticity clays with a plasticity index. PI>75,
where the depth of clay exceeds 7.5m.
 Soil Penetration
208.4.3.1 Soil Profile Type
Characteristi

Defnitio

Soil Profle
4. Very thick soft/medium stiff clays, where the depth of clay
Shear Wave
Velocity

exceeds 35m.

Type
Site
ns
Soil

Test
c

5. The criteria set forth in the definition for Soil Profile Type
requiring site-specific evaluation shall be considered. If the site
corresponds to these criteria, the site shall be classified as Soil
Profile Type and a site-specific evaluation shall be conducted.
 208.4.3.1.1 Site Categorization Procedure
This section describes the procedure for determining Soil
Profile Types through as defined in Table 208-2.
Soil Penetration
Characteristi

Defnitio

Soil Profle
Shear Wave

Table 208- 2 – Soil Profile Types

Velocity

Type
Site
ns
Soil

Test
c
 Soil Penetration
Soil Profile Type

of soft clay defined as a soil with plasticity index, PI>

Characteristi

Defnitio

Soil Profle
Shear Wave

20, ≥ 40% and < 24 kPa. The Plasticity Index, PI, and
Velocity

Type
Site
ns
Soil

the moisture content, shall be determined in

Test
c

accordance with approved national standards.

 208.4.3.1.1.2 Definitions
Soil Penetration
Soil profile types are defined as follows:
Characteristi

Defnitio
Profle
• - Hard Rock with measured shear wave velocity, > 1500
Shear Wave
Velocity

m/s

Type
Site
Soilns
Soil

Test

• - Rock with 760 m/s < ≤ 1500 m/s

c

• - Very dense soil and soft rock with 360 m/s < < 760
m/s or with either N > 50 or ≥ 100 kPa
 • - Stiff soil with 180 m/s ≤ ≤ 360 m/s or with 15 ≤ N ≤ 50
Soil Penetration

or 50 kPa ≤ ≤ 100 kPa

Characteristi

Defnitio
Profle
Shear Wave

• - A soil profile with < 180 m/s or any profile with more
Velocity

Type
Site
Soilns
Soil

Test

than 3m of soft clay defined as soil with PI > 20, ≥ 40

c

percent and < 25 kPa

• - Soils requiring site-specific evaluation, refer to Section
208.4.3.1
 Standard Penetration Test
The Standard Penetration Test is an in-situ test

Soil Penetration
Characteristi

Defnitio
Profle
that is coming under the category of
Shear Wave
Velocity

Type
penetrometer test. The standard penetration

Site
Soilns
Soil

Test
c

tests are carried out in borehole. The test will

measure the resistance of the soil strata to the
penetration undergone.
 Soil
Characteristi
Shear Wave
c
Velocity
Standard Penetration Test

Soil Penetration
Test
Defnitio
Soilns
Profle
Type
Site
 Average Shear Wave Velocity

Soil Penetration
Characteristi

Defnitio
Profle
Shear Wave
Velocity

Type
Site
Soilns
Soil

Test
c

Where:
di = thickness of Layer i , m
Vsi = shear wave velocity in Layer i , m/s
 N – Average Field Standard Penetration Resistance
Nch – Average Standard Penetration Resistance for Cohesionless
Soil Layers

Soil Penetration
Characteristi

Defnitio
Profle
Shear Wave
N
N

Velocity

Type
Site
Soilns
Soil

Test
c

Where:
di = thickness of Layer i , m
ds = the total thickness of cohesionless soil layers in the top 30 m
Ni = the standard penetration resistance of soil layer in accordance with
approved nationally recognized standards
 Average Undrained Shear Strength

Soil Penetration
Characteristi

Defnitio
Profle
Shear Wave
Velocity

Type
Site
Soilns
Soil

Test
c

Where:
dc = the total thickness (100-ds) of Cohesive Soil Layers in the top 30 m
Sui = the undrained shear strength in accordance with approved nationally
recognized standards, not to exceed 250 kPa
 Soil Profiles
Hard Rock (Soil Profile Type Sa), category shall be supported by shear wave
velocity measurements either on site or on profiles of the same rock type in the
same formation with an equal or greater degree of weathering and fracturing.

Soft Clay Profile, Se

Soil Penetration
Characteristi

Defnitio
Profle
The existence of a total thickness of soft clay greater than 3m shall be invested

Shear Wave
where a soft clay layer is defined by Su < 24 kPa, Wmc > 40 percent and PI > 20.

Velocity

Type
Site
I these criteria are met, the site shall be classified as Soil Profile Type Se.

Soilns
Test
Soil

c
Soil Profile Sc, Sd and Se
Shall be classified by using one of the following three methods with Vs , N and
Su computed in all cases.
1. Vs, for the top 3o meters (Vs method)
2. N for the top 30 meters (N method)
3. Nch for cohesionless soil layers (PI < 20) in the top 30m and average Su for
cohesive soil layers (PI > 20) in the top 3om (Su method)
 Thank You!!!

Soil
Characteristi
Shear Wave
Velocity
c
Soil Penetration
Test
Defnitio
Soilns
Profle
Type
Site