A PRESENTATION

ON
SITE INVESTIGATION

Group Members
Bimal Yadav
What Is Site Investigation?

– Site Investigation is the process of collecting information, analysis of the data and reporting
potential hazards beneath a site which are unknown.

Why site investigation?

– Site investigation is required to determine the engineering properties of soil and rock and how
they will interact with a planned development.
Site Investigation Purpose and Objectives

– The nature and sequence of strata

– The ground water conditions at the site
– The physical properties of soil and rock underlying the site
– The mechanical properties such as strength of different soil or rock strata
2.1 Analysis of slope instability based on mineral types
– Minerals are the naturally occuring rock forming chemical compounds. These have different physical and chemical properties.
some rock forming minerals are quartz, mica, feldspar, calcite e. t. c.

– A rock having quartz minerals makes a Stable slope. while a rock with light Minerals(light in colour) forms weak slope.
2.2 Analysis of slope stability based
on the orientation of fracture and
joints

– When rocks break in response to stress, the resulting

break is called a fracture.

– If there is no movement of one side relative to the other,

and if there are many other fractures with the same
orientation, then the fractures are called joints. 

Fractured Rocks
2.3 Analysis of the slope stability
based on weathering grade of rock

– Weathering of rocks is the process of disintegration of rocks

due to physical , chemical or biological causes.

– This can happen via both nonliving and living factors, such as
temperature changes, plants and animals, acids, salts and
water.

– Weathering of rocks takes place over a period of time.

Weathered
Rock
 2.4 Analysis of slope stability Based on Rock Types

– Slope failure differs for each rock type.

– A slope with quartzite rock is more stable as it is the least weathered rock .

– Slope stability depends upon

- Structural,
-Hydrological
-Morphological,
-Lithological factors .
 2.5 Types of slope materials and its relationship with slope
failure
Mainly the materials on a slope are
-Soft Rocks
-Hard Rocks
– Igneous and metamorphic rock belongs to hard rock and sedimentary type belongs to soft rock.
– Igneous and metamorphic are hard rock because they are typically more difficult to disaggregate.
– Well cemented sedimentary rocks are sometimes described as being hard rock but are usually called soft rock.
2.6 Introduction to Mass movement and
its classification

– Mass movement is the down slope movement of a mass of

surface materials, such as soil, rock or mud.

– This mass movement typically occurs along hillsides and

mountains due to the influence of gravity.
 Other Reasons of mass movements
This can occur due to a variety of reasons.

– The most basic reason is the  slope of the hillside. If the angle is overly steep, gravity will pull the material
downward, causing a mass movement.

– Earthquake is also a common cause of mass movement.

Classification of mass movements

The landslide classification based on Varnes system has two terms:

– the first term describes the material type

– the second term describes the type of movement.

 The material types are follows:

– Rock: is a hard or firm mass that was intact and in its natural place before the initiation of movement.

– Soil: is an aggregate of solid particles, generally of minerals and rocks, that either was transported or was formed by the weathering
of rock in place.
 The five distinct types of movement are described in the sequence:

– Slide

– Lateral spreads
- Flow.
– Fall

– Topple

–
 Fall
– Falls are movements of masses of geologic materials such as rocks and
boulders that become detached from steep slopes or cliffs.

– Separation occurs along discontinuities such as fractures, joints, and

bedding planes, and movement occurs by free-fall, bouncing, and rolling.
 Topple
– Toppling failures are distinguished by the forward rotation of a
unit about some pivotal point, below or low in the unit, under the
actions of gravity and forces exerted by adjacent units or by fluids
in cracks.
Slide
The movement , in which there is a distinct zone of weakness that
separates the slide material from more stable underlying material.

1.Rotational slides
– This is a slide in which the surface of rupture is
curved concavely upward and the slide movement
is roughly rotational about an axis that is parallel
to the ground surface and transverse across the
slide.
 2.Translational slides
– the landslide mass moves along a roughly planar
surface.
 Lateral spreads
– Lateral spreads are the result of nearly horizontal movement of
consolidated materials and are distinctive because they usually occur
on very gentle slopes.

– The failure is caused by liquefaction ; the process whereby saturated,

loose , cohesionless sediments are transformed from a solid into a
liquefied state.
 Flows
There are several types of flows as below:

1.Debris flow:

– A debris flow is a form of rapid mass movement in which a combination

of loose soil, rock, organic matter, air, and water mobilize as a slurry that
flows down slope.
3. Mud flow:
– A mudflow is an earth flow consisting of material that is wet enough to
flow rapidly and that contains at least 50 percent sand ,silt , and clay
sized particles.
Complex Movements
– A complex movement is a combination of
two or more types of movements.
2.7 Introduction to Landslides

– A landslide is a mass movement of material, such as rock, earth or debris,

down the slope of a hill or cliff.

– It can happen suddenly or move slowly over long periods of time.

– A landslide may occur because the strength of the material is weakened.

 The factors that increases the chance of landslide are:
– Lack of vegetation
– Flooding
– Volcanoes and earthquake.
– Human activity - Mining, traffic vibrations or urbanization which changes surface water drainage patterns leading the land to slide.
– Water
– Erosion processes
– Steepness of slope
– Type of rocks
– Jointing and orientation of bedding planes
– Arrangement of the rock layers
 2.8 Causes and Mechanism of Slope Failure
Causes:
– Slope steepness :
- Steeper slopes have greater risks for instability.
- The natural tendency of steep slopes is to move some of its materials downwards until the natural angle of repose is found.
– Drainage and stream action: 
- Excessive water in slopes is never good as it destabilizes the slope by adding weight, destroying cohesion between grains, and
reducing friction.
-  When water takes the place of air between the grains of soil, it will most likely increase the probability of down slope mass
movement and lead to slope failures.
- Streams can also erode away the bottom of the slope overtime resulting in decrease in slope stability
– Vegetation:

- The amount and type of vegetation on a slope is proportional to the strength of that slope.

- Generally, the roots of vegetation hold the soil in place and makes it more resistant to erosion.

- Therefore, the more vegetation present, the more stable the slope is likely to be.
Mechanism of slope failure
1. Erosion
Removal of particles from the surface by flowing water is called erosion.
2. Piping
Removal of fines along an underground channel.
4. Slide along soil or rock interface
– Any mass movement of soil or debris down slope includes translational slides of soil or debris, rotational slumps , flows.
– Translational slides are the most common form of slide in Nepal.
4. Plane failure
– Any mass movement whose failure plane or planes is controlled by fracture planes in rock , and whose debris consists chiefly of rock
fragments.
– Other failure in rock includes wedge failure and toppling.
5. Disintegration
– A special type of rock failure, found in permeable, weathered rocks (e. g .porous sandstone),unconsolidated materials that can
stand in vertical face.
– On the application of load the material breaks up into a pile of loose debris consisting mostly of loose rock mineral particles
2.9 Landslide Mapping
– Landslide mapping is the process of identifying and measuring the areas which are
subjected to landslides and is measured from low to high.

– The landslide susceptibility map takes into account where the landslides occur and what
causes them (slope, soil type and the impact of the flow of water in an area).  
Steps of Landslide mapping
– A note of site location should be made by using primary and secondary sources.

– Site should be checked that if it is in a part where instability would be expected.

– Orientation of rock , presence of water along fractures e.t.c should be considered .

 2.11 Priorities of Landslide Repair
Several factors to be considered while prioritizing the site for landslide repairing are:
– Technical criteria
- Technical capability
-Financial status
-Loss of lives and property
-Conditions of people’s participation
– Life Progression of Slide

-Stable slope formed

-Further movement expected

-Repeated movement expected.

Based on these factors , priority should be given to the sites which are technically , financially , socially and altitudinally feasible.