Geotechnical and material test Procedures, Evaluation

Criteria for Embankment Dam

Construction

( For RE,PM,Material Eng, and Lab tech)

Feburary 09,2022
ECO, Yabello
Types of Test and Evaluation criteria for Embankment Dam
 Clay Material

 Shell Material (Rock fill)

 Fine Filter F1(Fine Sand)

 Coarse Filter F2(Transition Filter)

 Horizontal Filter(Coarse Sand)

 Filter design

 Methodology and procedure Filter material

 Methodology and procedure Shell material

Construction material test and Evaluation criteria
 Types of standards Methods used (ASTM,AASHTO, BS, IS)

 Fine Aggregate (Sand)

 Coarse Aggregate (Gravel)

 Re Bar(Steel)

 Concrete Mix Design class

 HCB Quality

Geotechnical and material report format

Section-I: Component of Embankment Dam

Arjo-Dhidhessa main Dam construction

 Section-I:
Clay material test and specification
 GRAINSIZE ANALYSIS (particle size analysis)

 Liquid Limit

 Plastic Limit

 Linear shrinkage

 Specific Gravity of soils

 Compaction Test

 Swelling pressure

 Permeability Test of Soils

 Organic content

 Triaxial test and consolidation test

 Section-I:
GRAINSIZE ANALYSIS (particle size analysis)
Particle size analysis: - is a method of separation of soils in to different fractions based on the
particle size. It expresses quantitatively the proportions, by mass, of various size of particles present
in a soil.
i. Sieve analysis
ii. Hydrometer analysis
 coarse-grained soils (particle size greater than 75µm),
 fine-grained soil (particle size smaller than 75µm).
 Gradation (Combined) hydro1.xls
 Lab video\Particle Size Distribution of Soil Using Mechanical Sieve Analysis.MP4
 Section-I:
I. SIEVE ANALYSIS (Dry or wet sieve analysis)
 Dry sieve analysis: - Suitable for cohesion less soils, with little or no fines.
 Wet sieve analysis: - If the soil contains a substantial quantity (say, more than 5-12%) of fine particles,
wet sieve analysis required.
 Particle size distribution.jpg
 Section-I:
1<CC<3 for well graded
1<CC or CC>3 for gap graded
Cu=1 uniformly graded
Cu>4 well graded
Particle size distribution of Cc and Cu.jpg
 Section-I:
Clay material test and specification
Atterberg’s Limit using casagrade Machine
Liquid limit
 The liquid limit of a soil is the Moisture (Water ) Content at which soil
passes from the Plastic to liquid State as Determined the liquid limit
test.
Plastic limit
 The moisture content at which a mixture of soil passes from a liquid state to
that of a semi- soild state.Lab video\Atterberg Limit Tests (LL and PL) -
YouTube.flv
Atterberg limit.xls
Section-I:
Clay material test and specification
 Section-I:
Clay material test and specification
 Gradation and Atterberge.pdf

CH-Inorganic,fat clays and impervious material

Atterberg Classification of soil.jpg
 Section-I:
Clay material test and specification
Shrinkage Limit
 used for the assessment of the settlement of clay soils due to reduction in water content.
 The moisture content at which a mixture of soil passes from a semi- soild state to Soild state
 This test gives the percentage Linear Shrinkage of a soil .
 It can be used for soils of low plasticity ,Including silts, as well as for clays.
 Section-I:
Dispersivety

 dispersive clays have a high percentage of sodium cations adsorbed on the clay particle surfaces,
relative to other common soil cations such as calcium, magnesium and
potassium.
 When these clays come in contact with water low in dissolved salts the particles tend to disperse or
deflocculate, and can then be easily carried away by flowing water.
 all dispersive piping failures were caused by the occurrence of an initial concentrated seepage path
through the embankment.
 Dispersivety.jpg
 Section-I:
Swelling Pressure

 The expansive clays increase in their volume when they come in contact with water owing to
surface properties of these clay types.
 The pressure which the expansive soil exerts , if it is not allowed to swell or the volume change of
the soil is arrested , is known as Swelling Pressure of Soil.
 A soil with high swell pressure is considered unsuitable for use of embankment clay core material.
 For any clay to be classified as “CNS (non-swelling clay)”, it should not have swell pressure more
than 0.5 kg/m2.
 Section-I:
5. Compaction Test
Soil compaction:- is the densification and reduction in void ratio through the expulsion of air.
This is normally achieved by using
 mechanical compactors
 rollers
 rammers with the addition of water.

Types of Compaction Test

1.Standard compaction
2.Modified compaction
 Section-I:
Standard Proctor Modified Proctor
ASTM 698 ASTM 1557
Method A Method B Method C Method A Method B Method C
Material 20% Retained >20% Retained >20% Retained 20% Retained >20% Retained >20% Retained
on No.4 Sieve on No.4 Sieve on No.4 Sieve on No.4 Sieve on No.4 Sieve on No.4 Sieve
& 20% & <30% & 20% & <30%
Retained on Retained on Retained on Retained on
” Sieve ” Sieve ” Sieve ” Sieve

For test sample, Sieve No.4 ” Sieve ” Sieve Sieve No.4 ” Sieve ” Sieve
Use soil Passing (4.75mm) (9.5mm) (19mm) (4.75mm) (9.5mm) (19mm)
Mold 4” 4” 6” 4” 4” 6”
No. of Layers 3 3 3 5 5 5
No. of Blows 25 25 56 25 25 56
 Section-I:
 Lab video\Proctor Compaction Test.MP4

Compaction Test.xls
Section-I:
5. Compaction Test
Section-I:
5. Compaction Test
 Section-I:
Clay material test and specification
benefits of compaction are:
1. Increased soil strength.
2. Increased load-bearing capacity.
3. Reduction in settlement (lower compressibility).
4. Reduction in the fl ow of water (water seepage).
5. Reduction in soil swelling (expansion) and collapse (soil contraction).
6. Increased soil stability.
7. Reduction in frost damage.
Improper compaction can lead to:
1. Structural distress from excessive total and differential settlements.
2. Cracking of pavements, floors, and basements.
3. Structural damage to buried structures, water and sewer pipes, and utility conduits.
4. Soil erosion.
 Section-I:
Permeability Test of Soils
Permeability (k) is the capacity to allow water to pass through the soil.

Darcy’s Law
The coefficient of permeability, k, is a product of Darcy’s Law. In 1856, Darcy established an empirical
relationship for the flow of water through porous media.
Q = kiA

Where: Q = flow rate (volume/time)

i = hydraulic gradient (unitless)
A = cross-sectional area of flow (area)
k = coefficient of permeability (length/time)
 Section-I:
Main purpose of permeability

• To estimate underground seepage.

• To investigate problems involving the pumping of water for underground construction.
• To make stability analysis of earth dams, retaining structures that are subject to seepage forces.
• To calculate the rate of settlement of clayey soil deposits.
Permeability coefficient (k) can be determined using different method.
(a)Laboratory test methods
• Constant head method- for coarser soil
•Falling head method - For Fine soil
Section-I:
Section-I:
 Section-I:
 Selection criteria for clay Core Material
Permeability
 Materials with permeability of 10 E-6cm/s or lower have been used in earth dam cores,
and with the thickness normally adopted would adequately curtail seepage losses to
within economic limits.

Flexibility:
 Flexibility means ability to deform without cracking.
 The flexibility would increase with increased plasticity index, though very high values may again
be associated with high compressibility. (According to a study made by Sherard, inorganic clays
of low to medium plasticity, P.I. <15, with grain size variation from .
 Section-I:
 Selection criteria for clay Core Material
Compressibility:
 Soils of high compressibility should be avoided, as they would lead to excessive settlement,
possibility of cracking and high construction pore pressure for a given placement moisture
content
 .Compressibilty.jpg
Section-I:
Test Before placement of clay material Test After placement of clay material

Gradation Gradation

Compaction Test
Moisture content

Compaction Test Bulk unit weight

Atterberg’s Limit

Linear shrinkage

Dispersive
Specific gravity
Free swell
Permeability
consolidation test

Triaxial test
Organic Matter
Bulk unit weight
 Section-I:
Shell material Test and specification
The engineering and geological characteristics of rock-fill materials are required for analytical validation
of rock-fill dam design. The most important properties of shell material are:-
 Gradation
 Compacted Unit Weight
 Compressibility
 Durability (soundness,Abrasion and Absorption)
 Atterberg’s Limit
 Point load Test
 Compaction
 Unconfirmed Compressive Strength (UCS)
 Section-I:
 Gradation
 Rockfill properties are largely determined by the gradation and the strength of the rock
particles.
 Grading down to fines with 20 to 40 percent passing a 25 mm sieve and 5 to 15 percent
passing a 4.75 mm sieve.
 The large maximum particle sizes create unique problems in sampling, laboratory testing,
design and handling.
 Shell is more well-graded material, the higher the unit weight of the placed material with
the same compactive effort resulting in a less porous, denser embankment Shell test.xls
 Section-I:
 Compacted Unit Weight
 Unit weight of compacted rockfill depends mainly on specific weight of the rock, grain size
distribution, compactive effort, lift thickness and compacting machinery.
 Compaction is achieved from the traffic of loaded trucks and spreading dozers supplemented by
passes of a heavy vibratory roller.
 Rock fill compacted unit weight and gradation can be confirmed from a laboratory test of compressive
strength of the rock .
 Section-I:
 Compressibility

 The characteristic of rock fill to decrease in volume under external load as a result of
particle or fragment breakage, rearrangement, weight of overlaying materials and
compaction is expressed as compressibility.
 Experience indicates compressibility depending on the
 nature of the rock
 grading of the rock fill
 lift thickness
 Compaction effort
 Section-I:
 Durability

 Durability or resistance to weathering is usually of concern only for the surface layers of
the embankment
 The durability of rockfill materials is generally evaluated by laboratory testing of small
samples of rock fragments
 common durability tests and acceptable values from ASTM (1993) are listed below
Section-I:
 Durability
 Section-I:
 Point load Test
 Point Load (PL) i is an index test that aims at characterizing rock materials in terms of strength.
 Section-I:
 Unconfirmed Compressive Strength (UCS)
 UCS test is a laboratory test used to derive the Unconfirmed Compressive Strength (UCS) of a rock specimen.
 Unconfirmed Compressive Strength (UCS) stands for the maximum axial compressive stress that a specimen can
bear under zero confining stress..Lab video\Uniaxial Compressive Strength.MP4
Before placement of shell material After placement of shell material

Gradation Gradation

Compacted Unit Weight Bulk unit weight

Compressibility Compaction effort

Atterberg’s Limit

Absorption
Soundness by sodium sulphate
Soundness by Magnesium sulphate

Abrastion
Specific gravity
Unit weight
Point load Test

Unconfirmed Compressive Strength (UCS)

 Section-I:
Procedures for Shell Materials
Procedures for Embankment Works (Shell Materials)

 Conducting Material Test on samples from the borrow site

 Preparing and using appropriate methodology of production the shell material ( dozing,
blasting )

 Conducting Trial Embankment test out side of the dam foundation

 Conduct Field level Laboratory Test on samples taken from the Trial Embankment ;

 Determining the Quality Control Parameters bases on the Trial Embankment test findings;

 Recording the works and the Test Results ;

 Counter signing and endorsing the documents and using it as reference for quality control for
the material from the particular Borrow Site.
 Section-I:
Methodology for Shell Materials

Methodology for Embankment Works (Shell Materials)

 Checking visually the quality of the Shell material before transporting to the Dam embankment;

 Spreading with Dozer, to the recommended lift height ; soaking the layer with shower with
water using water truck;

 Compacting with appropriate capacity compactor(smooth foot);

 Take samples after compaction,

 Conduct Field level Laboratory Tests and compare against the specification;

 Recording the works and the Test Results ,decide acceptance or rejection,

 Counter signing and endorsing the documents .

 Section-I:
Filter material Test and specification
Three types of Filter material
1.Fine Filter(F1)

2.Coarse Filter(F2)

3.Horizontal /Base Filter

 Section-I:
Filter material Test, Design and specification
Filter Material for Embankment Dam

 The importance of filters within the body of an earth or earth-rock dam must be uppermost in the

mind of the embankment dam designer.

 Many incidents of failure or near failure can be attributed to the absence of filters and/or drains or to

filter protection that was not appropriate to the application.

 The literature within the various country 30 to 50 percent of accidents to embankment dams have

involved piping or inadequate drainage.

 Section-I:
Filter material Test and specification
Filter must be achieve the following criteria
 Not segregate
• during processing, handling, placing, spreading or compaction The filter gradation must be
sufficiently uniform and segregation is avoided in the placed material.
 Not change in gradation (degrade or break down)
• The filter must consist of hard, durable particles not susceptible to degrade due to processing
and compaction .
 Be internally stable
• . If the material is broadly or gap graded, segregation in handling and placement is more likely
and internal stability can become a serious problem.
 sufficient discharge capacity
• seepage entering the system is conveyed safely and readily with little head loss.
 Section-I:
Filter material Test and specification

Fine Filter(F1)

 Has compatible gradation with the clay core as base material

 Is clean and sound sand as specified in the Technical Specification.

 Is placed next to the clay core at both upstream and downstream sides.
 Section-I:
Filter material Test and specification
Coarse Filter(F2)

 Has gradation compatible with gradation of the material(F1) as base material

 Clean and sound granular sand as specified in the Technical Specification Some time called
Transition Filter

Horizontal /Base Filter

 Granular Material having compatible gradations with the Coarse Filter (F2) as base material.

 Has to be clean as specified in the Technical Specification.

 Is placed on the foundation at the downstream side horizontally extending the chimney drain to the
Toe drain
 Section-I:
Filter material Test and specification

Filter material Test

Filter material Test F1.xls
Filter material Test F2.xls
Section-I:
Filter material Test and specification
Horizontal /Base Filter
Test Before placement of Filter material Test After placement of Filter material

Gradation Gradation

Compaction Test
Soundness

Specific gravity Bulk unit weight

Bulk unit weight

Water absoription
Section-I:
Filter material Design

A = percent of base material passing the No. 200 (0.075 mm)

sieve after any regrading.

Criteria for Filters (USDA SCS, 1986; USBR, 1987a; USCOE, 1994)
 Section-I:
Procedures for Filter material
Procedures for Fine Filter(F1) ,Coarse Filter(F2) & Horizontal Filters works

 Taking and sending samples form the Borrow sites jointly for quality conformity checking tests at standard laboratory;

 Documenting the test results of the material from a particular Borrow site for future reference ;

 Getting approval of the source material;

 Preparing processing methodologies (sieving, sorting & blending ), the allowable silt content (washing) and persistently
comply with the requirements;

 Conducting in-the-process quality checking for maintaining uniformity and making appropriate adjustments on the
processing methodology;

 Conducting Trial Embankment Test jointly on the dam foundation;

 Conducting the field level laboratory tests on the samples after compaction;

 Document and keep the results to be used as a reference for quality control
 Section-I:
Methodology for Filter material
• Methodologies for Fine Filter(F1) ,Coarse Filter(F2) & Horizontal Filters works

 Checking the quality parameters at the production and processing pile site before transporting to the Embankment ;

 Placing the clean and sound Filter Material(Sand) with the recommended lift height ;and compact with appropriate capacity
smooth foot compactor;

 Avoid roots,leaves, stakes and any organic material impurities,

 Avoiding contamination by any machinery, or labors shoes by Geo-membrane ,Canvases, plastic sheets or sheet

 metal during placing and compaction of the next adjacent one materials(Clay and shell material);

 Following the appropriate methodology to place and compact the filter material.

 preparing sheet metal ramps for human crossing;

 Persistently avoiding contamination Record and document the acceptable results

 Section-II:

Types of standards Methods used in the laboratory

 a standard method is a method for a test in science or engineering such as a physical test and chemical tests

 difference between BS AASHTO AND ASTM.jpg

1. ASTM = American Society for Testing and Materials

2. AASHTO = American Association of State Highways and Transportation Officials

3. BS = British Standard

4. IS = Indian Standard
Section-II:
 Sample difference between ASTM C33/ESC D312/BS 812
 Section-II:
Advantages

 It minimize much amount of many & time.

 The number of skilled manpower required will be minimized.

 These existing specifications have more than 100 years of experience that will help than to pass through the
solutions for different problems they faced.

Disadvantage
 It can’t be fully applicable in on other countries
 Section-II:
Construction material test and Evaluation criteria
(A) Aggregate (Fine and Coarse)
Sieve Analysis of fine & Coarse Aggregates
Sp. Gravity & Water Absorption
Soundness Test
Flakiness Index
Elongation Index
Los Angeles Abrasion
 Section-II:
Sieve Analysis of fine and Coarse Aggregates

 The aggregate most of which passes 4.75mm sieve are classified as fine aggregate.

 The fine aggregate obtained from natural disintegration of rocks and deposited by streams are
known as natural sands.

 Fine aggregates resulting from the crushing of hard stone are known as crushed sand.

 The aggregate most of which is retained on 4.75 mm sieve is classified as coarse aggregate.
Lab video\AASHTO T-11 - wet sieving.mp4
 Section-II:
Criteria for Fine Aggregate
Gradation and silt clay content
Fine Aggregate.xls
Fine Aggregate1.xls
Silt and clay content
 Max 5% astm c33
 Section-II:
Criteria for Coarse Aggregate
Gradation Coarse
Aggregate
Coarse Aggregate.xls1.xls
 Section-II:

Specific Gravity and Water Absorption

 The specific gravity and water absorption of aggregates are important properties that are
required for the design of concrete mixes.

 The specific gravity of a solid is the ratio of its mass to that of an equal volume of
distilled water at a specified temperature.
 Water absorption is a measure of the porosity of an Aggregate.
 Section-II:

Water Absorption
 Section-II:

Specific Gravity
 Section-II:

Flakiness Index

 Flakiness Index is one of the Tests used to classify aggregate and stones

 The Flakiness Index of an aggregate sample is found by separating the flaky

particle and expressing their mass as a percentage of the mass of the sample
 Lab video\Flakiness Index Test - Flakiness Index - Aggregate Testing.MP4
 Section-II:

Flakiness Index
Flaky test.xls
 Section-II:

Elongation Index
 The particle shape of the aggregate mass is determined by the percentage of flaky
and elongated particles in it.
 This test is applicable to aggregates larger than 6.3 mm. Elongation gauge is used
for this test.
 Section-II:
Elongation Index
Final\Elongation index.xls
 Section-II:

 Soundness Test
 Soundness test is intended to study the resistance of aggregates to weathering action,
by conducting accelerated weathering test cycles.
 The Porous aggregates subjected to freezing and thawing is likely to disintegrate prematurely.

 Aggregates of the specified size are subjected to cycles of alternate wetting in a saturated
solution of either sodium sulphate or magnesium sulphate for 16 – 18 hours and then dried in
an oven at 105 to 110 oC to a constant weight after five cycle.
 The loss in weight should not exceed 12 percent when tested with sodium sulphate and 18
percent with a magnesium sulphate solution
 Final\Fine aggregate soundeness.xls
 Section-II:

Los Angeles Abrasion

 Abrasion test is carried out to test the hardness property of aggregates and to decide whether
they are suitable for concrete works.
 The principle of Los Angeles abrasion test is to find the percentage wear due to relative rubbing
action between the aggregate and steel balls used as an abrasive charge.

 Max 30% ASTM C-33

 Lab video\LA Abrasion Test - YouTube.mp4
 Final\Losangeles.xls
Section-II:

Fine Aggregate Allowable limits

Section-II:
Coarse Aggregate Allowable limits
 Section-II:
(B) Concrete Mix Design class and Evaluation criteria
 Concrete gains maximum strength at 28 days. Since in the construction sector a
great amount of capital is at stake, so instead of checking strength at 28 days we
can check strength at 7 and 14 days to predict the target strength of construction
work.
 From the below table it is clear that concrete gains 16 percent of its strength
within 24hrs, whereas concrete gains 65 percent 0f the strength by the time of 7
days of its casting.
 Till 14 days concrete shows 90 percent of the strength and thereafter the gain in
strength slows down and it takes 28 days to achieve 99 percent of strength.Lab
video\Compressive Strength of the Concrete -- Laboratory Concrete Test #1.MP4
 Section-II:
(B) Concrete Mix Design class and Evaluation criteria

..\Standard specification.pdf

compressive strength1.xls
 Section-II:

C) HCB Quality Evaluation Methods/Standards

Hollow concrete blocks shall be classified in the following three classes

 Class A and B are load beading units and suitable for: - External walls pointed, rendered and

plastered - The inner leaf of cavity walls or stone masonry - internal walls or partitions -

Panels in steel framed and reinforced steel framed buildings.

 Class C – non load bearing units suitable for:' – Non load bearing walls and partitions - None

load beating internal panels in steel framed and reinforced concrete buildings.
 Section-II:

C) HCB Quality Evaluation Methods/Standards

Hollow concrete blocks standard dimension

 Section-II:

C) HCB Quality Evaluation Methods/Standards

Hollow concrete blocks standard Compressive strength

Final\HCB.xlsx
 Section-II:

(D) Reinforcement Bars Test and Evaluation criteria

 Yield stress, Tensile stress, Elongation,Area and weight
 Bars used for reinforced concrete constructions are of three minimum yield levels namely.
1. Grade 40 (300 MPa)
2. Grade 60 (420 MPa)
3. Grade 75 (520 MPa)

 Preferred nominal sizes and grades are shown below:

Section-II:

(D) Reinforcement Bars Test and Evaluation criteria

 Mechanical Properties
 Final\Re-Bar Test.xls
 Lab video\ASTM E8 Metal Tensile Test - YouTube.mp4
Section-II:

(D) Reinforcement Bars Test and Evaluation criteria

 Cross sectional Area, mass and Tolerance on mass
 Section-II:

Geotechnical and material report format

A laboratory report has three main functions:

(1) To provide a record of the experiments and raw data included in the report.

(2) To provide sufficient information to reproduce or extend the data, and

(3) To analyze the data, present conclusions and make recommendations based on

the experimental work.

 Final\Report format2.xls
Thank
you!