CHAPTER 1

SITE/SOILS INVESTIGATION

The purpose of this chapter is to give you a brief introduction to a site or soils investigation.
1.0

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE YOUR READING

1. What are the purposes of a soils investigation?
2. How do you plan and execute a soils investigation?
3. How do you interpret the information from a soils investigation?
4. How do you report the results?
5. What should be included in a soils report?

1.1

PURPOSES/OBJECTIVE OF A SITE/SOILS INVESTIGATION

A soils investigation program is necessary to provide information for design and construction,
environmental assessment, and project due diligence (due diligence is the process of evaluating a
prospective project to facilitate business decisions by the owner). The purposes of a soils
investigation are:
1.

To evaluate the general suitability of the site for the proposed project.

2.

To enable an adequate and economical design to be made.

3.

To disclose and make provision for difficulties that may arise during construction
due to ground and other local conditions.

The British Standard Code of Practice B.S. 5930: 1981 gives a list of the primary
objectives of site investigation as follows:

i.

To assess the general suitability of the site and environs for the proposed work
including implications of previous use or contamination.

ii.

To enable an adequate and economic design to be prepared, including the design for
temporary works.

iii.

To plan the best method of construction, to foresee and provide against difficulties
and delays that may arise during construction due to ground and other local
conditions.

iv.

To determine the changes that may arise in the ground and environmental
conditions, either naturally or as a result of the works and the effect of such changes
of the works on adjacent works and on the environment in general.

v.

When alternatives exist, to advise on the relative suitability of different sites or

different part of the same site.

CODES AND STANDARDS

1.2

MS 2038:2006

Site Investigations Code Of Practice

MS 840:1983

Recommended methods for soil physical analysis

MS 1056:2005

Soils for civil engineering purposes-test method

B5 5930:1981

Code of practice for site investigations

BS1377

Methods of test for soils

EC7 Parts 2

Ground investigation and testing.

PHASES OF A SITE/SOILS INVESTIGATION

The scope of a soils investigation depends on the type, size, and importance of the

structure; the client; the engineers familiarity with the soils at the site; and local building codes.
Structures that are sensitive to settlement such as machine foundations and high-use buildings
usually require a more thorough soils investigation than a foundation for a house. A client may
wish to take a greater risk than normal to save money and set limits on the type and extent of the
site investigation. You should be cautious about any attempt to reduce the extent of a soils
investigation below a level that is desirable for assuming acceptable risks for similar projects on
or within similar ground conditions. If the geotechnical engineer is familiar with a site, he/she
may undertake a very simple soils investigation to confirm his/her experience. Some local
building codes have provisions that set out the extent of a site investigation. It is mandatory that
a visit be made to the proposed site.

A soils investigation has three components. The first component is done prior to design.
The second component is done during the design process. The third component is done during

construction. The second and third components are needed for contingencies. The first
component is generally more extensive and is conducted in phases. These phases are as follows:

Phase I

DESK STUDY

Phase II

PRELIMINARY RECONNAISSANCE OR A SITE VISIT

Phase III

DETAILED SOILS EXPLORATION

Phase IV

LABORATORY TESTING

Phase V

WRITE A REPORT

Phase I

DESK STUDY

It involves collection of available information such as a site plan; type, size, and
importance of the structure; loading conditions; previous geotechnical reports; maps, including
topographic maps, aerial photographs, still photographs, satellite imagery, and geologic maps;
and newspaper clippings. An assortment of maps giving geology, contours and elevations,
climate, land use, aerial photos, regional seismicity, and hydrology are available on the Internet.

Geographical information system (GIS)an integration of software, hardware, and

digital data to capture, manage, analyze and display spatial informationcan be used to view,
share, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in ways that reveal relationships,
patterns, and trends. GIS data consist of discrete objects such as roads and continuous fields such
as elevation. These are stored either as raster or vector objects. Google Earth
(http://earth.google.com) can be used to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, and 3D structures.
You can also create project maps using Google Earth.

Figure 1.1 Topographic Map

Figure 1.2

Geological maps

Figure 1.3 Arial photographs

Figure 1.4 Arial photographs

Phase II

PRELIMINARY RECONNAISSANCE OR A SITE VISIT

Preliminary reconnaissance or a site visit to provide a general picture of the topography and
geology of the site. It is necessary that you take with you on the site visit all the information
gathered in Phase I to compare with the current conditions of the site. Your site visit notes should
include the following:

Photographs of the site and its neighborhood.

Access to the site for workers and equipment.

Sketches of all fences, utility posts, driveways, walkways, drainage systems, and so on.

Utility services that are available, such as water and electricity.

Sketches of topography including all existing structures, cuts, fills, ground depression,
ponds and so on.

The state of any existing building at the site or nearby. Your notes should include exterior
and interior cracks, any noticeable tilt, type of construction (e.g., brick or framed stucco
building), evidence of frost damage, molds, and any exceptional features.

Geological features from any exposed area such as a road cut.

Occasionally, a few boreholes may be dug to explore the site.

Note: Stucco - A durable finish for exterior walls, usually composed of cement, sand, and lime, and applied while wet.

Figure 1.5 Reconnaissance or a site visit

Figure 1.6 Reconnaissance or a site visit

Figure 1.7 Reconnaissance or a site visit

Phase III

DETAILED SOILS EXPLORATION

The objectives of a detailed soils exploration are:

To determine the geological structure, which should include the thickness, sequence, and
extent of the soil strata.

To determine the groundwater conditions.

To obtain disturbed and undisturbed samples for laboratory tests.

To conduct in situ tests.

(See Section 1.3 for more details)

1.3

SOILS EXPLORATION PROGRAM

A soils exploration program usually involves test pits and/or soil borings (boreholes). During

the site visit (Phase II), you should work out most of the soils exploration program. A detailed
soils exploration consists of:
1. Determining the need for and extent of geophysical exploration.
2. Preliminary location of each borehole and/or test pit.
3. Numbering of the boreholes or test pits.
4. Planned depth of each borehole or test pit.
5. Methods and procedures for advancing the boreholes.
6. Sampling instructions for at least the first borehole. The sampling instructions must
include the number of samples and possible locations. Changes in the sampling
instructions often occur after the first borehole.
7. Determining the need for and types of in situ tests.
8. Requirements for groundwater observations.

1.3.1 Soils Exploration Methods

The soils at a site can be explored using one or more of the following methods.
TRIAL PITS OR TEST PITS

a pit is dug by hand using shovels or with a machine such as a backhoe. This method can
provide excellent shallow-depth soil stratigraphy.

Figure 1.8 Trial Pits

REFER TO GENERAL SPECIFICATIN OR STANDARD OPERATING

PROCEDURE (SOP) FOR TEST PIT.
Field Log Information:
At a minimum, field logs for test pit excavation will include the following
documentation:
Plan and profile sketches of the test pit showing materials encountered, the depth of
material, and sample locations
Sketch of the test pit and distance and direction from permanent, identifiable location
marks as appropriate.
A description of the material removed from the excavation
A record of samples collected
The presence or absence of water in the test pit and the depth encountered
Other readings, or measurements taken during excavation, including field screening
reading.

Figure 1.9 Description of soil texture.

Figure 1.10 Field Log

LIGHT DYNAMIC PENETROMETER

JKR or Mackintosh Probe
Mackintosh Probe equipment consists of a series of 15 mm diameter steel rods. The length of
each rod is 1.20 meter. A diameter of 25 mm hardened steel 60 degree cone screwed onto the lower rod
driven into ground by a 4.5 kilogram hammer falling freely through a height of 300 mm onto an anvil. The
numbers of blow required for every 300 mm penetration was recorded. The probing would be terminated
when the blows counts of 400 (refusal) was recorded over a penetration of 300 mm or less.

Table 1.1 Differentiate between JKR and Mackintosh Probe

Four (4) advantages in conducting the Probe Mackintosh Test.

Cheap & quick way of obtaining preliminary information

To determine slip circle of redesigning failed slope or embankment

Preliminary tool to locate weak spot which causes damage to structure due to
subsoil condition

Obtaining rough characteristics of subsurface condition in relation of geology surface.

Four (4) Common Errors in conducting the Probe Mackintosh Test.

Drop height less than 280mm - higher blow counts

Exerting force onto hammer - lower blow counts

Penetration depth not marked correctly

Wrong counts of blow

Driving bend rod - higher blow count

Figure 1.12 Light Dynamic Penetrometer

Figure 1.13 To identifying localized soft/weak or slip plane

Figure 1.14 To identifying non-compliance fill.

Figure 1.15 To determine bearing capacity of soil.

HAND or POWER AUGERS

These are tools used to quickly create a hole about 100 mm to 250 mm in diameter in the ground.
You can inspect the soil and take undisturbed samples for lab tests.

Figure 1.16 Hand Auger tools

Figure 1.17 Hand Auger

To determine soil type and ground water.

Depth 5 or 6m

Safety Precautions

Stability of sides / slopes

Barricades if the pit is needed for further testing

Backfill and compact properly after use.

WASH BORING
Water is pumped though a hollow rod that may or may not be equipped with a drill bit to remove
soil from a borehole. The washings can be used to estimate the soil types.

Figure 1.18 Wash Boring Machine

Figure 1.19 Wash Boring Machine

Figure 1.20 Wash Boring borehole no. 2

Wash boring is a relatively old method of boring small-diameter exploratory holes in
fine-grained cohesive and non-cohesive soils. A very light tripod is erected, and a sheave is hung
from it. In its simplest form there are no motorized winches and the drilling water is pumped
either by hand, or by a small petrol-driven water pump. Hollow drilling rods are connected to the
pump via a flexible hose, and the drilling crew lift the string of rods by hand, or using a
cathead. Progress is made by jetting water out of a bit at the base of the rods. These are
continuously turned using a tiller, whilst being surged up and down by the drilling crew. Cuttings
of soil are carried up the hole by the drilling water (the flush) and emerge from a casing Tpiece, being deposited in a sump.

1.3.3 Number and Depths of Boreholes.

It is practically impossible and economically infeasible to completely explore the whole

project site. You have to make judgments on the number, location, and depths of borings to
provide sufficient information for design and construction. The number and depths of borings
should cover the zone of soil that would be affected by the structural loads. There is no fixed rule
to follow. In most cases, the number and depths of borings are governed by experience based on
the geological character of the ground, the importance of the structure, the structural loads, and
the availability of equipment. Building codes and regulatory bodies provide guidelines on the
minimum number and depths of borings.

The number of boreholes should be adequate to detect variations of the soils at the site. If
the locations of the loads on the footprint of the structure are known (this is often not the case),
you should consider drilling at least one borehole at the location of the heaviest load. As a guide,
a minimum of three boreholes should be drilled for a building area of about 250 m2 (2500 ft2)
and about five for a building area of about 1000 m2 (10,000 ft2). Some guidelines on the
minimum number of boreholes for buildings and for due diligence in subdivisions are given in
Table 1.4 Some general guidance on the depth of boreholes is provided in the following:

In compressible soils such as clays, the borings should penetrate to at least between 1 and
3 times the width of the proposed foundation below the depth of embedment or until the
stress increment due to the heaviest foundation load is less than 10%, whichever is
greater.

In very stiff clays and dense, coarse-grained soils, borings should penetrate 5 m to 6 m to
prove that the thickness of the stratum is adequate.

Borings should penetrate at least 3 m into rock.

Borings must penetrate below any fills or very soft deposits below the proposed structure.

The minimum depth of boreholes should be 6 m unless bedrock or very dense material is
encountered.

General guidelines for the minimum number or frequency of boreholes and their
minimum depths for common geotechnical structures are shown in Table 1.4.

Table 1.2 Depth of Rock Coring

Rock Type

Minimum core length

Igneous rock

3m - 6m (expected boulders)

Sedimentary (without limestone)

3m

Limestone (without cavity)

10m

Limestone with cavity

10m cavities free

TABLE 1.3

Guidelines for the Minimum Number of Boreholes for Buildings and

Subdivisions Based on Area
2

Area (m )

BUILDINGS
No. of boreholes
(minimum)

SUBDIVISIONS
No. of boreholes
Area (m )
(minimum)
2

<100

<4000

250

9000

500

20000

1000

40000

2000

80000

5000

400000

15

6000

8000

10000

10

Note: 1 Hectare = 10000 m

TABLE 1.4

Guidelines for the Minimum Number or Frequency and Depths of Boreholes

for Common Geostructures

GEOSTRUCTURE

1. Shallow foundation for buildings

2. Deep (pile) foundation for
buildings
3. Bridge
4. Retaining walls

5. Cut slopes
6. Embankments including roadway
(highway, motorway)

MINIMUM NUMBER OF
BOREHOLES
1, but generally boreholes are placed
at node points along grids of sizes
varying from 15m x 15m to 40m x
40m
Same as shallow foundations
Abutments: 2
Piers: 2
Length < 30 m: 1
Length > 30 m: 1 every 30 m,
or 1 to 2 times the height of the wall
Along length of slope: 1 every 60 m;
if the soil does not vary significantly,
1 every 120 m
On slope: 3
1 every 60 m; if the soil does not
vary significantly, 1 every 120 m

MINIMUM DEPTH
5 m or 1B to 3B, where B is the
foundation width

25 m to 30 m; if bedrock is
encountered, drill 3 m into it
25 m to 30 m; if bedrock is
encountered, drill 3 m into it
1 to 2 times the wall height
Walls located on bedrock: 3 m into
bedrock
6 m below the bottom of the cut
slope

The greater of 2 x height or 6 m

Figure 1.21 Grid system

Figure 1.22 Recommended system for borehole placement

Figure 1.23 Typical Cross-Section

Figure 1.24 Borehole at slope

Figure 1.25 Borehole log

TABLE 1.5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Soil Exploration Methods
Method

Advantages

GEOPHYSICAL METHODS

- Nondestructive.

1. Ground penetration radar

- Quick.

- No soil samples.

2. Seismic surveys

- Provide stratigraphy, groundwater

- Limited design parameters.

3. Electrical resistivity

and relative wetness.

- Site may not have enough real

3. Microgravity

- Relatively inexpensive

estate to conduct tests adequately.

- Provide subsurface geologic

- Much of the information is

information with which to plan

qualitative.

detailed soils investigations.

Disadvantages

TEST PITS
A pit is dug either by hand or by a

- Cost-effective.

- Depth limited to about 6 m.

backhoe.

- Provide detailed information on

- Deep pits uneconomical.

stratigraphy.

- Excavation below groundwater and

- Large quantities of disturbed soils

into rock difficult and costly.

are available for testing.

- Too many pits may scar site and

- Large blocks of samples can be

undisturbed require backfill soils.

carved out from the pits.

- Field tests can be conducted at the
bottom of the pit.
HAND AUGERS
The auger is rotated by turning and

- Cost-effective.

- Depth limited to about 6 m.

pushing down on the handlebar.

- Not dependent on terrain.

- Labor-intensive.

- Portable.

- Undisturbed samples can be taken

- Low headroom required.

only for soft clay deposits.

- Used in uncased holes.

- Cannot be used in rock, stiff clays,

- Groundwater location can easily be

dry sand, or caliche soils.

identified and measured.

POWER AUGERS

- Quick.

Truck mounted and equipped with

- Used in uncased holes.

- Depth limited to about 15 m; at

continuous-flight augers that bore a

- Undisturbed samples can be

greater depth drilling becomes

hole 100 to 250 mm in diameter.

obtained quite easily.

difficult and expensive.

Augers can have a solid or hollow

- Drilling mud not used.

- Site must be accessible to

stem.

- Groundwater location can easily be

motorized vehicle.

identified.
WASH BORING
Water is pumped to bottom of

- Can be used in difficult terrain.

- Depth limited to about 30 m.

borehole and soil washings are

- Low equipment costs.

- Slow drilling through stiff clays and

returned to surface. A drill bit is

- Used in uncased holes.

gravels.

rotated and dropped to produce a

- Difficulty in obtaining accurate

chopping action.

location of groundwater level.

- Undisturbed soil samples cannot be
obtained.

ROTARY DRILLS

- Expensive equipment.

A drill bit is pushed by the weight of

- Quick.

- Terrain must be accessible to

the drilling equipment and rotated by

- Can drill through any type of soil or

motorized vehicle.

a motor.

rock.

- Difficulty in obtaining location of

- Can drill to depths of 7500 m.

groundwater level.

- Undisturbed samples can easily be

- Additional time required for setup

recovered.

and cleanup.

SOIL SAMPLING

The objective of soil sampling is to obtain soils of satisfactory size with minimum
disturbance for observations and laboratory tests. Soil samples are usually obtained by attaching
an open-ended, thin-walled tube - called a Shelby tube or, simply, a sampling tubeto drill rods
and forcing it down into the soil.
The tube is carefully withdrawn, hopefully with the soil inside it. Soil disturbances occur
from several sources during sampling, such as friction between the soil and the sampling tube,
the wall thickness of the sampling tube, the sharpness of the cutting edge, and the care and
handling of the sample tube during transportation. To minimize friction, the sampling tube
should be pushed instead of driven into the ground.
Sampling tubes that are in common use have been designed to minimize sampling
disturbances. One measure of the effects of sampler wall thickness is the recovery ratio defined
as L/z, where L is the length of the sample and z is the distance that the sampler was pushed.
Higher wall thickness leads to a greater recovery ratio and greater sampling disturbance.
One common type of soil sampler is the Shelby tube, which is a thin-walled, seamless
steel tube of diameter 50 or 75 mm and length of 600900 mm (Figure 1.26a). Another popular
sampler is the standard sampler, also known as the split spoon sampler (split barrel sampler),
which has an inside diameter of 35 mm and an outside diameter of 51 mm (Figure 1.26b). The
sampler has a split barrel that is held together using a screw-on driving shoe at the bottom end
and a cap at the upper end. Split spoon samples are disturbed. They are used for visual
examination and for classification tests.

Figure 1.26 (a) A thin-walled tube and (b) A split barrel sampler.

Figure 1.27 A thin-walled tube

Figure 1.28 A piston sampler

Figure1.29 A split barrel sampler

Figure 1.30 Care in sampling

SOIL IDENTIFICATION IN THE FIELD

Estimating Soil Texture
In the field, the predominant soil types based on texture are identified by inspection.
Gravels and sands

- are gritty and the individual particles are visible.

Silts

- easily crumble, and water migrates to the surface on application of

pressure.

Clays

- Clays fail this water migration test since water flows very slowly through
clays. Clays feel smooth, greasy, and sticky to the touch when wet but are
very hard and strong when dry.

Estimating Soil Texture by Feel

The word texture describes the roughness or smoothness of an object. Soil texture is
determined by feeling the soil.

Soil texture is the proportion of sand, silt, and clay in the soil.

Soil texture is considered by most soil scientists to be the single most important soil
property.

Soil texture affects many land uses and cannot be changed without great cost and effort.

Sand, the largest particle of the soil, is visible to the eye. It is gritty, holds little water, and is
not slick or sticky when wet. Sand particles are between 2 and 0.05 millimeters in diameter.
Medium-sized soil particles are called silt. Silt feels like flour or talcum powder. It holds
moderate amounts of water and has a somewhat sticky feel when wet. Silt particles are between
0.05 and 0.002 millimeters in diameter.
The smallest particles of soil are called clay. Most individual clay particles can only be
seen with a powerful microscope. Clay feels sticky when wet, and hard when dry. Clay is more
chemically active than sand and silt. Clay particles are less than 0.002 millimeters in diameter.

How to determine soil texture by feel

Laboratory analyses of soil texture are costly and take time, while feeling soil texture by
hand is quick, free, and, with practice, highly accurate. The two basic steps in the texture by feel
method are shown in figures 1.31(a) and (b).
After completing these two steps, and following the flow chart diagram, determine the
soil textural class for your soil sample. The textural triangle organizes the textures into 12
classes. Notice that the loam textures are toward the middle of the diagram, because they contain
a significant amount of sand, silt, and clay.
The term coarse-textured is often used for soils that are dominated by sand. Fine-textured
refers to soils that are dominated by clay, and medium-textured soils are a more balanced
mixture of sand, silt, and clay particles.

(a)

(b)

Figure 1.31 : (a) Step 1: Take a handful of soil and break it up in your hand. Add water, and knead the mixture into a ball. The mixture should
have the consistency of putty or Play-Doh. Press the ball of soil between your thumb and forefinger, and try to make a ribbon. See how long
you can make the ribbon before it breaks. Measure the ribbon length. Remember, there are 2.5 centimeters in 1 inch. (b). Step 2: Take a pinch of
soil from your texture ball. Place it in the palm of your hand, and add water. Rub the soil and make a muddy puddle in your palm. How gritty
does this feel?

Why is soil texture important?

Soil texture is one of the most important properties to know how to measure, as it affects
many other chemical, physical, and biological soil processes and properties such as the available
water-holding capacity, water movement though the soil, soil strength, how easily pollutants can
leach into groundwater, and the natural soil fertility.

Figure 1.33 Soil structure and its effects on permeability

Feel test Rub some moist soil between fingers

Sand feels gritty

Silt feels smooth

Clays feel sticky

Ball squeeze test Squeeze a moistened ball of soil in the hand

Coarse textures (sand or sandy loam) soils break with slight pressure

Sandy loams and silt loams stay together but change shape easily

Fine textured (clayey or clayey loam) soils resist breaking

Ribbon test Squeeze a moistened ball of soil out between thumb and fingers

Sandy or sandy soils wont ribbon

Loam, silt, silty clay loam or clay loam soil ribbons less than 1 inch

Sandy clay loam, silty clay loam or clay loam ribbons 1 to 2 inches

Sandy clay, silty clay, or clay soil ribbons more than 2 inches

Note: A soil with as little as 20% clay may behave as a heavy clayey soil. A soil needs 45% to
over 60% sand to behave as a sandy soil.

Figure 1.32 Procedures for Analyzing Soil Texture by Feel

Table 1.6

Size classes of soil structural units. Thin and thick, rather than fine and coarse, are
used for platy structures.

Table 1.7 soil textures names and their abbreviations

Estimating Soil Colour

Colour is not directly related to engineering properties of soils, but is related to soil mineralogy
and texture.
Gray and bluish

: unoxidized soils

White and cream

: calcareous soils

Red and yellow

: oxidized soils

Black and dark brown: soils containing organic matter

Procedure:
1. Take a ped (each individual unit of soil structure is called ped) of soil from each horizon
and note on data sheet whether it is moist, dry or wet. If it is dry, moisten it slightly with
water from your water bottle. Figure 1.34(a)
2. Stand with the sun over your shoulder so that sunlight shines on the colour chart and the
soil sample you are examining. Break the ped. Figure 1.34(b)
3. Compare the colour of the moist inside surface with the soil colour chart. Figure 1.34(c)

(a)

(b)

(c)

Figure 1.34 Soil colour test

Consistency: Very stiff

: Finger pressure barely dents soil, but it cracks under significant

pressure.

Stiff

: Finger pressure dents soil.

Firm

:Soil can be molded using strong finger pressure.

Soft

:Easily molded by finger.

Very soft

:Soil flows between fingers when fist is closed.

Figure 1.35 Reading soil colour

Figure 1.36 Reading soil colour using Munsell Book

Figure 1.37 The correct way to read a soil colour

GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS

Water level should be taken daily during SI (particularly in the morning).

Piezometer should be used for accurate and longer time measurement.

Good practice :
1. Lower down water level in borehole
2. Allow the ground water rise to original level
3. Collect the water samples.

Figure 1.38 Standpipe piezometers

Figure 1.39 Example of piezometer record

Types of In Situ or Field Tests

Over the years, several in situ testing devices have emerged to characterize the soil and to
measure strength and deformation properties. The most popular devices are:
1. Vane shear test (VST)
2. Standard penetration test (SPT)
3. Cone penetrometer test (CPT)
4. Pressuremeter test (PMT)
5. Flat plate dilatometer (DMT)
(Only VST, SPT and CPT will discuss in this chapter)

Figure 1.40 Common In-Situ Tests for Geotechnical Site Characterization of Soils

Vane Shear Test (VST)

The vane shear test (VST), or field vane (FV), is used to evaluate the inplace undrained
shear strength (Suv) of soft to stiff clays & silts at regular depth intervals of 1 meter (3.28 feet).
The test consists of inserting a four-bladed vane into the clay and rotating the device about a
vertical axis, per ASTM D 2573 guidelines. Limit equilibrium analysis is used to relate the
measured peak torque to the calculated value of Su . Both the peak and remolded strengths can be
measured; their ratio is termed the sensitivity, S t. A selection of vanes is available in terms of
size, shape, and configuration, depending upon the consistency and strength characteristics of the
soil. The standard vane has a rectangular geometry with a blade diameter D = 65 mm, height H =
130 mm (H/D =2), and blade thickness e = 2 mm.
Advantages of VST

Disadvantages of VST

Assessment of undrained strength, Suv

Limited application to soft to stiff clays

Simple test and equipment

Slow and time-consuming

Measure in-situ clay sensitivity (St)

Raw Suv needs (empirical ) correction

Long history of use in practice

Can be affected by sand lenses and seams

Figure 1.41 General Test Procedures for the Field Vane in Fine-Grained Soils.
(Note: Interpretation of undrained strength shown is specifically for standard rectangular vane with H/D = 2).

Figure 1.42 Torquemeter Devices.

Figure 1.43 Vane Shear Blades

The Standard Penetration Test (SPT)

The standard penetration test (SPT) was developed circa 1927 and it is perhaps the most
popular field test. The SPT is performed by driving a standard split spoon sampler into the
ground by blows from a drop hammer of mass 63.5 kg falling 760 mm (Figure 1.44). The
sampler is driven 152 mm (6 in.) into the soil at the bottom of a borehole, and the number of
blows (N) required to drive it an additional 304 mm is counted. The number of blows (N) is
called the standard penetration number.
Advantages

Disadvantages

Obtain both a sample & a number

Obtain both a sample & a number*

Simple & Rugged

Disturbed sample (index tests only)

Suitable in many soil types

Crude number for analysis

Can perform in weak rocks

Not applicable in soft clays & silts

High variability and uncertainty

Note: *Collection simultaneously results in poor quality for both the sample and the number.

Figure 1.44 Sequence of Driving Split-Barrel Sampler During the Standard Penetration Test.

The Cone Penetrometer Test (CPT)

The cone penetration test is quickly becoming the most popular type of in-situ test
because it is fast, economical, and provides continuous profiling of geostratigraphy and soil
properties evaluation. The test is performed according to ASTM D-3441 (mechanical systems)
and ASTM D 5778 (electric and electronic systems) and consists of pushing a cylindrical steel
probe into the ground at a constant rate of 20 mm/s and measuring the resistance to penetration.
The standard penetrometer has a conical tip with 60 angle apex, 35.7-mm diameter body (10cm2 projected area), and 150-cm2 friction sleeve. The measured point or tip resistance is
designated qc and the measured side or sleeve resistance is fs. The ASTM standard also permits
a larger 43.7-mm diameter shell (15-cm2 tip and 200-cm2 sleeve).

The CPT can be used in very soft clays to dense sands, yet is not particularly appropriate
for gravels or rocky terrain. The pros and cons are listed below. As the test provides more
accurate and reliable numbers for analysis, yet no soil sampling, it provides an excellent
complement to the more conventional soil test boring with SPT measurements.

Advantages of CPT

Disadvantages of CPT

Fast and continuous profiling

High capital investment

Economical and productive

Requires skilled operator to run

Results not operator-dependent

Electronic drift, noise, and calibration.

Strong theoretical basis in interpretation

No soil samples are obtained.

Particularly suitable for soft soils

Unsuitable for gravel or boulder deposits*

*Note: Except where special rigs are provided and/or additional drilling support is available.

Figure 1.45 Various Cone Penetrometers Including Electric Friction and Piezocone Types.

Figure 1.46 Procedures and Components of the Cone Penetration Test.

Figure 1.47 Procedures and Components of the Cone Penetration Test

THE ESSENTIAL POINTS ARE:

A soils investigation is necessary to determine the suitability of a site for its intended purpose.
A soils investigation is conducted in phases. Each phase affects the extent of the next phase.
A clear, concise report describing the conditions of the ground, soil stratigraphy, soil parameters,
and any potential construction problems must be prepared for the client.

Phase IV

LABORATORY TESTING

The objectives of laboratory tests are:

To classify the soils.

To determine soil strength, failure stresses and strains, stressstrain response,

permeability, compactibility, and settlement parameters. Not all of these may be required
for a project.

Soils Laboratory Tests

Samples are normally taken from the field for laboratory tests to characterize the physical
and mechanical (strength and deformation) properties. These parameters are used to design
foundations and to determine the use of soils as a construction material.

Disturbed samples such as from a standard sampler are usually used for visual inspection and
for tests to determine the physical properties such as plasticity and grain size and shape.

Undisturbed samples such as from a thin-walled sampler are used for both physical and
mechanical properties.

Test results, especially those that relate to the mechanical properties, are strongly affected
by sampling, handling, transportation, and sample preparation disturbances. Care must therefore
be exercised to protect the intact condition of the soil samples. Wax is often used to coat the soil
samples to prevent moisture losses.

Figure1.48 Delineation of Geostratigraphy and Soil & Rock Types by Drill & Sampling Methods

Figure1.49 tube undisturbed sampler

Figure 1.50 Not recommended undisturbed sample for testing

Figure 1.51 Good undisturbed samples for testing

Phase V WRITE A REPORT

The report must contain a clear description of the soils at the site, methods of exploration,
soil stratigraphy, in situ and laboratory test methods and results, and the location of the
groundwater. You should include information on and/or explanations of any unusual soil, waterbearing stratum, and any soil and groundwater conditions such as frost susceptibility or
waterlogged areas that may be troublesome during construction.
(Refer to JKR SI Report)