Geotechnical Parameter

Geotechnical Parameter
Documentation
Documentation
Hashim Mukhtar
Hashim Mukhtar
Environmental Specialist
Environmental Specialist
Tanks Section
Tanks Section
2 2
Objective
Objective
To highlight the importance of accurately
To highlight the importance of accurately
determining and documenting site
determining and documenting site
-
-
specific
specific
geotechnical parameters during risk
geotechnical parameters during risk
assessment
assessment
3 3
Introduction: MRBCA risk assessment process
Introduction: MRBCA risk assessment process
1. Characterization of contamination
1. Characterization of contamination
2. Geotechnical parameters
2. Geotechnical parameters
4 4
Determination
Determination
of
of
MRBCA geotechnical
MRBCA geotechnical
parameters
parameters
(Sections 5.6 and 8.0)
(Sections 5.6 and 8.0)
A.
A.
Site
Site
-
-
specific values
specific values
B.
B.
Default values (
Default values (
soil type dependant
soil type dependant
)
)
C.
C.
Literature values (USGS)
Literature values (USGS)
D.
D.
Adjacent site values
Adjacent site values
5 5
The soil subsurface
The soil subsurface
Soil
particle
Water
Air space
Adsorbed
phase
6 6
Vadose zone lithology
Vadose zone lithology
Silty clay
Silty clay
Silty clay
Silty clay
Stiff clay
Silty clay
Fine sand
Coarse sand
One sample
Many subsamples
Homogeneous soil Heterogeneous soil
7 7
MRBCA geotechnical parameters
MRBCA geotechnical parameters
1
1
-
-
Dry bulk density
Dry bulk density
2
2
-
-
Soil porosity
Soil porosity
3
3
-
-
Volumetric water content (VWC)
Volumetric water content (VWC)
4
4
-
-
Fractional organic carbon content
Fractional organic carbon content
(FOC)
(FOC)
8 8
Dry bulk density (g/cc)
Dry bulk density (g/cc)
The dry weight (110 degrees C) of an
The dry weight (110 degrees C) of an
undisturbed
undisturbed
soil sample divided by its field
soil sample divided by its field
volume (ASTM Method D2937
volume (ASTM Method D2937
-
-
94)
94)
Dry bulk density is inversely related to
Dry bulk density is inversely related to
porosity (high porosity/more friable
porosity (high porosity/more friable
soil/less compacted/low bulk density)
soil/less compacted/low bulk density)
9 9
How to obtain dry bulk density?
How to obtain dry bulk density?
1.
1.
Soil sampling:
Soil sampling:
-
-
Collect soil samples using Shelby tube
Collect soil samples using Shelby tube
or thin
or thin
-
-
walled sampler or equivalent
walled sampler or equivalent
method
method
-
-
Homogeneous soil: one sample
Homogeneous soil: one sample
-
-
Heterogeneous soil: one soil sample
Heterogeneous soil: one soil sample
from each soil type (horizon)
from each soil type (horizon)
-
-
consider
consider
the % of each soil type in the vadose
the % of each soil type in the vadose
zone
zone
10 10
Dry bulk density (continued)
Dry bulk density (continued)
2. Literature values:
2. Literature values:
-
-
USGS
USGS
-
-
CARES value (depth)
CARES value (depth)
3. MRBCA default value (1.5)
3. MRBCA default value (1.5)
Generally reasonable values are reported
Generally reasonable values are reported
(range of 1.0 to 2.0)*
(range of 1.0 to 2.0)*
* *California Department of Pesticide Regulation California Department of Pesticide Regulation
11 11
Soil porosity (cc/cc
Soil porosity (cc/cc
-
-
soil)
soil)
The ratio of volume of voids in a soil
The ratio of volume of voids in a soil
sample to the volume of the sample
sample to the volume of the sample
(ASTM Method D854)
(ASTM Method D854)
12 12
How to determine soil porosity?
How to determine soil porosity?
We need to determine:
We need to determine:
-
-
dry bulk density
dry bulk density
-
-
specific gravity
specific gravity
Porosity = 1
Porosity = 1

dry bulk density/specific
dry bulk density/specific
gravity or particle density
gravity or particle density
At MRBCA Tier 2 porosity for the vadose zone, capillary
At MRBCA Tier 2 porosity for the vadose zone, capillary
fringe, & foundation or wall cracks are assumed identical
fringe, & foundation or wall cracks are assumed identical
13 13
Specific gravity (ASTM D854)
Specific gravity (ASTM D854)
The mass of solid matter in a given
The mass of solid matter in a given
soil sample as compared to an
soil sample as compared to an
equal volume of water
equal volume of water
14 14
Specific gravity values*
Specific gravity values*
Soil
Soil
Specific gravity
Specific gravity
Sand
Sand
2.63
2.63

2.67
2.67
Silt
Silt
2.65
2.65

2.7
2.7
Clay & silty clay
Clay & silty clay
2.67
2.67

2.9
2.9
Organic soils
Organic soils
<2.0
<2.0
(Histosols
(Histosols
-
-
peat (OMC 0.12
peat (OMC 0.12
-
-
0.18)
0.18)
*
*
University of Akron, OH
University of Akron, OH
15 15
Verification of soil porosity value
Verification of soil porosity value
-
-
Boring logs information/ soil type/MRBCA
Boring logs information/ soil type/MRBCA
default values (0.38, 0.44)
default values (0.38, 0.44)
-
-
Literature value of comparable lithology
Literature value of comparable lithology
-
-
Adjacent site value of comparable lithology
Adjacent site value of comparable lithology
16 16
Soil porosity values
Soil porosity values
Material
Material
USGS
USGS
Argonne
Argonne
Nat. Lab.
Nat. Lab.
Tanks
Tanks
MRBCA
MRBCA
Sand
Sand
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
-
-
0.50
0.50
0.38
0.38
Silt
Silt
NA
NA
0.35
0.35
-
-
0.50
0.50
0.44
0.44
Clay
Clay
0.50
0.50
0.40
0.40
-
-
0.70
0.70
0.44
0.44
17 17
Volumetric water content (cc/cc)
Volumetric water content (cc/cc)
The ratio of volume of water to the volume
The ratio of volume of water to the volume
of soil (ASTM Method D2216
of soil (ASTM Method D2216
-
-
92)
92)
-
-
VWC is used in models
VWC is used in models
-
-
Convert gravimetric value to volumetric
Convert gravimetric value to volumetric
value
value
VWC = GWC x dry bulk density/density of
VWC = GWC x dry bulk density/density of
water
water
18 18
How to determine volumetric water content?
How to determine volumetric water content?
1
1
-
-
Collect multiple soil samples across the site at
Collect multiple soil samples across the site at
varying depths and determine the water content
varying depths and determine the water content
from each of the vadose zone lithologic units
from each of the vadose zone lithologic units
2
2
-
-
Calculate average water content in lab reports for
Calculate average water content in lab reports for
soil samples collected from the vadose zone
soil samples collected from the vadose zone
3
3
-
-
USGS value
USGS value
-
-
CARES (check depth)
CARES (check depth)
4
4
-
-
MRBCA default value (determine soil type)
MRBCA default value (determine soil type)
19 19
General volumetric water content
General volumetric water content
issues
issues
1.
1.
Volumetric water content higher than
Volumetric water content higher than
porosity?
porosity?
2.
2.
High volumetric water content for sites
High volumetric water content for sites
with shallow depth to groundwater
with shallow depth to groundwater ( (
3 to 5
3 to 5
feet
feet

SSTLs >effective saturated concentration for
SSTLs >effective saturated concentration for
soil and groundwater)
soil and groundwater)
20 20
Fractional organic carbon content
Fractional organic carbon content
(g
(g
-
-
C/g
C/g
-
-
soil)
soil)
The weight of organic carbon in the soil
The weight of organic carbon in the soil
divided by the weight of the soil
divided by the weight of the soil
21 21
How to determine fractional organic
How to determine fractional organic
carbon content?
carbon content?
1.
1.
Collect soil samples from area of no
Collect soil samples from area of no
petroleum impact (PID
petroleum impact (PID
-
-
log)
log)
Consideration of lithology: composite
Consideration of lithology: composite
samples from two or more borings
samples from two or more borings
2. USGS
2. USGS
-
-
CARES
CARES
-
-
organic matter content
organic matter content
-
-
correction factor
correction factor
22 22
Fractional organic carbon content
Fractional organic carbon content
(continued)
(continued)

Vadose zone:
Vadose zone:
Three subsamples from 3 feet depth to the
Three subsamples from 3 feet depth to the
top of the water table (from 0 to 3 feet/soil
top of the water table (from 0 to 3 feet/soil
zone/high OMC)
zone/high OMC)

Saturated zone:
Saturated zone:
two subsamples, one immediately below the
two subsamples, one immediately below the
top of the saturated zone and one 3 feet
top of the saturated zone and one 3 feet
below the top of the groundwater table
below the top of the groundwater table
23 23
Sensitivity illustrations
Sensitivity illustrations
-
-
Assess Indoor inhalation of vapor
Assess Indoor inhalation of vapor
exposure pathway
exposure pathway
-
-
Use MRBCA software version 2.1 of 2005
Use MRBCA software version 2.1 of 2005
-
-
Use soil type 1 default parameters
Use soil type 1 default parameters
-
-
Determine tier 2 site
Determine tier 2 site
-
-
specific target levels
specific target levels
for benzene for soil and groundwater for a
for benzene for soil and groundwater for a
resident and nonresident
resident and nonresident
24 24
Effect of porosity on Benzene
Effect of porosity on Benzene
SSTLs
SSTLs
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45 0.5 0.55
POROSITY
B
e
n
z
e
n
e

S
S
T
L
s
Resident soil
Resident GW
Nonresident soil
Nonresident GW
Porosity VAC
0.35 0.27
0.38 0.30
0.40 0.32
0.44 0.36
0.50 0.42
VWC = 0.08
FOC = 0.006
25 25
Effect of VWC on Benzene SSTLS
Effect of VWC on Benzene SSTLS
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
0.08 0.09 0.1 0.15 0.17 0.19 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Volumetric Water Content
B
e
n
z
e
n
e

S
S
T
L
s
Resident soil
Resident GW
Nonresident soil
Nonresident GW
VWC VAC
0.08 0.30
0.10 0.28
0.17 0.21
0.20 0.18
0.25 0.13
0.30 0.08
0.35 0.05
P = 0.38
FOC = 0.006
26 26
Effect of FOC on Benzene SSTLs
Effect of FOC on Benzene SSTLs
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0.003 0.004 0.005 0.006 0.007 0.008 0.009 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04
Fracti onal Organi c Carbon
B
e
n
z
e
n
e

S
S
T
L
s
Resident soil
Resident GW
Nonresident soil
Nonresident GW
OMC* FOC
Soil (1,340) 0.02 0.01
Subsoil (1,220) 0.008 0.005
MRBCA 0.006
*Journal of the American Chemistry Society
P = 0.38
VWC = 0.08
27 27
Summary
Summary

Collect soil samples for geotechnical parameters
Collect soil samples for geotechnical parameters
according to the guidance procedures
according to the guidance procedures

Collect soil samples from all soil horizons at
Collect soil samples from all soil horizons at
sites where the soil profile is heterogeneous
sites where the soil profile is heterogeneous

Submit laboratory reports and calculations
Submit laboratory reports and calculations

Submit boring logs with PID results
Submit boring logs with PID results

Support results with literature or comparable site
Support results with literature or comparable site
values
values
28 28
QUESTIONS?
QUESTIONS?
COMMENTS?
COMMENTS?
Geotechnical parameters
Geotechnical parameters