KULUN BRIDGE SITE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0

FOUNDATION INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE BRIDGE AT KULUN ........... 1

1.1

Introduction ................................................................................................. 1

1.2

Fieldwork ..................................................................................................... 1

1.3

Percussion Drilling (Soft Boring) in Soft Ground ................................... 1

2.0

SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS ..................................................................... 2

2.1

Introduction ................................................................................................. 2

2.2

Surficial Soil Profile .................................................................................... 2

2.3

Country Rock .............................................................................................. 3

2.4

Groundwater Conditions ............................................................................. 3

3.0

ESTIMATION OF FOUNDATION PARAMETERS ...................................... 4

3.1

Allowable Bearing Capacity Estimation for footings on Granular ................ 4

4.0

FOUNDATION DEPTH AND TYPE ............................................................ 4

APPENDIX A LOGS & LOCATION OF BOREHOLE AT KULUN ....................... 5

APPENDIX B RESULTS OF ALLOWABLE BEARING CAPACTY ..................... 9

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1.0

FOUNDATION INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE BRIDGE AT KULUN

1.1
Introduction
Foundation investigation has been carried out at proposed River site found in the
Upper West Region.

The River crossing was located at Kulun.

1.2
Fieldwork
The fieldwork was carried out between 11th and 13th February, 2010.
To facilitate the attainment of the requirement of the fieldwork, and also
ensure compliance with the requirements of soil sample recovery and
performance of specified field tests such as standard penetration tests and
recovery of undisturbed clayey/compressible soils, a 1-ton mobile cable
percussion boring rig was used to undertake subsoil investigation.

1.3

Percussion Drilling (Soft Boring) in Soft Ground

Percussion drilling in soft ground involved the drilling of two (2No.) boreholes at
Kulun. One borehole was drilled at each approach.
The various depths attained in soft ground and decomposed rock are shown in
Table 1. Sampling and in-situ testing were carried out in the boreholes in
accordance with project specifications.
All boreholes in soft ground were deemed to have attained refusal when a total
of 50 blows have been applied during any one of the three 0.15m (6-ins)
sampler advancement during SPT. The final depths of the boreholes ranged
from 9.5m in BH 1 to 6.8m in BH 2. Duration for chiseling in each borehole
averaged one hour thirty minutes.

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Table 1: Drilling Depths

Kulun
Depth in Soft
Borehole

Depth in Rock

Ground

(Chiselling with

(Percussion

California Hammer)

Drilling)

Total
Depth

B1

9.5m

0.0m

9.5m

B2

6.8m

0.0m

6.8m

2.0

SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS

2.1
Introduction
This section present the results of the field activities and samples recovered as
part of the investigations.

2.2
Surficial Soil Profile
The boreholes sunk at the site revealed the following ground conditions;

Table 2: Stratigraphy of Site

Kulun
Stratum

Thickness

Soft moist dark brown sandy 0.0m 2.1m

Average SPT N
7

SILT
Loose to medium dense coarse 2.1m 9.3m

grained silty SAND with gravel

Very dense GRANITIC rock

Geotechnical Report

9.3m 9.5m

refusal

Page 2

Surficial soils were mainly sand with a heterogeneous mixture of dense,

occasionally greyish/yellowish/brown dense silty gravel.

Logs and Location of borehole are presented in Appendix A.

2.3
Country Rock
Bedrock of weathered Granite belonging to the Middle Precambrian granitic
rocks, with minor belts of Birrimian rocks was encountered in all locations
drilled. It was chiselled at all borehole locations. The geological map indicates
that granite was to be expected along the project corridor. At Kulun the
material actually chiseled is greyish sand with fined grained gravel (weathered
rock).

2.4
Groundwater Conditions
Groundwater was encountered at a depth of 4.65m in BH1 and 4.0m in BH2.
Within the project area, the major rainy season occurs from mid August to
October. Groundwater levels are normally expected to peak at mid September
to mid October and be at lowest in mid December to mid April. Seasonal
fluctuation in groundwater level is dependent on several factors notable are;
geology, rainfall amount, topography, catchment area size, groundwater
abstraction and recharge rates, surface drainage and land-use characteristics.

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3.0

ESTIMATION OF FOUNDATION PARAMETERS

3.1

Allowable Bearing Capacity Estimation for footings on Granular

Soils/Weathered Rock

The results obtained for N may be used to estimate bearing capacity for
granular soils of weathered granite formations. This is done in conjunction with
estimated width (B) of footing, and this is read off in the relationship established
by Terzargi and Peck curve for soils, ultimate bearing pressure in kN/m

Qult

2
N
B 0.3
B
0.08

The detailed results of allowable bearing capacity are presented in Table 3

of Appendix B.

4.0
FOUNDATION DEPTH AND TYPE
At the Kulun bridge site a foundation depth of 9.3m should be adopted. This will
mainly be in the competent weathered rock horizon.
It is therefore recommended that a design bearing capacity of 500
750KN/m2 be used and footings placed at 5.5m. At that footing depth,
either piles or caissons is to be used.

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APPENDIX A

LOGS & LOCATION OF BOREHOLE AT KULUN

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BOREHOLE LOG
PROJECT:

Kulun

LOCATION:
BORING METHOD: Percussion Drilling

DATE : 11th February, 2010

LOGGED BY: Ebenezer

(%) (%) (%)

pH Value

0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.9
7
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
7.7
7.8
7.9
8
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8
8.9
9
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5

(%)

Chemical
Tests

Cl- (mgl-1)

Type

Shear
Test

Cu (kN/m2)

Level*
(m)

N-value

Soil/Rock Description

Fines %

Sample

Consistency
Limits
nmc LL PI DFS

Sand %

OD

In-situ
Test

Gravel (%)

Symbol

Soil Profile

SO42- (mgl-1)

Borehole No.: 1

Loose moist light brown sandy SILT

spt1

N=8

6.8

19

48

52

spt2

N=3

6.7 Non-plastic

78

22

N=5

5.1 Non-plastic

86

14

Loose moist light brown silty SAND

spt3

Loose moist light brown fine-grained

silty SAND with ome gravel particles

- Ground water

spt4

N=6

32.8 Non-plastic

83

11

spt5

N=4

15.0 Non-plastic

93

N=6

16.7 Non-plastic

78

22

N=7

17.2

65

35

7.6 Non-plastic

43

56

Loose wet reddish brown coarse-grained

SAND with some gravel

spt6

spt7

20

Loose to medium dense greyish silty

SAND mixed with pebbly gravel
and mica (weathered Rock)

spt8

N=24

spt9

N>50
Very hard granitic rock

CPT

End of borehole

LEGEND
ds - disturbed sample
ud - undisturbed sample
spt - Standard Penetration Test Sample
CPT - Cone Penetration Test
N-value

nmc - natural moisture content

LL - Liquid Limit
PI - Plasticity Index
DFS - Differential Free Swell
- Ground water

Cu - Cohesion
- Coefficient of shear resistance
SO42- - Sulphate Content
Cl- - Chloride Content

Note
Hole chisseled for 1.5hours. There was no pentration
Cone test performed at 9.5m. There was no penetration after 60 blows

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BOREHOLE LOG
PROJECT:

Kulun

LOCATION:
BORING METHOD: Percussion Drilling

DATE : 13th February, 2010

LOGGED BY: Ebenezer

(%)

(%) (%) (%)

pH Value

N-value

Chemical
Tests

Cl- (mgl-1)

0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8

Soil/Rock Description

Cu (kN/m2)

Type

Shear
Test

Fines %

Sample

Consistency
Limits
nmc LL PI DFS

Sand %

OD
Level*
(m)

In-situ
Test

Gravel (%)

Symbol

Soil Profile

SO42- (mgl-1)

Borehole No.: 2

ds1

Loose moist light brown sandy SILT

spt1

N=5

11.7

29

14

26

74

spt2

N=6

15.4

20

45

55

N=5

24.3

24

10

49

51

spt3

Loose moist light brown greyish

silty SAND

- Ground water

spt4

N=6

22.1

27

10

43

57

spt5

N>50

9.4

21

35

57

13.6 Non-plastic

92

Very dense wet reddish brown

sandy GRAVEL

spt6

CPT

Very dense moist dark grey

silty SAND (weathered granitic rock)
End of borehole

LEGEND
ds - disturbed sample
ud - undisturbed sample
spt - Standard Penetration Test Sample
CPT - Cone Penetration Test
N-value

nmc - natural moisture content

LL - Liquid Limit
PI - Plasticity Index
DFS - Differential Free Swell
- Ground water

Cu - Cohesion
- Coefficient of shear resistance
SO42- - Sulphate Content
Cl- - Chloride Content

Note
Hole chisseled for 1.5hours. There was no pentration
Cone test performed at 6.8m. There was no penetration after 60 blows

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KULUN

BRIDGE

BOREHOLE LOCATION
12-02-10

44m

KuB3

KuB4
15m
48m
BH2

KUlun

BH1

51m

34.7m

52m

44m

KuB2

KuB1

Bulenge/Wa

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APPENDIX B

RESULTS OF ALLOWABLE BEARING CAPACTY

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Table 3:

Summary of Foundation Details at Borehole Locations

Okyereko
Kulun

Location

Foundation Soil

Soil Thickness

Proposed Foundation

Allowable Bearing

Net Safe Bearing

Depth

Pressure

Pressure

BH 1

Very hard granitic rock

9.3m

9.3m

1267kN/m

422 KN/m

BH2

Very dense silty SAND (weathered granitic rock)

6.4m

5.7m

1267KN/m

422KN/m

Assuming a factor of safety of 3

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