Checklist and Guidelines for Review of Geotechnical

Reports and Preliminary Plans and Specifications

Table 3 - Required Geotechnical Engineering Analysis

Soil Classification Embankment and Cut Slopes Structure Foundations Retaining Structures
(Bridges and Retaining Structures) (Conventional, Crib and MSE)
Unified AASHTO Soil Type Slope Stability Analysis
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Settlement Bearing Capacity Settlement Analysis Lateral Earth Stability Analysis
Analysis Analysis Pressure
GW A-1-a GRAVEL Generally not Generally not Required for spread Generally not needed GW, SP, SW & SP All walls should be
Well- required if cut or fill required except footings, pile or drilled except for SC soils or for soils generally suitable designed to provide
graded slope is 1.5H to 1V or possibly for SC shaft foundations. large, heavy structures. for backfill behind or in minimum F.S. = 2 against
flatter, and soils. Spread footings Empirical retaining or reinforced overturning & F.S. = 1.5
GP A-1-a GRAVEL underdrains are used generally correlations with soil walls. against sliding along
Poorly- to draw down the adequate SPT values usually GM, GC, SM & base.
graded water table in a cut except possibly used to estimate SC soils External slope
GM A-1-b GRAVEL slope. for SC soils settlement generally stability
Silty Erosion of slopes suitable if have considerations
may be a problem for less than 15% same as previously
GC A-2-6A-2- GRAVEL SW or SM soils. fines. given for cut slopes
7 Clayey Lateral earth & embankments.
pressure
SW A-1-b SAND
analysis
Well-
required using
graded
soil angle of
SP A-3 SAND internal friction.
Poorly-
graded
SM A-2-4A-2- SAND
5 Silty
SC A-2-6A-2- SAND
7 Clayey
ML A-4 SILT Required unless non- Required Required. Required. These soils are not
Inorganic plastic. unless non- Spread footing Can use SPT recommended for use
silt Erosion of slopes plastic. generally values if non- directly behind or in

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 Sandy may be a problem. adequate. plastic. retaining or reinforced
soil walls.
CL A-6 CLAY Required Required
Inorganic
Lean
Clay
OL A-4 SILT Required Required
Organic
MH A-5 SILT Required. Required. Required. Required. These soils are not All walls should be
Inorganic Erosion of slopes Deep foundation Consolidation test recommended for use designed to provide
may be a problem. generally data needed to directly behind or in minimum F.S. = 2 against
required unless estimate settlement retaining walls. overturning & F.S. = 1.5
CH A-7 CLAY Required. Required. soil has been amount and time. against sliding along
Inorganic preloaded. base.
Fat Clay External slope
OH A-7 CLAY Required. Required. stability
Organic considerations
same as previously
PT ---- PEAT Required. Required. Deep foundation Highly compressible and given for cut slopes
Muck Long required unless peat not suitable for & embankments
term excavated and foundation support
settlemen replaced.
t can be
significant
Rock Fills - not required for slopes 1.5H to 1V or Required for spread Required where rock is Required.
flatter. footings or drilled badly weathered or Use rock backfill
Cuts - required but depends on shafts. closely fractured (low angle of internal
spacing, orientation and strength of Empirically RQD). friction.
discontinuities and durability of rock related to RQD
3
May require in situ
test such as
pressuremeter.
Remarks:
Soils - temporary ground water control may be needed for foundation excavations in GW through SM soils.
Backfill specifications for reinforced soil walls using metal reinforcements should meet the following requirements in insure use of non-corrosive backfill:
pH range = 5 to 10; Resistivity > 3000 ohm-cm; Chlorides < 100 ppm; Sulfates < 200 ppm; Organic content 1% maximum
Rock - Durability of shales (siltstone, claystone, mudstone, etc.) to be used in fills should be checked. Non-durable shales should be embanked as soils, i.e., placed in
maximum 0.3 m (1 ft) loose lifts and compacted with heavy sheepsfoot or grid rollers.
This is an approximate correlation to Unified (Unified Soil Classification system is preferred for geotechnical engineering usage, AASHTO system was developed for
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rating pavement subgrades).

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These are general guidelines, detailed slope stability analysis may not be required where past experience in area is similar or rock gives required slope angles.
3
RQD (Rock Quality Designation) = sum of pieces of rock core 4" or greater in length divided by the total length of core run.