Introduction to Subsurface

Investigation work
Ir. Tu Yong Eng

Typical saying
• You pay for the soil investigation whether you
do it or not.

• You will pay more if the SI is not done properly

• You pay even more if the SI is done blindly

• You will never get the full picture of the ground

• Your effort will be wasted if the simulation of the

ground was done with inaccurate data.

Objectives

• To find out the soil characteristics of the

ground for design purposes
• To determine its variation
• Forming basis of risk evaluation and
further evaluation of the design and
alternatives.
 Method of testing
• In-situ testing
• Laboratory testing

Mode of testing
• Direct test
• Indirect test

Problem with SI
• Heterogeneous in nature
• Mostly indirect test
• Accuracy of the test
• Difficulties in interpretation
• Different needs for different project and
different nature of ground
• Ground may change, esp ground water
 Soil parameters
• Different usage different needs of soil
investigation
• Type of soil or rock – Universal soil
classification system
• For slope, mainly density, degree of
compaction, ground water level, c and φ
both total stress and effective stress.
• Passive force and active forces

Example of testing
• Boring work
• Soil sampling
- Disturbed sample
- Undisturbed sample
• Field work
• Laboratory work

Examples
• Cone penetration and piezocone
penetration tests (CPT, CPTU)
• Pressuremeter tests (PMT).
• Flexible dilatometer test (FDT)
• Standard penetration test (SPT)
• Dynamic probing tests (DP)
• Weight sounding test (WST)
• Field vane test (FVT)
• Flat dilatometer test (DMT)
• Plate loading test (PLT)
 Type of test
• Tests for classification, identification and description of soil
• Water content determination
• Bulk density determination
• Particle density determination
• Particle size analysis
• Consistency limits determination
• Determination of the density index of granular soil
• Soil dispersibility determination
• Chemical testing of soil and groundwater
• Organic content determination
• Carbonate content determination
• Sulfate content determination
• pH value determination (acidity and alkalinity)

Laboratory tests
• Chloride content determination
• Strength index testing of soil
• Strength testing of soil
• Unconfined compression test
• Unconsolidated, undrained triaxial compression test
• Consolidated triaxial compression test
• Consolidated direct shear box tests
• Compressibility and deformation testing of soil
• Oedometer compressibility testing
• Triaxial deformability testing

Testing
• Point load test
• Direct shear test
• Triaxial compression test
• Compaction testing of soil
• Compaction tests
• California Bearing ratio (CBR) test
 Type of samples

Soil and rock test

• Permeability testing of soil
• Tests for classification of rocks
• Rock identification and description
• Density and porosity determination
• Swelling testing of rock material
• Swelling pressure index under zero
volume change
• Swelling strain developed in unconfined
rock specimen
• Strength testing of rock material
• Uniaxial compression and deformability
test

Geo-physic exploration
• Seismic refraction and reflection test
• Micro gravity
• Electrical resistivity test
• Electromagnetic techniques
• Remote sensing techniques
 Planning SI
⑴ Geotechnical investigations shall be planned to ensure that
relevant geotechnical information and data are available at the
various stages of the project to identify and anticipate project risks.

(2) The aims are to establish the soil, rock and groundwater conditions,
to determine the properties of the soil and rock, and to gather
additional relevant knowledge about the site.

(3) Careful collection, recording and interpretation of geotechnical

information shall be made. This shall include ground conditions,
geology, geomorphology, seismicity and hydrology, as relevant.
Indications of the variability shall be taken into account.

(4) Ground conditions which may influence the choice of geotechnical

category should be determined as early as possible.

Planning SI
• (5) Geotechnical investigations should
consist of ground investigations, &other
investigations for the site, such as:
- the appraisal of existing constructions,
e.g. buildings, bridges, tunnels,
embankments and slopes;
- the history of development on and
around the site.

Planning SI
(6) Desk study shall be carried out.

(7) Examples of information and documents that can be used are:

− topographical maps;
− old city maps describing the previous use of the site;
− geological maps and descriptions;
− engineering geological maps;
− hydro-geological maps and descriptions;
− geotechnical maps;
− aerial photos and previous photo interpretations;
− aero-geophysical investigations;
− previous investigations at the site and in the surroundings;
− previous experiences from the area;
− local climatic conditions.
 Planning SI
(8) Ground investigations should consist of field
investigations, laboratory testing, additional desk studies
and controlling and monitoring.
(9) the site shall be visually examined and the findings
recorded and cross-checked against the desk studies.
(10) The ground investigation programme should be
reviewed as the results become available so that the initial
assumptions can be checked. In particular:
- the number of investigation points should be
extended if it is deemed necessary to obtain an
accurate insight into the complexity and the
variability of the ground at the site;

Planning SI
(11) Special attention should be paid to sites
that have been previously used, where
disturbance of the natural ground conditions
may have taken place especially on the
contaminated ground.

(12) An appropriate quality assurance

system shall be in place in the laboratory, in
the field and in the engineering office, and
quality control shall be exercised
competently in all phases of the
investigations and their evaluation.

Ground
⑴ Ground investigations shall provide a description of
ground conditions relevant to the proposed works and
establish a basis for the assessment of the geotechnical
parameters relevant for all construction stages.

(2) The information obtained should enable assessment of:

− the suitability of the site with respect to the
proposed construction and the level of acceptable
risks;
− the deformation of the ground caused by the
structure or resulting from construction works, its
spatial distribution and behaviour over time;
 Ground
• the safety with respect to limit states (e.g.
subsidence, ground heave, uplift, slippage
of soil and rock masses, buckling of piles,
etc.);
• the loads transmitted to the structure from
the ground (e.g. lateral pressures on
piles) and the extent to which they
depend on its design and construction;

Ground
• the foundation methods (e.g. ground improvement, whether it's
possible to excavate, driveability of piles, drainage);
• the sequence of foundation works;
• the effects of the structure and its use on the surroundings;
• any additional structural measures required (e.g. support of
excavation, anchorage, sleeving of bored piles, removal of
obstructions);
• the effects of construction work on the surroundings;
• the type and extent of ground contamination on, and in the vicinity
of, the site;
• the effectiveness of measures taken to contain or remedy
contamination.

Planning SI
• the parameters obtained should be
checked to see that they fit into a
consistent behavioural pattern for soil or
rock. If necessary additional testing
should be specified;
• any limitations in the data, revealed
according to EN 1997-1:2004, 3.4.3 (1)
should be considered.
 Construction materials
(1)Geotechnical investigations of soil and rock for use as
construction materials shall provide a description of the
materials to be used and shall establish their relevant
parameters.
(2) Information obtained should enable an assessment:
− the suitability for the intended use;
− the extent of deposits;
− whether it is possible to extract and process the
materials, and whether and how unsuitable material can be
separated and disposed of;
− the prospective methods to improve soil and rock;

Construction materials
• the workability of soil and rock during
construction and possible changes in their
properties during transport, placement
and further treatment;
• the effects of construction traffic and
heavy loads on the ground;
• the prospective methods of dewatering
and/or excavation, effects of precipitation,
resistance to weathering, and
susceptibility to shrinkage, swelling and
disintegration.

Groundwater
(1)P Groundwater investigations shall provide all relevant information
on groundwater needed for geotechnical design and construction.

(2) Groundwater investigations should provide, when appropriate,

information on:
− the depth, thickness, extent and permeability of water-bearing
strata in the ground, and joint systems in the rock;
− the elevation of the groundwater surface or piezometric surface of
aquifers and their variation over time and actual groundwater
levels including possible extreme levels and their periods of
recurrence;
− the pore water pressure distribution;
− the chemical composition and temperature of groundwater.
 Groundwater
(3) The information obtained should be sufficient to assess :
− the scope for and nature of groundwater-lowering work;
− possible harmful effects of the groundwater on excavations or on
slopes (e.g. risk of hydraulic failure, excessive seepage pressure
or erosion);
− any measures necessary to protect the structure (e.g.
waterproofing, drainage and measures against aggressive
water);
− the effects of groundwater lowering, desiccation, impounding etc.
on the surroundings;
− the capacity of the ground to absorb water injected during
construction work;
− whether it is possible to use local groundwater, given its chemical
constitution, for construction purposes.

Examples of Soil
• Borings
investigation
• Field testing and sampling is commonly performed with
exploratory borings.
• Borings serve different purposes and provide:
• (1) SPT N-values (described in a subsequent
section) to classify soil and delineate the
stratigraphy,
• (2) both disturbed and undisturbed soil samples, and
• (3) observations of groundwater.
• The type, number, location, and depth of borings are
dictated, to a large extent, by the project stage (i.e.,
feasibility study, preliminary, or final design), availability
of existing geotechnical data, variability of subsurface
conditions, and other project constraints.

Boring machine
Boring machine

Mackintosh Probe

CPT
Plate bearing test

Vane shear test

Field density test

 Boring for soil nailing
• For soil nailing walls and slope, borings are also
necessary in front and behind the proposed wall.
• Note: Borings behind the wall should be located within a
distance up to 1 to 1.5 times the height of the wall behind
the wall and should be spaced up to 45 m along the wall
alignment.
• Note: If the ground behind the proposed wall is sloping,
the potentially sliding mass behind the wall is expected
to be larger than for horizontal ground.
• Note: Borings in front of the wall should be located within
a distance up to 0.75 times the wall height in front of the
wall and should be spaced up to 60 m along the wall
alignment.

Boring for soil nailing

• The depth of borings must be selected based on the
controlling mechanisms related to the stability of the
proposed wall and on subsurface aspects that may affect
the future performance of the wall.
• Borings should extend at least one full wall height below
the bottom of the excavation. Borings should be deeper
when highly compressible soils (i.e., soft to very soft fine-
grained soils, organic silt, and peat) occur at the site
behind or under the proposed soil nail wall.
• The required boring depths for soil nail wall projects may
be greater if deep loose, saturated, cohesionless soils
occur behind and under the proposed soil nail wall and
the seismic risk at the site require that the liquefaction
potential be evaluated.

Boring for soil nailing

• The subsurface investigation depths may
need to be deep at proposed sites of soil
nail walls where seismic amplification is of
concern, particularly in deep, soft soils.
• If rock is encountered within the selected
depth, a core at least 3 m long retrieved in
two 1.5 m long runs should be obtained to
inspect the nature of the rock and its
discontinuities.
 Diagrammatic illustration

Geotechnical Engineering circular No. 7, soil nail wall

Department of Highway UUS

Hydrometer – fine grain distribution

 Protor test

Unconsolidated Un-drain triaxial test

Shear Box test

Thank you