Geotechnical Design I Geotechnical Design I

Site Investigation Site Investigation

Dr Y M Cheng Dr. Y.M. Cheng
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
http://www.cse.polyu.edu.hk/~ceymcheng/
References
P i i l f F d ti E i i 7/ B M D C Principles of Foundation Engineering, 7/e, B.M. Das, Cengage.
Code of Practice for Foundation, Buildings Department, 2004.
H K F d i H db k H i D 2014 Hong Kong Foundation Handbook, Housing Department, 2014
Guide to Retaining Wall Design, GEO Guide 1, GEO
Guide to soil and rock description, GEO Guide 3, GEO
Foundation Design and Construction, GEO, 2006.
Prescriptive measures for man-made slopes and retaining walls,
GEO 2009
G id Si i i i GEOG id 2 GEO Guide to Site investigation, GEO Guide 2, GEO
Review of design methods for excavation, GCO, 1990
G l G id b k G O 200 Hong Kong Geology Guidebook, GEO, 2007
Engineering Geology Practice in HK, GEO, 2007
Practice note from Buildings Department
Download from CEDD and Buildings Department website
Local References
htt // dd hk/ / bli ti / http://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/publications/
http://www.bd.gov.hk/english/documents/inde
x pnaphtml x_pnap.html
Tutorial Tutorial
St t t t i l i k3 4 t fi Start tutorial in week 3 or 4, to confirm
Additional tutorial near end of semester to
preparefor examination prepare for examination
Why geotechnical engineering is important in Hong Kong
Special features of Hong Kong:
Scarceof land highpopulation Scarce of land, high population
Reclamation and construction adjacent to slopes
Deepbasement for variouscommercial uses Deep basement for various commercial uses
Large amount of materials are involved
Outcome:
L t f l f il 300 Lots of slope failures average 300 per year
Large diameter deep piles
D ti Deep excavation
High ground tables creates various problems
L b kfill l df il bl Loose backfill create settlement and failure problems
Nature of geotechnical engineering
Material left by nature, difficult to control properties or
distribution
Most problems or structures are 3D in nature, compared with
1D or 2D in structural engineering
Difficult or impossible to be solved even for simple problems
Analytical solutions are usually very long and tedious even for
simple problems, if available. Most of the problems cannot be
solvedbyhandcalculators solved by hand calculators.
Hi hl li t d t f il dd d t di Highly complicated nature of soil, need deeper understanding
and experience besides knowledge. Many uncertainity behind.
Analysis in geotechnical engineering
Ruleof thumb: relymainlyonpast experience useful but not Rule of thumb : rely mainly on past experience, useful, but not
applicable to new structure or situations
Statistics : Interpretation of field test results, settlement, soil p , ,
movement etc. may not be representative
Analytical solutions : Possible for some simple problems, usually
at the ultimate limit state. Use of design graphs and tables are also
common to replace the use of long equations. Many classical
th d l ti hi h b i ti methods rely on assumptions which may be approximations.
Computational method : Rely on use of computer programs with
lessassumptions needsknowledgeandjudgment inusingthese less assumptions, needs knowledge and judgment in using these
programs. Without adequate knowledge and experience, can be
dangerous. Rubbish in rubbish out. g
Different from Structural analysis and design
Experience is important because of the various underground pe e ce s po bec useo ev ousu deg ou d
conditions. On site monitoring is also common. Greater factor of
safety.
Nature of computer programs
Most of the geotechnical programs used in civil engineering are
either based on finite element, finite difference (solution of partial
diff i l i ) li i ilib i h d( l i differential equation) or limit equilibrium method (at ultimate
condition)
FEM : Sap2000, Etabs, SAFE, Plate, Staad, Space Gass, Orion, p p
Abaqus, Adina, Plaxis, PKPM, TBSA, Phase, Lusas, Dyna
FDM : Flac, PFC, UDEC, TTI, WEAP
LEM : Slope2000, Slope/W, Slide
Syllabus and lecture sequence in Geotechnical Design I
Sequence of lecture materials:
1. Site investigation and insitu test
2. ULS, SLS and analysis of shallow foundation
3. Pile foundation
4. Slope stability
5. Lateral support system and analysis
With both basic theory, computational approach and field practice
in Hong Kong and other countries and some case studies
Site Investigation
The types of subsurface information required for design
include, but are not limited to, the following: c ude, bu ae o ed o, e o ow g:
Areal extent, depth, and thickness of each identifiable soil
stratum
Description of the soil
Depth to top of rock and the character of the rock, p p ,
Location of groundwater
Engineering properties of soil and rock g gp p
Code of Practice 2004 requires 5m as the required depth for
definition of bedrock
Usually around 1-2% of the total construction cost, but can
be very important for some projects Tai Yau Building in
Wan Chai, MTRC collapse at Admiralty
Borehole B Borehole A Borehole Simplified Borehole Simplified
Typical underground condition in H.K.
Borehole B Borehole A Borehole
log A
Simplified
geology
Borehole
log B
Simplified
geology
VI VI
Potential risk of using
an overly simplified
V
V
an overly simplified
geological model
(e.g. layered-model in
IV
corestone-bearing
saprolites)
III
III
II
II
I
I
Note : (1) Refer to Geoguide 3 (GCO, 1988) for
classification of rock decomposition grade I to grade VI.
Importance of Site Investigation
Why MTRC island line is so deep ? y p
Why Chek Lap Kok airport is so
i ? expensive ?
WhyTseungKeungOreclamationsettle? Why Tseung Keung O reclamation settle ?
Why there are about 300 slope failures per
year in Hong Kong ?
Wh th l di t b Why are there so many large diameter bore
piles ? p
Stages in Site Investigation
DESK STUDY
SITE RECONNAISSANCE
PLANNING OF SITE INVESTIGATION WORK
CONTRACT PREPARATION AND TENDERING
FIELD WORK (INCLUDING LABORATORY &
INSITU TESTS) IN SITU TESTS)
REPORTING
Constraints
Financial & time - dictate the scope and method of
ti id d d l / l b li t operation considered as delay/useless by clients
Buried services and structures, risk to life/adjacent
property, site specific factors (e.g. access, water)
Obtainapproval for SI works- MTRC DLO Highways Obtain approval for SI works - MTRC, DLO, Highways,
Housing & GEO (see p.322-323 GEOGUIDE 2)
Desk study
1. Collection and analysis of information relevant to the site, the
immediateenvironment andtheproposeddevelopment Much immediate environment and the proposed development. Much
useful information can be obtained through this study.
2. Definethetypesandamount of subsurfaceinvestigationrequired 2. Define the types and amount of subsurface investigation required
to establish parameters for design
3. Features to look for in a desk study : y
Main rock and soil types present on site
Main geological structure e.g. faults g g g
Surface features e.g. valley, terraces
Groundwater conditions
Nearby Development e.g. foundation of adjacent buildings
Hazardse.g. landslip, subsidence, toxicwaste Hazards e.g. landslip, subsidence, toxic waste
Source of Information
(a) Survey Plan - Buildings & Lands Department's Survey and
Mapping Office
P ibl id if i d l d Possible use : identify previous and present land usage, contours,
water courses and other surface features
(b) Oth d l S & M i Offi D i (b) Other maps and plans - Survey & Mapping Office, Drainage
Department & other utility companies, Hong Kong
Archaeological Society, other PublicLibraries Archaeological Society, other Public Libraries
Possible use : identify previous land usage, location of concealed
mineshafts, demolished buildings and abandoned works, , g ,
topography and drainage of previous ground surfaces, changes in
water courses and other surface features
(c) Geological Maps and Memoirs
- Allen, P.M. & Stephens, E.A. (1971)
- Geotechnical Area Studies Programme (GASP) Reports and
Maps - Engineering Geology and Geotechnical Engineering Date
Contd
(d) Other Publications and Records
Government Development Architectural ServicesDepartment - Government Development - Architectural Services Department
- Private Development - Building and Lands Department
Di dT l R t db Hi h D t t - Disused Tunnels - Report prepared by Highways Department
- Disused Mines - Mines Division of the Labour Department
W t T l i d th l t d t t S f - Water Tunnels, reservoirs, and other related structures, Surface
runoff - Water Supplier Department
AdmiraltyChart andTideTable - Admiralty Chart and Tide Table
- Meteorological and Seismological Information - Royal Observatory
(e) Aerial Photographs a ailablefromB ildingandLands (e) Aerial Photographs - available from Building and Lands
Department's Survey and Mapping Office
Contd
(f) Previous Site Investigation Data
MOST IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INFORMATION inHK MOST IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INFORMATION in HK
Mainly from Geotechnical Information Unit at Geotechnical
EngineeringOffice Engineering Office
Available in special publications e.g. Mid-Levels Study
Tendencytodevelopdatabaseof previoussiteinvestigationdata Tendency to develop database of previous site investigation data
Caution: Caution :
(a) Interpretation of old investigation data because procedures and
standardhavechanged andthefieldpracticedated20yearsago standard have changed, and the field practice dated 20 years ago
is not reliable
(b) Extrapolatingdataobtainedfromadjacent sitemaynot be (b) Extrapolating data obtained from adjacent site may not be
reliable.
Site Reconnaissance
Topographical features.
Subsurface strata revealed in cut slopes, pits, quarries or natural
exposures providedataonthematerial andmasscharacteristicsof exposures - provide data on the material and mass characteristics of
soils and rocks particularly the jointing characteristics, fault pattern,
weathering profile, location of existing slip surfaces or weak zones. gp , g p
Surface depression may be indicative of sinkholes in limestone,
pipes in chalk, depressions from quarries or underground mine
workings.
Surface drainage pattern.
Stable angle of existing natural or man-made slopes, availability
and types of suitable construction materials, signs of distress.
Note : Actual site condition may differ from drawings
Aerial photos
From Lands Department : 1:500 to 1:1000 and up to 1:5000 to
1:20000 for rural areas
Aerial photos, when viewed stereoscopically, can be used to identify
ground features and soil types.
Geotechnical area studies programme
Hard copy only, Available from govt.
Geological map of Hong Kong
Methods of exploration trial pit and boring
Sh ll T i l it Shallow Trial pit
Function : examining and assessing in situ conditions, In Hong Kong
normally hand-dug, oversea by excavator, dewatering may be required if pit
excavated below groundwater table.
Advantage : Speed, mobility, flexibility, economical (cost escalates rapidly
with pit depth), allow examination of shallow slip surfaces, in situ structural
details and determination of horizontal variability, allow more intensive in situ
testing, useful for soil derived from insitu rock weathering and colluvium. g, g
Disadvantages: limited working depth, existing services are more at risk,
dangers nostandardspecificationsor 'normal practice' dangers, no standard specifications or normal practice.
TYPICAL SIZE : around 1.2x1.2m in plan, depth up to 3m, side support
requirement (pit canbeupto6minveryexceptional case) requirement, (pit can be up to 6m in veryexceptional case).
SAMPLING : typically in 0.5m intervals, Disturbed samples, Samples
db O D i U100 l Bl k d l ( d250 recovered by Open-Drive or U100 sampler Blocked sample (around 250-
300mm cube) particularly suitable for sampling relict joints or shear planes
Trial pit
Trial log
Boring exploration
Typical types of boring methods include : auger boring, wash boring, rotary
boring, percussion boring most important for HK is rotary boring
FUNCTION : Well established technique for ground profiling, sampling and
testing.
Advantage : Many of the most frequently used and special purposed
sampling and in situ testing methods may be carried out, can reach great
d th ll t ll d d ifi d ti depths, well controlled and specified operation.
Disadvantage : Site accessibility and labour costs for rough terrain or
inaccessible location, light rigs or platform may be required expensive and
time consuming for mobilization, supply of water or flushing medium
Auger Boring
For general exploration helical or post-holetype around100mmdiameter For general exploration, helical or post-hole type, around 100mm diameter
hole. Auger can be hand-held or power driven, and is popular in some
countries without tall buildings.
Not suitable where the soil is hard/unstable, presence of rock fragments, or
where high groundwater table. Limited to about 30m exploration
Rotary Boring (most common in H.K.)
Drill bit or casing shoe rotated on the bottom of the borehole, drilling fluid
i dd t th bit th hh ll d ill d l b i t th bit d is pumped down to the bit through hollow drill rods, lubricates the bit and
flushed the drill debris up the borehole.
Flushing medium may be water or drilling mud (water with clay or
bentonite) for stabilizing the stability of opening. Use of air foam as a
flushing medium enables increased core recovery in colluvium and insitu
weathered soil.
Can extend to great depth, but more expensive than other methods. g p , p
Rotary drilling (from Geoguide 2)
Core barrel
Core Barrels for Rotary Boring
Single core barrels : seldom used
Double-tube core barrels : an inner tube protects the core from
disturbance caused by the rotational action
Triple-tube core barrels : Most widely used in Hong Kong and
incorporates a spring-loaded second inner core barrel which either
advancesaheadof thefaceof thebit inrelativelysoft groundor advances ahead of the face of the bit in relatively soft ground or
lags when the material is harder
Corebarrel normally15minlength CommonsizeinHongKong : Core barrel normally 1.5m in length, Common size in Hong Kong :
P, H, N and S size Cutting bit, drill rod
Common casing sizes
Wash boring
Use high water pressure to break
the soil and reverse cycling to
collect the suspension of soil.
Samples not recovered.
Usually by-products of grouting
works not specifieddirectlyin works, not specified directly in
contract
Other aspects
Inclined drilling - major use in investigating boulder size,
wall geometry, tunnel
R i i h i f h d illh l b i d Reaming - increase the size of the drillhole by reaming down
a larger casing
Small drill rigor portabledrill rig Small drill rig or portable drill rig
Wash boring - commonly used during actual construction to
prove a particular stratum or bedrock p p
Reinstatement requirement : backfilled with well compacted
materials or cement grout
Drilling fluid - Drilling fluid is required for rotary drilling
but not auger drilling
Wherebedrockisencountered it shouldbeprovedbycoring Where bedrock is encountered, it should be proved by coring
to a minimum depth of 5 m.
Foaming agent
Foam may be added to compressed air to enhance its
performance. Foam will help keep the cuttings separated,
reducing sticking and allow larger cuttings to be removed.
Foaming agents are generally biodegradable mixtures of
surfactants surfactants.
Water isgenerallyacost effectiveandefficient drillingfluid Water is generally a cost-effective and efficient drilling fluid.
Water alone is however a poor hole stabilizer and may cause
clay and shale to swell. c y ds e oswe .
Bentoniteiscommonlyaddedtowater tostabilizethe Bentonite is commonly added to water to stabilize the
cutting. Polymer mud is expensive but the lubricating quality
of polymer is excellent and can noticeably reduce bit and rod
wear.
Rock coring
(a) Single core barrel (b) double barrel (c) diamond cutting bit
Sampling
Sample Quality
-Undisturbed samples not possible from loose granular deposit
-Disturbed samples are usually available as a by-product of the boring and
sampling process
-sample size determined by the type of test to be performed : generally 100mm
in diameter
-sample weight : as defined by relevant BS testing specification.
-BS5930 : Class 1 to 5 samples
It ispossibletoobtainagoodsampleof material not representingthemass -It is possible to obtain a good sample of material not representing the mass.
-Sample quality should match with the test
Class of samples (from GEO Guide 1)
Class 1 and 2 are basically undisturbed
Samplers
Thin and thick wall samplers
O b S l Open Tube Sampler
Split Barrel Standard Penetration
Test Sampler Test Sampler
Rotary Core Sampler
Block sampler
Piston sampler
Thin and thick wall samplers
Inner tube pressed down hydraulically
to collect sample, no rotation !
After sample come up to ground
surface, then outer casing rotate and
break the soil.
Piston sampling
Thin and thick wall samplers
Standard penetration test samplers
Double tube Core barrel
Triple tube Core barrel
Disturbance in sampling
1. Pieces of hard gravel or shell fragments in the soil, which can cause voids to
develop along the sides of the sampling tube during the sampling process
2 Soil adjustment causedbystressrelief whenmakingaborehole 2. Soil adjustment caused by stress relief when making a borehole
3. Disruption of the soil structure due to hammering or pushing the sampling tube
into the soil stratum
4 Tensileandtorsional stresses hichareprod cedinseparatingthesample 4. Tensile and torsional stresses which are produced in separating the sample
from the subsoil
5. Creation of a partial or full vacuum below the sample as it is extracted from the
b il subsoil
6. Expansion of gas during retrieval of the sampling tube as the confining
pressure is reduced to zero
7. J arring or banging the sampling tube during transportation to the laboratory
8. Roughly removing the soil from the sampling tube
9. Crudely cutting the soil specimen to a specific size for laboratory test y g p p y
Typical borehole log
Typical corebox
QUESTIONS