AppendixC PDF
AppendixC PDF
AppendixC PDF
Properties of Soils
This appendix presents some information and tables containing properties of soils
which will be of interest to the structural designer.
Loose sand
Dense sand
Soft clay
Stiff clay
Silty soils
Gravelly soils
*Values are representative of moist sand, gravel, saturated silt, and clay.
Table C.2 Typical values of modulus of elasticity (ES) for different types of soils
Type of Soil
Clay
Very soft
Soft
Medium
Hard
Sandy
Glacial till
Loose
Dense
Very dense
Loess
Sand
Silty
Loose
Dense
Sand and gravel
Loose
Dense
Shale
Silt
Es (N/mm2)
215
525
1550
50100
25250
10153
144720
4781,440
1457
721
1024
4881
48148
96192
14414,400
220
Table C.3 Typical values of modulus of subgrade reaction (ks) for different types of
soils
Type of Soil
Loose sand
Medium dense sand
Dense sand
Clayey medium dense sand
Silty medium dense sand
ks (kN/m3)
4,80016,000
9,60080,000
64,0001,28,000
32,00080,000
24,00048,000
(contd)
Properties of Soils
A.C.3
(contd)
Clayey soil:
qu 200 N/mm2
200 < qu 400 N/mm2
qu > 800 N/mm2
qu Safe bearing capacity
12,00024,000
24,00048,000
> 48,000
0.4 0.5
0.1 0.3
0.2 0.3
0.3 0.35
0.2 0.4
0.15
0.25
0.10.4 (depends on type of rock)
0.1 0.3
0.36
0.15
Allowable bearing
pressure
(kN/m2)
Clay+
Peat, silts,
made-up
ground
Coarse
Medium
Fine or silt
Standard
penetration
blow count (N)
Apparent
cohesion
cu (kPa)
3,200
>30
1,600
>30
900
450
450
96285
Compact and dry
450
250
150
30
>30
>30
Loose and dry
250
48120
100
3050
1530
<15
1530
415
04
100200
25100
025
Very stiff
190450
Medium stiff
200250
Soft
50100
To be determined after investigation
Table C.7 Typical values of fundamental period for soil deposits (for rock motions
with amax = 0.4g) (SEAOC 1980)
Soil depth (m)
10
30
60
90
150
0.30.5
0.61.2
1.01.8
1.52.3
2.03.5
1400
1620
(contd)
Properties of Soils
A.C.5
(contd)
Firm to hard rocks
(e.g., granites, igneous rocks,
conglomerates, sandstones, and shales
with close to widely spaced fractures)
Gravelly soils and soft to firm rocks
(e.g., soft igneous sedimentary rocks,
sandstones, shales, gravels, and soils with
> 20% gravel)
Stiff clays and sandy soils
(e.g., loose to very dense sands, silt
loams, sandy clays, and medium stiff to
hard clays and silty clays (N > 5 blows/
300mm)
Soft soils
(e.g., loose submerged fills and very soft
(N < 5 blows/300 mm) clays and silty
clays < 37 m thick)
Very soft soils
(e.g., loose saturated sand, marshland,
recent reclamation)
700
1050
1400
375
540
700
200
290
375
100
150
200
50?
75?
100
Note: The fundamental time period T of soil layer of thickness H, having average shear wave
velocity Vs is approximately
T = 4H/Vs
If we assume the weighted average shear wave velocity for 30 50 m soil layer
as 290 m/s, then the fundamental period of soil layer will range from 0.41 to 0.69
second. The fundamental time period of 4 6 storey buildings, including the soilstructure interaction, should fall in the above range of time period of soil layers,
i.e., 0.41 0.69 sec. That is, the seismic waves in this range of time period will be
allowed only to pass and filter-out the other frequencies. Therefore, there will be
quasi resonance of building and the soil layer. At this point the damaging energy
from the seismic waves get into the buildings having similar time period of vibration
as the soil layer. If the seismic damaging energy getting into the building is more
than the capacity of the structure, then the building will show distress and may
collapse.
Similarly, if we assume that the weighted average shear wave velocity for 150
300 m soil layer is around 500 m/s, then the fundamental time period will range
from 1.2 2.4 s. The fundamental time period of 10 15 storey building, including
soil structure interaction, will fall in the above range of time period of vibrations.
Therefore, there will be quasi resonance of the buildings and the soil layer and the
seismic waves will affect this group of buildings which will result in damage/
collapse of buildings. Hence, it is important to know the depth of soil layers above
the bedrock and its properties such as the shear wave velocities, which are related
in the microzonation of a region.