Past Mining Activity: Site Investigations 31

The various editions of the Ordnance Survey County Series were examined.
The 1850
and 1905 publications record the position of the old Thorncliffe Colliery northeast of the
site, and the Thorncliffe Iron Works.
The 1905 Ordnance plans show several ironstone pits on the site and an air shaft in the
northwest corner.
The later Ordnance Survey plan also shows ponds together with colliery spoil heaps in
the northern area adjacent to the mineral line. An inspection of the site reveals that the
spoil heaps have been removed or regraded.
PAST MINING ACTIVITY
The available records show that coalmining has taken place beneath the site in several
main seams. The depth of the Silkstone seam dips from approximately 16m south of
Wortley Road away to the north. It is likely that the Silkstone coal seam has been mined
by pillar and stall methods in the past but it is considered that they present no risk to
stability on this site.
Researches of mine records and topographical plans have confirmed the positions of
one air shaft within the site area. The recorded position of this shaft has been investigated
and identified using a JCB backacting excavator to carry out slit trenching under our
supervision. Detailed records of the shaft do not exist; it will require capping off at
rockhead.
Coalmining has ceased in the locality, the main collieries having been closed. The
possibility of future underground mining for coal or any other mineral can reasonably be
discounted.
TRIAL PITS
The trial pit investigation proved up to 1.50 m of colliery spoil and ironstone debris in
various parts of the site, underlain by natural brown boulder clays. The maximum
thickness of boulder clay recorded in the trial pits was 3.0 m.
There may be other areas of the site which are overlain by colliery spoil and which
have not been revealed in this investigation.
The trial pit records are included in the appendix to this report (see Figs 1.18–1.20).
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The site is underlain by superficial deposits which are variable in their thickness and
lateral extent. These deposits are generally natural boulder clays but parts of the site are
Site investigations 31
shown to be overlain by approximately 1.50 m thickness of colliery spoil and ironstone
minerals. These fills could be a result of bell pit workings for ironstone.
In those areas of the ‘site underlain directly by natural boulder clays it is recommended
that standard-width strip footings be used for dwellings of 2–3 storeys. These foundations
should be reinforced with a nominal layer of mesh type B283 top and bottom.
Where colliery spoil is evident, foundations will need to be taken down below the fill
into the natural boulder clays for a minimum distance of 300 mm.
Though the soluble sulphate content of the colliery spoils was within the Class 1 range
it is recommended that a Class 3 concrete mix be adopted owing to the low pH values.
All mortar below ground should use sulphate-resisting cement.
Ground floor construction should be a voided precast beam and block system.
We are of the opinion that the Silkstone coal seam is at such a depth beneath the site
that any abandoned mine workings within these seams would not present a source of
potential surface instability.
It is therefore recommended that excavations during the site strip are examined to
ensure there are no other mine shafts present on the site. Should any be encountered the
local British Coal mining surveyor should be informed.
It is recommended that the old air shaft be capped off at rockhead level. Should the
depth to rockhead be excessive the shaft infill should be grouted down to rockhead prior
to capping at the surface.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BRE (1991) BRE Digest 363: Concrete in sulphate-bearing soils and groundwater,
Building Research Establishment.
BSI (1992) BS 882: Part 2. Specification for aggregates from, natural sources for
concrete, British Standards Institution.
BSI (1999) BS 5930: Code of practice for site investigations, British Standards
Institution.
BSI (1986) BS 8004: British Standard code of practice for foundations, British Standards
Institution.
BSI (1990) BS 1377: Methods of testing for civil engineering purposes, British Standards
Institution.
Edmonds, C.N. and Kirkwood, J.P. (1989) Suggested approach to ground investigation
and the determination of suitable substructure solutions for sites underlain by chalk.
Proc. International Chalk Symposium, paper 12, Thomas Telford, London.
Joyce, M.D. (1980) Site Investigation Practice, E. & F.N. Spon, London.
NHBC (1977) NHBC Foundation Manual: Preventing Foundation Failures in New
Buildings, National House-Building Council, London (now rewritten as NHBC
Standards Chapter 4.1).
Tomlinson, M.J. (1980) Foundation Design and Construction, 4th edn, Pitman.
Structural foundations manual for low-rise buildings 32
Chapter 2
Foundation design
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Once all the relevant desk study and fieldwork data have been collected and collated the
type of foundation most suitable for the site conditions can be established. The most
simple foundation for low-rise dwellings is a strip footing or trenchfill concrete.
Generally, in good strata, construction is a straightforward operation but in some
situations where hazardous ground conditions are encountered special care must be taken.
This chapter points out where this special care is needed and offers some practical advice
on economic design and construction techniques.
The following foundation types can be classified based on where the load is carried by
the ground:
• Shallow foundations: strip footings or pad foundations, raft foundations etc. Generally
the depth over width (ratio of foundation depth to foundation width) is less than 1.0.
• Deep foundations: piles, pier and pad foundations, deep trench fill. Generally the
depth over width exceeds 4.0.
If we consider shallow foundations in natural clay or granular strata the following
conditions apply.
2.1.1 Width of footing
This is governed by the allowable bearing capacity of the ground at the foundation depth.
In clay soils with plasticity index greater than 20% the minimum recommended
foundation depth is 900 mm. In areas of the UK where clay soils have a plasticity index
less than 20%, foundations are traditionally placed at a minimum depth of 750 mm below
final ground level.
For most two-storey housing, wall-line loads of 35–45 kN/m run are achieved using
traditional brick-and-block construction. Where the allowable bearing pressure of the
stratum exceeds 75 kN/m2, and the stratum remains competent for approximately 1.0 m
below the footing, then a 600 mm wide footing will suffice and will be well within
allowable settlements. These footings can be unreinforced except when building in a
mining area.
Where ground bearing capacities of between 50 and 75kN/m2 exist, the strip footings
may need to be widened, and they usually require transverse reinforcement in the bottom
of the footing. It is often good practice to use a structural mesh with the main wires
spanning across the footing width (Fig. 2.1).
Where ground conditions result in bearing capacities between 25 and 50 kN/m2 then
the use of strip footings should be avoided because of the excessive widths required.
To keep settlements within a tolerable magnitude the use of ‘pseudo’-raft
foundations is recommended. Such rafts are based on empirical rules and usually take
the form of a reinforced concrete slab within downstand edge beams and internal
thickenings designed to span 3 m and cantilever 1.5m at the corners (Fig. 2.2).
2.1.2 Soft spots
Where soft spots are encountered in a footing excavation and firm ground exists at a
lower level the soft stratum should be dug out and replaced with a lean-mix concrete, of
C7.5 or C10.0 strength.
Where the soft spot is found to be too deep to dig out then it may be practical to
reinforce the foundation to span across the weak section of ground. When this is done the
foundation at each end of the reinforced section will need to be checked for the additional
loading condition and may need to be widened out locally.
2.1.3 Stratum variation in excavation
Where strip footing excavations reveal a variation in soil strata from firm clays to
compact sands then a layer of light fabric mesh should be added in the bottom of the
footing. B283 spanning along the length of the footing is the most suitable reinforcement.
Fig. 2.1 Widened reinforced strip footing.
Structural foundations manual for low-rise buildings 34
Fig. 2.2 Pseudo-raft foundation.
Where rock is encountered it is essential that the house is placed wholly on the rock
stratum. If the rock stratum cannot be excavated at a reasonable depth, i.e. less than 3 m,
then a different foundation solution should be considered. Figure 2.3 indicates the use of
a raft slab on a thick cushion of crushed stone fill. Alternatively, piles and ring beams or
pier and pad with ring beams are the usual options worth considering when these
conditions are encountered. The use o

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The various editions of the Ordnance Survey County Series were examined.

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