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Assessment Of Variation In Soil Parameters, For Design Of Lightly Loaded

Structural Foundations

Article  in  Life Science Journal · November 2013

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 Life Science Journal 2013;10(12s) http://www.lifesciencesite.com

Assessment Of Variation In Soil Parameters, For Design Of Lightly Loaded Structural Foundations

Muhammad Usman Arshid 1, Faisal Shabbir 1, Jawad Hussain 1,Ayub Elahi 1, Afaq Ahmed 1, Imran Khan Tahir 2
1
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Taxila, Pakistan.
2
Assistant Manager, Telenor Pakistan Pvt. Ltd.

ABSTRACT: Assessment of variation in soil parameter is required to proceed for structural design of foundations.
This study aims to develop the zoning of the project area on the bases of extensive experimental work in laboratory
and field tests performed at the number of locations of the project area. The zones are developed based on similar
characteristics of different soil parameters. The data points have been marked on the base map of the study area
along with the boundaries of the zones. The experimental data of the study area has shown potential for development
of three zones. The subsurface soils in zone A consist of low plastic fill material up to 2.0 m depth overlaying low
plastic clay from 2.0 m to 4.0 m and low plastic clay/clayey silt beyond 4.0 m depth. Zone B consists of low plastic
clay and clayey silt up to the depth of 4. meter overlaying clayey silt to silt with sand material from 4.0 m to 6 m
depths and gravel with sand beyond 6.0 meter depth. In zone C, low plastic clay/clayey silt is found up to 2.0 m
depth overlaying silty sand up to 4.0 m depth and gravel with sand beyond 4.0 m depth. Number of blows (N Value)
of standard penetration test (SPT) for Zone A is less than 8, for Zone B, it ranges from 8-15 and for Zone C, N value
is greater than 15. The resultant data can be helpful during planning stage of the project and during feasibility study
of mega projects. The research work is extendable to develop the geotechnical zoning map of any specific area and
it can be part of building code.
[Muhammad Usman Arshid, Faisal Shabbir, Jawad Hussain,Ayub Elahi, Afaq Ahmed, Imran Khan Tahir.
Assessment Of Variation In Soil Parameters, For Design Of Lightly Loaded Structural Foundations. Life Sci J
2013;10(12s):217-220]. (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 38

KEYWORDS: Soil parameters, Geotechnical zoning, Structural design, Standard penetration tests

1. INTRODUCTION Geology
The study area lies between 72°45′ and 73°30′ The study area has wide variation in terrain;
Easting and 33°30′ and 33°50′ Northing in the foot of the elevation difference reaches upto 1175 m, as the
Margalla hills. The region has historically been a part plain area is surrounded by mountains of Margalla
of the crossroads of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hills, Kala Chitta, outer and lower Himalayas ranges.
with the Margalla Pass acting as the gateway between There are many ridges reaching height of 1600 m
the two regions. Rapid growth of population in the containing complexly thrusted, folded shales and
study area has made ever-increasing demands on Eocene limestones these are generally overturned.
natural resources and Potential problems for The process of collision initiated 20 million
administration authorities are i) conversion of forest years ago approximately; between the Eurasian and
to residential areas ii) draw down of ground water Pak-India tectonic plates; is the key factor of the
table iii) improper solid waste disposal iv) geology of the study area. The complex stratigraphy
availability of geological materials for construction and geological structure produced due the said
v) instability of slopes vi) environmental and surface collision, has attracted many of the international and
water pollution and potential subsidence of building local geologists to study the behavior of the terrain.
foundations caused by instability of loess. The Geological Survey of Pakistan has done extensive
development of Geotechnical maps is a relatively work to produce geological maps of the region. The
new concept but it has gained considerable map showing the geological features of the study area,
recognition within short period of its introduction. extracted from the Geological map developed by
Integration of geotechnical database with the geological survey of Pakistan is shown in Figure 1.
Geographical information systems has boosted its Seismicity
recognition. The study area has gone through frequent
The resultant data can be helpful during folding, faulting, series of earthquakes in the past;
planning stage of the project and during feasibility hence there has been considerable tectonic activity
study of mega projects. The research work is during the recent geologic era. Deformed quaternary
extendable to develop the geotechnical zoning map of deposits are found in the study area due to the
any specific area and it can be part of building code. extensive tectonic activity. In A.D. 25, an earthquake
estimated of intensity IX destroyed the ancient city of

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Taxila, 25 km from the study area. More recently, a study of mega projects. The research work is
Richter magnitude 5.8 earthquake on February 14, extendable to develop the geotechnical zoning map of
1977, centered 7 km northeast of Rawalpindi, caused any specific area and it can be part of building code.
damage indicating Modified Mercalli intensity VII The development of Geotechnical maps is a
near the epicenter (Adhami and others, 1980) and on relatively new concept but it has gained considerable
October 8,2005, a massive earthquake jolted the recognition within short period of its introduction.
northern part of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Integration of geotechnical database with the
Kashmir, this earth also caused the collapse of a Geographical information systems has boosted its
residential plaza in the study area. recognition. These maps are very helpful in the field
For sensitive structures, site-specific designs of civil engineering providing readily available data
are required that take into account the strength of the for planning and feasibility study of projects, saving
underlying soil and bedrock and the distance from lots of time and effort and preliminary judgment of
probable earthquake sources (Adhami and others, engineering characteristics of soils, to be encountered
1980, p. 137). during the execution of proposed projects. In the
developed countries [CEGM-IAEGC, 1976] the
geotechnical maps are being included in the local
building codes and the number of geotechnical maps
has been already introduced in South Africa
[Kleinhan I, 2003], Australia [Bui et al. 1998] and
Palestine [Isam Jardaneh, 2007]. In Pakistan such
effort has also been made for the cities of Lahore and
Faisalabad.
2. METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH
Soil Exploration and Sampling
Keeping in mind the requirement of the research
project, a soil exploration program was induced and
the process was completed in the following order.
 Boring of test hole up to the 10 m depth that is
Figure 1: Geology of study Area the range of subsurface investigations generally
required for lightly load structures.
 Performing Standard Penetration Test at 1.0
meter interval or change of strata which ever
occurred earlier.
 Collection of soil samples for laboratory testing
 Performance of Laboratory test required for
establishment of Design parameters
 Engineering analysis of field data and laboratory
test results.
Data Collection
Geotechnical data from 34 sites at scattered
locations throughout the study area was collected.
The collected data from these locations contained,
standard penetration test N values, soil classification,
soil stratigraphy, sub-soil characteristics of top 3-
meter soil.
Figure 2: Seismicity of Study Area
Geotechnical Zoning
The study area shown potential for creation
According to the Seismic Zoning Map of
of three zones on the basis of SPT bore hole log, for
Pakistan, the project sites falls in Zone 2A,
the 3.0 meter of overburden soils. Three Zones are
consequently the structures should be designed in
developed on the basis of experimental data, namely
accordance with the requirement of seismic design
zone A, B & C; the stratigraphy developed for these
after due consideration to other structural design
zones has been shown in Figure 2. Zoning dissection
parameters.
has been done keeping in view the Terzaghi’s work
Geotechnical Mapping
to border line the SPT N values for soft, medium and
The resultant data can be helpful during
hard consistency soils [7]. Table-1 shows the ranges
planning stage of the project and during feasibility
of N values for the developed Zones.

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Table 1: SPT-N values plastic clay/clayey silt is found up to 2.0 m depth

Sr. No Zone Range of N values overlaying silty sand up to 4.0 m depth and gravel
1. Zone-A 1-8 with sand beyond 4.0 m depth.
2. Zone-B 9-15
3. Zone-C Above 15
Geotechnical zoning map based on SPT has
been developed and has been shown in Figure 3, with
colored lines showing the boundaries of each zone.

Figure 2: Geotechnical Zoning Map Developed

Experiments and Interpretation of Results

The data points shown in Fiqure-1 are the
sites of Standard Penetration tests and collection of
soil samples for laboratory testing. It is evident the
GEOTECHNICAL extensive experimental work has been done and test
ZONING OF STUDY station are scattered throughout the study area. On the
AREA basis of Field testing and laboratory analysis the soil
parameters for foundation design have been worked
3.0 Discussion and Results out. The results are shown in Table 2, 3 and 4 for the
The subsurface soils in zone A consist of low zone A, B and C respectively. These tables includes
plastic fill material up to 2.0 m depth overlaying low experimental test results including the depth, bulk
plastic clay from 2.0 m to 4.0 m and low plastic density, untrained cohesion, co efficient of
clay/clayey silt beyond 4.0 m depth. Zone B consists compressibility and angle of internal friction for the
of low plastic clay and clayey silt up to the depth of three zones.
4.0 meter depth overlaying clayey silt to silt with
sand material from 4.0 m to 6 m depths and gravel
with sand beyond 6.0 meter depth. In zone C, low

Table 2: Zone-A, Foundation Design Parameters

Soil Depth Bulk Density Undrained Coefficient of Angle of Internal
Classification (m) (g/cm3) Cohesion compressibility Friction
From To (kg/cm2) (cm2/kg) (Degree)
Fill Material 0 2 1.6 - - -
Clay Low Plastic (CL) 2 4 1.6 0.2 0.02 -
Clayey Silt (CL-ML) 4 10.0 1.7 0.1 0.01 22

Table 3: Zone-B, Foundation Design Parameters

Soil Depth Bulk Undrained Coefficient of Angle of Internal
Identification (m) Density Cohesion compressibility Friction
From To (g/cm3) (kg/cm2) (cm2/kg) (Degree)
Clayey Silt (CL-ML) 0 5 1.7 0.1 0.01 22
Clayey Silt/Silt with Sand
5.0 7.0 1.9 - - 26
(ML-SM)
Gravel with Silt (GM 7.0 10.0 1.9 - - -

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Table 4: Zone-C, Foundation Design Parameters

Soil Depth Bulk Undrained Coefficient of Angle of
Identification (m) Density Cohesion compressibility Internal Friction
From To (g/cm3) (kg/cm2) (cm2/kg) (Degree)
Clayey Silt (CL-ML) 0 5 1.7 0.1 0.01 22
Clayey Silt/Silt with Sand
5.0 7.0 1.9 - - 26
(ML-SM)
Silt with Sand/Silt with
7.0 10.0 1.9 - - -
Gravel (SM-GM)

Salient features from the tables presented above structures. In Zone B Construction of single/double
are summarized as following. story dwellings can be proposed without soil
 The subsurface soils in zone A consist of thin improvements Zone C is suitable for multistory
layer of low plastic fill material that is structures and commercial buildings.
overlaying low plastic clay in Zone A and Low
plastic clay/clayey silt in Zone B and C. that is 5. RECOMMENDATIONS
found in varying thickness as shown in the This study can be used as guide line and a way
stratigraphy of the all zones. forward to develop the Geotechnical maps on
 Silt with gravel is encountered at variable depth regional or provincial levels. The research work can
in Zone B and C. be further extended by using artificial intelligence
 Silt with sand mixed with gravel is present at techniques to draw the precise boundary lines.
shallow depth in Zone C.
 In Zone A Fill Material and Low Plastic Clay in REFERENCES
loose condition is found, that require proper [1] Commission on Engineering Geological Maps
consideration during foundation design of the International Association of Engineering
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 The borderlines of Zones have been plotted on [2] Adhami, N.Z., Ilyas, M., and Ahmad, M.,
the administrative map of study area to produce [1980?], Seismotectonic studies of the
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Terzaghi’s (1943) equation for bearing capacity Engineering Services of Pakistan (NESPAK)
computation, modified by meyerhof (1963), hansen Limited, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission,
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computation of bearing capacities and the foundation Ministry of housing and works, Government of
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