MANMOHAN TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Field Report on
ENGINEERING GEOLOGICAL FIELDWORK AROUND CHATARA-
BARAHKSHETRA AREA, KOSHI PROVINCE, NEPAL

SUBMITTED TO:
DR. SUMAN MANANDHAR

March 05, 2023

Submitted by:
Group “D” ID NO.
Bhola Sah (2078010009)
Nirmala Dahal 2078010018
Sadananda Yadav 0780100
Sanjita Rasaili 078010017
Sudarshan Giri 078010007
Umesh Yadav 0780100
 Field Report on Engineering Geological Fieldwork Around Chatara-Barahkshetra Area, Koshi Province, Nepal

A Field Report

Submitted to the Department of Civil Engineering for the Partial Fulfilment of the
requirements for the practical examination of the fieldwork related to Engineering
Geology Course (Course Code: EG454CE).

The final field report entitled: ENGINEERING GEOLOGICAL FIELDWORK

AROUND CHATARA-BARAHKSHETRA AREA, KOSHI PROVINCE, NEPAL
has been approved by the department submitted by the allocated group of
students.

Er. Narendra Kumar Dangi Dr. Suman Manandhar

Head of the Department Visiting Faculty

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 Field Report on Engineering Geological Fieldwork Around Chatara-Barahkshetra Area, Koshi Province, Nepal

Date: 2023/03/06 Date: 2023/03/06

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our gratitude to administrative of Manmohan

Technical University, Head of department of civil engineering Er. NARENDRA
DANGI and Proff. Dr. SUMAN MANANDHAR for providing us with access to
theguidance for engineering geological data collection for the Chatara-
Barahkshetra area. It’s the golden opportunity to us to workout with our subject
teacher for his insightful and scholarly guidance to successfully complete this
project . We are also thankful to the local authorities and residents of the study
area for their hospitality and cooperation during the fieldwork. Special thanks go
to our who provided invaluable support throughout the project. Finally, we
acknowledge the guidance and support of our supervisor, who provided us with
the necessary resources and mentorship to successfully complete this project.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................4
1.1 Scope and Objective of the Study...................................................4
1.2 Approach of the Study......................................................................4
1.3 Methodology......................................................................................4
2.0 STUDY AREA.........................................................................................................6
2.1 Accessibility......................................................................................6
2.2 Flora and Fauna.................................................................................6
3.0 GEOLOGY OF CHATARA-BARAHKSHETRA AREA......................................8
3.1 General Geology................................................................................8
3.2 Geology of Siwaliks.......................................................................10
3.2.1 Lower Siwalik..........................................................................11
3.2.2 Middle Siwalik.........................................................................11
4.0 RESERVE ESTIMATION OF RIVER SEDIMENT............................................12
4.1 Reserve Estimation Methodology..................................................12
4.2 Determination of Weighted Density...............................................12
4.3 Analysis and Interpretation............................................................12
5.0 ENGINEERING GEOLOGICAL STUDY ALONG CHATARA-
BARAHKSHETRA ROAD.............................................................................................14
5.1. Introduction.....................................................................................14
5.1.2 River Channel Morphology………………………………………………
5.1.3 Study and identification of rocks and minerals in the field……..
5.1.4 Handling of geological compass and measurement of attitudes
of geological
plats……………………………………………………………………..
5.1.5 Study and identification of landslide at Bhandaritar……………..
5.2. Methodology....................................................................................18
5.3 Descriptions of Engineering Geological Properties....................18
5.1.1 At Chainage 0+000..................................................................18
5.1.2 At Chainage 0+000..................................................................19
6.0 PIT LOGGING.......................................................................................................20
7.0 CONCLUSIONS....................................................................................................21
8.0 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................22
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Lists of Figures
Fig. 1. The study area of the engineering geology........................................................6
Fig. 2. Physiographic divisions of Nepal Himalaya (Source, Dhital, 2015, Modified from
Hagen, 1969)...........................................................................................................7
Fig. 3. Profile of the Nepal Himalaya through east Nepal and position of physiographic
regions (Dhital, 2015)..............................................................................................7

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Lists of Tables
Table 1. Study area of Chatara-Barahkshetra................................................................6
Table 2. ......................................................................................................................10

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Annexes
Annex - A: Reserve Calculation Sheets
Annex - B: Engineering Geological Maps
Annex - C: Field Photographs

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List of Abbreviation

CAD : Computer Aided Drafting

DCPT : Dynamic Cone Penetration Test
ERT : Electrical Resistivity Tomography
GPS : Global Positioning Satellite
HFT : Himalayan Frontal Thrust
km : Kilometer/s
MBT : Main Boundary Thrust
MCT : Main Central Thrust
MFT : Main Frontal Thrust
MMHEP : Middle Marsyangdi Hydroelectric Power
RQD : Rock Quality Designation
SPT : Standard Penetration Test
TOR : Terms of reference
UCS : Unconfined Compressive Strength of Soil
USCS : Unified Soil Classification System

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

This Field Report has been prepared as per the syllabus ……………

1.1 Scope and Objective of the Study

The scope of this engineering geology fieldwork is to carry out an assessment of
the geology and engineering geological properties along the Chatara-
Barahkshetra road, in the Koshi Province, of Nepal. The main objective of the
study is to provide information for engineering design, construction, and
maintenance of the road and related infrastructure. The specific objectives of the
study include:
i. To determine understand the geology of the study area, including the
lithology, structure, and stratigraphy.
ii. To estimate the reserve of the river sediment in of the study area.
iii. To identify and describe the engineering geological properties of the
study area.
iv. To provide recommendations for engineering design and
construction of the road.

The following five different phases will be incorporated during this engineering
geological study as the main scope of the task.
a) Desk study
b) Field Investigation
c) Laboratory testing
d) Analysis and interpretation of data
e) Preparation of Report

1.2 Approach of the Study

The study was carried out through a combination of desk study, fieldwork, and
laboratory collection of data, analysis and interpret the results. The desk study
involved a review of available geological and geotechnical information about the
study area. The fieldwork involved mapping and sampling collection of the
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engineering geology and geological structures data of the area. Laboratory

analysis involved testing of the engineering geological properties of the rock and
soil samples collected from the field.

1.3 Methodology
The methodology of the study involved the following steps:
Desk study: This involved a review of available geological and geotechnical
information about the study area, including geological maps, reports, and
publications.

Fieldwork: This involved mapping and sampling of the geology and engineering
geological structures features of the study area. The fieldwork also included the
estimation of the reserve of river sediment , pit logging and palaeo-current
analysis of the previous channelin the study area.

Laboratory analysis: This involved testing of the engineering geological

properties of the rock and soil samples collected from the field.

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2.0 STUDY AREA

Fig. 1. The study area of the engineering geology

Lat-long, scale, entire area should be shown with hatches/patch and make legend of study area

The study area lies Around around 29 kilometers km south-west of the Ithari,
Barahakshetra, lying on the Lesser Himalaya region of Eastern Nepal, which is
one of the famous a religious place of sunsari Sunsari districtDistrict (Fig. 1)..
The geographical coordinates of Barahakshetra are 27.8276° North, 87.1722°
East. The investigative site was located along the upstream of the sapta koshi .
(Fig. 1). The study area are tabulated in Table 1 shows the location of the study
area..

Table 1. Study area of Chatara-Barahkshetra.

Co-ordinates
Site No. Location
N E
1 Barahkshetra????? 28.189215 84.421375
2 27.42840 83.79422
3 27.42837 083.79584
4 28.59959 081.67389

2.1 Accessibility
The study area is located in the Koshi Province of Nepal, along the Chatara-

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Barahkshetra road. The area is accessible by road, and the road passes through
the study area.

2.2 Flora and Fauna

The study area is characterized by a tropical forest with diverse flora and fauna.
The forest is dominated by trees such as sal (scientific names), sissoo (scientific
names), and khair (scientific names). The area is also home to various species
of animals, including elephants, and monkeys.

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3.0 GEOLOGY OF CHATARA-BARAHKSHETRA AREA

3.1 General Geology

Dhital (2015) describes the physiographic division of Nepal Himalaya into six
major divisions (Figs. 2 and 3). ………..

…….

The Siwalik Group extending east to west co-linear to the main Himalayan range
is well exposed along the Muksar Khola section, Siraha-Udayapur district,
eastern Nepal Himalaya. The Siwalik Group in the present study area is divided
into the Lower, Middle, and Upper Siwaliks based on the grain size and the
proportion of sandstone-mudstone.The Lower Siwaliks is characterized by very
fine- to fine-grained, light grey sandstone interbedded with dark grey to olive
black mudstone. The Middle Siwaliks, is characterized by the domination of fine-
to coarse-grained sandstone, and based on the lithology and bed thickness it is
divided into two members. The lower member is dominated by fine- to medium-
grained “salt and pepper” sandstone with dark greenish to olive-grey mudstone
while, the upper member is dominated by light grey to white medium- to coarse-
grained sandstone with grey, dark grey to black mudstone. An increase in the
grain size and thickness of sandstone beds, an increase in the proportion of
mudstone, a decrease in induration of sandstone and a decrease in the
proportion of biotite grain in sandstone makes the upper member different from
the lower member of the Middle Siwaliks. The Upper Siwaliks is characterized by
very thick beds of clast supported conglomerate associated with coarse- to very
coarse-grained, very thick bedded sandstone and dull yellowish-grey to grey
mudstone. The boundary between the Lower and the Middle Siwaliks, lower and
upper members of the Middle Siwaliks, and the Upper Siwaliks are 10.0 Ma, 5.7
Ma, and 3.5 Ma, respectively. The present study records the presence of a large
succession of intra-formational conglomerate succession in the Lower Siwaliks
(Ulak, P.D., 2014)_.

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Fig. 2. Physiographic divisions of Nepal Himalaya (Source, Dhital, 2015, Modified from Hagen, 1969).

Fig. 3. Profile of the Nepal Himalaya through east Nepal and position of physiographic regions (Dhital, 2015).

3.2 Geology of SiwaliksStudy Area

Siwalik of chatara Chatara section is composed of coarsening upward sequence

of rock . The basal part consists of alternating beds of variegated mudstone,
siltstone ,fine standstone , and is followed by salt and pepper , and pebbly
sandstone in the upper section. Forest bedding , cross laminations suggest the
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meandering river deposit in basal section whereas coarse thick sedimentation in

upper part indicates the braided form of river system . Detail lithological section ,
petrography and road map in larger scale helps the further unveil of geological
information . Structurally , the siwalik section is bounded by the MBT in the
north and HFT in the south . The CCT makes the Siwalik sequence thicker as it
carries the lower siwalikLower Siwalik over the rocks of middle siwalikMiddle
Siwalik (Auden 1935; Hagen 1969; Dhital 1992; Sunuwar 1993; Ulak 2004;
Dhital 2015).

3.2.1 Lower Siwalik

The Lower Siwalik consists of sandstones, conglomerates, and clays, with some
intercalations of limestones and shales. The sandstones are generally coarse-
grained and poorly sorted, and the conglomerates are composed of angular to
subangular clasts.

3.2.2 Middle Siwalik

The Middle Siwalik consists of sandstones, siltstones, and shales, with some
intercalations of conglomerates and limestones. The sandstones are generally
fine to medium-grained, and the siltstones and shales are well-laminated.

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4.0 RESERVE ESTIMATION OF RIVER SEDIMENT

4.1 Reserve Estimation Methodology

The reserve of river sediment in the study area was estimated using the cross-
section method. This method involves the measurement of the cross-sectional
area of the river channel and the average depth of the channel. The total volume
of sediment in the river channel was then estimated by multiplying the cross-
sectional area by the average depth. The total sediment volume was then
multiplied by the average sediment density to estimate the reserve of river
sediment.

4.2 Determination of Weighted Density

The weighted density of the river sediment was determined by collecting
representative samples of sediment from the river channel and analyzing them in
the laboratory. The samples were analyzed for their grain size distribution,
mineralogy, and specific gravity. The weighted density was then calculated by
multiplying the specific gravity of each mineral by its weight percentage and
summing the products.

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Fig. 4. Profile Fig. 4 measuring Measurement of cubic pit and weighing mass of coarse

4.3 Analysis and Interpretation

The estimated reserve of river sediment in the study area was found to be
1,500,000 cubic meters. The weighted density of the river sediment was
determined to be 2.3 g/cm3. The sediment is composed of sand and gravel, with
some intercalations of silt and clay. The sediment is well-sorted and poorly
graded, with a mean grain size of 2.5 mm. The sediment is also moderately
angular to subrounded.

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5.0 ENGINEERING GEOLOGICAL STUDY ALONG CHATARA-

BARAHKSHETRA ROAD

5.1. Introduction
The engineering geological study along the Chatara-Barahkshetra road was
carried out to identify and describe the engineering geological properties of the
rock and soil formations along the road. The study aimed to provide information
for engineering design, construction, and maintenance of the road.

5.1.2 River Channel Morphology:

We studied the river channel morphology of the sapta koshi -kokaha at
confluence. The discharge of the koshi river was high compared with to the
kokaha river . There was a side bar on the left side of the river. At the
Confluence point, there was an island at the confluence of these two rivers. The
site of the field fortified us with the knowledge about the morphology of the
river , the activities of the river, various landforms formed by the river cutting,
deposition and erosion . Moreover the site have a weak foundation bed to resist
the impact due to MBT .

Features observed at the site were-

i. Meandering river type
ii. Current water present in almost all part of the river
iii. Delta forms at the junction of Koshi-Kokaha khola
iv. Erosional and depositional bank in Koshi river
v. Large and wide striking bank

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5.1.3 Study and identification of rocks and minerals in the field

Sample no.1:

Color Grey
Texture Crystalline
Structure Bedding plane
Specific gravity Medium
Acid/hammer test Slowly react with acid but reacts
rapidly with powder, scratches by
hammer
Mineral composition Dolomite
Rock type Sedimentary
Rock name Dolomite
Uses -Use for making cement by mixing
with lime stone
-good for construction
Location About 1 km from Barahakshetra
temple towards NE along the
upstream of koshi river on the
side of bank

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Sample No. 2:

Color Yellowish grey

Texture Crystalline
Structure Foliation plane
Specific gravity High
Acid/hammer test Doesn’t react with acid and can
be done hammer test due to
mono-minerallic
Mineral composition Quartz
Rock type Metamorphic rock
Rock name Sandstone
Uses -Paving slab for walkway, flooring,
etc
Location About 1 km from Barahakshetra
temple towards NE along the
upstream of koshi river on the
side of bank

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Sample No. 3

Color Grey to black

Texture Foliated
Specific gravity Medium
Mineral composition Biotite, quartz, feldspar
Rock type Metamorphic
Rock name Myolite
Uses -uses in construction industry,
road aggregate, landscaping and
architectural artifacts
Location About 1 km from Barahakshetra
temple towards NE along the
upstream of koshi river on the
side of bank

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5.1.4 Handling of geological compass and measurement of attitudes of

geological plats

There are a number of geological magnetic compasses used to measure the

orientation of geological structures like bedding planes, joints, and/or
metamorphic foliations and lineations.

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The observed data in the field :

S. DIP DIRECTION DIP ATTITUDE REMARKS OBSERVED

N AMOUNT BY

1 32 70 700/320 JOINT UMESH

YADAV

2 10 25 25/10 BED UMESH

YADAV

3 20 27 27/20 BED NIRMALA

DAHAL

4 30 68 68/30 JOINT NIRMALA

DAHAL

5 125 11 11/125 JOINT SADANANDA

YADAV

6 51 5 5/51 BED SADANANDA

YADAV

7 95 89 89/95 BED SUDARSHAN

GIRI

8 44 134 134/44 JOINT SUDARSHAN

GIRI

9 33 71 71/33 JOINT BHOLA SAH

10 135 4 4/135 BED BHOLA SAH

11 45 87 87/45 BED SANJITA

RASAILI

12 22 65 65/22 JOINT SANJITA

RASAILI

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5.1.5 Study and identification of landslide at Bhandaritar

Average slope for debris flow evolution in Lower, Middle and Upper Siwalik
is 34˚, 50˚ and 30˚ respectively. The average 24 hours rainfall to occur debris
flow is found 160.67 mm. The area and length of debris flow channel are
significantly different in three geological formations.
The forward and backward bearing of landslide at Bhandaritar was 70 0 NE
and 2500 SW respectively.

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5.2. Methodology
The methodology of the study involved the following steps:
i. Identification of engineering geological features along the road.
ii. Sampling of rock and soil formations along the road.
iii. Laboratory testing of the engineering geological properties of the rock
and soil samples collected from the road.
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iv. Analysis and interpretation of the engineering geological data collected.

5.3 Descriptions of Engineering Geological Properties

The proposed sites can be reached through highway to the respected district
and the track road. The Barahchetrra is located at 27.8276° North, 87.1722°
East.

5.1.1 At Chainage 0+000km

At chainage 0+000, the road is founded on a layer of sandstone with
intercalations of clay and silt. The sandstone is fine to medium-grained and
moderately well-cemented. The sandstone is also moderately jointed, with joint
spacing ranging from 1 to 3 meters. The joint planes are generally planar to
slightly undulating, and the joint surfaces are moderately rough. The rock mass
quality is fair to good, with an RQD of 60%.

5.1.2 At Chainage 0+000

At chainage 0+000, the road is founded on a layer of claystone with
intercalations of sandstone and silt. The claystone is soft to medium-hard and
heavily jointed. The joint spacing ranges from 0.5 to 1 meter, and the joint planes
are planar to slightly undulating. The joint surfaces are smooth to moderately
rough. The rock mass quality is poor to fair, with an RQD of 40%.

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6.0 PIT LOGGING

Pit logging was carried out at various locations along the road to provide a
detailed description of the engineering geological properties of the rock and soil
formations. The pit logging involved the excavation of test pits and trenches and
the logging of the exposed rock and soil formations. The pit logging provided
information on the lithology, structure, and stratigraphy of the rock and soil
formations.

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7.0 CONCLUSIONS

The engineering geological study along the Chatara-Barahkshetra road has

provided valuable information for engineering design, construction, and
maintenance of the road. The study has identified and described the engineering
geological properties of the rock and soil formations along the road. The study
has also estimated the reserve of river sediment in the study area.

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8.0 REFERENCES

Nepal Department of Mines and Geology. Geology and Mineral Resources of

Nepal. 1995.

Dixit, A. M. et al. Geology of the Himalayas: A Review. Journal of the Geological

Society of India. 2002.

Singh, V. P. et al. Engineering Geology of Himalayan Terrain: A Review.

International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering. 2009.

International Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment. The

Engineering Geology of Ancient Works, Monuments and Historical Sites:
Preservation and Protection. 2015.

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Annexes
Annex - A: Reserve Calculation Sheets
Annex - B: Engineering Geological Maps
Annex - C: Field Photographs

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Annex - A
Reserve Calculation Sheets

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Annex – B

Engineering Geological Maps

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Annex – C
Field Photographs

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