Mehdi Mokhberi

Islamic Azad University

 Outline of Presentation
• Introduction
• Boring and Sampling
• Standard Penetration Test
• Cone Penetration Test
• Vane Shear Test
• Dilatometer Test
• Pressuremeter Test
• Load Tests
Site Investigation Prgram Steps:
1- Individual Studies
2- In Situ Testing
3- Soil Sampling
4- Labouarotory Tests
5- Data Prossessing and Analysis
6- Report Prepration
Geo-Laboratory Design Office
soil properties
testing design & analysis

construction site 6
Site Characterization

Mayne
Insitu Testing Devices
Accuracy vs. Cost

Kulhawy and Mayne (1990)

Applicability of Insitu Test Methods

Campanella and Robertson (1983)

Insitu Methods to Determine
Deformation Parameters

Lacasse (1985)
 Evolution of Methodologies for
Obtaining Design Soil Parameters

Lacasse (1988)
 In-Situ Testing vs.
Soil Laboratory Testing
Advantages
• Testing the soil in-situ and less disturbance
• Less expensive and quick test
• Some testing techniques can providea continuous profile
• Advanced testing techniques can obtaina number of properties
at the same time

Disadvantages
• No sample is often obtained
• Most use correlation to estimate soil properties
• Most correlation was developed based on the soil laboratory test
results
• Less control over stress and drainage conditions
 Site Investigation

• Determining the locations and thickness

of the soil strata
• Visually classifying soil types
• Determining the location of the ground
water table
• Soil sampling
• Providing soil profile
Boring and Sampling
Type of Boring Techniques

• Hand auger
• “Bull” sampler
• Flight auger or bucket auger
• Hollow-stem auger
• Rotary wash boring
 Soil Sampling

• Obtain representative soil samples for soil

profile and laboratory tests

• Standard split spoon sampler for insitu

standard penetration tests and disturbed soil
samples

• Shelby tube sampler (a thin walled

seamless steel tube, typical diameter of 3in.)
for undisturbed soil samples
Hand Auger Sampling
Hand Auger Drilling
“Bull” Sampling
“Bull” Sampling
Solid and Hollow Auger Flights
Solid Flight
Auger
 Hollow
Stem Auger
Drill Rig and Hollow Auger
Removing Tip and Opening Split Barrel
Split Barrel with Soil
Lowering Shelby Tube into Borehole
Shelby Thin-Wall Tubes
Rotary Wash Boring
Rotary Wash Boring Bits
Drill Rig
 Test Pit

• Dig test pits usinga backhoe

• Limited toa shallow depth (typically the

upper 3m)

• Cost effective
 Soil Profile (Boring Log)

• Typical soil profile contains the following

information:

- Project name, boring log number, location,

ground elevation, groundwater depth, date

- Elevations and/or depths of soil layers, soil

description and classification, Atterberg limits
or moisture content, unit weight, blow counts,
and undrained shear strength
Boring Locations
 Soil Profile (Boring Log)

100ft 95ft
B-1 B-2 B-3
El. 103
El. 105 El. 98 El. 99
100
95 Silty sand (SM)
90
85
80 Medium to fine sand (SP)
75
70 Clay (CH)
65
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
 Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
Advantages
• Long record of experience
• Many available test data and correlation
• Perform the test during soil sampling using the
split-spoon sampler
• Fast and inexpensive

Disadvantages
• Crude
• Many variants
• No continuous soil profile
 SPT Test Procedure

• Drilla boring to the depth of the test

• Insert the SPT sampler (split-spoon sampler) into
the boring
• Raisea 63.5kg (140lb) hammer toa distance of
760mm (30in) and allow it to fall. Repeat this process
until the sampler has penetrated 450mm (18in).
Record the number of hammer blows required for
each 150mm (6in.) interval
• ComputetheN value by summing the blow counts
for the last 300mm (12in) of penetration
• Remove the SPT sampler and soil sample
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)

Courtesy of Mayne
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
Hollow Stem in Place (Widener)
Standard Penetration Test (Widener)
SPT with Automatic Hammer (Widener)
SPT with Automatic Hammer (KU)
Auger Pulled out (Widener)
 Some Special SPT Terms

• Refusal- N>50 for any of the intervals or

N>100

• W/H- weight of hammer

• W/R- weight of rod

 Corrected SPTN Value
The measuredN value may be corrected by
consideringa number of key factors:

whereN 60 = SPTNvalue corrected for field

procedures;
CE = hammer efficiency;
CB = borehole diameter correction;
CS = sampler correction;
CR = rod length correction;
N= measured SPTN value.
Corrections to SPT N-value
 Corrected SPT (N1)60 Value

TheN value may also be corrected by

considering the overburden stress at the location
where the SPT is conducted:

pa = 100 kPa or 1tsf

Consistency and Undrained
Shear Strength of Clay
Relative Density and Friction
Angle of Sand vs. SPTN
 Relative DensityD r vs. SPTN 60

Cubrinovski and Ishihara (1999) proposed the

following correlation for the relative density of
granular soils

z’= effective overburden stress

D50 = mean grain size in mm
Relative DensityD r vs. SPTN

(Holtz and Gibbs, 1957)

Friction Angle
vs. SPTN 60

(DeMello, 1971)
 Friction Angle’ vs. SPTN 60

Kulhawy and Mayne (1990) proposed the

following correlation for the effective friction
angle of sands

z’= effective overburden stress

pa = atmospheric pressure( 100kPa or 1tsf)
 Friction Angle vs. SPT (N1)60

Wolff (1989) proposed the following correlation

for the effective friction angle of sands

(N1)60 = corrected SPTN 60

 Undrained Shear Strength vs. SPTN

Terzaghi and Peck (1967):

Hara et al. (1974):

Undrained Shear Strength vs. SPTN

(Kulhawy and Mayne, 1990)

OCR vs. SPTN for Clays

(Mayne and Kemper)

Elastic Modulus vs. SPTN Value

(Kulhawy and Mayne, 1990)

cu = undrained strength Is One Number Enough???
T = unit weight DR = relative density
I R = rigidity index
T = unit weight
'= friction angle LI=liquefaction index
OCR= overconsolidation '= friction angle
K0 = lateral stress state c'=cohesion intercept
eo = void ratio eo = void ratio
Vs = shear wave qa = bearing capacity
E'=Young's modulus
p' = preconsolidation
Cc = compression index
Vs = shear wave
qb = pile end bearing SAND E'=Young's modulus
f s = pile skin friction
= dilatancy angle
k= permeability
qa = bearing stress
N qb = pile end bearing
CLAY f s = pile skin friction
Courtesy of Mayne
Cone Penetration Test
 Cone Penetration Test (CPT)
[ASTM D3441]

•A common in-situ test method

• Once known as the Dutch cone
• Two types:
- Mechanical cone- old model
- Electric cone- new
 Casing

Connecting
rod

Cone Penetration
Test (CPT)

Filter to
facilitate
Cone pore water
pressure
measurement

(a) Dutch cone (b) Piezocone

Budhu (2000)
Cone Penetration Test (CPT)

Courtesy of Mayne
Cone Penetration Test (CPT)

Courtesy of Mayne
Cone Penetration Test (CPT)

Courtesy of Mayne
CPT Test
CPT Penetrating the Ground
Conducting CPT Test on Truck
 CPT Profile
qt (MPa) fs (kPa) u b (kPa)
0 20 40 60 0 500 1000 -2000 200 400 600 800
0 0

4 4

8 8
Depth (meters)

fs 12 12

16 16

20 20
ub
24 24

qt 28 28
 CPT Parameters

• Tip resistance,q t
• Side resistance,f s
• Pore water pressure,u b
• Friction ratio,Rfst =f /q x 100%
 Seismic Piezocone Test

Obtains Four Independent

Measurements with Depth: Vs

q Cone Tip Stress,q t

q Penetration Porewater Pressure,u fs
q Sleeve Friction,f s
q Arrival Time of Downhole Shear
Wave,t s u2
u1 60 o

qc
Downhole Shear Wave Velocity
SCPTu at Amherst Test Site
Determination of Soil Parameters
 CPT vs. SPT

Advantages:
- Obtain more information (two parameters or
more vs. one parameter)
- Geta continuous and more consistent soil
profiles

Disadvantages:
- No soil sampling
- Unreliable for soils containing large particles
(such as: gravel)
 CPT Soil Behavioral Classification

Soil Behavior Type (Robertson et al., 1986; Robertson& Campanella, 1988)

1– Sensitive fine grained5– Clayey silt to silty clay9– sand
2– Organic material6– Sandy silt to silty sand 10– Gravelly sand to sand
3– Clay7– Silty sand to sandy silt 11– Very stiff fine grained*
4– Silty clay to clay8– Sand to silty sand 12– Sand to clayey sand*
*Note: Overconsolidated or cemented
 Relative Density of Sands

Qc = compressibility factor (= 0.9 to 1.1)

 qc versus tc’ of Sands

Normalized cone tip Relative Approximatef tc’

Resistance,q c/pa Density (degrees)

< 20 Very loose < 30

20 to 40 Loose 30 to 35
40 to 120 Medium 35 to 40
120 to 200 Dense 40 to 45
> 200 Very dense > 45

Meyerhof
Friction
Angle
 Friction Angle and Elastic
Modulus of Sands

Friction angle of sand:

Elastic modulus:

E 2q c (Schmertmann, 1970)
 qcu versus c

Nk = cone factor
vo =gz= total overburden pressure

Lunne and Kelven (1981)

Type of clay Cone factor

Normally consolidated 11 to 19
Overconsolidated
at shallow depths 15 to 20
at deep depths 12 to 18

Nk = 10– 12 (Salgado, 2006)

 Preconsolidation Stress and
Undrained Shear Strength
Preconsolidation stress:

For NC clays:

For low OCR clays with low to moderate PI:

Undrained Shear Strength of
OC Clays
 Shear Wave Velocity,V s

• Fundamental measurement in all solids

(steel, concrete, wood, soils, rocks)
• Initial small-strain stiffness represented by
shear modulus: G0s =V 2
(alias Gdyn =G max0 =G )
• Applies to all static& dynamic problems at
small strains (gs < 10)-6
• Applied to undrained& drained cases
• Need Reduction Factor for Relevant Strain
Levels.
Vane Shear Test
Vane Shear Test (VST) [ASTM D2573]

•A good insitu test to directly determine

undrained shear strength of clay
• Suitable for clay only especially soft clay

Test procedure:
-I nserta metal vane into the soil
- Rotate the vane until the soil fails in shear
- Record the maximum torque during the
rotation
 Vane Shear Test

Casing

Sheath

SectionY-Y

Vane

Vane probe in protective sheath Vane extended and ready for testing

Budhu (2000)
Size of Vane
Different Sizes of Vane
 Recommended Dimensions of
Field Vanes (ASTM, 1994)

Casing Height Diameter Blade thickness Diameter of rod

size (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)

AX 76.2 38.1 1.6 12.7

BX 101.6 50.8 1.6 12.7

NX 127.0 63.5 3.2 12.7

Inserting Vane into Hollow Auger
Vane Shear Testing
 Undrained Shear Strength

Undrained shear strength of clay:

Tf = torque at failure (maximum torque);

d= diameter of vane;
Height/diameter ratio=2
Correction
Factor
 Corrected Shear Strength

Corrected undrained shear strength of clay:

s uu (corrected)=ls (measured)

= Vane shear correction factor

 Soil Sensitivity

Soil sensitivity:

For high sensitive clay, it is important to

protect the clay from disturbance
Dilatometer Test
 Dilatometer Test (DMT)

• Consist ofa 95mm wide and 15mm thick

metal blade witha thin, flat, circular,
expandable steel membrane on one side

• Good method for determining K0

 Dilatometer Test (DMT)

Test procedure:

- Push the flat blade into the ground

- Apply pressure to press the membrane
outward
- Record the pressure and lateral movement
- Depressurize the membrane and record the
pressure acting on the membrane when it
returns to its original position
Dilatometer Test
Dilatometer Test
Dual Gages of Dilatometer Test
Dilatometer

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Dilatometer
Testing
Dilatometer

Courtesy of Mayne
Test Results

Courtesy of Mayne
Dilatometer Test (DMT)
15 mm

p0 p1

Marchetti (1980)
Index and Modulus

Marchetti (1980)
Material Index

Marchetti (2001)
Soil Classification

Schmertmann (1986)
Soil Description and/ w Ratio

1bar= 100kPa

Marchetti (2001)
Relative Density, Dr for NC Sands

Reyna& Chameau (1991)

Undrained Shear Strength of Clay
(ID < 1.2)

Marchetti (2001)
Friction Angle of Sand
(ID > 1.8)

Marchetti (2001)
Constrained Modulus

Marchetti (2001)
OCR in Clay

Kamei and Iwasaki (1995)

Pressuremeter Test
 Pressuremeter Test (PMT)

Test procedure:
- Inserta cylindrical probe
- Inflate the probe with pressure
- Measure the pressure and volume change

Determine lateral movement based on the

volume change
 Pressuremeter

Water pressure to expand membrane

Elastic zone
Gas pressure to
Inflate guard cells Directions of
Principal stresses

Plastic zone

Guard
cell
Directions of
Pressure shear planes
cell

Guard
cell

(a) Vertical section (b) Stresses near probe

Budhu (2000)
Pressuremeter Test (PMT)
Monocell-type Probe
Pressuremeter
Gauges
Inserting Pressuremeter
Typical Corrected Pressuremeter Curve
Coefficient of Lateral Earth Pressure at Rest
Undrained Shear Strength
Pressuremeter Modulus
Load Tests
 Plate Load Test (PLT)

• The best method to simulate the

response of foundation soil under loading
• Relatively expensive
• To determine the ultimate bearing
capacity of the foundation
• To determine the elastic modulus of
foundation soil
Plate Load Test

Load or stress

Settlement
Laboratory Plate Loading Test
Field Plate Loading Test Setup
Cyclic Plate Loading Testing
Lateral Pile Loading Testing
Settlement of A Rigid Circular Plate

Settlement ofa rigid circular plate:

Ip = 0.79 fora rigid circular plate

Elastic Modulus of Foundation Soil

Elastic modulus of foundation soil:

Interpretation of Load-Settlement Curve