5.

Determine the area ratio of a sampler having external radius of 30 mm and wall
thickness of 2.25 mm. Do you recommend this sampler for obtaining undisturbed
soil samples and why?

Here,

D0 = 2R0 = 60 mm

Ri = 30 – 2.25 = 27.75 mm

Di = 2 Ri = 55.5 mm

Ar = Area ratio = [(D0)2 – (Di)2 ]/ (Di)2 = 0.1687

i.e, Ar = 16. 87 % < 20 % but > 10 %

The sample can be recommended for undisturbed soil sample in case of stiff clay
soil but not expected and not recommended to obtain very good quality of sample
for soft or very soft sensitive clay.

8. In a sand with unit weight of 113.0 lb/ft³, a standard penetration test is carried out.
The N60 values are as follows:

Depth (m) 3 4.5 6 7.5 9

SPT, N60 16 20 22 24 30

Determine the corrected N values (N1)60 using overburden correction only using
both Liao and Whitman (1986) and Peck, Hanson and Thornburn (1974) formula.
Also, Show corrected SPT N value vs Depth Plot.

Here,
113.0 lb/ft³ = 17. 8 kN/m3

Liao and Whitman (1986): CN = (100/σv') 0.5

Peck, Hanson & Thurnburn: CN = 0.77 log10 (2000/ σv')

Where, σv' in kpa

CN (N1 )60
Depth SPT, Liao and Peck, Hanson Liao and Peck, Hanson
(m) N60 σ' (kpa) Whitman & Thurnburn Whitman & Thurnburn
3 16 53.4 1.37 1.21 21.9 19.4
4.5 20 80.1 1.12 1.08 22.4 21.6
6 22 106.8 0.97 0.98 21.3 21.6
7.5 24 133.5 0.87 0.91 20.9 21.8
9 30 160.2 0.79 0.84 23.7 25.2
9. The cutting edge of a sampling tube has outside diameter 50.8 mm and inside
diameter 47.63 mm, while the sampling tube has 50.03 mm and 48.50 mm. Is the
tube sampler well designed? Explain with necessary mathematical validity.

where, D0t = outside dia. of sampling tube and Dit inside dia. of tube.
10. A thin-walled tube sampler was pushed into soft clay at the bottom of a borehole
a distance of 600 mm. When the tube was recovered, a measurement down inside
the tube indicated a recovered sample length of 585 mm. What is the soil recovery
rati0 and what (if anything) happened to the sample? If (outside and inside
diameters) of the sampling tube were 76.2 and 73.0 mm respectively, what is the
probable sample quality?

solution:
11. If a deposit happens to be silty clay (Saturated) with a value of cone resistance
88 kg/cm², determine the unconfined Compressive strength (UCS) of soil. Use total
overburden pressure of 127 kN/m². What happened to UCS if overburden pressure
is neglected?

Here,

qc = Cu. Nk + σ0 ………………………..(1)

where, σ0 = total overburden pressure

qc = cone tip resistance = 88 kg/cm2 = 8800 kpa

Nk = cone factor ≈ 20 for all type of clay

Cu = undrained cohesion

Now,

from (1),

Cu = (qc - σ0) / Nk = (8800 – 127)/20 = 433.65 kpa

Unconfined Compressive strength (qu) = 2 Cu = 867.3 kpa

If we neglect overburden,

qu = 2* qc / Nk = 2* 8800 / 20 = 880 kpa, UCS Increased !

12. The blow counts for a SPT test at a depth of 6m in coarse grained soil at every
150 mm are 8, 12, 15 respectively. A donut hammer of efficiency 60 % and a
standard sample were used in a borehole 150 mm diameter.

(i) Determine N value and Corrected N value for energy ratio to 60%.

(ii) Make a preliminary description of the compactness of the soil.

Here,

i) spt N = 12 + 15 = 27 ( add last two values)

this is uncorrected spt N

Now, apply correction factors to get spt N for energy ratio to 60 % ,

N60 = (N * ηH * ηS * ηB * ηR)/60

ηH = 60 % , ηS = 1 ( standard sampler) , ηB = 1.05 ( for dia. of BH = 150 mm), and

ηR = 0.95 ( 4 to 6 m rod length)

Thus, N60 = (27* 60 * 1*1.05*0.95/60) = 26.93 ≈ 27

ii) N = 27 ⟹ Medium dense soil (cohesionless)

13. During a soil exploration program, the following choices were available for soil
sampling:

Sampler A: outside diameter, Do = 76.2 mm; inside diameter, Di = 73 mm

Sampler B: outside diameter, Do = 88.9 mm; inside diameter, Di = 85.72 mm

Sampler C: outside diameter, Do = 50.8 mm; inside diameter, Di = 35 mm

Determine which sampler would be appropriate for the following soil
characterization tests: grain-size distribution, Atterberg limits, consolidation, and
unconfined compression.

Here,
Sample Area ratio (Ar) %
Sample A 8.95 %
Sample B 7.55 %
Sample C 110.7 %

Both sampler A and B (with area ratio < 10 % being able to give good quality of
undisturbed sample) can be used for consolidation and Unconfined compression
tests (engineering properties of soil). Sampler C (area ratio > 20 % ) give highly
disturbed sample. Grain-size distribution and Atterberg limits being index properties
of soil, all three sampler can be used for grain-size distribution and Atterberg limits,
but samples obtained from sampler A and B more suitable for obtaining properties
of soil than that of sampler C.

14. A standard penetration test has been conducted in coarse sand at depth of 5m
below the ground surface. The blow counts obtained in the field were as follow: 0-
15cm: 4 blows: 15-30cm: 6 blows: 30-45 cm: 6 blows. The tests were conducted by
a donut hammer in a 15cm boring using a standard sampler with liner installed. The
in-situ density of the soil was observed to be 16kN/m3. Determine the (N1)60 as per
the suggestion of Liao and Whitman (1986). Given are the following correcting
factors for hammer, borehole diameter, sampler, and rod length 0.45, 1.05, 1.0, 0.85
respectively.
Here,
BH dia. 15 cm = 150 mm
Penetration depth hammer blows
0- 15 cm 4
15 – 30 cm 6
 30 – 45 cm 6
Thus, SPT, N = 6 + 6 = 12
W have, N60 = (N * ηH * ηS * ηB * ηR)/60

Given,

ηH = 0.45 = 45 % ( hammer correction factor/ hammer efficiency)

ηB = 1.05 ( bore hole correction factor)

ηS = 1.0 ( sampler correction factor)

ηR = 0.85 ( rod length correction factor)

Thus, N60 = 12 * 1.05 * 1* 0.85*45/60 = 8

Also, from Liao and Whitman (1986): CN = (100/σv') 0.5

Test has been conducted in coarse sand at depth of 5m below the ground surface and
The in-situ density of the soil was observed to be 16kN/m3

then, σv' = 16 * 5 = 80 kpa ( being no water table total stress is equal to effective
stress))

Now, CN = (100/σv') 0.5 = 1.12

Thus, (N1)60 = CN. N60 = 1.12 * 8 = 8.96 ≈ 9

N = 9 ⟹ loose soil
15. A ten storied office building complex is planned to cover a plan area of
300m*200m. Preliminary survey of the site and information on the adjacent area
indicated that it is likely to have top 3m silty sand followed by about 7m clay and
beyond which it is likely to have medium dense sand extending to great depth.
Position of water table is likely to be within 7m from ground surface. Prepare a
complete exploration program that would help in deciding the type of foundation
and giving required design parameters.

Here,

Plan area of building complex = 300 * 200 = 6 * 104 m2 = 6 ha > 0.4 ha

Fig. Given soil profile

From guidelines given by IS 1892-1979; for a compact multistory building covering

area > 0.4 ha, BH should be drilled at all corners and also at important locations with
the spacing 10 – 30 m. In addition to this sounding rod test or CPT test at the spacing
50 – 100 m can be performed by dividing area to grid. (Note that, there should be at
least 5 no. of boreholes (4 at corners (one at each corners) and one at center)
The boring operation can be done with simple augers and shell boring or wash
boring being absence of hard gravels and rocks.

Also, from Sowers and Sowers, 1970: we have minimum Depth of exploration given
as:

De = C . S0.7 = 6* 100.7 = 30 m

where, S = 10 = no. of storey and C = 6 ( constant for large wide concrete building)

Again, from give soil condition, top 3 m soil is silty sand, middle 7 m is clay soil
and after that there is medium dense sand (spt 10 to 30) soil to great depth. Water
table is within 7 m from top surface. The presence of water creates problem with
clay soil. There might be excessive settlement in case of shallow foundation like
isolated footings above clay layer. In such a case either mat foundation with soil
improvement techniques or composite pile raft foundation while can transfer load to
hard strata might be suitable solution.

See further books and existing soil exploration reports ! do the rest.