ASSIGNMENT 1 - MEMO

Geotechnical investigations are performed by geotechnical engineers or engineering geologists

to acquire informative data on the physical properties of soil and rock around a site for repair of
misery to earthworks and structures brought on by subsurface states and to design earthworks
and bases for planned constructions. This kind of investigation is known as a site investigation.

If you were appointed as a professional to conduct and report on a site investigation for the
purpose of determining properties of in-situ material for the construction of a road, answer the
following questions to show your competence:
1. Describe the steps you would follow to carry out a successful site investigation. Hint:
consult different Geotechnical Site Investigation literature and also, professionals in
the field to get a sense of what is done during the process of site investigation. Ensure
that the entire Geological spectrum is covered in your answers.
The following outcomes are expected:
1.1. Gathering of existing information (15)
• Gather Existing Information
• Structure Data
• Bridge, building, road, wall, etc.
• Type - stories, loads, materials, etc
• Known Soil Data
• Your own knowledge of the area
• Geologic or other maps
• Other people
• Aerial photos

1.2. Field investigation (15)

 Site Recon -Before you move any equipment to site, visit the site
A visual inspection can tell you a lot:
 Site access
 existing structures
 evidence of old structures
 environmental hazards
 non-engineered fill
 sinkholes
 topography
 condition of nearby structures
 1.3. Laboratory Investigation (15)
Most common tests include:
 Plasticity (atterbergs)
 Sieve
 Moisture
 Unit Weight
 Compaction
 Strength tests (unconfined, direct shear, etc.)

1.4. Reporting (give summary of what you will report in relation to the three above.(10)
 The student must give summary of the report entailing the discussion and results
of the above mentioned. The student must discuss on own merit and marks will be
allocated for relevance and detail.

2. Dolomite is a typical problem soil in the Geotechnical Engineering environment. One

of the known issues relating to the dolomitic environments is the formation of
sinkholes. Answer the following:
2.1. What is a sinkhole (5)
A cavity in the ground, especially in a limestone formation, caused by water erosion and
providing a route for surface water to disappear underground.

2.2. Explain how a sinkhole is formed (10)

As the limestone dissolves, pores and cracks are enlarged and carry even more acidic
water. Sinkholes are formed when the land surface above collapses or sinks into the cavities
or when surface material is carried downward into the voids.
Sinkholes can be natural or man-made. Natural sinkholes occur due to erosion or
underground water. They start developing long time before it actually appears. The ground
beneath our feet is not as much of a solid structure as we think it is.

Example
 2.3. Discuss how you would mitigate against the formation of a sinkhole. (10)
Mining, leaking pipes, burst water mains, irrigation or even emptying a swimming pool
can trigger a sinkhole - with some areas of the country being more susceptible than
others, depending on the type of rock involved - gypsum is especially vulnerable to
rapidly water erosion with the area around Ripon being particularly at risk.

Therefore, avoiding the above mentioned conditions may be enough to mitigate

against the formation of a sinkhole.

2.4. Discuss how you would rehabilitate a formed sinkhole. (5)

REHABILITATION
One of the methods use is dynamic compaction.
Dynamic compaction (DC)
Accepted practice requires that sinkholes are rehabilitated according to the inverted
filter method using dynamic compaction (DC). The inverted filter method is designed
to prevent future mobilization of the backfilled material. The use of DC backfilling
ensures that people are not exposed to further collapse of the sinkhole during
backfilling

2.5. Name the geological occurrences of dolomitic areas in South Africa (5)
Gauteng (Centurion / Littleton), Carletonville, Limpopo (Mopane area)

TOTAL MARKS (90)

 ASSIGNMENT 2
1. A soil sample is prepared by mixing X g of dry soil and Y g of water to obtain a
moisture content of 10.0% and to compact it in a cylinder with 150mm diameter
and 127mm deep. After compaction, the air voids within the soil sample is 7.5%.
The density of particles is 2,65g/ml. Calculate: X, Y, voids ratio of compacted
sample, dry density, wet density, saturated density, degree of saturation (15)

Volume = 2244ml (1 mark)

𝐺𝑠𝑝𝑤
𝑝𝑑 = ⁄(1 + 𝑤𝐺𝑠) (1 − 𝐴𝑣)

1. 𝐷𝑟𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝑝𝑑 = 1,938𝑔/𝑚𝑙 (2 marks)

2. 𝑊𝑒𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝑝 = 𝑝𝑑(1 + 𝑤) = 2.132𝑔/𝑚𝑙 (2 marks)
3. 𝑀𝑠 = 𝑝𝑑 𝑥 𝑉 = 4348.87𝑔 = 𝑋 (2 marks)
4. 𝑀𝑤 = 𝑀𝑠 𝑥 𝑤 = 434.89𝑔 = 𝑌 (2 marks)
𝐺𝑠(1 + 𝑤)⁄
5. 𝑒 = 𝑝 𝑝𝑤 − 1 = 0.37 (2 marks)

6. 𝑆𝑟 = 𝑤𝐺𝑠⁄𝑒 = 0.72 (2 marks)

7. 𝑃𝑠𝑎𝑡 = 𝐺𝑠 + 𝑒⁄(1 + 𝑒) = 2.204𝑔/𝑚𝑙 (2 marks)

1.1. A sample of 1217g was the taken from the selby sample and dried up in an
oven for 24 hours. Afterwards, a grading analysis test was carried out and the
following results were obtained:

Sieve size (mm) 19,0 13,2 9,5 4,75 2,0 0,425

Mass retained (g) 97,4 158,2 182,6 206,9 219,1 194,7

(9)
50g of the material passing 0.425mm sieve was washed through 0,075mm sieve
and after drying the material retained on the sieve was 36g. (5)
Another 50g was of the material passing 0,425mm sieve was used for hydrometer
analysis and the following results were obtained:
Sedimentation time 26s 2hrs

Hydrometer reading (g/l) 8 7

Height, h (mm) 114 125

(10)
Use the average values for constants for calculations and draw the soils grading
line. Then calculate the soil’s effective size, coefficient of uniformity, and grading
modulus (6)
 total % 0.075 mass hyd mass
Original mass 1217 100 1058.9 50 36 50

Sieves(mm) Mass ret % Ret % Pass -0.425mm 158.1 3.162

19 97.4 8.0 92.0 0.075mm 3.162 113.832

13.2 158.2 13.0 79.0
9.5 182.6 15.0 64.0 Time Reading Height
4.75 206.9 17.0 47.0 26 8 0.114
2 219.1 18.0 29.0 7200 7 0.125
0.425 194.7 16.0 13.0 0 0 0
0.075 113.8 9.4 3.6 0 0 0
0.068 25.3 2.1 1.6 uw*9 0.009081
0.004 22.1 1.8 -0.3 ps-pw*10*2 34000

h/t1 0.004385 3.98E-05

h/t2 1.74E-05 1.58E-07
GRADING ANALYSIS h/t3 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
#DIV/0! #DIV/0!
100.0
d1 1.17E-09 0.068
d2 4.64E-12 0.004
80.0
d3 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
60.0 Mass ret1 25.3
% Passing 40.0 Mass ret2 22.1
Mass ret3 0.0
20.0

0.0
0.001 0.1 10
-20.0

Sieve sizes (mm)

2. Use the following variables to calculate the Plasticity Index of the samples.
LIQUID LIMIT
SAMPLE 1 SAMPLE 2 SAMPLE 3 SAMPLE 4 SAMPLE 5
mass moisture tin 482.6 492.5 501.5 472.3 505.6
mass tin + wet soil 993.4 972.5 988 974.4 973.8
mass tin + dry soil 944.9 922.6 932.8 889.3 912 (5)
 LIQUID LIMIT
SAMPLE 1 SAMPLE 2 SAMPLE 3 SAMPLE 4 SAMPLE 5
mass moisture tin 482.6 492.5 501.5 472.3 505.6
mass tin + wet soil 993.4 972.5 988 974.4 973.8
mass tin + dry soil 944.9 922.6 932.8 889.3 912
Water 48.5 49.9 55.2 85.1 61.8
Dry Soil 462.3 430.1 431.3 417 406.4
Liquid limit 10% 12% 13% 20% 15%

PLASTIC LIMIT
SAMPLE 1 SAMPLE 2 SAMPLE 3 SAMPLE 4 SAMPLE 5
mass moisture tin 482.6 492.5 501.5 472.3 505.6
mass tin + wet soil 885 875 788 879 855
mass tin + dry soil 870 855 777 841 830 (5)
PLASTIC LIMIT
SAMPLE 1 SAMPLE 2 SAMPLE 3 SAMPLE 4 SAMPLE 5
mass moisture tin 482.6 492.5 501.5 472.3 505.6
mass tin + wet soil 885 875 788 879 855
mass tin + dry soil 870 855 777 841 830
Water 15 20 11 38 25
Dry Soil 387.4 362.5 275.5 368.7 324.4
Plastic limit 4% 6% 4% 10% 8%

Calculation of the Plasticity Index (5)

Plasticity Index 7% 6% 9% 10% 8%

Comment on the quality and type of material (one mark each point) (5)
Handle on own merit

TOTAL MARKS (75)