Saint Louis University

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

Department of Civil Engineering

SOIL INVESTIGATION REPORT:

WINDY HILL, CENTRAL BUYAGAN,
POBLACION, LA TRINIDAD BENGUET

Presented to:

ENGR. WINFIELD K. AMPAGUEY

Instructor

Prepared by:
SALAZAR, Lex Brylle L.

Group Members:
DELA CRUZ, Rjay
FACUN, Jazer Mark
JAVIER, Marose
KIMBUNGAN, Justein
MILLA, Wilfredo
NARCISO, Jericho Bien
SALAZAR, Lex Brylle
 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 2
Soil Investigation Report
TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Introduction

 Test Procedures
Laboratory Tests

 Site Description

 Findings and Recommendations

Laboratory Test Results
Water Content Determination
Direct Shear Test
Unconfined Compression Test

 Photographs
Laboratory Experiments
Soil Sample
Site

INTRODUCTION

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The soil investigation was undertaken at Windy Hill, Central
Buyagan, Poblacion, La trinidad, Benguet. The soil sample was
collected from the ongoing septic tank construction where a
viable sample were deemed appropriate.
The following requirements for the undisturbed soil sample
was shaped and trimmed in-situ: two 2in by 2in cube soil sample,
3 inch in diameter by 5 inch in length cylindrical soil sample and
a 500g loose soil. These samples were tested to determine such
soil properties like water content, soil strength, and specific
gravity.
The following results and findings of the experiments will
be briefly discussed in this soil investigation report.

LABORATORY TEST PROCEDURES

ASTM D2216
STANDARD TEST METHODS FOR LABORATORY DETERMINATION OF
WATER CONTENT OF SOIL AND ROCK BY MASS
These test methods cover the laboratory determination of
the water (moisture) content by mass of soil, rock, and similar
materials where the reduction in mass by drying is due to loss of
water except as noted in 1.4, 1.5, and
For simplicity, the word “material” shall refer to soil, rock
or aggregate whichever is most applicable.
Some disciplines, such as soil science, need to determine
water content on the basis of volume. Such determinations are
beyond the scope of this test method.
The water content of a material is the ratio of the mass of
water contained in the pore spaces of soil or rock material, to the
solid mass of particles, expressed as a percentage.
The term “solid material” as used in geotechnical
engineering is typically assumed to mean naturally occurring
mineral particles of soil and rock that are not readily soluble in
water. Therefore, the water content of materials containing
extraneous matter (such as cement etc.) may require special
treatment or a qualified definition of water content. In addition,
some organic materials may be decomposed by oven drying at
the standard drying temperature for this method (110 ± 5°C).
Materials containing gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate) or other
compounds having significant amounts of hydrated water, may

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present a special problem as this material slowly dehydrates at
the standard drying temperature (110 ± 5°C) and at very low
relative humidity, forming a compound (such as calcium sulfate
hemihydrate) that is not normally present in natural materials
except in some desert soils. In order to reduce the degree of
dehydration of gypsum in those materials containing gypsum or
to reduce decomposition in highly/fibrous organic soils, it may be
desirable to dry the materials at 60°C or in a desiccator at room
temperature. When a drying temperature is used which is
different from the standard drying temperature as defined by
this test method, the resulting water content may be different
from the standard water content determined at the standard
drying temperature of 110 ± 5°C.

ASTM D3080
STANDARD TEST METHOD FOR DIRECT SHEAR TEST OF SOILS
UNDER CONSOLIDATED DRAINED CONDITIONS
This test method covers the determination of the
consolidated drained shear strength of a soil material in direct
shear. The test is performed by deforming a specimen at a
controlled strain rate on or near a single shear plane determined
by the configuration of the apparatus. Generally, three or more
specimens are tested, each under a different normal load, to
determine the effects upon shear resistance and displacement,
and strength properties such as Mohr strength envelopes.
Shear stresses and displacements are nonuniformly
distributed within the specimen. An appropriate height cannot be
defined for calculation of shear strains. Therefore, stress-strain
relationships or any associated quantity such as modulus, cannot
be determined from this test.
The determination of strength envelopes and the
development of criteria to interpret and evaluate test results are
left to the engineer or office requesting the tesThe results of the
test may be affected by the presence of soil or rock particles, or
both, (see Section 7).
Test conditions including normal stress and moisture
environment are selected which represent the field conditions
being investigated. The rate of shearing should be slow enough
to ensure drained conditions.

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There may be instances when the gap between the plates
should be increased to accommodate sand sizes greater than the
specified gap. Presently there is insufficient information available
for specifying gap dimension based on particle size distribution.
The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
as the standard. Within this test method the SI units are shown in
brackets. The values stated in each system are not exact
equivalents; therefore, each system must be used independently
of each other.
All observed and calculated values shall conform to the
guidelines for significant digits and rounding established in
Practice D 6026.
The method used to specify how data are collected,
calculated, or recorded in this standard is not directly related to
the accuracy to which the data can be applied in design or other
uses, or both. How one applies the results obtained using this
standard is beyond its scope.

ASTM D2166
STANDARD TEST METHOD FOR UNCONFINED COMPRESSIVE
STRENGTH OF COHESIVE SOIL SAMPLE

This test method covers the determination of the

unconfined compressive strength of cohesive soil in the intact,
remolded, or reconstituted condition, using strain-controlled
application of the axial load.

This test method provides an approximate value of the

strength of cohesive soils in terms of total stresses.

This test method is applicable only to cohesive materials

which will not expel or bleed water (water expelled from the soil
due to deformation or compaction) during the loading portion of
the test and which will retain intrinsic strength after removal of
confining pressures, such as clays or cemented soils. Dry and
crumbly soils fissured or varved materials, silts, peats, and sands
cannot be tested with this method to obtain valid unconfined
compression strength values.

This test method is not a substitute for Test Method D2850.

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All observed and calculated values shall conform to the
guidelines for significant digits and rounding established in
Practice D6026, unless superseded by this standard.

The procedures used to specify how data are

collected/recorded and calculated in this test method are
regarded as the industry standard. In addition, they are
representative of the significant digits that should generally be
retained. The procedures used do not consider material
variation, purpose for obtaining the data, special purpose studies, or
any considerations for the user's objectives; and it is common
practice to increase or reduce significant digits of reported data to
commensurate with these considerations. It is beyond the scope
of this test method to consider significant digits used in analysis
methods for engineering design.

The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are

to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each
system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system
shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the
two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.

The gravitational system of inch-pound units is used when

dealing with inch-pound units. In this system, the pound (lbf)
represents a unit of force (weight), while the unit for mass is
slugs. The rationalized slug unit is not given, unless dynamic (F =
ma) calculations are involved.
It is common practice in the engineering/construction
profession to concurrently use pounds to represent both a unit of
mass (lbm) and of force (lbf). This implicitly combines two
separate systems of units; that is, the absolute system and the
gravitational system. It is scientifically undesirable to combine the
use of two separate sets of inch-pound units within a single standard.
As stated, this standard includes the gravitational system of inch-
pound units and does not use/present the slug unit for mass.
However, the use of balances or scales recording pounds of mass
(lbm) or recording density in lbm/ft3 shall not be regarded as
nonconformance with this standard.

SITE DESCRIPTION
The proposed building is located in a flat area at Windy Hill,
Central Buyagan, Poblacion, La Trinidad, Benguet. The borehole
was drilled at points within the proposed building site. The

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findings are attached herein. The rather limited scope of study is
aimed on identifying the soil characteristic at the borehole
relative to each other where correlation of such properties at the
borehole was made.

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. WATER CONTENT DETERMINATION
RESULTS
The soil sample was extracted from an undisturbed soil. It
was taken at La Trinidad, Benguet. Based from the data gathered, the
average moisture content is 16.43%. sample 1 has a
moisture content of 14.66%, sample 2 is 16.29% and sample 3 is
18.35%. sample 1,2 and 3 has a moist weight of 124.22, 124.61 and
124.2. Respectively including the weight of can. All moist soil has
an approximate weight of 100g.

TRIAL NO 1 2 3
CAN NUMBER 22 A18 8
MASS OF CAN, W1 (g) 24.21 24.26 24.16
MASS OF CAN + MOIST SOIL, W2 (g) 124.22 124.61 124.2
MASS OF CAN + DRY SOIL, W3 (g) 111.43 110.60 108.69
MASS OF MOISTURE,W2-W1 (g) 12.79 14.01 15.51
MASS OF DRY SOIL, W3-W1 (g) 87.22 86 84.53
MOISTURE CONTENT, W(%) 14.66 16.29 18.35
AVERAGE MOISTURE CONTENT 16.43

2. DIRECT SHEAR TEST

Based from the computations, we were able to get shear
stress values of trial 1, trial 2 and trial 3 which is 65.79 Kpa.
359.44 Kpa and 95.21KPa, respectively. Trial 2 shows a
significant surge in shear stress due to its unique composition.
The results can be consistent if the first sample was used but
unfortunately damaged due to miscalibration of the apparatus.
The composition of the other 2 samples were moist clayish soil
which shows lower shear stress of the sample.

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TRIAL DIAL WEIGHT NORMAL SHEAR SHEAR
READING READING LOAD, FORCE, STRESS
KN KN , KPa
1 123 10 0.118 0.170 65.79
2 672 20 0.163 0.927 359.44
3 178 30 0.207 0.246 95.21

3. UNCONFINED COMPRESSION TEST

The goal of this test is to determine the compressive
strength of a soil sample. It was executed properly, and we were
able to obtain the desired unknown. With this, we were able to
get a maximum compressive strength of 58.585 KPa in a
deformation dial of 25 and a total load of 268.8 N. we also
obtained a minimum compressive strength of 5.888KPa at a
26.88 N total load. The stress decreases when it reached the
maximum.
However, when you observe the table. The compressive strength
of a soil sample suddenly increased at the last reading. This
sudden increase is questionable and should be neglected to
attain a result.

DIAMETER, mm 76.2
AREA, mm2 4560.397
LOAD DIAL, N/div 1.92
DEFORMATION, 0.001
in/div

SOIL SAMPLE 1
DEF LOAD DEF. Total Unit Area Correcte Stres
DIA DIAL ∆H Load Strain Correcti d Area s
L READIN (mm (N) on (mm2) (KPa)
G ) Factor
5 14 0.12 26.88 12.12 1.00122 4565.367 5.88
7
10 42 0.25 80.64 24.423 1.00244 4571.494 17.64
4 0
15 78 0.38 149.7 36.635 1.00366 4576.784 32.72
1 6 2

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20 111 0.50 213.1 48.846 1.00488 4582.622 46.50
8 2 6
25 140 0.63 268.8 61.058 1.00611 4588.231 58.58
5 5
30 150 0.76 288 73.264 4.00733 4593.658 53.08
2 2
35 127 0.88 243.8 85.481 1.00855 4599.358 53.01
9 6
40 124.5 1.01 237.0 97.692 1.00977 4604.922 51.91
6 4 0
45 138 1.14 264.9 109.90 1.0110 4610.531 57.46
3 3 4 8

PHOTOGRAPHS

SOIL SAMPLES

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SITE

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