CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING

faizahbawadi2018
1. Issues in geotechnical engineering.
2. Purpose and planning of site investigation.
3. Methods of sampling.
4. In-situ testing.
5. Preparation of site investigation report.

CHAPTER OUTLINES
• Geotechnical engineering is a branch of civil engineering concerned
with the engineering behaviour of earth materials.

• Uses the principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics to:

a) investigate subsurface conditions and materials
b) evaluate stability of natural slopes and man-made soil deposits
c) assess risks posed by site conditions, design earthworks & foundations etc.

• Typical geotechnical engineering project begins with a review of

project needs to define the required material properties.

WHAT IS GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING?
 Issues :
• In 18th century, the Leaning Tower of
Pisa in Italy.
• Problems related to soil-bearing capacity.
• Supported by a circular base having a
diameter of 20 m.
• The tower has tilted in the past to the east
, north, west, and finally to the south.
• A weak clay layer exists at a depth of
about 11 m below the ground surface
compression, which caused the tower to
tilt.

ISSUES IN GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo0I2NGhkfo

Activity 1 :

Divide to 4 groups. Define any case study (video from YouTube)

related to geotechnical issues. Discuss the issues involved in that
case study and determine the factors that contributes to that
issues.
GROUP 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vWbBv47PxA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQXTSR9koCg
GROUP 2
https://youtu.be/E-M4KrcKX3k
https://youtu.be/g7XCEViJ7qw\
GROUP 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=081PZfvhFOY
https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/landslides
GROUP 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUxQMylS0G8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIU2n3AV2_s

CLASS ACTIVITY 1
• A site investigation program is necessary to provide information
for design and construction and for environmental assessment.

• Refers to the procedures of determining surface and subsurface

condition in an area of proposed construction/ development.

• Surface and subsurface features may influence;

a) what can be built?
b) what will affect the design and construction procedures.

INTRODUCTION TO SITE
INVESTIGATION (SI)
• To assess the general suitability of the site for the proposed project.

• To enable an adequate and economical design to be made.

• To plan the best method of construction & prepare for difficulties or

delay during construction.

• To explore source of indigenous materials for use in construction.

• To determine the changes that may arise in the ground and

environmental conditions.

• To advise on the relative suitability of different sites should alternatives

exist.

OBJECTIVES OF SITE INVESTIGATION

• Identify type, depth and location of underlying soil layers.
• Determine physical characteristics of soil layers
• Location of water table
• Evaluate bearing capacity
• Predict lateral earth pressure
• Select type & depth of foundation
• Estimate settlements
• Determine potential problems
• Establish construction methods

PURPOSES OF SITE INVESTIGATION

• Planning of a site investigation depends on the type, size, and
importance of the structure, the client, the engineer’s familiarity with
the soils at the site, and local building codes.

• General of site investigation phases:

1. Collection of available information i.e. site plan, type, size, loading
conditions, previous geotechnical reports, topographic maps, geologic
maps, etc.
2. A site visit to provide a general picture of the topography and geology of
the site.
3. Detailed soils exploration to investigate soil strata, groundwater
conditions, obtain disturbed and undisturbed samples for lab tests, and in-
situ tests.
4. Write a report.

PHASES OF SITE INVESTIGATION

PHASES OF A TY[ICAL
Tender Phase i.e: win the job

SITE INVESTIGATION
Client Briefing

Desk Study

Site Reconnaissance

Ground Investigation

Laboratory Testing

Synthesis of Information

Reporting

Monitoring during Construction

 1. Identify potential
geotechnical problems
• The nature of sub-soil (based on
desk study and site visit)
• The type of structure or proposed
development;
• Shallow foundation
• Deep foundation
• Basement excavation
• Retaining structures
• Bridges
• Slope stability (cut & fill)
• Embankments
PLANNING PROGRAM & SCOPE OF SI
2. Decide on the extent of SI
and scheduling for duration
• A preliminary distributions of the
exploratory holes and other field
test to be performed
• Spacing of exploratory holes
• Depth of termination
• Frequencies of field tests;
• In limestone area, number of
boreholes may need to be
greatly increased
• Spacing of boring:
• depends on type, size, weight of proposed structure
• Extent of variation in soil condition
• Depth of boring:
• Type of structure
• Should penetrate all strata that could consolidate
• For bridge and tall building the boring should extend to rock : 1.5
times the width of footing below foundation level
• For embankment and dam : 0.5 – 2 times the height
• Single storey : 3.5 m
• Double storey : 6.5 m

PLANNING PROGRAM & SCOPE OF SI

1. Exploratory Holes
• Boreholes, Mackintosh/ JKR Probes, Cone Penetration
Tests, Boring (Trial Pits, Rotary Drilling, etc), Hand
Augering (HA) & Geophysical Survey
2. Soil Sampling
• Disturbed, Undisturbed, Bulk & Continuous.

3. In-situ Testing
• SPT, CPT, Pressuremeter, PLT, Vane Shear,
Permeability & Dissipitation.

SITE EXPLORATION METHODS

Factors that influencing the method of site exploration.
i) Geological nature of site
ii) Topographical nature of site
iii) Types of information require
iv) Cost and Time
• Test boring can be advanced in the field by
several methods.

• Simplest is the use of augers.

• Boreholes up to a depth of about 3 to 5 m.

• Soil exploration work for highways and

small structures.

• Soil samples collected are disturbed and

can be used to conduct lab test i.e
Atterberg Limits, grain size determination,
etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QLiTM
IH8uY

METHOD 1 : BORING METHODS

• Rapidly rotating drilling bits attached to the bottom of drilling rods
cut and grind the soil and advanced the borehole down.
• Can be used in sand, clay, and rock.

1.1 Rotary drilling

• A casing about 2 to 3 m long is driven into
the ground.
• The soil inside casing then is removed by
means of a chopping bit that is attached to a
drilling rod.
• Water is forced through the drilling rod, and
it goes out at a very high velocity through
the holes at the bottom of the chopping bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKweHA
wj9-A

1.2 Wash Boring

• Particularly through hard soil
and rock.
• A heavy drilling bit is raised
and lowered to chop the hard
soil.
• Casing may be required. The
chopped soil particles are
brought up by the circulation
of water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=uTGnjCXmZY8

1.3 Percussion drilling

 Activity 2 :

Divide to 4 groups. Identify and discuss the limitations,

installation and advantages of boring methods that using:
a) Hand auger
b) Rotary drilling
c) Wash boring
d) Percussion drilling
• During the advancement of the boreholes, soil samples are
collected at various depths for further analysis.

1. Standard Split Spoon

2. Thin-wall Tube

3. Piston Sampler

METHOD 2 : SAMPLING
• Sampler is attached to the drilling rod and then lowered to the
bottom of the borehole.
• Driven into the soil at the bottom of the borehole by means of
hammer blows. Hammer blows occur at the top of the drilling
rod.
• Blow count, N – SPTN
(usually 1.5 m intervals).
• Soil sample collected inside
the spilt tube then is removed
and transported to the lab in a
small glass jars.

2.1 Standard Split Spoon

• Used for obtaining fairly undisturbed soil samples.
• Thin-wall tubes are made of seamless, thin tubes and commonly
are referred to as Shelby tubes.
• To collect samples at given depth, first remove the drilling tools.
The sampler is attached to a drilling rod and lowered to the
bottom of the borehole.
• Then it is pushed hydraulically
into the soil. It then is spun to
shear off the base and is pulled
out. Sampler is sealed and taken
to lab for testing.

2.2 Thin-wall Tube

• Useful when highly undisturbed samples are required.
• The cost is high.
• Consists of a thin-wall tube with a piston. Sampler first is
lowered to the bottom of the borehole, then thin-wall tube is
pushed into the soil hydraulically-past the piston. The pressure
is released through a hole in the piston rod.
• Presence of the piston prevents distortion in the sample by
neither letting the soil squeeze into the sampling tube very fast
nor admitting excess soil.
• Sample obtained are disturbed less than those by Shelby tubes.

2.3 Piston Sampler

• Depending on the type of project and the complexity of the
subsoil.
• Soil properties evaluated from in-situ tests yield more
representative values – sample disturbance during soil exploration
is eliminated.
Vane Shear Test

Borehole Pressuremeter Test

Cone Penetration Test

METHOD 3 : IN-SITU TEST

• When soft clay is encountered during the advancement of a borehole,
the undrained shear strength of clay can be determined by conducting
a vane shear test in the borehole.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za_MXhUYIoM

3.1 Vane Shear Test

• In-situ measurement for the stress-strain modulus.
• Consists of a pressure cell and two guard cells.
• The test involves expanding the pressure cell inside a borehole and
measuring the expansion of its volume.

3.2 Borehole Pressuremeter Test

• A 60° cone with a base
area of 10 cm2 is
pushed into the soil.
And the cone resistance,
qc to penetration is
measured.
• Commonly, most cone
penetrometers have
friction sleeves that
follow the point.

• https://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=0YWbIWer
bvE

3.3 Cone Penetration Test

 • Scope of investigation • Description of subsoil conditions as
1 determined from the soil samples collected.
6
• General description of the proposed
structure for which the exploration has • Groundwater table as observed from the
2 boreholes.
been conducted. 7

• Details of foundation recommendations

• Geologic conditions of the site.
and alternatives.
3 8

• Drainage facilities at the site. • Any anticipated construction problems.

4 9

• Details of boring. • Limitations of the investigation.

5 10

SITE INVESTIGATION REPORT : INFO

 • Site location map.
1

• Location of borings with respect to the proposed structure

2

• Boring logs.
3

• Laboratory tests results.

4

• Other special presentations.

5

SITE INVESTIGATION REPORT : GRAPHIC

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dle0fjF07BU
 END
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