Andrew Websper and Jack Tagg

In situ Ground Investigation Techniques

for Soft Soils – new Perth Stadium site
 Plan of talk

Soft Soil – Swan River Alluvium

Investigation approach for new Perth Stadium site

In situ CPT testing

Methods

Results

Comparison with other available data

Use of test results to sub-divide SRA

Conclusions/Observations

October 31, 2014 2

 Soft Soil - Swan River Alluvium (SRA)

Deposited within the current Swan River channel from approximately

30,000 years ago to present day

Typically a very soft to firm silty clay or clayey silt of high plasticity

Sand, shells, shell fragments and organics are present as trace
elements and as dominant interbeds within a silt or clay matrix

October 31, 2014 3

 Scope of investigation

General scope

Extensive review of data from other sites

Drilling and recovery of undisturbed samples

63 mm diameter push tubes and piston samples

Laboratory testing

Classification Testing

Single Stage Consolidated Undrained Triaxial Tests

Incremental Load Oedometer Tests

CPTu probing

Dissipation testing

Detailed Testing Location

Cluster of tests at one location for comparative purposes

October 31, 2014 4

 In situ testing techniques used at location
CPT999

CPTu – 100 MPa piezocone

CPTu – 10 MPa piezocone (higher resolution cone)

Ball penetrometer

Flat Plate Dilatometer

Vane Shear Tests

Seismic piezocone

T-bar penetrometer (UWA site)

October 31, 2014 5

 0

Comparison of data -2

-4
Strength

Standard cone/sensitive cone and -6

ball penetrometer -8

-10

 =
 + 1 −


Elevation (m, AHD)

 
 = -12


-14


 =
 −  −
 1 −

-16
 
 =
!"##
-18

$% = 12, $&'(( = 11

-20

Nkt checked against vane shear tests -22

Nball after Low et al, 2011 -24

-26
October 31, 2014 6
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Undrained Shear Strength, su (kPa)

CPT999-7-CPTsens CPT152 Z CPT999-2 -BPT

 0

Comparison of data -2

-4

Strength
-6

10 MPa penetrometer + vane
shear test results + DMT -8

strengths
-10

Elevation (m, AHD)

-12

Good correlation between cone
and vane shear -14

-16

Sand lenses affecting deeper

-18
vane shear test results?
-20

-22

-24

-26
October 31, 2014 7 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Undrained Shear Strength, su (kPa)

CPT999-7-CPTsens CPT999-3-75VST CPT999-6-50VST

 0

Comparison of data -2

-4

Strength
-6

Comparison field and hand vane
test results -8

-10

Good correlation above 11 m

Elevation (m, AHD)

-12
depth.
-14

nPS Triaxial test results higher -16

(over-estimate of cell pressure?)

-18

-20

-22

-24

-26
October 31, 2014 8 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Undrained Shear Strength, su (kPa)
CPT999-7-CPTsens CPT999-3-75VST CPT999-6-50VST
nPS - CIU Tests BH024 - Field Vane BH026 - Field Vane
 Comparison of data

Comparison with UWA test sites

[1. Stewart and Randolph, 1994 and 2. Low et al, 2011]

October 31, 2014 9

 Comparison of data

Comparison with other data (UWA t-bar and vane shear tests)
0 0

2 2

4 4

6 6

8 8

10 10
Depth Below Ground Level (m)

Depth Below Ground Level (m)

12 12

14 14

16 16

18 18

20 20

22 22

24 24

26 26

28October 31, 2014 10 28

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Undrained Shear Strength, su (kPa) Undrained Shear Strength, su (kPa)
UWA Test Site 1 - Vane Shear UWA Test Site 1 - Triaxial CPT999-7-CPTsens

UWA Test Site 1 - T-bar UWA Test Site 2 - CPT CPT999-7-CPTsens UWA Test Site 1 - SBPM UWA Test Site 2 - Vane Shear CPT999-3-75VST
CPT999-6-50VST nPS - CIU Tests
 0

Characteristics of SRA -2

-4
Strength

Comparison with other CPTs -6

further from centre of -8

palaeochannel
-10 CPT142 U

Approx. 2m more overburden 6.4 m Fill
120 m from centre of

Elevation (m, AHD)

currently -12
Palaeochannel

-14

-16

-18

-20

CPT143 U
-22 6.5 m Fill
215 m from centre of
CPT999-7-CPTsens Palaeochannel
4.0 m Fill
-24
25 m from centre of
Palaeochannel

-26
October 31, 2014 11
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Undrained Shear Strength, su (kPa)

CPT999-7-CPTsens CPT142 U CPT143 U

 0

Characteristics of SRA -2

-4
Strength/OCR

Comparison with other CPTs -6

further from centre of -8

palaeochannel
-10

Approx. 2m more overburden

Elevation (m, AHD)

currently -12

CPT999 slightly over-consolidated -14

above -8 m AHD
-16

Other CPTs – generally higher
su/σv’ ratio over full depth, ie -18

slightly over-consolidated over full

-20
depth
-22

-24

-26
October 31, 2014 12
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Undrained Shear Strength / Effective Overburden Stress, su /σvo'
CPT999-7-CPTsens CPT142 U
CPT143 U 0.24 σv'
 0

Characteristics of SRA -2
CPT999-7-CPTsens
4.0 m Fill

-4
Strength/OCR

Comparison with other CPTs -6

along centre of palaeochannel -8

Approx. 4m more overburden

-10
currently for two of the CPTs

Elevation (m, AHD)

-12

CPT26 U
8.8 m Fill
-14

-16

CPT27 U
-18 8.5 m Fill

-20

-22 CPT80 U
3.0 m Fill

-24

-26
October 31, 2014 13
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Undrained Shear Strength, su (kPa)

CPT26 U CPT27 U CPT80 U CPT999-7-CPTsens

 0

Characteristics of SRA -2

-4
Strength/OCR

Comparison with other CPTs -6

further along centre of -8

palaeochannel
-10

Approx. 4m more overburden

Elevation (m, AHD)

currently for two of the CPTs -12

Similar profiles -14

Slightly over-consolidated over

-16
upper layers

OC section extends slightly -18

deeper for the CPTs with greater -20

overburden ( to -12 m AHD)

-22

-24

-26
October 31, 2014 14
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
Undrained Shear Strength / Effective Overburden Stress, su /σvo'
CPT26 U CPT27 U
CPT80 U CPT999-7-CPTsens
0.24 σv'
 Characteristics of SRA

Use of the CPT traces to

pick out characteristics of
SRA to support lab testing
etc.
e.g.

“fuzzy” plot (more silt/fine
sand laminations) –
higher ch values?

“smooth tip resistance
and “bend” to friction ratio
with sl. coarser materials
at top and bottom of layer
– supported by PSDs

October 31, 2014 15

 Characteristics of SRA

Comparison of ch values from dissipation testing with cv values from

oedometer test results
0

-2

-4

-6

-8

-10
Elevation (m, AHD)

-12

-14

-16

-18

-20

-22

-24

-26
0 1 10 100 1000
Coefficient of Consolidation (m2/yr)
Ch - Area1 Cv - Area1
October 31, 2014 16
 Characteristics of SRA

October 31, 2014 17

 Potential subdivision

October 31, 2014 18

 Subdivision

Linked to depositional environment (river energy, sea level) and location within the
palaeochannel.

Vertical subdivision – Upper, Middle, Lower

Upper/Lower – Higher percentage of silt and sand, more variability, increasing trend
with depth for permeability/coefficient of consolidation

Middle – more uniform silty clay/clayey silt, relatively constant value of permeability/
coefficient of consolidation (and compressibility)
October 31, 2014 19
 Conclusions/Observations

Good correlation between methods at CPT999 (cluster location)

Good agreement with previous testing carried out by UWA

Based on our experience on the new Perth Stadium project, the
standard 100 MPa CPT cone adequate for investigation (provided
calibration regularly checked etc.)

Scope of investigation allowed a subdivision of the SRA with depth and
in plan.

Best method for investigation?

In situ vs sample/lab testing…. or both?

More than one method…. cross-check of data to give more
confidence

Methods will depend on budget, size of site, pre-existing data and
understanding of material
October 31, 2014 20