Foundation Engineering

Soil Sampling
 Disturbed Samples
• Disturbed sample is one obtained with no attempt to retain the
in-place structure of the soil or rock
• Stress history may be destroyed
• High shear stresses induced during sampling
• Good for characteristic tests (GSA, Atterberg, Organic Content,
Specific Gravity)
 Undisturbed Samples
• In a truly undisturbed soil sample, the soil is recovered
completely intact and its in-place structure and stresses are not
modified in any way.
• Coring obtains relatively undisturbed samples
• Necessary for stress dependent tests (consolidation,
permeability, strength)
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Soil Samplers
 Split-Spoon Sampling

 Scraper Bucket

 Thin-Walled Tube (Shelby Tube)

 Shelby tubes generally have a 3 inch outside dimeter

and 1/16 inch wall thickness

 Piston Sampler

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 Foundation Engineering

Standard Penetration Test (SPT)

 SPT is performed inside an exploratory boring

 140 lb pound hammer – 30 inches drop

 18 inches of total penetration

 Record the number of blows for every 6 inches

 Stop the test if more than 50 blows are required for any of the
intervals (refusal)

 Sum the blow counts for the last 12 inches of penetration

 https://youtu.be/jo64QIE4hr4

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Standard Penetration Test

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 Foundation Engineering

Standard Penetration Test

 Degree of Disturbance

 When the area ratio is 10% or less, the sample is

considered to be undisturbed

 Area ratio of SPT = 111.5%

 Sampler hammered into ground, count blows for 3

consecutive 6 inch intervals

 Sum of last 2 intervals = standard penetration number

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 Foundation Engineering

SPT Correlations
 Consistency of Clays

 Relative Density of Sands

 Drained Friction Angle of Granular Materials

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 Foundation Engineering

SPT Corrections
 Nmeasured = Raw SPT Resistance (ASTM D 1586).

 Em = energy ratio (ASTM D 4633). Note: 30% < ER <

100% with average ER = 60% in the U.S.

 (N1)60 = CN N60 = Energy-Corrected SPT Value

normalized to an effective overburden stress of one
atmosphere

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Foundation Engineering

Cone Penetrometers

 Electronic Steel Probes with 60° Apex Tip

 ASTM D 5778 Procedures
 Hydraulic Push at 20 mm/s
 No Boring, No Samples, No Cuttings, No Spoil
 Continuous readings of stress, friction, pressure
Foundation Engineering

Cone Penetration Tests (CPT)

Cone Trucks

Mobile 25-tonne rigs with

enclosed cabins to allow
testing under all weather
conditions
Foundation Engineering

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Example CPT Profile

qt (MPa) fs (kPa) u b (kPa)

0 20 40 60 0 500 1000 -200 0 200 400 600 800
0 0 0

4 4 4

8 8 8
Depth (meters)

12
fs 12 12

16 16 16

20 20 20
ub
24 24 24

qt 28 28 28
Foundation Engineering

Example CPT Profile

qt (MPa) fs (kPa) U2, U0 (kPa) Vs (m/s)
0 10 20 0 100 200 300 -100 400 900 1400 0 400 800
0 0 0 0

4 4 4 4

8 8 8 8

12 12 12 12

16 16 16 16
Depth (m)

20 20 20 20

24 24 24 24

28 28 28 28

32 32 32 32

36 36 36 36
 Foundation Engineering

CPT Soil Behavioral Classification

Soil Behavior Type (Robertson et al., 1986; Robertson & Campanella, 1988)
1 – Sensitive fine grained 5 – Clayey silt to silty clay 9 – sand
2 – Organic material 6 – Sandy silt to silty sand 10 – Gravelly sand to sand
3 – Clay 7 – Silty sand to sandy silt 11 – Very stiff fine grained*
4 – Silty clay to clay 8 – Sand to silty sand 12 – Sand to clayey sand*
*Note: Overconsolidated or cemented
 Foundation Engineering

Layer Depth Depth qc qt fs u Rf

m ft tsf tsf tsf psi %

1 0.050 0.164 122.140 122.224 0.227 5.870 0.186

2 0.100 0.328 208.920 208.936 0.299 1.110 0.143

3 0.150 0.492 168.680 168.707 1.041 1.860 0.617

4 0.200 0.656 138.480 138.540 1.259 4.160 0.909

5 0.250 0.820 103.230 103.228 1.271 -0.130 1.231

6 0.300 0.984 80.860 80.909 1.210 3.430 1.496

7 0.350 1.148 59.010 59.003 1.387 -0.480 2.351

8 0.400 1.312 54.660 54.671 1.716 0.740 3.139

9 0.450 1.476 63.290 63.329 1.758 2.680 2.776

10 0.500 1.640 56.730 56.824 1.755 6.550 3.088

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 Foundation Engineering

Depth Depth Elev Elev Avg qt Avg fs Avg u Avg Rf SBT SBTn SBT Bq SBT Bqn SBT JandD Unit Wt. TStress EStress Equil u Equil u Cn N(60) N1(60) N60 (Ic) N160 (Ic) Norm: Qt Norm: Fr Net qt Delta U/qt Bq Q(1-Bq) qe qeNorm Ic FC Dr Phi

m ft m ft tsf tsf psi % pcf tsf tsf tsf ft bpf bpf bpf bpf % tsf MPa % % deg

0.050 0.164 -0.050 -0.164 122.224 0.227 5.870 0.186 9 0 9 0 0 124.097 0.010 0.010 0.000 0.000 1.700 23.418 39.811 19.023 32.340 12008.337 0.186 122.214 0.003 0.003 11966.825 11.669 11967.842 1.269 0.096 42.889

0.100 0.328 -0.100 -0.328 208.936 0.299 1.110 0.143 10 0 9 0 0 127.279 0.020 0.020 0.000 0.000 1.700 33.360 56.712 30.178 51.303 10198.269 0.143 208.915 0.000 0.000 10194.369 20.008 10195.371 1.011 0.000 45.450

0.150 0.492 -0.150 -0.492 168.707 1.041 1.860 0.617 9 0 9 0 0 124.097 0.031 0.031 0.000 0.000 1.700 32.324 54.951 27.711 47.108 5477.681 0.617 168.676 0.001 0.001 5473.333 16.149 5474.335 1.444 2.071 44.428

0.200 0.656 -0.200 -0.656 138.540 1.259 4.160 0.909 9 0 9 0 0 124.097 0.041 0.041 0.000 0.000 1.700 26.544 45.125 24.131 41.023 3380.431 0.909 138.499 0.002 0.002 3373.124 13.243 3374.126 1.624 4.754 92.346 43.487

0.250 0.820 -0.250 -0.820 103.228 1.271 -0.130 1.231 8 0 9 0 0 120.915 0.051 0.051 0.000 0.000 1.700 24.723 42.029 19.163 32.577 2022.377 1.232 103.177 -0.000 -0.000 2022.560 9.890 2023.560 1.807 8.277 81.522 42.082

0.300 0.984 -0.300 -0.984 80.909 1.210 3.430 1.496 7 0 8 0 0 117.733 0.061 0.061 0.000 0.000 1.700 25.837 43.923 15.778 26.823 1329.664 1.497 80.849 0.003 0.003 1325.604 7.727 1326.605 1.941 11.417 72.642 40.918

0.350 1.148 -0.350 -1.148 59.003 1.387 -0.480 2.351 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.070 0.070 0.000 0.000 1.700 22.610 38.437 12.632 21.475 837.960 2.354 58.933 -0.001 -0.001 838.452 5.656 839.452 2.178 18.280 62.230 39.410

0.400 1.312 -0.400 -1.312 54.671 1.716 0.740 3.139 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.080 0.080 0.000 0.000 1.700 20.950 35.615 12.290 20.893 684.754 3.143 54.591 0.001 0.001 684.086 5.232 685.086 2.294 22.289 58.506 39.045

0.450 1.476 -0.450 -1.476 63.329 1.758 2.680 2.776 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.089 0.089 0.000 0.000 1.700 24.268 41.255 13.746 23.368 709.615 2.780 63.239 0.003 0.003 707.451 6.048 708.452 2.211 19.381 60.953 39.748

0.500 1.640 -0.500 -1.640 56.824 1.755 6.550 3.088 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.099 0.099 0.000 0.000 1.700 21.775 37.018 12.684 21.564 575.823 3.094 56.726 0.008 0.008 571.037 5.399 572.039 2.277 21.695 56.706 39.230

0.550 1.804 -0.550 -1.804 54.254 1.623 -1.790 2.991 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.108 0.108 0.000 0.000 1.700 20.790 35.343 12.127 20.616 501.787 2.997 54.146 -0.002 -0.002 502.981 5.210 503.980 2.281 21.806 54.245 39.009

0.600 1.968 -0.600 -1.968 50.625 1.586 -2.410 3.133 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.117 0.117 0.000 0.000 1.700 19.400 32.979 11.490 19.533 430.582 3.140 50.508 -0.003 -0.003 432.061 4.867 433.060 2.316 23.106 51.271 38.678

0.650 2.133 -0.650 -2.133 50.836 1.557 -0.310 3.063 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.127 0.127 0.000 0.000 1.700 19.480 33.116 11.495 19.542 400.240 3.070 50.709 -0.000 -0.000 400.416 4.872 401.416 2.307 22.790 50.350 38.698

0.700 2.297 -0.700 -2.297 53.399 1.613 1.330 3.021 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.136 0.136 0.000 0.000 1.700 20.463 34.786 11.977 20.360 391.379 3.028 53.263 0.002 0.002 390.675 5.106 391.676 2.288 22.096 50.710 38.933

0.750 2.461 -0.750 -2.461 52.309 1.667 -2.130 3.187 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.146 0.146 0.000 0.000 1.700 20.045 34.076 11.852 20.148 358.551 3.196 52.164 -0.003 -0.003 359.604 5.026 360.604 2.312 22.962 49.263 38.834

0.800 2.625 -0.800 -2.625 50.746 1.695 -1.660 3.340 5 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.155 0.155 0.000 0.000 1.700 24.307 41.323 11.620 19.754 326.648 3.350 50.591 -0.002 -0.002 327.419 4.873 328.419 2.336 23.875

0.850 2.789 -0.850 -2.789 50.855 1.684 1.710 3.311 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.164 0.164 0.000 0.000 1.700 19.487 33.129 11.628 19.767 308.571 3.322 50.690 0.002 0.002 307.822 4.860 308.822 2.333 23.747 46.879 38.700

0.900 2.953 -0.900 -2.953 48.486 1.598 0.450 3.296 5 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.174 0.174 0.000 0.000 1.700 23.225 39.483 11.147 18.951 278.189 3.308 48.313 0.001 0.001 278.002 4.642 279.002 2.345 24.224

0.950 3.117 -0.950 -3.117 47.892 1.534 -1.270 3.203 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.183 0.183 0.000 0.000 1.700 18.352 31.199 10.984 18.673 260.612 3.215 47.709 -0.002 -0.002 261.112 4.597 262.112 2.339 24.012 43.819 38.413

1.000 3.281 -1.000 -3.281 50.733 1.545 -2.580 3.045 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.193 0.193 0.000 0.000 1.700 19.441 33.049 11.468 19.495 262.605 3.057 50.540 -0.004 -0.004 263.569 4.878 264.569 2.306 22.759 44.693 38.688

1.050 3.445 -1.050 -3.445 51.525 1.433 -3.120 2.781 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.202 0.202 0.000 0.000 1.700 19.744 33.566 11.479 19.514 254.261 2.792 51.323 -0.004 -0.004 255.373 4.958 256.373 2.273 21.529 44.470 38.762

1.100 3.609 -1.100 -3.609 48.986 1.438 -3.070 2.936 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.211 0.211 0.000 0.000 1.700 18.771 31.911 11.067 18.813 230.888 2.948 48.775 -0.005 -0.005 231.934 4.714 232.934 2.305 22.712 42.506 38.521

1.150 3.773 -1.150 -3.773 45.447 1.427 -3.660 3.140 6 8 8 7 8 114.551 0.221 0.221 0.000 0.000 1.700 17.415 29.606 10.467 17.794 204.978 3.155 45.227 -0.006 -0.006 206.172 4.379 207.171 2.349 24.376 39.913 38.163

1.200 3.937 -1.200 -3.937 38.644 1.478 -3.900 3.825 5 8 8 6 8 114.551 0.230 0.230 0.000 0.000 1.700 18.510 31.468 9.362 15.915 166.990 3.848 38.414 -0.007 -0.007 168.210 3.729 169.210 2.460 28.924

1.250 4.101 -1.250 -4.101 32.556 1.426 -3.730 4.380 4 9 7 6 8 114.551 0.240 0.240 0.000 0.000 1.700 20.793 35.347 8.250 14.026 134.974 4.413 32.317 -0.008 -0.008 136.095 3.145 137.094 2.554 33.166

1.300 4.265 -1.300 -4.265 42.887 1.409 -2.320 3.285 5 8 8 6 8 114.551 0.249 0.249 0.000 0.000 1.700 20.543 34.923 10.019 17.032 171.356 3.305 42.638 -0.004 -0.004 172.027 4.125 173.027 2.381 25.633

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