FOUNDATION

ENGINEERING

Part 4
(Natural Soil Deposits)
 Part 4 – Natural Soil Deposits
1. Introduction
▪ To design a foundation that will support a structure, an engineer must understand the
types of soil deposit that will support the foundation.
▪ Foundation engineers must remember that soil at any site is nonhomogeneous (soil
profile may vary).

2. Soil Origin
▪ Soils are formed by the weathering of various rocks
▪ Two general types of weathering;
▪ Mechanical Weathering
➢ A process by which rocks are broken into smaller pieces by physical forces without any
change in chemical composition.
a) Expansion & Contraction of rocks – development of cracks due to gain or loss of
heat.
b) Frost action – continuous freezing & thawing will result in the breakup of a rock
mass.
c) Exfoliation – rock plates are peeled off from large rocks by physical forces.
d) Running water
e) Glaciers
f) Wind
g) Ocean waves
 Part 4 – Natural Soil Deposits

2. Soil Origin
▪ Two general types of weathering;
▪ Chemical Weathering
➢ A process of decomposition or mineral alteration in which original minerals are changed
into something entirely different.
 Part 4 – Natural Soil Deposits
2. Soil Origin
▪ Transported Soils
➢ Soil produced by weathering of rocks will be transported by physical processes to
other places.
➢ Agents of transporting soils.
a) Gravity transported soils
b) Lacustrine (Lake) deposits
c) Alluvial or fluvial soil deposited by running water.
d) Glacial deposited by glaciers
e) Aeolian deposited by the wind

• Residual Soils
➢ Soils that stay where they were formed and covers the rock surface from which
they were formed.

• Organic Soils
➢ Soils that are derived from decomposed aquatic plants (e.g. peat and coal)
 Part 4 – Subsurface Exploration

3. Purpose of Subsurface Exploration

▪ Selecting the type and depth of foundation suitable for a given structure.
▪ Evaluating the load-bearing capacity of the foundation.
▪ Estimating the probable settlement of a structure.
▪ Determining potential foundation problem (e.g expansive soils, collapsible soil, sanitary
landfill, etc.)
▪ Determining the location of the water table.
▪ Predicting the lateral earth pressure for structures such as retaining walls, sheet pile
bulkheads and braced cuts.
▪ Establishing construction methods for changing subsoil conditions.
 Part 4 – Subsurface Exploration

4. Subsurface Exploration Program

a) Collection of Preliminary Information
• Information regarding the type of structure to be built and its general use.
• For buildings, the approximate column loads and their spacing including basement
requirements.
• For bridges, determining the lengths and their spans and loadings on piers and
abutments.

b) Reconnaissance
• Make a visual inspection of the site to obtain information about;
a) The general topography of the site.
b) Soil stratification from deep cuts.
c) Type of vegetation at the site which may indicate the nature of the soil like
expansive soils.
d) High-water marks on nearby buildings and bridge abutments.
e) Groundwater levels, which can be determined by checking nearby wells.
f) The type of construction nearby and the existence of any cracks in walls or
other problems.
 Part 4 – Subsurface Exploration

4. Subsurface Exploration Program

c) Site Investigation
• Consist of planning, making test boreholes, and collecting samples at desired
intervals for subsequent observation and laboratory tests.
a) Determine the net increase in the effective stress under a foundation with
depth D.
b) Estimate the variation of the vertical effective stress with depth.
c) Determine the depth D = D1, at which the effective stress increase is equal to
1/10q (q=estimated net stress on the foundation).
d) Determine the depth, D=D2, at which Dσ’/σ’o = 0.05
e) Choose the smaller of the two depth, D and D2, just determined as the
approximate minimum depth of boring required, unless bedrock is
encountered.
 Part 4 – Subsurface Exploration

5. Exploratory Borings in the Field

a) Auger boring
• Hand Tools (Can be used to a depth not exceeding 3 to 5 meters)

posthole auger helical auger

 Part 4 – Subsurface Exploration

5. Exploratory Borings in the Field

b) Continuous Flight Augers
• Can be used to a depth of about 60 to 70 meters
• Is delivered by truck or tractor mounted drilling rigs.
 Part 4 – Subsurface Exploration

5. Exploratory Borings in the Field

c) Wash boring
• A casing about 2 to 3 meters long is
driven into the ground. The soil inside
the casing is then removed by means of
a chopping bit attached to a drilling rod.

• Water is forced through the drilling rod

and exits at a very high velocity through
the holes at the bottom of the chopping
bit.

• The water and the chopped soil particles

rise in the drill hole & overflow at the top
of the casing.

• The washwater is collected in a

container.
 Part 4 – Subsurface Exploration

5. Exploratory Borings in the Field

d) Rotary drilling
• Rapidly rotating drilling bits attached to the bottom of drilling rods cut and grind
the soil and advance the borehole.

• Rotating drilling can be used in sand, clay and rocks (unless they are badly
fissured)

e) Percussion drilling
• A heavy drilling bit is raised and lowered to chop the hard soil.

• The chop soil particles are brought up by the circulation of water.

• Percussion drilling may require casing.

 Part 4 – Subsurface Exploration
6. Procedures for Sampling
a) Disturbed but representative soil samples
• Grain-size analysis
• Determination of liquid limit and plastic limit
• Specific gravity of soil solids
• Determination of organic content
• Classification of soils

b) Undisturbed soil samples

• Grain-size analysis
• Determination of liquid limit and plastic limit
• Specific gravity of soil solids
• Determination of organic content
• Classification of soils
• Consolidation
• Hydraulic conductivity
• Shear strength
• others
THANK YOU