MEMO

TO : Project Manager, Dawa Water Supply Project

FROM: Consulting Materials Engineer

Memo No.: 3

DATE : 18th October, 2023

SUBJECT : Test to verify recommendations for Treatment Plant site contained the in
Geotechnical Report.

Reference is made to our memo dated 5th September 2023. The recommendations in the
Geotechnical Investigation Report for the treatment plant site are summarised below.

PROJECT COMPONENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Treatment Plant Site Type of Soils 1.7 – 2m Medium dense coarse

Recommended Foundation Depth
Allowable Bearing Capacity
Other Construction Measures
grained gravelly, clayey SAND
Very dense clayey GRAVEL
weathered GNEISS
1.2m. (Minimum)
300kN/m2
No water encountered

Additional tests have been conducted at the treatment plant site in furtherance of the suggestion
made in the memo. The tests revealed the following;

1.0 SOIL PROFILE

The soil profile is

0 - 1.5m Loose to medium dense coarse grained gravelly, clayey SAND

1.5 – 2.0m Medium dense to very dense decomposed GNEISS
> 2.0m Very dense weathered GNEISS
2.0 BEARING CAPACITY OF GROUND MEDIUM

The estimated allowable bearing capacity for the ground medium at the site is shown below:

Depth (m) Allowable Bearing Capacity

(kN/m2)
0.10 30
0.20 50
0.30 40
0.40 50
0.50 70
0.60 90
0.70 120
0.80 270
0.90 240
1.00 180
1.10 280
1.20 320
1.30 400
1.40 500

Bearing Capacity of Ground Medium at Treatment Plant

Site for Dawa Water Supply Project.

(Client: LMI Holdings)

Allowable Bearing Capacity (kN/m2)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

0

20

40
Depth(

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200
3.0 FOUNDATIONS AND EARTHWORKS

The nature of the soils is such that a shallow foundations could be considered for the proposed
building structures. Spread or pad footings are recommended for the foundation. The foundation
may be placed at a minimum depth of 1.2m. A bearing capacity of 300kN/m2 may be considered
for designing the pad footings.

Excavation for water storage ponds or tanks can mainly be done using conventional excavators.
The use of rock breaking devices may be required occasionally during excavation in depths
greater than 2m.

Ing. E. N Bonne Acquah