Geotechnical Design Basis Report Proposed Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Cumberland, Rhode Island

P R E P AR E D F O R : C I V I C B U I L D E R S
GE OTE CHNICAL DESIGN BAS IS REP ORT

P ROP OSE D BL ACKSTONE V ALLE Y
PREP AR AT O RY SCHOOL
CUMBE RL AN D, RHODE ISL AND
P R E P AR E D B Y :
P AR E C O R P O R A T I O N
10 LINCOLN ROAD, SUITE 103
F O X B O R O , M AS S A C H U S E T T S 0 2 0 3 5
P AR E P R O J E C T N U M B E R 1 3 0 6 2 . 0 8
AUGUST 2013
AMENDED JANUARY 2014
Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Table of Contents
GEOTECHNICAL DESIGN BASIS REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION PAGE
1.0 BACKGROUND/SITE LOCATION ......................................................................1

1.1 Purpose and Scope ................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Background ............................................................................................................ 1
1.3 Surface Conditions ................................................................................................. 2
1.4 Previous Site Conditions ........................................................................................ 2
1.5 Proposed Grading ................................................................................................... 2
1.6 Former Area Coal Mining ...................................................................................... 2
2.0 SUBSURFACE EXPLORATIONS.........................................................................5
2.1 Sampling Methodology .......................................................................................... 5
2.2 Field Measurement and Methodology .................................................................... 5
2.3 Locations ................................................................................................................ 5
3.0 SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS ..............................................................................7
3.1 Soil Strata ............................................................................................................... 7
3.2 Groundwater ........................................................................................................... 9
4.0 LABORATORY TESTING...................................................................................10
4.1 Grain Size Analysis .............................................................................................. 10
5.0 IMPLICATIONS OF SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS .........................................11
5.1 General ................................................................................................................. 11
5.2 Seismic Design and Liquefaction Evaluations ..................................................... 11
6.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................13
6.1 Foundations and Slabs .......................................................................................... 13
6.1.1 Shallow Foundations ............................................................................... 13
6.2 Ground Modifications .......................................................................................... 14
6.3 Settlement ............................................................................................................. 15
6.4 Lateral Earth Pressures and Retaining Wall Design............................................. 15
6.5 Frost Depth Recommendations ............................................................................ 16
6.6 Drainage ............................................................................................................... 16
6.7 Underground Utilities ........................................................................................... 16
6.8 Flexible and Rigid Pavement Recommendations ................................................. 16
6.9 Construction Materials ......................................................................................... 18
6.10 Reuse of On-Site Soils ......................................................................................... 18
6.11 Soils Prone to Disturbance ................................................................................... 18
6.12 Compaction .......................................................................................................... 18
7.0 CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS.....................20
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Table of Contents
7.1 Excavation ............................................................................................................ 20

7.2 Backfilling ............................................................................................................ 20
7.3 Utility Installation ................................................................................................ 21
7.4 Dewatering ........................................................................................................... 21
7.5 Lateral Support ..................................................................................................... 21
7.6 Protection of Adjacent Structures......................................................................... 22
8.0 SUMMARY ...........................................................................................................23
8.1 Subsurface Conditions.......................................................................................... 23
8.2 Conclusions and Recommendations ..................................................................... 23
8.3 Construction Considerations/Recommendations.................................................. 24
REFERENCES
TABLES (Included in the Report)
Table 3-1: Boring Summary

Table 3-2: Rock Core Summary
Table 4-1: Results of Grain Size Analyses
Table 6-1: Recommended Earth Pressure and Friction Coefficients
Table 6-2: Recommended Standard and Heavy Duty Flexible Pavement Layer Thickness
Table 6-3: Recommended Minimum Compaction Requirements
FIGURES
Figure 1: Locus Plan
Figure 2: Exploration Location Plan
Figures 3a, b, & c: Extracts of USGS Geological Map
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Department of Interior Complaint Investigation Report
Appendix B: Boring Logs
Appendix C: Laboratory Testing Data
Appendix D: Geotechnical Limitations
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School ii
Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Background/Site Location
1.0 BACKGROUND/SITE LOCATION
This report presents the results of geotechnical investigations and evaluations undertaken by Pare
Corporation (PARE) for the proposed Blackstone Valley Preparatory School, its associated
parking areas and site improvements located in Cumberland, Rhode Island. The project site is
depicted on Figure 1: Locus Plan. This report has been prepared in general accordance with our
proposal and is subject to the geotechnical limitations presented in Appendix D.
1.1 Purpose and Scope
The purpose of this study is to identify the existing subsurface conditions; evaluate potential
implications the observed conditions may have upon the proposed structure; and provide
geotechnical parameters and recommendations for use during the design of the foundations,
buildings, and other site improvements associated with the proposed project. The scope of this
evaluation included the following:
 Drilling eight (8) borings within the proposed building footprint, and six (6) borings
within the proposed pavement and site improvement areas, for a total of fourteen (14)
borings.
 Sampling and performing Standard Penetration Testing (SPT).
 Logging of drilling information and classifying soil samples.
 Performing laboratory tests on soil samples.
 Preparing a geotechnical report summarizing the exploration findings, data evaluations,
geotechnical design recommendations, and construction recommendations.
The subsurface exploration program also included headspace screening and the collection of soil
samples for the evaluation for the presence of contamination or other environmental concern.
The results of this evaluation are presented in an additional report provided under separate
cover.
1.2 Background
PARE understands that the proposed elementary school building footprint is approximately 18,
450 square feet, part 2- and part 3-story and no basements. An elevator shaft is to be located in
the northwestern portion of the building that will extend to about 9 feet below slab level. Also
included in the project are the following:
 One (1) parking area,

 One (1) drop off area, and
 Associated access road entering the site from Broad Street and exiting the site to Chase
Street.
As shown on Figure 2: Boring Location Plan, there are several existing structures and features on
the site (and within the footprint) of the proposed building. The existing property (the Site) is
located between Broad Street and Chase Street on the corner of Lusitana Avenue, and
encompasses an area of approximately 1.29 acres. The Site is bordered by Broad Street to the
east; Chase Street to the west and private property to the north and south.
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School 1
1.3 Surface Conditions
In the area of the proposed building footprint, existing grades range from approximately
Elevation 77-feet1 near the west side of the proposed building, to Elevation 74-feet near the east
side of the proposed building. The area is flat with grass cover as it supports an existing
basketball court, skate park, hockey area with bituminous paving, and access pathways and grass
covered landscaping areas.
1.4 Previous Site Conditions
As part of site research, three historic maps of the area were located: 1893, 1940/1946, and 1965
topographic maps. The 1893 map indicates Broad Street, Titus Street, and Lusitania Street with
developments along these, but no structures are shown on the main body of the Site. The
1940/1946 map indicates a similar state of development to the 1893 map, but Chase Street is
shown to have been constructed. The 1965 map indicates a building on the south-central part of
the Site with a small structure (possibly a garage or shed) to the northwest. Boring B13-8 was
completed within this area, and indicated that the soils were comprised of fill overlying bedrock.
1.5 Proposed Grading
PARE understands that the finished floor grade is proposed to be elevation 76.5-feet. No
basements are proposed, but an elevator pit is planned that will extend to about 9 feet below slab
level (approximately elevation 67.5 feet).
1.6 Former Area Coal Mining
After a potential mining issue that may impact the proposed school development was raised by a
member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, PARE performed a review of available
published information.
PARE performed a review of the available published information, including:

- The USGS geological map ‘Bedrock Geology of the Pawtucket Quadrangle, Rhode
Island-Massachusetts (1949),
- USGS Bulletin 615 ‘Rhode Island Coal’ (1915), and
- Historic and Architectural Resources of Cumberland, Rhode Island.
The USGS geological map indicates that a ‘small mine or prospect’ was located to the southwest
of the intersection of Chase Street and Lusitana Avenue (below the present Lusitania Club). This
appears to be about 200 feet southwest of the site and about 300 feet southwest of the proposed
school location. An enlargement of this map is attached together with extract of the map key
(Figures 3a, b & c). No mine entries (shafts, adits, etc.) are shown on the proposed school site on
this map.
The USGS Bulletin 615 ‘Rhode Island Coal’ records that small-scale mining had taken place in
the vicinity of the project site, but appears to have ended in the late 19th century. This document
does not specifically record or suggest mining activities below the proposed school site; however,
1 Elevations are based on a topographic survey completed by National Surveyors, Inc. dated May, 2013.
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an entry in this document (page 11) suggests that coal was worked in this area of Valley Falls to a
considerable depth (i.e., greater than 300 feet). There is no information presented within this
document or the other available documents to indicate the direction or the extent to which the
coal working took place.
In general, the collapse of a void (resulting from the extraction of coal) present within the rock
strata could cause subsidence to occur at the ground surface above the area of a mine if the
mining operation was sufficiently close to the ground surface. The method of failure typical for
the type of mining expected to have been performed in Valley Falls at this time is well
documented, and an empirical relationship between the thickness of coal extracted and the
thickness of rock present above the workings has been developed. This industry-accepted
guidance (see Bureau of Land Management ‘Appendix C, Mining Operations and Subsidence’,
and Pennsylvania Department of Environment website) indicates that subsidence at the surface is
managed through the maintenance of at least 100 feet of rock above the mine.
If the coal mining did take place as indicated on the USGS map, and if the mine extended in the
direction of the site, then based upon the information in the ‘Rhode Island Coal’ document, it is
possible that voids may be present in the rock below the site. However, based upon the
information presented on the geological map and within the ‘Rhode Island Coal’ document, it is
our preliminary assessment that it is unlikely that subsidence will develop at the surface because
there is sufficient rock-cover (i.e., greater than 100 feet) above the coal workings on the proposed
school site.
In addition to the above information, PARE obtained a copy of a complaint investigation report
from the Department of the Interior that summarizes the investigation and treatment of a mine
subsidence that occurred on Chase Street in 2005. A copy of this report is attached in Appendix
A, and is briefly summarized as follows:
- A void measuring 6 feet in diameter at the surface, widening to 12 feet in diameter below
ground, and 17 feet deep developed at the Lusitania Club parking lot at 10 Chase Street.
- The void was located about 130 feet north of the center of Lusitana Avenue and 38 feet
west of the centerline of Chase Street.
- The investigator states that the site is located over the abandoned underground mine
workings of the Valley Falls Mine that was mined in 1896, and that the coal is at about
40 feet below ground in this area.
- It is stated that a boring was performed by the Office of Surface Mines (OSM) in this
area in 1984. Although the report states that a copy of this boring log is included with the
report, this was not attached to the report obtained by PARE.
- The first part of the report concludes that the void is mine related and there is a threat to
the health and safety of the general public, therefore requires “immediate abatement”.
- The second part of the report describes the treatment of the void. After excavation and
removal of the overhanging material around the surface opening, 30 tons of flowable fill
was placed in the void. The flowable fill was placed to 18 inches below the surface, and
after 2 days, 12 tons of gravel were placed, then a wearing course of asphalt.
Other information about the mine and subsidence events has been produced by the RI
Representative that presents the location of additional explorations conducted northwest of the
Lusitania Club (i.e. the school site is northeast of the Lusitania Club), and suggests a
northwesterly direction of the mining. However, the provenance and accuracy of this information
cannot be confirmed at this time; therefore, PARE cannot comment on this information. If the
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accuracy of this information or other information is provided about the former mine, it is prudent
that we review this additional information. These documents would be an important part of a
complete assessment, and we do not want to draw final conclusions without this information,
particularly as these reports allegedly describe subsidence events that have occurred in this area in
the past.
At this time, Pare Corporation does not recommend further subsurface investigation to
substantiate claims of a mine, or influence from a mine within the proposed development area. If
additional information becomes available and, after review this information, Pare believes that
further investigation is warranted, we will provide a recommended investigation program.
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Subsurface Explorations
2.0 SUBSURFACE EXPLORATIONS
A subsurface exploration program was undertaken to determine subsurface conditions at the site
to provide geotechnical guidelines for the design of foundations and pavement for the proposed
structures. Logs of the soil borings are included in Appendix B and their locations are shown on
Figure 2: Boring Location Plan.
The subsurface investigation program was performed by New Hampshire Boring of Brockton,
Massachusetts and observed by PARE personnel from July 9 through July 11, 2013 and on July
23, 2013. Soil borings were advanced from a truck-mounted drill rig utilizing 4-inch casing with
wash and drive techniques and 4¼-inch hollow stem augers as noted on the boring logs. PARE
personnel provided field observation and coordination for the subsurface exploration program.
Field personnel observed the drilling conditions, visually identified the Standard Penetration Test
(SPT) soil samples during the advancement of the explorations, and took groundwater
measurements.
2.1 Sampling Methodology
The sampling methodology consisted of obtaining disturbed samples of the deposits continuously
to a depth of approximately 10-feet and at 5-foot intervals or change in stratum thereafter. The
samples were obtained by advancing a thick-walled split-spoon sampler during the performance
of the Standard Penetration Test (SPT) in general accordance with ASTM D-1586. The SPT is
used to obtain an indication of the characteristics, relative density and consistency of the
underlying soils. The test consists of driving a 1 3/8-inch inside diameter standard split spoon
sampler at least 18 inches with a 140-pound hammer dropping from a height of 30 inches. The
SPT value used in analysis is the number of blows (N) required to drive the sampler from 6 to 18
inches of penetration.
During the explorations, subsurface soils were visually classified utilizing the Burmister
Classification System. This systems describes soil composition based upon the percentage of soil
particle size present by weight in the sample with the major soil particle size listed first followed
by other soil components described as “trace” indicating 0-10% by weight, “little” indicating 10-
20% by weight, “some” indicating 20-35% by weight or “and” indicating 35-50% by weight.
2.2 Field Measurement and Methodology
The actual locations of the soil borings were recorded in the field utilizing a handheld GPS with
sub-foot accuracy. The surface elevation at each boring was interpolated from an available
topographic survey of the site.
2.3 Locations
The subsurface exploration program completed at the site included a total of fourteen (14) soil
borings. Borings B13-3, B13-5, B13-7 through B13-9 and B13-11 through B13-14 were
performed within the proposed building footprint. As noted about, Boring B13-8 was performed
in the footprint of the structure shown on the 1965 map. The above noted borings were advanced
to depths ranging from 6 to 25-feet below the existing ground surface. Actual depths of each
boring are noted in Table 3-1: Boring Summary.
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Subsurface Explorations
Borings B13-1, B13-2, B13-4, B13-6 and B13-10 were performed in the proposed parking area
and access road. The above noted borings were advanced to depths ranging from 6 to 25-feet
below the existing ground surface and terminated with auger or roller bit refusal. Actual depths
of each boring are noted in Table 3-1: Boring Summary.
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Subsurface Conditions
3.0 SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS
The surface of the site generally consists of topsoil or bituminous pavement overlying areas of
FILL and/or native deposits of SAND overlying GLACIAL DEPOSITS and/or WEATHERED
BEDROCK, overlying BEDROCK.
TABLE 3-1:- BORING SUMMARY

Approx.
Ground
Approximate Depth to Top of S tratum (ft)
S urface
General Elevation
Boring ID
Location (S tratum 2)
1 (S tratum 3) (S tratum 4) (S tratum 5)
(Ft MS L) (S tratum 1) S AND Depth of Groundwater
GLACIAL WEATHERED COMPETEN
FILL WITH Boring Depth
DEPOS ITS ROCK T ROCK
GRAVEL
B13-1 Site 77.0 0.3 NE NE 7.5 9 9 NE
B13-2 Site 77.3 0.25 5 14 18 22 25
B13-4 Site 75.5 0.25 NE NE 7 8.5 8.5
B13-6 Site 74.2 0.3 NE 8 11 14 14
B13-10 Site 75.5 NE 0.3 NE 6 NE 6 NE
B13-3 Building 73.5 0.25 NE NE NE 6.5 7
B13-5 Building 76.3 0.25 NE NE NE 8.5 9 NE
B13-7 Building 74.9 NE 0.5 NE 2* 7* 7
B13-8 Building 76.0 0.25 NE NE NE 8.5 13.5
B13-9 Building 74.8 0.3 3 7 14 17 17 12
B13-11 Building 75.8 0.25 NE 8 9.5 11.3 11.3 NE
B13-12 Building 75.1 0.3 6 8 17.2 NE 17.2 10
B13-13 Building 73.5 0.5 8.5 14.5 18 NE 20 15
B13-14 Building 75.7 0.3 NE 8 12.5 NE 12.5 NE
* Possibly cobbles and boulders. An additional hand-auger was performed in this area but was terminated at 2 feet on a cobble/boulder obstruction.
1. Vertical datum reference from National Suveys topographic survey of site, 1991.
3.1 Soil Strata
Stratum 1 – FILL
Deposits of FILL were encountered at the site within the proposed building and site
improvement areas and are generally described as brown to tan, fine to medium SAND with
“trace” to “and” amounts of fine gravel, “trace” to “some” amounts of silt and “trace” brick
debris. Standard Penetration Tests performed in Stratum 2 generally indicate a corrected density
of medium dense to very dense.
FILL (Stratum 1) was encountered within most borings (except B13-7, B13-10) at depths
of approximately 3 inches below the existing ground surface cover. The thickness of the FILL
ranged from 0 to 8.5-feet thick. The deepest area of the FILL was encountered in borings B13-5,
B13-8, and B13-13, all of which were within the proposed school footprint.
Stratum 2 – SAND WITH GRAVEL
Natural deposits of SAND WITH GRAVEL encountered at the site underlying the FILL
deposits or grassed surface covering are generally described as tan, fine to coarse SAND with
“little” to “and” amounts of fine gravel, and “trace” silt. Areas of cobbles were also encountered.
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Standard Penetration Tests performed in Stratum 2 generally indicate a corrected density of

medium dense.
SAND WITH GRAVEL (Stratum 2) was encountered in borings B13-2, B13-7, B13-9,
and B13-12 ranging from approximately 3 to 6 inches underlying the grass surface covering at
B13-7 and B13-10 to as deep as 6 feet at boring B13-12. The thickness of the deposit ranged
from approximately 2 feet to 9 feet.
Stratum 3 – GLACIAL DEPOSITS
GLACIAL DEPOSITS were encountered underlying the in-situ FILL and native SAND
WITH GRAVEL deposits at the site and are generally described as brown to grey, fine to
medium SAND with “and” to “some” amounts of silt, and “some” fine gravel. Standard
Penetration Tests performed in Stratum No. 3 indicate a corrected density of dense to very dense.
GLACIAL DEPOSITS (Stratum 3) was encountered at borings B13-2, B13-6, and B13-9
underlying the SAND WITH GRAVEL at depths ranging from approximately 7 feet at B13-9 to
as deep as 14 feet at boring B13-2. The thickness of the deposit ranged from approximately 2
feet to 9 feet.
Stratum 4 – WEATHERED ROCK
WEATHERED ROCK encountered is described as dark grey to grey, severely weathered

MUDSTONE or SANDSTONE. Standard Penetration Tests performed within Stratum 4 indicate
a corrected density of very dense.
WEATHERED ROCK was encountered within the proposed building footprint in all of
the borings except borings B13-5 and B13-8 at depths ranging from 2 feet at boring B13-7 to 18
feet at boring B13-2. The thickness of the WEATHERED ROCK ranged from 0 feet to 5 feet
thick.
Stratum 5 – COMPETENT ROCK
Bedrock was encountered during the subsurface exploration program at all of the borings
ranging from depths of 7 below the existing ground surface at boring B13-7 to 22 feet at boring
B13-2. Bedrock was confirmed by completing two rock cores. The presence of bedrock was
indicated by the drilling action during advancement of the roller bit.
Based upon a visual inspection of the rock core sample obtained from boring B13-2,
bedrock consisted of very weak to hard, dark gray, highly weathered to slightly weathered
MUDSTONE and dark gray, highly to moderately weathered, hard, extremely to moderately
fractured SANDSTONE. The Rock Quality Designation (RQD) value of the core sample was
“very poor”2.
At boring B13-8, bedrock consisted of grey, slightly weathered to fresh, hard to very
hard, extremely to slightly fractured, medium grained, very thinly bedded SANDSTONE. The
2 “Very poor”, RQD= 0% to 25%.
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Rock Quality Designation (RQD) value of the core sample was “fair”3. A summary of rock core
depths, lengths, and RQD’s are presented on Table 3-2.
TABLE 3-2: ROCK CORE SUMMARY
Soil Depth Length RQD

Boring No. (ft) (ft) (%)
B13-2 22-26 4 0
B13-8 8.5-13.5 5 67
3.2 Groundwater
Based on observations taken during the subsurface investigation program, groundwater was
encountered within the borings performed on the northern section of the building footprint at
depths of approximately 10-15 feet below the existing ground surface. It is important to note that
as part of the boring activities, water was introduced to each borehole and may not have
dissipated at the time that the initial measurement was taken. Water level measurements were not
taken at several holes where the water did not appear to stabilize after the introduction of water
during boring activities.
One observation well was temporarily installed at boring B13-6. The groundwater was
approximately 12.1 feet below the ground surface approximately 16 hours after boring activities
terminated. As noted above, water was used to drill this and nearby borings, and may not have
dissipated at the time that the measurement was taken.
It should be noted that groundwater levels are known to fluctuate due to local and regional factors
including, but not limited to, precipitation events, seasonal changes, and periods of wet or dry
weather.
3 “Fair”, RQD= 50% to 75%.
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Laboratory Testing
4.0 LABORATORY TESTING
The laboratory testing program included mechanical grain size determinations performed upon
samples from the material strata encountered during the investigation. The results of the
laboratory testing are summarized below. The testing data sheets are included in Appendix C.
4.1 Grain Size Analysis
Three (3) grain size analyses were performed on materials recovered during the subsurface
investigation with descriptions and results presented as follows:
Table 4-1: Results of Grain Size Analyses

Test Boring Sample Depth Representative
% Gravel % Sand % Fines
No. No. No. (Ft.) Soil Strata
1 B13-3 S-2 4-6 FILL 30 49 21
2 B13-8 S-3 4-4.8 FILL 54 40 6
SAND WITH
3 B13-9 S-2 4-6 33 60 7
GRAVEL
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Implications of Subsurface Conditions
5.0 IMPLICATIONS OF SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS
5.1 General
Based on the subsurface investigation program and observations made during the fieldwork, the
following are the geotechnical issues identified that could potentially impact the development of
the site as proposed:
 Topsoil and bituminous pavement was observed across the surface of the site, and is not a
suitable bearing stratum for footings or suitable for reuse as backfill materials in the
building or parking areas and is recommended to be removed and replaced with suitable
material as stated herein.
 The existing FILL (Stratum 1) is not recommended for bearing support for buildings and
site features, in its current state. It is not known how this FILL was placed or compacted
(e.g., uniformity).
 It appears that reuse of the FILL (Stratum 1) and SAND WITH GRAVEL (Stratum 2) as
“Granular Fill” under buildings and pavements will be permissible, but additional grain
size analyses will be required as construction proceeds to confirm the suitability of the
material. (See Section 6.10 for more information).
 Groundwater was encountered at about 10 to 15 feet below present site grade

(approximate El. 58.5 to 65.1 feet). At these depths/elevations groundwater should not
impact the construction activities, as the deepest building element (elevator pit
foundation) will be placed at about 9 feet below slab level (approximate El. 67.5 feet). It
should be noted that groundwater levels will fluctuate due to precipitation events,
seasonal changes, etc., hence groundwater control may be needed if groundwater levels
rise due to these events, or if perched groundwater tables are encountered.
5.2 Seismic Design and Liquefaction Evaluations
SITE CRITERIA
In accordance with the 2009 International Building Code with state specific amendments in the
10th edition Rhode Island State Building Code, the soil profile of the project site is characterized
as Site Class Profile C, very dense soil and soft rock profile (i.e., N>504).
LIQUEFACTION EVALUATION
Liquefaction is the tendency for a soil type, particularly fine sands, to lose a significant amount of
strength and behave more similar to a liquid in the event of an earthquake, or sufficient
vibrations. Liquefaction analyses generally relate Standard Penetration Test (SPT) N values,
corrected for overburden, and measured groundwater levels to the liquefaction potential of the
materials in question. In general, in order for liquefaction to occur three conditions have to be
4 “N” denotes the average Standard Penetration test N-value.
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Implications of Subsurface Conditions
met simultaneously. These are: 1.) loose sandy soils susceptible to liquefaction, 2.) saturated soil
conditions, and 3.) vibration.
Based upon the observed relative densities, groundwater location and material composition, the
soil profile does not appear to be susceptible to liquefaction at this time.
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Conclusions and Recommendations
6.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 Foundations and Slabs
Prior to the placement of fill to support foundations and slabs, the topsoil or bituminous pavement
and FILL (Stratum 1) should be removed from the influence zone5 of the proposed building
footprint and replaced with compacted materials as discussed herein in Section 6.2.
Given the variable relative density of the existing FILL (Stratum 1), total and differential
settlement, and bearing capacity are concerns. As such, it is recommended that this stratum be
addressed as discussed herein. It should be noted that the recommendations presented herein are
based upon an anticipated finished floor elevation of 76.5-feet. Changes within the finished floor
elevation should be reviewed with the Geotechnical Engineer for potential impacts to these
recommendations.
6.1.1 Shallow Foundations
A shallow foundation system composed of column (e.g., square) and wall (e.g., continuous)
footings bearing on a minimum 12-inch thick layer of compacted “Sand Gravel Fill” or 6-inches
of crushed stone (in wet areas) placed on compacted structural “Granular Fill”, improved onsite
FILL, or the in-situ SAND WITH GRAVEL, GLACIAL DEPOSITS, WEATHERED
BEDROCK OR BEDROCK is recommended for effectively transferring building loads to the
ground. A maximum net allowable soil bearing pressure6 of 4,000 pounds per square foot for
exterior footings and interior footings is recommended in the design of footings bearing on this
material. The above noted allowable bearing pressure was developed assuming a factor of safety
of 3.0 against bearing capacity failure, a minimum embedment of 48-inches for exterior footings
and a minimum embedment of 24-inches for interior footings greater than 2-feet wide, a
maximum total settlement of 0.5-inches, and a maximum differential settlement of 0.5-inches
between foundation elements. The Schmertmann method was used to develop these settlement
limited bearing capacities.
Footings should be proportioned to apply no more than the recommended net allowable bearing
pressure limited to the following footing widths:
 Interior and exterior column footings between 2 and 8-feet wide, and
 Continuous footings between 2 and 6 feet wide.
For footings greater or less than the above mentioned widths, the net allowable bearing pressure
should be reassessed; however, in no case should a continuous footing be less than 18 inches
wide or should a column footing be less than 24 inches wide.
These recommendations require that the in-situ fill material (Stratum 1) present at the site be
improved as discussed in Section 6.2.
5 “Influence Zone” is defined as the area below foundations and slabs bound by a plane extending from their outer edges, down 2
vertical, and out 1 horizontal.
6 Net allowable bearing pressure is the pressure in excess of the existing overburden pressure that can be safely carried at the footing
depth, D (based on settlement limitations).
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SLABS
A subgrade modulus (K) of 150 pounds per cubic inch may be used for design of slab on grade
placed over 12 inches of compacted "Sand Gravel Fill". The structural engineer will need to design
the floor slab for anticipated live and dead loads in accordance with applicable building codes.
Should any of the building, mechanical, electrical, or other equipment require independent
foundations, additional foundations and/or modifications to the floor slab may be required
depending upon the actual load requirements.
GENERAL
The perimeter wall footings, column footings, and the structural slabs should bear on a minimum
of 12 inches of compacted "Sand Gravel Fill". Alternatively, a 6-inch layer of crushed stone
could be substituted for the compacted “Sand Gravel Fill” in wet conditions. If crushed stone
thicknesses exceed 6-inches, then it is recommended to wrap the stone in a geotextile fabric
(Mirafi 140N or equivalent) to help reduce the migration of fines from the granular soils into the
crushed stone. The excavations for the footings and the slabs should be over-excavated to permit
the placement of this layer. Prior to placement of the “Sand Gravel Fill” or “Crushed Stone”
layer, the exposed subgrade should be proof rolled as discussed in Section 7.1.
6.2 Ground Modifications
Based upon the observed subsurface conditions, ground modifications are recommended to
improve/address the in-situ FILL (Stratum 1) within the influence zone of the proposed building.
The design of the ground modification program should be coordinated with the structural
engineer in discussion with the Geotechnical Engineer and the Site/Civil Engineer. Given our
current understanding of the project, PARE recommends a combination of Excavation and
Replacement with Proof Compaction. The ground improvement program should be designed to
provide a uniform bearing stratum meeting the capacity presented in Section 6.1, in addition to
considering the effects of differential settlement across the building.
The following summarizes the ground improvement approach to provide suitable bearing for
spread footings/foundations.
1. Unsuitable in-situ soils shall be over excavated within the influence zone of the proposed
shallow foundation and slabs-on-grade to the top of the soil determined to be an
acceptable bearing stratum.
2. The excavation shall then be backfilled with approved material, compacted in lifts, to the
bearing elevation of the proposed footing or slabs-on-grade.
3. All fill shall be compacted under the observation of the geotechnical engineer as
described in Table 6.3.
This approach, which is the recommended approach in areas of FILL, will address the
potential for excessive differential settlement within the FILL. The reuse of the overlying, in-
situ FILL material as backfill may be permissible with confirmatory grain size distribution
analyses as discussed in Section 6.10.
1/7/2014
6.3 Settlement
The current site layout indicates that the proposed school building foundation will bear onto (or
be very close to) rock on the northeastern side of the building and onto recompacted on-site fill
(Stratum 1), SAND with GRAVEL (Stratum 2) or GLACIAL DEPOSITS (Stratum 3) elsewhere.
It is assumed that the bedrock is essentially incompressible, hence the limit for total settlement of
the foundations will be the same as the limit for differential settlement (i.e., 0.5 inches).
Settlement of the proposed structures will be limited to 0.5-inch total and differential settlement
assuming removal and recompaction of the FILL material to address observed variability in the
relative density of the existing fill.
6.4 Lateral Earth Pressures and Retaining Wall Design
For the design of retaining walls with level backfill, recommended lateral earth pressure
coefficients are indicated in Table 6-1. A unit weight of 125 pounds per cubic foot (pcf) and an
internal friction angle () of 35 for imported free draining “Granular Fill” and 34° for the
recompacted on-site FILL (Stratum 1) are recommended. The lateral earth pressure coefficient
should be increased where the ground surface slopes up behind the wall. The retaining walls
should be designed to withstand surcharge loading which may be present over the life of the
structure. These would include traffic loads, as well as loads from storage, fill or construction
equipment which may be placed adjacent to the wall. The influence zone behind the wall can be
defined by a one horizontal to one vertical line extending upward from the outside edge of the
wall footing.
The magnitude of lateral earth pressure against retaining walls is dependent upon the type of
backfill, method of fill placement, drainage provisions, and the amount of yielding the wall is
permitted to undergo after the placement of the backfill. PARE recommends that the retaining
walls be backfilled with a free draining “Granular Fill”, as defined herein.
The lateral earth pressure distribution against retaining walls should be computed using the
appropriate value of K, the coefficient of lateral earth pressure. Recommended values of K are
presented in the table below. Friction factors are also presented for use in checking resistance to
unbalanced forces on walls.
TABLE 6-1: RECOMMENDED EARTH PRESSURE AND FRICTION COEFFICIENTS
At-Rest Coefficient Active Coefficient

Material (Ko) (Ka) Passive Coefficient (Kp)
Compacted Granular
Fill 0.43 0.27 3.69
Re-compacted On-Site
Fill 0.44 0.28 3.54
FRICTION COEFFICIENTS
Concrete Poured on Imported Sand Gravel fill tan δ = 0.45
Precast Concrete on Imported Sand Gravel Fill tan δ = 0.30
1/7/2014
Traffic loads and other anticipated loadings that could occur behind the walls should be
considered. In addition, the effect of adjacent footings on lateral walls should be accounted for
during design.
6.5 Frost Depth Recommendations
In conformance with the International Building Code (2009), and the 10th edition Rhode Island
State Building Code for the Town of Cumberland, exterior footings founded over soils should be
placed a minimum depth of 54-inches below the finished grade in order to provide for frost
protection. Preparation for pavements and slabs should consider the frost heave susceptibility of
subgrade soils. See pavement design recommendations (Section 6.8) for more information.
6.6 Drainage
Based on observations taken during the subsurface investigation, groundwater was encountered
within the building footprint at depths generally ranging from 10 to 15 feet below the existing
ground surface. Also note that as part of the boring activities, water was introduced to the noted
boreholes and may not have dissipated at the time that the measurement was taken, however time
was provided to allow the water level to stabilize.
Given the observed groundwater at the time of the explorations, and the understanding of the
proposed building geometry, perimeter drains to control groundwater are not anticipated. Note
that shallow foundations should be prepared in the dry. Roof drainage and surface water runoff
should be directed away from the structures.
6.7 Underground Utilities
Underground pipes and utilities should be placed on bedding in accordance with the manufacturer's
specifications. "Granular Fill" should be placed in lifts on the sides and above the utilities. The lift
thickness should be sized appropriately for the hand operated compaction equipment used; vibratory
plate compactor, 6-inch lift; vibratory drum roller, 12-inch lift.
6.8 Flexible and Rigid Pavement Recommendations
All asphalt, topsoil and organics should be stripped prior to filling. The subgrade should be proof
rolled with a minimum 4-6 passes of a vibratory roller with a static weight of 10,000 pounds and
a dynamic weight of 20,000 pounds. Caution should be used when compacting the subgrade, if
wet, to avoid weaving and disturbance from vibrations.
Table 6-2 presents recommended pavement layer thickness based upon standard AASHTO design
procedures for both "Standard Duty" and "Heavy Duty" pavement. "Standard Duty" pavement is
applicable for up to 50,000 Equivalent Single 18-kip Axle Loads (ESAL's) while "Heavy Duty"
pavement is applicable up to 350,000 EAL's. The recommended base and subbase courses for both
"Standard Duty" and "Heavy Duty" areas are as listed below:
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TABLE 6-2: RECOMMENDED STANDARD AND HEAVY DUTY

FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT LAYER THICKNESS
Pavement Section STD. DUTY HEAVY DUTY
Finish Course 1-1/2 inches 1-1/2 inches
Binder Course 1-1/2 inches 2-inches
Base Course 6-inches 6-inches
Subbase Course 8-inches 12-inches
Should the actual loading conditions be greater than those assumed, the pavement sections will need
to be re-analyzed for the actual conditions. This may result in a thicker pavement section being
required.
In areas where concrete and asphalt paving meet, it would be advantageous to provide a strip of
free draining soil below the concrete and bituminous interface. The free draining strip should
consist of a twenty-four (24) inch layer of "Sand Gravel Fill" extending a minimum of 3 feet
laterally below the concrete apron. This should control any minor frost heaving that may occur if
water enters the subgrade through this joint.
Base and Subbase course materials should meet the criteria for "Sand Gravel Fill" and "Granular
Fill", respectively, as listed below. Subbase and base courses should be compacted in 1-foot
(maximum) lifts to 95% of the maximum dry density as determined in accordance with ASTM
D1557 (modified Proctor test). Fill below the subbase should be compacted to at least 92% of the
maximum dry density as determined in accordance with ASTM D1557 (modified Proctor test).
Heave of silty material is a possibility unless all silty material is removed from within the
pavement footprint for the full-recommended frost depth. To reduce the chance of pavement
damage due to potential frost heaving and/or excessive settlements, subgrade soils founded
below the pavement section to frost depths (i.e., 54 inches) should ideally be free draining and
free of organics. However, in lieu of removing and replacing the existing subgrade soils with
drainable and organic free material, it may be more feasible to accept a reduced pavement
service life. Laboratory testing indicated silt contents ranging from 8 to 22 percent. Free
draining material is considered to have less than 10% silt and clay content.
For areas to be paved with Portland cement-based concrete, a 6-inch thick slab on grade is
recommended. The concrete should have a minimum unconfined compressive strength of 4,000
pounds per square inch, with air entrainment of 4 to 6 percent. The thickness is based upon the
AASHTO Low Volume Road Design procedure and a modulus of subgrade reaction of 150
pounds per cubic inch. Welded wire fabric reinforcement (6x6W2.0xW2.0) is recommended to
minimize crack opening.
The concrete paving should be graded to induce runoff. All joints and cracks should be sealed
and/or filled on a regular basis as part of a routine maintenance item. If the joints and cracks are
not kept sealed, significant frost heaving can be expected during the winter months.
Concrete pavement should have expansion joints at a spacing of 80 feet with a joint filler thickness
based on the thermal expansion. All expansion joints should be sealed with an AASHTO-approved
1/7/2014
elastomeric joint sealer. Contraction (crack control) joints should be constructed at a spacing of 15
feet. Load transfer between slabs should be provided by epoxy coated #6 dowels, 18-inches long at
a spacing of 12-inches. Concrete pavement base and subbase courses should consist of 6-inches of
"Sand Gravel Fill", each.
6.9 Construction Materials
Fill materials should be friable soil, free from trash, ice, snow, frozen soils, tree stumps, roots,
and other organic matter and deleterious materials. PARE recommends the following soil
gradations for imported fill, conforming to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation
Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction (State Standards):
 Gravel Borrow utilized as “Sand Gravel Fill” below structures and under pavement should
conform to M1.03.0, Type B of the State Standards.
 All other Gravel Borrow material utilized as “Granular Fill” below structures and for material
utilized in regrading areas, trench backfill, backfill against below-grade walls as “Granular
Fill” should conform to M1.03.0 Type A of the State Standards.
 Crushed Stone Bedding Material should be imported material conforming to Item M2.01.3 of
the State Standards.
 A maximum of 10% of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) may be included in the pavement
mixture, as specified in section M.04 of the State Standard Specifications.
6.10 Reuse of On-Site Soils
Based on the visual classifications and limited grain size analyses, the reuse of the onsite FILL
(Stratum 1) and SAND WITH GRAVEL (Stratum 2) as backfill below pavement or under
structures or slabs is anticipated with confirmatory sieve analyses performed during
construction.
6.11 Soils Prone to Disturbance
Based on a review of the visual classifications and limited grain size analyses, and the location of
the groundwater table, the material is not anticipated to be prone to disturbance by construction
equipment
6.12 Compaction
The subgrade to accept backfill, footings, slabs, and foundations, should be compacted by proof
rolling with at least six (6) passes of a 10-ton vibratory roller performed in perpendicular
directions.
The fill materials should be compacted as outlined below.
1/7/2014
TABLE 6-3: RECOMMENDED MINIMUM COMPACTION REQUIREMENTS

Percent of Maximum Dry
Location Density 1
Backfill below footings, within the building area and below slabs 2 95
Backfill for foundation walls 95
Backfill within pavement base and sub base layers 95
Backfill below pavement sub base layers 92
Around and above utilities within the building area 95
Around and above utilities in paved areas 92
Backfill behind retaining walls 95 3
Backfill within landscaped areas 85
1
Maximum dry density as determined by the Modified Proctor test (ASTM D 1557)
2
Building area is described as an area extending downward and outward from the outside edge of the footing at a 1H:1V slope.
3
During compaction of fill placed behind retaining walls, care shall be taken so as to maintain uniform elevation along both sides
within the embedded areas, and to not overstress the wall by applying too much compactive energy at the top of the wall.
1/7/2014
Blackstone Valley Preparatory Construction Considerations/Recommendations
7.0 CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS
This section presents construction considerations and recommendations, which include

excavation, backfilling, utility installation, dewatering, lateral earth support, protection of
adjacent structures, and construction monitoring.
7.1 Excavation
SITE PREPARATION
Building Areas: After rough grades have been established, but before placement of compacted
“Granular Fill”, exposed surfaces should be visually inspected and probed. Frozen, wet, or loose
soils and other undesirable materials should be removed. The exposed subgrade should be further
tested by proof rolling with a minimum 10,000-pound static weight roller to identify loose or soft
pockets that may be present.
The area of the proposed structures will need to be stripped of all asphalt, and grubbed of all
vegetation and topsoil. Construction debris from demolished structures and roadways should be
removed and properly disposed of in accordance with current regulations. Should the material
contain solid wastes, such material should be segregated and disposed of in a manner consistent
with local and state regulations.
Existing utilities on the site, including gas, electric, drainage, and sewer pipes, and structures
encountered during the progression of the work should be removed to the full extent and the
resulting excavations backfilled with compacted "Granular Fill". Alternately the pipes and
structures can be filled with grout through tremie grouting procedures. Care should be taken
during the procedure to ensure complete filling and venting of the pipes and/or structures.
Should the subgrade become disturbed during excavation and/or construction, all disturbed
material should be over-excavated to firm or native soil and replaced with a minimum of one foot
of compacted "Granular Fill” or “Crushed Stone” wrapped in a Geotextile Fabric.
Parking and Paved Roadway Surfaces: All topsoil, organic soil, existing asphalt paving, and
loose fill should be stripped prior to filling. The subgrade should be proof rolled with a minimum
4-6 passes of a vibratory roller with a static weight of 10,000 pounds and a dynamic weight of
20,000 pounds. Caution should be used when compacting the subgrade, if wet, to avoid weaving
and disturbance from vibrations.
7.2 Backfilling
GRAVEL BORROW
PARE recommends that footings, foundation walls, and areas requiring fill below the floor slab
be backfilled to within 12 inches of the footings and slabs with compacted “Granular Fill”.
Compacted “Granular Fill” should be free draining friable soil free from trash, ice, snow, tree
stumps, roots, other organic matter, and deleterious materials.
1/7/2014
In general, compaction should be accomplished by placing fill in 8 to 12 inch loose horizontal

lifts and mechanically compacting each lift to the specified dry density. Thinner lifts may be
required in certain instances depending on the type of mechanical compaction equipment utilized
Recommended minimum compaction requirements are described in Section 6.12.
SAND GRAVEL FILL
“Sand Gravel Fill” should be placed for the final 12 inches below footings, slabs and as pavement
base course layers. This material should be placed in 8 to 12 inch thick layers and compacted to
the minimum requirements described in Section 6.12. In areas where wet conditions are
encountered, “Crushed Stone” (wrapped in Geotextile Fabric for thicknesses exceeding 6-inches)
could be used under footings instead of the “Sand Gravel Fill”.
7.3 Utility Installation
Excavations for installation of underground utilities should be made to comply with all OSHA,
federal, state, and local regulations. At a minimum, excavations should be wide enough to
accommodate the utility to be installed with clearance on each side of the utility to provide space
for operating compaction equipment for backfilling of the utility in lifts without damaging the
utility. The base of the excavation and bedding layer should be formed to properly support all
components of the utility, including pipe bells, manholes, to prevent damage during installation.
During backfilling operations, care should be taken to provide properly compacted fill along the
length of the utility being installed. All fill material (cobbles and boulders within the native
deposits) in excess of 3-inches should be removed from the fill within 12-inches of the utility to
prevent damage to the utility during compaction.
7.4 Dewatering
During construction, temporary dewatering may be required to control ponded water resulting
from rain and surface runoff. Based on measurements taken during the subsurface investigation,
groundwater was encountered within the building footprint at depths generally ranging from 10 to
12 feet below the existing ground surface. Also note that as part of the boring activities, water
was introduced to the boreholes and may not have dissipated at the time that the measurement
was taken. It should be noted that groundwater levels may fluctuate over time due to variations
in rainfall and other factors different from those prevailing at the time the explorations were
performed.
Based upon the apparent depth of groundwater, dewatering is not anticipated during the
excavation of shallow footings, the excavation of in-situ FILL (Stratum No. 1), and excavation
for the elevator pit. The Contractor should provide for proper drainage of surface water away
from any excavations. All excavations should be conducted in the dry.
7.5 Lateral Support
Excavation support is solely the Contractor’s responsibility. Several excavations are expected
within the footprint of the proposed structure for installation of footings, utilities and below-grade
walls. Temporary support systems may be required at some locations to retain the surrounding
soil and maintain a near-vertical excavation face where it will be necessary to protect the adjacent
1/7/2014
building walls, pavement, or underground utilities. Design of cantilever and braced support
systems is beyond the scope of this report, and should be performed by the Contractor.
In areas where an open cut is possible without a temporary support system, the final side slopes
should conform to Local, State, and Federal safety requirements.
7.6 Protection of Adjacent Structures
PARE recommends that prior to the start of construction, a video and/or photo pre-construction
survey is performed at any buildings which are located near the work area which may be affected.
This should also include adjacent utilities that may be affected by the construction. This survey
would record “before-construction-conditions” of existing structures and utilities that are
expected to remain through construction. These surveys are invaluable in resolving potential
project claim disputes.
PARE recommends that crack gauges be installed to monitor movement of existing cracks and on
any cracks that develop in new or existing concrete foundation walls.
7.7 Construction Monitoring
The site preparation, excavation and backfill, compaction, and foundation installations should
be observed by our geotechnical field engineer(s) under the direction of one of our registered
professional engineers experienced in geotechnical engineering. While onsite, our engineer(s)
could provide field density testing, verification of bearing layers, and assistance in general
interpretation of the geotechnical requirements during construction. This would provide an
accurate record of construction, alert the designer to changed conditions, and make useful data
available for upcoming construction.
Foundation excavations should be observed to confirm that all loose, soft, and undesirable
material is removed and that the foundations will bear on a satisfactory material. Excavation
subgrade observations should include hand auger borings or hand probing.
As mentioned, compaction criteria for the various imported materials should be developed and
included in the specifications. Field density testing should be performed using a nuclear density
gauge to confirm that adequate compaction is being achieved. During construction,
representative samples of all materials to be used as backfill should also be tested for
conformance with the specified material properties.
1/7/2014
Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Summary
8.0 SUMMARY
8.1 Subsurface Conditions
 Based upon the referenced historical documentation, a small-scale coal mining operation
was located southwest of the proposed school site, and mining appears to have ended in
the late 19th Century. At this time, Pare Corporation does not recommend any further
subsurface investigation to substantiate claims of a mine, or influence from a mine within
the proposed development area. If additional information becomes available and, after
review this information, Pare believes that further investigation is warranted, we will
provide a recommended investigation program.
 The surface of the site generally consists of topsoil overlying areas of FILL and/or native
deposits of SAND WITH GRAVEL, overlying GLACIAL DEPOSITS and/or
WEATHERED BEDROCK, overlying COMPETENT BEDROCK. Section 3.1 provides
an in-depth description of the subsurface conditions at the proposed building area and site
features. Groundwater depths generally ranged from 10 to 15 feet below the existing
ground surface.
 Based upon the material type, observed densities and material composition, the soil
profile does not appear to be susceptible to liquefaction.
8.2 Conclusions and Recommendations
 For the proposed structure, a shallow foundation system composed of column and wall
footings bearing on a minimum 12-inch layer of compacted “Sand-Gravel Fill” over
compacted "Granular Fill”, recompacted in-situ FILL (Stratum 1) or the natural SAND
WITH GRAVEL (Stratum 2), is recommended for effectively transferring the building
loads to the ground. In areas where wet conditions are encountered, 6 inches of “Crushed
Stone” (wrapped in Geotextile Fabric for thicknesses exceeding 6-inches) could be used
under footings instead of the “Sand Gravel Fill”.
 A net allowable soil bearing pressure of 4,000 pounds per square foot for exterior
footings and interior footings can be achieved.
 Based upon the observed subsurface conditions, in-situ FILL (Stratum 2) should be
excavated and replaced as discussed in Section 6.2 within the influence zone of the
proposed building.
 The perimeter wall footings, column footings, and the structural slabs should bear on a
minimum of 12 inches of compacted "Sand Gravel Fill" or 6-inches of “Crushed Stone”.
 A subgrade modulus (K) of 150 pounds per cubic inch may be used for the design of the
slab on grade placed over 12 inches of compacted "Sand Gravel Fill".
 For the design of retaining walls with level backfill, recommended lateral earth pressure
coefficients are indicated in Table 6-1. A unit weight of 125 pounds per cubic foot (pcf)
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Blackstone Valley Preparatory School Summary
and an internal friction angle () of 35 for imported “Granular Fill” and 34° for
recompacted on-site fill are recommended.
 Recommendations for flexible and rigid pavement design, including “Standard Duty” and
“Heavy Duty” pavement are presented in Section 6-8.
 Based on the visual classifications and limited grain size analyses, the reuse of in-situ
FILL (Stratum 1) and SAND WITH GRAVEL (Stratum 2) as “Granular Fill” under
buildings and pavements may be permissible with the completion of additional
confirmatory grain size analyses during construction.
 The fill materials should be compacted as outlined in Table 6-3.
8.3 Construction Considerations/Recommendations
 Temporary support systems may be required at some locations to retain the surrounding
soil and maintain a near-vertical excavation face where it will be necessary to protect the
adjacent building walls, pavement, or underground utilities. Design of cantilever and
braced support systems is beyond the scope of this report, and should be performed by
the Contractor.
 The site preparation, excavation and backfill, compaction, dewatering, and foundations
installation should be observed by our geotechnical field engineer(s) under the direction
of one of our registered professional engineers experienced in geotechnical engineering.
 A pre-construction survey is recommended prior to the start of construction on any

nearby building that may be affected by the construction to record the “before
construction condition of existing structures. Likewise, a post-construction survey is also
recommended after completion of construction. These surveys are invaluable in
resolving potential damage claims.
1/7/2014
Blackstone Valley Preparatory References
REFERENCES
1. SBC-1. “Rhode Island State Building Code”, 10th Edition, Effective July 1, 2010.
2. IBC 2009. International Code Council. “International Building Code 2009”, 2009.
3. RIDOT 1997. “Rhode Island Department of Transportation Standard Specifications

for Highway and Bridge Construction”, 1997.
4. NAVY 1986. Naval Facilities Engineering Command. “Foundation and Earth

Structures, Design Manual 7.1 and 7.2”. 1982. Revalidated by change 9/1/1986.
5. AASHTO, “AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement Structures”, 1993.
6. DAS 1990. “Principles of Foundation Engineering, 7th Edition”, 1990.
7. LAMB and WHITMAN 1969. “Soil Mechanics”, 1969.
8. QUINN, RAY, SEYMOUR. “Bedrock Geology of the Pawtucket Quadrangle, Rhode

Island-Massachusetts”, 1949.
9. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL

SURVEY. Bulletin 615 “Rhode Island Coal”, 1915.
10. RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION. “Historic and

Architectural Resources of Cumberland, Rhode Island”, Revised 1998.
1/7/2014
FIGURES
APPENDIX A:
Department of Interior Complaint Investigation Report
APPENDIX B:
Boring Logs
PARE CORPORATION BORING NO. B13-1
10 LINCOLN ROAD, SUITE 103, FOXBORO, MASSACHUSETTS
ENGINEERS *** PLANNERS *** CONSULTANTS SHEET 1 OF 1
PROJECT Blackstone Valley Prep School PROJECT NO. 13062.08

Cumberland, RI CHKD. BY SJM
BORING CO. New Hampshire Boring BORING LOCATION SEE EXPLORATION LOCATION PLAN
FOREMAN Jay Stokes GROUND SURFACE ELEVATION 77.0 DATUM MSL
INSPECTOR A. Judge DATE START 7/10/2013 DATE END 7/10/2013
SAMPLER: UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, SAMPLER CONSISTS OF A 2" SPLIT GROUNDWATER READINGS
SPOON DRIVEN USING A 140 lb. SAFETY HAMMER FALLING 30 in. DATE TIME WATER AT CASING AT STABILIZATION TIME
CASING: UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, CASING DRIVEN USING 300 lb.
HAMMER FALLING 24 IN.
CASING SIZE: 4" OTHER: Safety Hammer

SAMPLE SAMPLE DESCRIPTION STRATUM DESCRIPTION
REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH
PEN. (in.)/ TONS/FT2 OR

(bl/ft)
REC. DEPTH (FT) KG/CM2 Burmister

(ft)
NO. BLOWS/6" CLASSIFICATION
S-1 24/10 0-2 4 6 Moist, medium dense, brown, fine to coarse SAND and fine 4" TOPSOIL
13 13 GRAVEL, little silt.
5 S-2 24/6 4-6 29 49 Moist, very dense, brown, fine to coarse SAND and fine 1. FILL
55 52 GRAVEL, little silt, trace brick.
2.
BEDROCK
10 END OF EXPLORATION @ 9'.
15
20
25
30
GRANULAR SOILS COHESIVE SOILS REMARKS:

BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY 1. Fractured shale at bottom 1" of sample. BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT 2. Bedrock @ 7.5 feet. TRACE 0 - 10%
4 - 10 LOOSE 2-4 SOFT LITTLE 10 - 20%
10 - 30 M.DENSE 4-8 M.STIFF SOME 20 - 35%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF AND 35 - 50%
>50 V.DENSE 15 - 30 V.STIFF PERCENT BY WEIGHT
>30 HARD
NOTES: 1) THE STRATIFICATION LINES REPRESENT THE APPROXIMATE BOUNDARY BETWEEN SOIL TYPES, TRANSITIONS MAY BE GRADUAL.
2) WATER LEVEL READINGS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE DRILL HOLES AT TIMES AND UNDER CONDITIONS STATED ON
THE BORING LOGS. FLUCTUATIONS IN THE LEVEL OF GROUNDWATER MAY OCCUR DUE TO OTHER FACTORS THAN
THOSE PRESENT AT THE TIME MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE. BORING NO. B13-1


REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/6 0-2 13 12 Medium dense, gray, medium to coarse SAND, trace silt. 3" ASPHALT
12 10
FILL
5 S-2 24/12 4-6 5 5 2A: Moist, medium dense, tan, fine to medium SAND, trace
6 8 fine gravel, trace silt.
2B: Moist, medium dense, beige, fine to medium SAND, trace
silt.
10 S-3 24/10 9-11 39 12 Medium dense, tan, fine to coarse SAND, little fine gravel, SAND
10 14 trace silt.
15 1.
S-4 24/14 15-17 29 22 Dense, brown, fine to medium SAND and SILT, some fine GLACIAL DEPOSITS
19 12 gravel.
2.
3.
20 S-5 4/4 19-19'4" 100/4" Very weak to hard, dark gray, highly weathered to slightly HIGHLY WEATHERED
weathered MUDSTONE. MUDSTONE
Dark gray, highly to moderately weathered, hard, extremely to
moderately fractured SANDSTONE. 4.
C-1 24/21 22-25 14 min/ft TCR = 88%, RQD = 0% MUDSTONE AND SANDSTONE
11 min/ft (BEDROCK)
25 C-2 12/6 25-26 11 min/ft TCR = 50%, RQD = 0%
END OF EXPLORATION @ 25'.
30

BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY 1. Hard material encountered @ 14' advanced roller bit to 15'. BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT 2. Wash changed to dark gray @ 17'. TRACE 0 - 10%
4 - 10 LOOSE 2-4 SOFT 3. Bedrock @ 18'. LITTLE 10 - 20%
10 - 30 M.DENSE 4-8 M.STIFF 4. Core barrel blocked @ 24' and 25'. SOME 20 - 35%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD


REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/0 0-2 10 25 Moist, dense, brown, fine to medium SAND,some fine gravel, 3" ASPHALT
24 14 some silt.
FILL
5 S-2 24/12 4-6 15 9 Moist, medium dense, brown, fine to medium SAND, some
8 37 silt, little gravel. 1.
2. BEDROCK
10
15
20
25
30

BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY 1. Fractured shale at tip of spoon. BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT 2. Top of bedrock at 6.5' by drilling action. Advanced roller bit to 7' to TRACE 0 - 10%
4 - 10 LOOSE 2-4 SOFT confirm bedrock. LITTLE 10 - 20%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD


REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/12 0-2 7 18 Medium dense to dense, brown, fine to medium SAND, little 3" ASPHALT
12 11 fine gravel, little silt, trace asphalt.
FILL
5 S-2 24/6 4-6 5 4 Loose, brown, fine to medium SAND, some silt, little fine
3 7 gravel, trace brick. 1.
BEDROCK
END OF EXPLORATION @ 8.5'.
10
15
20
25
30

BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY 1. Bedrock @ 7', advanced roller bit to competent rock @ 8.5'. BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT TRACE 0 - 10%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD

CASING: UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, CASING DRIVEN USING 300 lb. NE

REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/12 0-2 12 22 Moist, medium dense, brown, fine to coarse GRAVEL and fine 3" ASPHALT
18 18 to medium SAND, little silt.
FILL
5 S-2 24/8 4-6 11 9 Medium dense, fine to coarse SAND, some fine gravel, little
9 10 silt.
1.
BEDROCK
15
20
25
30

BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY 1. Bedrock @ 8.5', advanced roller bit to 9'. BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT TRACE 0 - 10%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD


REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/12 0-2 4 6 PID=3.7 Moist, medium dense, brown, fine to medium SAND, some 4" TOPSOIL
13 22 fine gravel, little silt.
FILL
5 S-2 24/10 4-6 21 26 PID=21.9 Moist to wet, very dense, brown, fine GRAVEL and SAND.
32 39
1.
GLACIAL
10 S-3 24/8 9-11 15 23 PID=5.2 Very dense, gray, fine to medium SAND, some silt, some fine DEPOSITS
11 32 gravel. 2.
BEDROCK
20
25
30

BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY 1. Changing stratum @ 8'. BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT 2. Weathered bedrock at 11', advanced roller bit to 14'. TRACE 0 - 10%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD


REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/8 0-2 4 7 Moist, medium dense, tan, fine to coarse SAND and fine to 6" TOPSOIL
10 18 medium GRAVEL, trace silt. 1. SAND
S-2 24/12 2-4 28 60 Dry, very dense, gray, fractured COBBLES and coarse
76 100/3" GRAVEL. WEATHERED
5 S-3 24/19 4-6 25 43 Wet to moist, very dense, gray, fractured COBBLES, some ROCK
11 50 fine to coarse sand, some fine to coarse gravel, trace silt.
2.
10
15
20
25
30

0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT 2. Advanced roller bit to 7' to competent bedrock. TRACE 0 - 10%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD

INSPECTOR J. Costa DATE START 7/9/2013 DATE END 7/9/2013

REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/7 0-2 7 16 Wet, dense, black to tan, fine to coarse SAND, some coardse 3" ASPHALT
20 22 gravel.
S-2 24/7 2-4 16 14 Moist, medium dense, tan, fine to coarse GRAVEL and fine to
S-3 24/7 4-4.8 50 100/4 *** coarse sand, trace silt. 1. FILL
5
S-4A 12/3 6-7 9 7 4A: Medium dense, gray to tan, fine to coarse SAND, trace silt.
4B: Dense, fine to coarse GRAVEL, little fine to medium SAND, trace
S-4B 12/14 7-8 5 30 silt, trace brick fragments, trace soft white fine material.
Slightly weathered to fresh, hard to very hard, extremely

C-1 60/60 8.5-13.5 11 min/ft fractured to slightly fractured, medium grained, jointed, very 2.
10 9 min/ft thinly bedded SANDSTONE. horizontal dip.
TCR = 100% SANDSTONE
10 min/ft
11 min/ft RQD= 67%
10 min/ft
15 END OF EXPLORATION @ 13.5'.
20
25
30

BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY ***Wet, very dense, gray/tan, fine to coarse GRAVEL, little fine to BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT medium sand. TRACE 0 - 10%
10 - 30 M.DENSE 4-8 M.STIFF 1. Hit obstruction, moved boring 3' +/- south/southwest of original, washed SOME 20 - 35%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF down to 6' and resumed sampling. AND 35 - 50%
>50 V.DENSE 15 - 30 V.STIFF 2. Began rock core @ 8.5' +/-. PERCENT BY WEIGHT
>30 HARD

CASING: UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, CASING DRIVEN USING 300 lb. 7/11/13 11:00 12.1' 12' 1 Hr.

REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/8 0-2 6 9 Medium dense, brown, fine to medium SAND and SILT, little 4" TOPSOIL
6 13 fine gravel.
FILL
1.
5 S-2 24/6 4-6 11 10 Medium dense, brown, fine to coarse SAND, some fine
12 16 gravel, trace silt.
SAND WITH
GRAVEL
2.
10 S-3 24/9 9-11 20 18 Wet to moist, very dense, tan, fine to coarse GRAVEL, some
35 35 sand, little silt.
GLACIAL DEPOSITS
3.
15 S-4 24/5 14-16 21 16 Moist, dense, dark gray, highly weathered SANDSTONE.
17 22 WEATHERED ROCK
20
25
30

BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY 1. Changing stratum @ 3' +/-. BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT 2. Changing stratum @ 7' +/-. TRACE 0 - 10%
4 - 10 LOOSE 2-4 SOFT 3. Changing stratum @ 14' advanced roller bit to competent rock @ 17. LITTLE 10 - 20%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD

CASING SIZE: 4 1/4" HSA OTHER: Safety Hammer

REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/8 0-2 4 3 PID=40.2 Topsoil. 4" TOPSOIL

4 4
SAND WITH
GRAVEL
5 S-2 24/6 4-6 24 25 PID=7.2 Dry, very dense, gray, fractured COBBLES, some coarse
30 52 gravel.
10
15
20
25
30

0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT 2. Auger refusal @ 6'. Possible bedrock. TRACE 0 - 10%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD

FOREMAN Todd Pentacost GROUND SURFACE ELEVATION 75.8 DATUM MSL
INSPECTOR M. Dunn DATE START 7/23/2013 DATE END 7/23/2013
CASING: UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, CASING DRIVEN USING 300 lb. 23-Jul None
CASING SIZE: 2 1/4" H S A OTHER: Safety Hammer

REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/6 0-2 5 7 Moist, medium dense, brown, fine to medium SAND and fine 1 3" ASPHALT
18 11 to medium GRAVEL, trace silt.
S-2 24/4 2-4 9 9 Moist, dense, brown, fine GRAVEL and fine to medium FILL
23 14 SAND, trace silt.
5 S-3 24/12 4-6 8 9 Moist, medium dense, light brown, fine to coarse SAND and
9 8 fine to medium GRAVEL.
S-4 24/20 6-8 8 7 Moist, medium dense, light brown, fine to coarse SAND, little
14 38 gravel, trace silt. 2
S-5 24/20 8-10 27 25 5A: Moist, very dense, brown, fine to medium GRAVEL* GLACIAL DEPOSITS
10 72 18 5B: Dry, very dense, light gray, severely weathered 3
S-6 16/10 10-11'4" 15 41 SANDSTONE WEATHERED BEDROCK
100/4" Moist, very dense, dark gray, highly weath. SANDSTONE 4
END OF EXPLORATION 11'4".
15
20
25
30
GRANULAR SOILS COHESIVE SOILS REMARKS: *and fine to medium SAND, trace silt.
BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT 1. Track Mounted ATV. TRACE 0 - 10%
4 - 10 LOOSE 2-4 SOFT 2. Changing stratum at 8'. LITTLE 10 - 20%
10 - 30 M.DENSE 4-8 M.STIFF 3. Changing stratum at 9.5'. SOME 20 - 35%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF 4. Spoon and Auger Refusal at 11'4" AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD

CASING: UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, CASING DRIVEN USING 300 lb. 7/23 11:30am 10' N/A 0

REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/3 0-2 11 15 Topsoil. No recovery. 1. 4" TOPSOIL

16 10
S-2 24/0 2-4 7 9 No recovery. FILL
28 27
5 S-3 24/12 4-6 14 14 Dry, m.dense, tan, fine to coarse SAND, little silt, little fine
11 13 gravel. 2.
S-4 24/20 6-8 11 11 Moist, medium dense, tan, fine to medium SAND, little silt,
12 13 trace fine gravel. SAND
S-5 24/12 8-10 50 61 5A: Moist, very dense, light brown, fine to coarse SAND and
10 54 55 fine to medium GRAVEL, little silt. 3.
5B: Moist, very dense, brown, fine to coarse GRAVEL, some
fine to coarse sand, trace silt.
S-6 24/13 14-16 75 46 Wet, very dense, dark brown, fine to coarse GRAVEL, some GLACIAL
15 33 39 fine to coarse sand, trace silt. DEPOSITS
S-7 25/10 16-17'3" 46 52 Wet, very dense, dark brown, fine to coarse GRAVEL, little
100/3" fine to coarse sand, trace silt.
4.
END OF EXPLORATION @ 17'3".
20
25
30

BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY 1. Tan, fine to medium sand and fine to medium gravel 10-4; based on BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT auger spoil. TRACE 0 - 10%
4 - 10 LOOSE 2-4 SOFT 2. Changing stratum @ 6'. LITTLE 10 - 20%
10 - 30 M.DENSE 4-8 M.STIFF 3. Changing stratum @ 8'. SOME 20 - 35%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF 4. Auger refusal @ 17'3". AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD

FOREMAN Todd Pentacost GROUND SURFACE ELEVATION DATUM
CASING: UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, CASING DRIVEN USING 300 lb. 7/23/13 15' N/A 0

REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/10 0-2 9 12 Moist, medium dense, dark brown, fine to medium GRAVEL 6" TOPSOIL
7 4 and fine to coarse SAND, trace silt.
S-2 24/8 2-4 13 200 Dry, very dense, tan, fine to coarse SAND and fine to medium
20 23 GRAVEL, trace silt.
5 S-3 24/12 4-6 31 44 Moist, very dense, tan, fine to coarse SAND and fine to FILL
30 52 medium GRAVEL, trace silt.
S-4 22/18 6-7.5 51 67 Moist, very dense, light brown, fine to coarse SAND and fine
68 81/4" to medium GRAVEL, trace silt.
S-5 5/5 8-8.5 100/5" Moist, very dense, light brown, fine to coarse SAND and fine 1
10 to medium GRAVEL, trace silt.
COBBLES & BOULDERS
2
S-6 24/18 14-16 35 31 6A: Wet, very dense, dark brown, fine to coarse SAND and
15 35 39 fine to coarse GRAVEL, trace silt. 6B: Wet, very dense, dark GLACIAL
brown to reddish, fine to medium GRAVEL*
DEPOSITS
S-7 24/18 16-18 7A: Wet, very dense, dark brown to reddish, fine to medium 3
GRAVEL, some fine to coarse sand, trace silt.**
S-8 24/10 18-20 53 31 Very dense, dark gray, thinly bedded, highly fractured WEATHERED BEDROCK
20 44 100/6" MUDSTONE.
25
30
GRANULAR SOILS COHESIVE SOILS REMARKS: * some fine to coarse sand, trace silt.
BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY **7B: Wet, very dense, light brown, fine to medium BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT SAND and SILT. TRACE 0 - 10%
4 - 10 LOOSE 2-4 SOFT 1. Changing stratum @ 8.5 ft. LITTLE 10 - 20%
10 - 30 M.DENSE 4-8 M.STIFF 2. Changing stratum @ 14.5 ft. SOME 20 - 35%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF 3. Changing stratum @ 18 ft. AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD

CASING: UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, CASING DRIVEN USING 300 lb. 7/23/13 NE 0

REMARKS
CASING
DEPTH

(bl/ft)

(ft)
S-1 24/10 0-2 15 13 Dry, medium dense, brown, fine to medium SAND, little silt, 4" TOPSOIL
13 14 little gravel.
S-2 24/8 2-4 5 4 Dry, loose, light brown, fine to medium SAND, little silt, little
4 10 gravel, trace roots.
5 S-3 24/15 4-6 10 20 Dry, dense, tan, fine to medium GRAVEL and fine to coarse FILL
19 22 SAND, little silt.
S-4 24/18 6-8 41 61 Moist, very dense, tan, fine to medium SAND, some fine to
50 59 medium gravel, little silt.
S-5 24/20 8-10 22 35 Moist, very dense, grayish brown, fine to medium GRAVEL 1
10 39 39 and fine to coarse SAND, trace silt. GLACIAL
DEPOSITS
2
END OF EXPLORATION @ 12.5'.
15
20
25
30

BLOWS/FT DENSITY BLOWS/FT DENSITY 1. Stratum change @ 8'.6". BURMISTER CLASSIFICATION
0-4 V. LOOSE <2 V.SOFT 2. 'Hard' at 11'-12.5', auger refusal @ 12.5'. Possible bedrock. TRACE 0 - 10%
30 - 50 DENSE 8 - 15 STIFF AND 35 - 50%
>30 HARD
APPENDIX C:
Laboratory Testing Data
Tested By: ____MD_________ Date: ____7/16/13______
U.S. STANDARD SIEVE SIZE Checked By: _____________ Date: __________
NO. NO. NO NO. NO. NO.
3 1.5 0.37 NO 30.
0.7 5 . 4. 8 16 50 100 200
IN. 40
100
90
80
PERCENT FINER BY WEIGHT

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001
GRAIN SIZE (mm)
GRAVEL SAND
SAND
COARSE FINE COARSE MEDIUM FINE SILT CLAY
TEST MATERIAL SOURCE REMARKS

1 Blackstone Valley Prep
Boring 13-3
Bumister:fine to medium SAND, some silt, little gravel.
Sample 2 USCS: SM, silty SAND with gravel
U.S. STANDARD SIEVE SIZE Tested By: ____MD______ Date: _____7/16/13_____
NO. NO. NO NO. NO. Checked By: _____________ Date: __________
1.5 0.37 NO 30. NO.
3 0.7 5 . 4. 8 16 100 200
IN. 40 50
100
90
80

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001
GRAIN SIZE (mm)
GRAVEL SAND
SAND

Boring 13-8
Burmister:fine to coarse GRAVEL, little fine to coarse sand,
Sample 3 trace silt
USCS: GP-GM, poorly graded gravel with sand and silt
Tested By: _____MD________ Date: ____7/16/13______
U.S. STANDARD SIEVE SIZE Checked By: _____________ Date: __________
NO. NO. NO NO. NO. NO.
3 1.5 0.37 NO 30.
0.7 5 . 4. 8 16 40 50 100 200
IN.
100
90
80

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001
GRAIN SIZE (mm)
GRAVEL SAND
SAND

Boring 13-9
Burmister: fine to coarse SAND, some fine gravel, trace silt
Sample 2 USCS: SP-SM, poorly graded SAND with gravel and silt
APPENDIX D:
Geotechnical Limitations
GEOTECHNICAL LIMITATIONS
Explorations
1. The analyses and recommendations submitted in this report are based in part upon the data obtained
from subsurface explorations. The nature and extent of variations between these explorations may
not become evident until construction. If variations then appear evident, Pare Corporation (PARE)
should be asked to reevaluate the recommendations of this report.
2. The generalized soil profile described in the text is intended to convey trends in the subsurface
conditions. The boundaries between strata are approximate and idealized and have been developed
by interpretations of widely spaced explorations and samples; actual soil transitions are probably
more erratic. For specific information, refer to the boring logs.
3. Water level readings have been made in the drill holes at the times and under the conditions stated on
the boring logs. These data have been reviewed and interpretations have been made in the text of this
report. However, fluctuations in the level of groundwater may occur due to variations in rainfall,
temperature, and other factors occurring since the time the measurements were made.
Review
4. In the event that any changes in the nature or location of the proposed building are planned, the
conclusions and recommendations contained in this report shall not be considered valid unless the
changes are reviewed and the conclusions of this report are verified in writing by PARE. PARE
should also be provided with the opportunity for a general review of the final design and
specifications in order that the earthwork and foundation recommendations may be properly
interpreted and implemented in the design and specifications.
Construction
5. PARE should be retained to provide soil engineering services during construction of the excavation
and foundation phases of work in order to observe compliance with the design concepts,
specifications, and recommendations and to allow design changes in the event that subsurface
conditions differ from those indicated prior to the start of construction.
Use of Report
6. This report has been prepared for the exclusive use of Civic Builders for specific application to the
proposed Blackstone Valley Preparatory School located in Cumberland, Rhode Island in accordance
with generally accepted engineering practices. No other warranty, expressed or implied, is made.
7. This engineering report has been prepared for this project by PARE. This report is for design
purposes only and is not necessarily sufficient to prepare an accurate bid. Contractors wishing a copy
of this report may secure it with the understanding that its scope is limited to design considerations
only.

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P R E P AR E D F O R : C I V I C B U I L D E R S

GE OTE CHNICAL DESIGN BAS IS REP ORT

GEOTECHNICAL DESIGN BASIS REPORT

1.0 BACKGROUND/SITE LOCATION ......................................................................1

7.1 Excavation ............................................................................................................ 20

Table 3-1: Boring Summary

1.0 BACKGROUND/SITE LOCATION

1.1 Purpose and Scope

 One (1) parking area,

1.3 Surface Conditions

1.4 Previous Site Conditions

1.5 Proposed Grading

1.6 Former Area Coal Mining

PARE performed a review of the available published information, including:

2.0 SUBSURFACE EXPLORATIONS

2.1 Sampling Methodology

2.2 Field Measurement and Methodology

3.0 SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS

TABLE 3-1:- BORING SUMMARY

3.1 Soil Strata

Stratum 2 – SAND WITH GRAVEL

Standard Penetration Tests performed in Stratum 2 generally indicate a corrected density of

Stratum 3 – GLACIAL DEPOSITS

Stratum 4 – WEATHERED ROCK

WEATHERED ROCK encountered is described as dark grey to grey, severely weathered

Stratum 5 – COMPETENT ROCK

2 “Very poor”, RQD= 0% to 25%.

TABLE 3-2: ROCK CORE SUMMARY

Soil Depth Length RQD

3 “Fair”, RQD= 50% to 75%.

4.0 LABORATORY TESTING

4.1 Grain Size Analysis

Table 4-1: Results of Grain Size Analyses

5.0 IMPLICATIONS OF SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS

 Groundwater was encountered at about 10 to 15 feet below present site grade

5.2 Seismic Design and Liquefaction Evaluations

4 “N” denotes the average Standard Penetration test N-value.

6.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 Foundations and Slabs

6.1.1 Shallow Foundations

6.2 Ground Modifications

6.4 Lateral Earth Pressures and Retaining Wall Design

TABLE 6-1: RECOMMENDED EARTH PRESSURE AND FRICTION COEFFICIENTS

At-Rest Coefficient Active Coefficient

6.5 Frost Depth Recommendations

6.7 Underground Utilities

6.8 Flexible and Rigid Pavement Recommendations

TABLE 6-2: RECOMMENDED STANDARD AND HEAVY DUTY

6.9 Construction Materials

6.10 Reuse of On-Site Soils

6.11 Soils Prone to Disturbance

The fill materials should be compacted as outlined below.

TABLE 6-3: RECOMMENDED MINIMUM COMPACTION REQUIREMENTS

7.0 CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS

This section presents construction considerations and recommendations, which include

In general, compaction should be accomplished by placing fill in 8 to 12 inch loose horizontal

SAND GRAVEL FILL

7.3 Utility Installation

7.5 Lateral Support