BASIC CIVIL ENGINEERING

CVE 301
ENGR. VICTOR ADEBAYO
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
• Describe processes or stages of work to be
followed for a site investigation.
• Describe information required to design
foundations.
• Indicate standards of skill, workmanship
and reporting, which are to be applied.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• BACKGROUND OF STUDY
• APPROACHES TO SITE INVESTIGATION
• FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SELECTION OF METHODS OF INVESTIGATION
• PROCESS OF SITE INVESTIGATION
• PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
& PLANNING THE WORK
• OBJECTIVES OF SITE INVESTIGATION
• DESK TOP STUDY
• DOCUMENT REVIEW
• SITE RECONNAISSANCE
• GROUND INVESTIGATION
• SUBSURFACE EXPLORATION
• BORINGS
• GEOTECHNICAL REPORTS
• CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
CONCLUSION
 INTRODUCTION

Site and subsurface characteristics

directly affect the choice of foundation
type, capacity of the foundation,
foundation construction method, and
bridge cost. Subsurface and foundation
conditions also frequently directly and
indirectly affect the route alignment,
bridge type selection, and/or foundation
span length.
 INTRODUCTION CONTD.
The elements of a site investigation depend heavily
on the project but generally should provide the
following:
• 1. Information to determine the type of foundation
required (shallow or deep).
• 2. Information to allow the geotechnical consultant
to make a recommendation on the allowable load
capacity of the foundation.
• 3. Sufficient data/laboratory tests to make
settlement predictions.
 INTRODUCTION CONTD.
• 4. Location of the groundwater table (or
determination of whether it is in the construction
zone).
• 5. Information so that the identification and
solution of construction problems (sheeting and
dewatering or rock excavation) can be made.
• 6. Identification of potential problems
(settlements, existing damage, etc.) concerning
adjacent property.
• 7. Identification of environmental problems and
their solution.
 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Geotechnical investigations are performed to evaluate
those geologic, seismologic, and soils conditions that
affect the safety, cost effectiveness, design, and
execution of a proposed engineering project.
Insufficient geotechnical investigations, faulty
interpretation of results, or failure to portray results in a
clearly understandable manner may contribute to
inappropriate designs, delays in construction schedules,
costly construction modifications, use of substandard
borrow material, environmental damage to the site, post
construction remedial work, and even failure of a
structure and subsequent litigation.
 BACKGROUND OF STUDY CONTD.
Investigation of the distribution, type, and physical
properties of subsurface materials are, in some form or
other, required for the final design of most civil
engineering structures. These investigations are
performed to obtain solutions to the following groups of
problems:
• Foundation problems or determination of the stability
and deformations of undisturbed subsurface materials
under superimposed loads, in slope and cuts, or around
foundation pits and tunnels; and determination of the
pressure of subsurface materials against supporting
structures when such are needed.
 BACKGROUND OF STUDY CONTD.
• Construction problems or determination of the extent and
character of materials to be excavated or location and
investigation of soil and rock deposits for use as
construction materials in earth dams and fills, for road and
airfield bases and surfacing, and for concrete aggregates.
• Groundwater problems or determination of the depth,
hydrostatic pressure, flow, and composition of the ground
water, and thereby the danger of seepage, underground
erosion, and frost action; the influence of the water on the
stability and settlement of structures; its action on various
construction materials; and its suitability as a water
supply.
APPROACHES TO SITE INVESTIGATION

• Approach 1: Desk-study and geotechnical

advice.
• Approach 2: ‘Standard’ ground investigation
• Approach 3: Limited investigation, coupled
with monitoring
• Approach 4: The observational method
 Factors Influencing the Selection of
Methods of Investigation
• Nature of subsurface materials and
groundwater conditions.
• Size of structure to be built or investigated.
• Scope of the investigation, e.g., feasibility
study, formulation of plans and specifications.
• Purpose of the investigation, e.g., evaluate
stability of existing structure, design a new
structure.
• Complexity of site and structure.
 Factors Influencing the Selection of
Methods of Investigation
• Topographic constraints.
• Difficulty of application.
• Degree to which method disturbs the samples
or surrounding grounds.
• Budget constraints.
• Time constraints.
• Environment requirements/consequences.
• Political constraints.
PROCESS OF SITE INVESTIGATION

• Objectives of Site Investigation

• Desk Study
• Site Reconnaissance
• Planning
• Ground Investigation:
– Trial Pits
– Boreholes
– Sampling
• Reporting
 PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
& PLANNING THE WORK
• Project Location.
• Type of Project.
• Scope of Work.
• Budget and scheduling considerations
• Selection of the interdisciplinary team (such as geotechnical
engineer, engineering geologist, structural engineer,
hydrogeologist and the like) that will work on the project.
• Preliminary subsurface exploration plan, such as the number,
location, and depth of borings.
• Document collection.
• Laboratory testing requirements.
• Types of engineering analyses that will be required for the
design of the foundation.
 OBJECTIVES OF SITE INVESTIGATION
• Suitability
• Design
• Construction
• Materials
• Effect of Changes
• Identify Alternatives
 DESK TOP STUDY
• Every site investigation should commence with a desk
study directed towards collecting, collating and reviewing
the following:
• Design drawings from any previous structure at the site.
• Previous site investigation reports, borehole logs,
penetrometer results and construction
• experience e.g. piling records.
• Geological and Topographical maps, survey data and
records.
• Hydrological data.
• Aerial photographs.
• Regional seismicity data.
• Survey records, local knowledge and resources.
 DOCUMENT REVIEW
• Prior Development.
• Aerial Photographs and Geologic Maps
• Topographic Maps
• Building Code and Other Specifications
• Documents at the Local Building
Department.
• Forensic Engineering.
 SITE RECONNAISSANCE
• Legal and physical aspects of access
to site and bridge alignment – both
riverbed and adjoining properties.
• Availability of any services or supplies of
water, electricity, earthworks plant.
• Buried or overhead services.
• Photographs of surface conditions.
• Traffic control requirements.
 SITE RECONNAISSANCE CONTD
• The possible effects of alternative investigation
techniques on the environment (for example,
ground disturbance, vegetation removal, water
discharge, noise etc.).
• On-ground survey details.
• Tide, river level or other natural constraints.
• Notes on any exposed geology, for example the
presence of boulders, bedrock exposure, swamps etc.
• The physical relationship of the proposed
construction to the immediate natural surroundings
and any existing developments.
 GROUND INVESTIGATION

This stage of the Geotechnical Investigation is

involved with the exploration of subsurface
conditions and retrieval of test data for generating
geotechnical parameters and geotechnical profiles.
Defining the scope of the investigation (e.g. number of
test locations, type of test, frequency and depth) is not
covered explicitly by these guidelines.
The number, location and depth of tests is to consider:
• Expected sub-surface conditions
• Previous geotechnical information available
• Likely extent of zones in ground influenced by loading
 GROUND INVESTIGATION CONTD
• Need to achieve a reliable geotechnical model
for analysis
• Size and importance of the structure
• Requirement to minimise contractor and
MRWA risk of changes during the
construction Programme due to variations in
the subsurface conditions from that
reported during the Investigation stage.
 GROUND INVESTIGATION CONTD
Groundwater must be investigated to determine:
• the level of the permanent water table at the time of the
investigation
• occurrence of a perched water table condition and its
level
• estimated rates of inflow to excavations
• effects of de-watering on water table levels and on
adjacent structures
• the presence of sub-artesian conditions
• the potential aggressiveness of the soil and groundwater,
for example SO4, Cl, pH and Total
• Dissolved Solids (TDS) to buried concrete and steel.
SUBSURFACE EXPLORATION
• Document review
• Purpose of subsurface exploration
• Borings
• layout, and depth of subsurface exploration
• Test pits and trenches
• Preparation of logs
• Geophysical techniques
• Subsurface exploration for geotechnical
earthquake engineering
• Subsoil profile
 BORINGS
The most widely used method of subsurface
investigation for compact sites as well as for
most extended sites is boring holes into the
ground, from which samples may be collected
for either visual inspection or laboratory testing.
Several procedures are commonly used to drill
the holes and to obtain the soil samples.
Exploratory holes into the soil may be made by
hand tools, but more commonly truck- or
trailer-mounted power tools are used.
 GEOTECHNICAL REPORTS

Part 1 – (“Site Investigations Report”) details of all field and laboratory test data to be
represented
Part 2 – (“Interpretative Report”) the geotechnical evaluation, interpretation,
conclusions and recommendations
Part 1 – Presentation of Site Investigation
• Purpose and scope of the geotechnical investigation
• Brief description of the project
• Dates between which field and laboratory work were performed.
• Detailed description of methods used for the field and the laboratory work with
reference to accepted standards followed
• Presentation of field observations
• Data on fluctuations of groundwater table
• Compilation of individual boring logs, penetrometer results etc.
• Colour photographs of rock core.
• Grouping and presentation of field and laboratory test results in appendices and as
summary tables.
• Names of the persons responsible for geotechnical site investigations and report
writing.
 GEOTECHNICAL REPORTS

Part 2 – Presentation of Evaluations, Conclusions and

Recommendations
• Review of the field and laboratory work by the Geotechnical
Engineer. Tabulation and graphical presentation of the results of the
field and laboratory work in relation to the requirements of the
projects.
• Determination of the depth to the groundwater table and its seasonal
fluctuations.
• Sub-surface profile(s) in graphic form (geotechnical profile or model),
showing the disposition of the various sub-surface formations.
• Comments on irregularities such as pockets, cavities etc.
• Collating and presentation of the geotechnical data for each sub-
surface formation. This
• presentation should be in a form which would enable selection
of characteristic values for design.
 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Classification of the project according to geotechnical

complexity.
• Selection of suitable characteristic values for the
requirements of the project (geotechnical design
parameters).
• Settlement and stability computations.
• Recommendations concerning problems that may be
encountered during excavations, pumping operations,
construction of retaining structures and ground anchors,
placement of earth materials etc.
• Comment on likely interaction of work on nearby structures.
• Recommendations on any other issues e.g. for surface
drainage if required.
• Comments on liquefaction potential, scour depth, unsuitable
soil etc. if applicable
 REFERENCES

• M. J. Tomlinson; ‘‘Foundation Design And Construction,’’ 5th Edition, John Wiley

& Sons, Inc., New York. 2001.
• C. R. I. Clayton, M. C. Matthews And N. E. Simons; “Site Investigation”. 2nd
Edition. Department Of Civil Engineering, University Of Surrey.
• F. Chowdhury And S. Rehman; “Guidelines For Geotechnical Investigation Of
Bridge Structures”. Main Roads Western Australia, March 2009.
• Australian Standard As1726 “Geotechnical Site Investigations”
• Australian Standard As1170 “Structural Design Actions”
• Australian Standard As2159 “Piling – Design And Installation”
• Australian Standard As5100 “Bridge Design-foundations And Soil Supporting
Structures” Standards Australia Geotechnical Site Investigation, As1726.
• Standards Australia Structural Design Actions, As1170
• Standards Australia Bridge Design – Part 3: Foundation And
• Soil Supporting Structures, As5100.3.