PROBLEM 1: Number and Depth of Boreholes
A four story reinforced concrete frame office building will be built on a site where the soils
are expected to be of average quality and uniformity. The building will have a 30 m x 40 m
footprint and is expected to be supported on spread footing foundations located about 1 m
below the ground surface. The site appears to be in its natural conditions, with no evidence of
previous grading. Bedrock is 30m below the ground surface. Determine the required number
and depth of borings
Table 1: Spacing of the exploratory borings for buildings on shallow foundations
Subsurface conditions Structural footprint area for each boring
m2 ft2
Poor quality and/or erratic 200 2000
Average 300 3000
High quality and uniform 600 6000
Table 2: Depths of exploratory borings for buildings on shallow foundations
Subsurface conditions Minimum depth of borings
(S = number of stories and D = the anticipated depth of the
foundation)
M ft
0.7
Poor quality and/or erratic 6S + D 20S0.7 + D
0.7
Average 5S + D 15S0.7 + D
High quality and uniform 3S0.7 + D 10S0.7 + D
PROBLEM 2: Sample’s disturbance while boring
Split spoon tubes split longitudinally into halves and permit taking a soil or soft rock sampler
tube size is designated as an NX. The NX outside diameter is D0=50.8 mm (2 inches) and its
inside diameter is Di = 34.9 mm (1.37 inches). This small size has the advantage of
cheapness, because it is relatively easy to drive into the ground. However, it has the
disadvantage of disturbing the natural texture of the soil. In soft rocks, such as young lime
stone, it will destroy the rock to such a degree that it may be classified as a “sand”.
A better sampler is the Shelby (or thin-tube sampler). It has the same outside diameter of 2
inches and inside diameter 1.875 inch (although the trend to use 3 inches outside diameter
and 2.875 inch inside diameter)
Compare the degree of sample disturbance of a US standard split-spoon sampler, versus the
Shelby thin-tube samplers (2inch and 3inch outside diameters) via their area ratio Ar (a
measure of sample disturbance).
𝑫𝟎 𝟐 𝑫𝒊 𝟐
Formula: Ar(%) = (100)
𝑫𝒊 𝟐
Problem 3: Correcting the SPT for depth and sampling method
A standard penetration test (SPT) has been conducted in a loose coarse sand stratum to a
depth of 16 ft below the ground surface. The blow counts obtained in the field were as
follows:
0-6 in = 4 blows;
6-12 in = 6 blows;
12-18 in = 8 blows.
The tests were conducted using a US-style donut hammer in a 6 inch diameter boring with a
standard sampler and liner. The effective unit weight of the loose sand stratum is about 93.8
pcf.
Determine the corrected SPT as proposed by Lio-Whitman (1986) and if the testing
procedure is assumed to only be 60% efficient. (Note: Use Table 1 and Table 2 while
solving)
Table 1: Type of hammer and its efficiencies
SPT Hammer Efficiencies (adapted from Clayton, 1990)
Country Hammer Type Release Mechanism Hammer Efficiency
Argentina Donut Cathead 0.45
Brazil Pin weight Hand dropped 0.72
China Automatic Trip 0.60
Donut Hand dropped 0.55
Donut Cat-head 0.50
Colombia Donut Cat-head 0.50
Japan Donut Tombi trigger 0.75-0.85
Donut Cat-head + sp. Release 0.65-0.67
UK Automatic Trip 0.73
US Safety 2-turns on cat-head 0.55-0.60
Donut 2-turns on cat-head 0.45
Venezuela Donut Cat-head 0.43
Table 2: Various correction factors
Correction Factors for the Boring Diameter, Sampling Method and Boring Rod Length
(adapted from Skempton, 1986)
Correction Factor Equipment Variables Value
Borehole diameter factor CB 65-115 mm (2.5 – 4.5 in) 1.00
150 mm (6 in) 1.05
200 mm (8 in) 1.15
Sampling method factor CS Standard sampler 1.00
Sampler without liner 1.20
Rod length factor, CR 3- 4 m (10 – 13 ft) 0.75
4 – 6 m (13 – 20 ft) 0.85
6 – 10 m (20 – 30ft) 0.95
>10 m (>30ft) 1.00
Formulae:
Skempton’s relation for SPT corrected to 60% efficiency,
N60 =
.
Proposed by Liao-Whitman Method (1986)
, /
Ncorrected = N with 𝑃 in kN/m2 or N
Problem 4: SPT corrections
A raw value of N = 40 was obtained from an SPT at a depth of 20 feet in a sand stratum that
has a unit weight of 135lb/ft3 . Correct it only for depth by using available formulae proposed
by different researchers.
Formulae:
1) Bazzaraa Method (1967):
Ncorrected = if Po ≤ 1.5 kips/ft2 and (Note: 1kips/ft2 = 47.88 kpa)
Ncorrected = if Po ≥ 1.5 kips/ft2
. .
2) Using the Peck Method (1974)
Ncorrected = NCN where CN = 0.77 log10 if 𝑃 is in tons/ft2
Or CN = 0.77 log10 if 𝑃 is in kN/m2
3) The Liao-Whitman Method (1986)
, /
Ncorrected = N with 𝑃 in kN/m2 or N
ℎ ℎ