GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS

INSTRUCTOR : DR. MAHMUT ŞENGÖR

CE 560
Cankaya University Civil Eng Dept Room No:NA-12
 EXAMPLE-1 GEOTECHNICAL PARAMETERS
(GRANULAR SOILS)

Making the necessary corrections (taking the energy

ratio for SPT-N as 45%, rod length = 3 m, hole
diameter=100 mm, no liner) find N60 and N1,60 .

1) if the soil is fine sand or silt, below GWT and Nfield > 15
1
𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 15 + (𝑁𝑁𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 − 15)
2
EXAMPLE-1 GEOTECHNICAL PARAMETERS (GRANULAR SOILS)

Making the necessary corrections (taking the energy

ratio for SPT-N as 45%, rod length = 3 m, hole
diameter=100 mm, no liner) find N60 and N1,60 .

1) if the soil is fine sand or silt, below GWT and Nfield > 15
1
𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 15 + (𝑁𝑁𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 − 15)
2
 𝐸𝐸𝑚𝑚 ∗𝐶𝐶𝐵𝐵 ∗𝐶𝐶𝑆𝑆 ∗𝐶𝐶𝑅𝑅 ∗𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓
2) 𝑁𝑁60 = 0.60
 ′ 100
3) 𝑁𝑁60 = (𝑁𝑁1)60 = 𝑁𝑁60 ∗ 𝐶𝐶𝑁𝑁 𝐶𝐶𝑁𝑁 =
𝜎𝜎𝑣𝑣 ′
 Corr.#1 Corr.#2 Corr.#3
Depth SPT-N Silty Sand CR Cs CB Em N60 GWT σv0' CN N1,60
1.75 1.5 - 1.95 31 23 0.75 1 1 0.45 17.4375 18 1.2 29.5 1.841149 32.10504 33
3.25 3.0 - 3.45 20 17.5 0.75 1 1 0.45 11.25 12 32.5 1.754116 19.73381 20
4.75 4.5 - 4.95 19 17 0.85 1 1 0.45 12.1125 13 47.5 1.450953 17.57466 18
6.25 6.0 - 6.45 21 18 0.95 1 1 0.45 14.9625 15 62.5 1.264911 18.92623 19
7.75 7.5 - 7.95 16 15.5 0.95 1 1 0.45 11.4 12 77.5 1.135924 12.94953 13
9.25 9.0 - 9.45 23 19 0.95 1 1 0.45 16.3875 17 92.5 1.03975 17.03891 18
10.75 10.5 - 10.95 23 19 1 1 1 0.45 17.25 18 107.5 0.964486 16.63738 17
12.25 12.0 - 12.45 24 19.5 1 1 1 0.45 18 18 122.5 0.903508 16.26314 17
13.75 13.5 - 13.95 17 16 1 1 1 0.45 12.75 13 137.5 0.852803 10.87324 11
15.25 15.0 - 15.45 36 25.5 1 1 1 0.45 27 27 152.5 0.809776 21.86396 22
 Classification

Relative
Depth N60 N1,60 Class Density,
DR
1.5 - 1.95 18 33 Dense 60 - 80
3.0 - 3.45 12 20
4.5 - 4.95 13 18
6.0 - 6.45 15 19

Med.Dense
7.5 - 7.95 12 13
9.0 - 9.45 17 18 40 - 60
10.5 - 10.95 18 17
12.0 - 12.45 18 17
13.5 - 13.95 13 11
15.0 - 15.45 27 22
 Int.
Depth N60 Friction
σv0'
angle, φ
1.5 - 1.95 18 29.5 46
3.0 - 3.45 12 32.5
4.5 - 4.95 13 47.5
6.0 - 6.45 15 62.5
7.5 - 7.95 12 77.5
9.0 - 9.45 17 92.5
10.5 - 10.95 18 107.5 39
12.0 - 12.45 18 122.5
13.5 - 13.95 13 137.5 35
15.0 - 15.45 27 152.5 42
 Int.
Depth N1,60 Friction
angle, φ
1.5 - 1.95 33 36.5-42.5
3.0 - 3.45 20
4.5 - 4.95 18
6.0 - 6.45 19
7.5 - 7.95 13
9.0 - 9.45 18
10.5 - 10.95 17 32-38.5
12.0 - 12.45 17
13.5 - 13.95 11 30-35
15.0 - 15.45 22 33.5-38.5
 Depth N60 Es = 500*N60
Kulhawy & Mayne (1990)
kPa
1.5 - 1.95 18 9000
3.0 - 3.45 12 6000
4.5 - 4.95 13 6500
6.0 - 6.45 15 7500
7.5 - 7.95 12 6000
9.0 - 9.45 17 8500
10.5 - 10.95 18 9000
12.0 - 12.45 18 9000
13.5 - 13.95 13 6500
15.0 - 15.45 27 13500
 Shear
Depth N1,60 Modulus,
G MPa
1.5 - 1.95 33 166.8
3.0 - 3.45 20 103.7
4.5 - 4.95 18 93.8
6.0 - 6.45 19 98.7
7.5 - 7.95 13 68.8
9.0 - 9.45 18 93.8
10.5 - 10.95 17 88.8
12.0 - 12.45 17 88.8
13.5 - 13.95 11 58.7
15.0 - 15.45 22 113.5
Shear wave velocity, Vs

Shear wave
Depth N60 velocity, Vs
ZD type of
(m/sn)
1.5 - 1.95 18 236 soil acc to
3.0 - 3.45 12 210 EQ code
4.5 - 4.95 13 215 which is
6.0 - 6.45 15 224 described as
7.5 - 7.95 12 210 med dense-
9.0 - 9.45 17 232 dense
10.5 - 10.95 18 236
sand/gravel
12.0 - 12.45 18 236
or very stiff
13.5 - 13.95 13 215
15.0 - 15.45 27 265 clays
(180<Vs<360
m/s)
 Liquefaction assessment

 Liquefaction causes;
1. Bearing capacity loss amax: maximum acceleration at the
2. Excessive settlements ground surface
σv0 = total overburden pressure at
3. Lateral spreading
depth under consideration
σv0 ′ = effective overburden pressure at
𝑎𝑎𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝜎𝜎𝑣𝑣𝑣 depth under consideration
𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 = 0.65 𝑟𝑟
𝑔𝑔 𝜎𝜎′𝑣𝑣𝑣 𝑑𝑑
𝑎𝑎𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑟𝑟𝑑𝑑 =
𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 𝑎𝑎𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 = 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀
𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 Depth reduction factor
rd = 1 − 0.00765z for z ≤ 9.15(m)
rd = 1.174 − 0.0267z for 9.15(m) < z ≤ 23(m)
rd = 0.774 − 0.008z for 23(m) < z ≤ 30(m)
 Turkish recent EQ code says;
 16.6.2 - Soil liquefaction will be defined as a significant decrease in the shear
strength and stiffness parallel to the increase in pore water pressure under
earthquake shaking in cohesionless or low-cohesion (PI<12%) soils located below
the groundwater table and up to a depth of 20 m from the surface.
 16.6.4 - Potentially liquefiable soils will be defined as sand, gravelly sand, silty
sandy clay, non-plastic silt, and silt-sand mixtures located below the
groundwater table.
 16.6.5 - When the foundation soils are composed of potentially liquefiable soils
and the corrected SPT blow count, N1,60, is less than 30 blows/30 cm,
liquefaction triggering evaluation will be carried out.
 FSliq P 1.1
  Let say PGA475 for Karasu/Adapazarı site = 0.35g and MW=7.5. For 7.5-7.95
m depth the liquefaction assessment is done as follows.

σv0 = 7.75 *20 = 155 kPa

Depth N1,60
σv0'
rd = 1 − 0.00765z = 1-0.00765*7.75 = 0.941
1.5 - 1.95 29.5 33
𝑎𝑎𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝜎𝜎𝑣𝑣𝑣 155
3.0 - 3.45 32.5 20 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 = 0.65 𝑟𝑟 = 0.65 ∗ 0.35 ∗ ∗ 0.941 = 0.428
𝑔𝑔 𝜎𝜎′𝑣𝑣𝑣 𝑑𝑑 77.5
4.5 - 4.95 47.5 18
6.0 - 6.45 62.5 19
7.5 - 7.95 77.5 13
9.0 - 9.45 92.5 18
10.5 - 10.95 107.5 17
12.0 - 12.45 122.5 17
13.5 - 13.95 137.5 11
15.0 - 15.45 152.5 22
 For calculating a FSliq

 Note that N1,60 value has to be corrected acc to fines content;

Fines are reported as 12% at 3-3.45; 12% at 10.5-10.95 and 9% at 13.5-13.95.

for 12% α=1.55 and β=1.03 is obtained. N1,60 (7.75m) = 15 is calculated.

≈ 0.16

𝑎𝑎𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
τ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 = 0.65 𝜎𝜎𝑣𝑣𝑣 𝑟𝑟𝑑𝑑 = 0.65 ∗ 0.35 ∗ 155 ∗ 0.941 = 33.18
𝑔𝑔
𝜏𝜏 0.16 ∗77.5 HighRisk of
𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 = 𝜏𝜏 𝑅𝑅 = = 0.37 < 1.1
𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 33.18 liquefaction
HOMEWORK-2 GEOTECHNICAL PARAMETERS (GRANULAR SOILS)
Given is a real site
data from
Karasu/Adapazari
area. The site is
characterized as
SM. Non-plastic
material. Fines are
reported as 13%-
3-3.45; 27% 10.5-
10.95 and 3% 16.5-
16.95.
Make a general
geotechnical
evaluation for this
site.
EXAMPLE-2 GEOTECHNICAL PARAMETERS (COHESIVE SOILS)
 Medium stiff Clay (0.0-13.0 m).
 Unit weight: γ = 20 kN/m3 (Carter & Bentley, 1991).
 Standard Penetration Test (SPT) N = 18 (average value).
Carter and Bentley, 1991
 Undrained shear strength: (PI)avg = 36 (average value) → f1 = 4.2 (Stroud, 1974).
SPT N = 18 (average value) Undrained shear strength: cu = f1 * N (Stroud, 1974)
cu = 75 kPa
 Effective internal friction angle: (PI)avg = 36 (average value) → φ’ = 24° (Gibson,
1953).
 Effective cohesion value: (PI)avg = 36 (average value) → φ’ = 24° (Gibson,
1953) c’ = α x tan φ’ (Lunne et al., 1997)
 α = 15 (Lunne et al., 1997) c’ = 15 * tan 24 = 5 kPa
 Coefficient of volume compressibility:
From SPT test results: mv = 1 / f2 . N (Stroud, 1974)
For PI = 36% (average value), f2 = 430 kPa N = 18 (average value)
mv = 1 / (430 x 18) mv = 1.29 x 10-4 m2 / kN

𝑠𝑠𝑐𝑐 = 𝑚𝑚𝑣𝑣 ∗ ∆𝜎𝜎 ∗ 𝐻𝐻

 Eu / N ≈ 0.85*N = 0.85*18 = 15 MPa
 E’= 0.7*Eu ≈ 10 MPa
SPT BASED PI LE FOUNDATION DESI GN

point / base side / skin friction

 P I L E S K I N C AP ACI TY B AS E D O N S P T

Qsultimate = 2 N kPa (driven piles)

Qsultimate = N kPa (bored piles)
(Meyerhof, 1976)
Nave,skin
Qpultimate = 40 N L/D kPa ≤ 400 N

Note that N = N55 for this correlations.

10 D
Nave,base

4D
 P I L E S K I N C AP ACI TY B AS E D O N S P T

Modified Meyerhof (1976)

 For cohesive soils;

Qsultimate = 2.5 N kPa
Qbultimate = 250 N kPa ≅ 9*cu

 For cohesionless/granular soils;

Qsultimate = 2.0 N kPa
Qbultimate = 250 - 400 N kPa
P I L E S K I N C AP ACI TY (D R I VE N P I L E S ) B AS E D O N S P T
≈ 16 - 18
 Vesic’s pile test results to ensure Lb,cr
 Meyerhof (1976)
 the ultimate point resistance (qp) in a homogeneous granular soil (L=Lb)
𝐿𝐿
𝑞𝑞𝑝𝑝 = 0.4 ∗ 𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎 ∗ 𝑁𝑁60 ∗ ≤ 4 ∗ 𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎 ∗ 𝑁𝑁60
𝐷𝐷

 Briaud et al (1985) 𝑞𝑞𝑝𝑝 = 19.7 ∗ 𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎 ∗ 𝑁𝑁60 0.36

Axial Pile Capacity from N-value as per BNBC (2015)
Pile-Ex-1

Meyerhof

Briaud
 For Driven
pıle capacıty based on SPT Piles
Pile-Ex2
 S E T T L E MENT O F P I L E G RO UP S B AS E D O N S P T

Sgr : settlement of the pile group (inches)

q : load on the pile group (tsf)
If : interaction coefficient = 1- l /(8d) ≥ 0.5
l : pile length (ft) ; d : pile diameter (ft)
Bg : the least dimension of pile group (ft)
N1,60 : average N value from pile tip downwards to a depth of Bg
Pile-Ex-3