GEOTECH CT-1

What is sub soil exploration?

Process of identifying the layers of soil deposits that underlie a proposed structure and their physical characteristics
is generally referred to as subsoil exploration.

Purpose of sub surface exploration

❖ Determining nature of soil at site and its stratification.
❖ Obtaining disturbed and undisturbed soil sample for visual identification and appropriate laboratory tests.
❖ Determining depth and nature of bed rock.
❖ Assessing any special construction problems with respect to the existing structure.
❖ Determining position of water table.
❖ Evaluating load bearing capacity of the foundation.
❖ Estimating probable settlement of a structure.
❖ Establishing construction method for changing sub soil condition. Created by
❖ Observing drainage condition from and into the site. Ragib Nur Alam Shuvo,
❖ Performing in situ field tests such as permeability test. CE13
❖ Predicting lateral earth pressure. ragibnur.ce@gmail.com
❖ Selecting type and depth of foundation suitable for a given structure.

Surface exploration may also be necessary when addition and alteration to existing structures are contemplated.

What is N value?
• When a borehole is extended to a predetermined depth, drilling tools are removed and sampler is lowered
to the bottom of hole.
• Sampler is driven into soil by hammer blows to top of drill rod.
• Standard weight of hammer is 622.72N (140lb) and for each blow, the hammer drops a distance of about
0.762 m (30”)
• Number of blows required for a span penetration of there 152.42mm (6”) intervals are recorded.
• Number of blows required for last two intervals (12”) are added to give standard penetration number, N at
that depth.
• This number is generally referred to as N value.
• Determination of standard penetration number and collection of split spoon samplers are done at 1.5 m (5’)
intervals.

What is Area Ratio?

Degree of disturbance of sample collected by various methods can be expressed by a term called area ratio, which is
given by

𝐷𝑜 2 − 𝐷𝑖 2
𝐴𝑟 (%) = × 100
𝐷𝑖 2
Here,

𝐷𝑜 = Outside diameter of sampler

𝐷𝑖 = Inside diameter of sampler
𝐴𝑟 = Area Ratio (ratio of disturbed area to the total area of soil)
A soil sample generally can be considered undisturbed if area ratio is less than or equal to 10%