DEV ELOPMENTS IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 54

FOUNDATIONS ON
EXPANSIVE
SOILS

F.H . CHEN
Chen & Associates, 96 South Zuni, Denver, CO 80223, U. S .A.

ELSEVIER
Amsterdam- Oxford- New York- Tokyo 1988
 XIII

CONTENTS

PREFACE • • • • • • • • • • • • IX

PART l
THEORY ANO PRACTICE

CHAPI'ER 1 - NATURE OF EXPANSIVE SOIIS

INI'RODUCriOO • •

ORIGIN OF EXPANSIVE SOIIS .

Parent material . • • 2
~~athering • . . . • • 3

DIS'fRIBUriOO OF EXPA..'ISI VE SOIIS. 4

Worl d pcoblem of expansive soils. 4

Distri bution of expansive soils in the United States. 14

DAMAGE CAUSED BY EXPANSIVE SOIIS 18

CIAY MINERAIS. • • • • • • • • • 20

Formation of clay minerals . 21

cation exchange • • • • • 22
Clay structure • • • • • • 23

RECcx;NITIOO OF EXPANSIVE SOIIS 26

Mineralogica! identification. 26
Single irrlex Irethod • 29
Classification method 31
Indirect Ireasurement . • • • • 34
Di rect measurerrent. . • • • • 38

PHYSICAL PROPERl'IES OF EXPANSIVE SOIIS 40

Moisture content. • 40
Dry densit y • • • • 41
Index properties •• 42
Fatigue of s~lling 42

CHAPI'ER 2 - MOCHANICS OF SWELLING

IN!'roOUCI'I OO • 49

MOISTURE MIGRATION 49

Moisture transfer 49
Depth of moisture fluctuation 50

SWELLIN:; POTENI'IAL • • 52
XlV CONTENTS CONTENI'S xv

Factors affecting volume change 54 CHAPI'ER 4 DRILLED PIER FOUNDATION

Total heave . • . 56
Effective stress. 66 INI'RODOCTIO.'J • 123

SWELLIN3 PRESSURE. • • 67 PIER CAPACI'l'Y. 123

Stress contr ol led 67 Bearing capacity. 124

Strain controlled 68 Skin friction of shale. 126
Comparison . • . . 69 Design capacity • • 127

MECHANICS OF SWELLIN:; PRESSURE 71 [>\OCHANICS OF PI ER UPLIFI' 128

Test procedure . • . • . • 71 Uplifting force • • 129

Surcharge pressure . • • • 72 Withholding force • 131
Degree of saturation. • • 75 Zone of wetting • . 132
Initial moi sture content. 78 Model t est for pier uplifti ng forces. 132
Stratum thickness 81 Rational pie r formula 139
I nitial density 82
Conclusion. 88 BELLED PIERS • • • 139

IATERAL PRESSURE 89 Advantage of belled piers 140

Disadvantage of belled piers. 142
Pressure exerted on walls 90 Isolation of pier shaft 143
Sample description. • • • 92
Lateral pressure testi ng setup. 93 FRicrroo PIERS • • • • 144
Lateral swelling pressure • • • 94
Factors aff ecting lateral expansion pressure . 96 Skin fr i ction • • 146
Conclusions 98 Design of fr iction piers . 146

SHRINKAGE • • • • 99 FAIWRE OF 'lliE PIER SYsrEM • . 148

Effect of densi ty on swelling and shrinkage 100 Excessive pier size • • • 151
Effect of moisture content on swelling and shrinkage . 101 I nsufficient pie r l e ngth. 152
Seasonal moisture fluctuation • • • • • • • • 102 Uniform pier diameter 154
Relationship between swelling and shrinkage • • • • • 104 Pier reinforcement . 157
Air space • • • . •• 157
Pier set tlement . • • 161
CHAPI'ER 3 - FIEID AND IAOORA1URY INVESriGATION Void in pie r shaft. • 162
Rise of ground water. 162
INI'RODUCTICN • 109
S~TE-QF-ART DESIGN. • 164
SITE INVESTIGATION • 109
Structural floor . • 164
Topography • • 109 Dead load pressure. 165
Surficial geology 111 Pi e r l ength • • • • 166
Exi sting structures • 112
DRILLIN3 AN) SAMPLIN:;. 113 CHAPI'ER 5 - FOOTIN3 FOUNDI\'l' IONS
Test holes. • • • 113 INI'RODOCTION • • • • 169
Fenetrati on test . 11 5
Sampling • • • 11 6 COOTHUOOS FOOTIN:;S. 169
IAOORA1URY TESTING 117 Wall footings • 172
Box constructi on. 173
swell test •• 117
Inter pretation of test results . 11 8 PAD FOONDI\TIONS • • • • 174
Judgrrent . • . • • • • • • • •• 118
 CONTENTS
X\' Il
CONTENTS

Design . . . • • . . . 175 Installati on . ... 232

233
Deep pads . . . . . • 176 Deep vertical seal .
Backfill. . • 234
Interrupted footings. 177
SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE . 237
FOOTINGS ON SE"L.ECrED FILL. 179
Intercepting drains 237
MAT FOUNDATION • 180 238
Berched water . .
Mechanics of flow 240
BRAB design 180
Texas design. 183 24 1
PI'I design. 184 PERIPHERAL DRAINS • •
Behavior . • 188 241
Evaluation. 194 Source of water
Subdrain design 242
Deep drains 246
TUNNEL FOUNDATION . 194
SURFACE DRAINAGE 247
~Echanics of swelling 195
Effective stress . . . • 196
Construction precautions. Sprinkling system 248
196 248
Vegetation • . . •
Roof drain. . . • 249
CHAPI'ER 6 - S!Affi O..._ EXPANSIVE SOII.S Interior plumbing • 250

INTRODOCTION • 199
CHAPI'ER 8 - SOIL srABILIZATION
SIAB-ON-GROUND 199 253
INTRODOCTION
'l'fFes of slal:ron-ground 199
PREWETI'I~ . 253
Slab rroverrent • • 200
Underslab grave!. 202
Ponding 254
Practice. 255
STIFFENED SIABS . • • • 204
Evaluation. 257
St r uctural floor slabs. 204 260
Raised floo r system 205 CQoiPAcriOO CONTOOL
Honeycanb system. 206 260
Placement condition
FLCli\TI~ Design • . . 262
SIABS • 208 • 262
Evaluation .
Slip joints 209
SOIL REPIACEMENT
264
Exterior slabs. 211
Partition walls . 213
• 265
Door f rames aro utilities 22 1 Type of material.
Aprons •• • . . Depth of replacement. 266
222 267
Extent of replacement
EValuation. . . . • . 267
Current highway practice. 269
CHAPI'ER 7 - MOISTURE CONTOOL

LIME STABILIZATION
271
INTRODOCTION • • • • • 227
Reaction . . . 272
HORIZON'rAL MOISTURE 81\RRIERS 227 273
Application •
Membranes • . . . In- place rnixing 275
227 276
Concrete aprons • 228 Pressure injection.
Street pavernent .
• 278
Asphalt membranes 229
CHEMICAL STABILIZATICN
281
VERI'I CAL L'DISTURE 81\RRIERS 232
 CONTENTS CONTENTS XX l

HISTORY . 375 Found at ion design • • • 41 7

Foundation construction 418
orsrRFSS 376 Slab construction 418
Pier uplifting . 41 8
INVESfiGATIOO. 378
SOURCE OF t>DisrURE
419
Subsoil conditions. 380
Method of approach. 384 Precipitation 419
Source of moi sture. Lawn irrigation 420
384
Pipe leakage . • 420
TREA'IMENT. • • • • • • • 387
EVALUAT IO.~ OF BUIIDIN3 CONDITIONS . 420
Treatment at Birch . 387
Treatrnent at Aspen . 388 Area I. • 420
Treatment at Olerub • • • 390 Area II • 42 1
Treatment at Butte rcup. Area III . 42 1
391
Treatment at Starlight. 392
Treatment at Crescent REMEDIAL MEASURES. 421
394
Drainage improvement. 395
Area I. • •
421
REl1EDIAL CONSTR!JCTI<N. Area II • 423
396 423
Area II I.

CASE IV - DISfRESS CAUSED BY HEAVIN:; OF COOTINUOUS FWI'I~

CASE VI - AN ANATOMY OF A IAWSUIT
GENERAI... 401
GENERAI. PROCEDURE FOR GIDTECHNICAL INVESTIGATIOO 425
HIS'IDRY. 401
ABSTRAcr FOOM PRELIMINARY SOIL REPORT . 425
Exterior. • • 402
Basement interior On site selection • • 425
402
Upper floor • • • 402 On foundation system. 427
Exterior drainage On floor slab • • • • 427
402
SUBSOIL CONDITIOO. ABSTRAcr FIDM GEOTECHNICAL REPORT. 427
402
CAUSE OF MOVEMENT. On foundation system. 427
404 428
On floor slab
REMEDIAL MEASURES. 404 On drainage • 428

DISTRESS ANO PUBLICI'IY 429

CASE V - DisrRESS CAUSED BY RISE OF WATER TABLE
SUMMONS. • • • • • • 429
GENERAI.. 411
On floor slab 429
HIS'IDRY. 411 On pier foundation. 430
On inspection • 430
Foundation walls. • • 41 2
Interior floor slabs. 430
412 RESPOOSE • • • ••
Parti tion walls 415
Slab treatrnent . 430
41 5 On floor slab
43 1
Aprons • • • • 415 On pier size .
On mushrocrn
432
SUBSOIL CONDITION:> 416
EXPER1' TESTIMOOY
433
WATER TABLE . • • • 416
Architect testimony (plaintiff ) • 433
CAUSE OF MOVEMENT. Geologist testimony (plaintiff ) 435
417
XXI I CONTENTS

Structural e03ineer testùnony (defemant) 435

Academician testimony (plai nt iff ) . . . . 436
Structur al e03inee r testimony (deferùant) 436
Geotechnical exf:ert testimony (defendant) 437
DAMAGE 'l'O THE PROFESSION • • • • • 437
'Ihe claim and the settlement . 437
'Ihe truth of the problem. • . 438
Conditional s usf:ensi on. • . . 438
APPENDIX A - S'rliNDI'IRO TESI' t-1ETHODS FOR ONE- DIMENSIONAL SWELL OR
SE'l'l'LEMENT POrENTIAL OF COHESIVE SOILS . 441
APPENDIX B - CONVERSION FACTORS . 451
SUBJOCT I NDEX. • 453
Aill'HOR I NDEX • 461