GEOTECHNICAL

INVESTIGATION
(SOIL EXPLORATION)

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 1

 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
Introduction Soil sampling
2. Purpose and objectives of soil I. Disturbed Soil Sample.
exploration II. Undisturbed Soil Sample.
3. Investigation phases 6. Amount of exploration
I. Phase I. 7. In-situ Tests
II. Phase II. 8. Planning an investigation
III. Phase III. 9. Records and Reports
IV. Phase IV. I. Bore Hole/Test Pit Logs
4. Exploration methods II. Data Sheets Of In-situ Tests
I. Direct Methods. 10. Conclusion
II. Indirect Methods.
Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 2
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
1. INTRODUCTION
Two very essential requirements for design and construction of any civil
engineering facility:
I. SOIL INVESTIGATION
• Also called site investigation.
• Provides data regarding subsoil conditions(i.e. underground conditions), ground
water position and its fluctuations.
II. TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY
• Furnishes information regarding ground surface features of the site (i.e. surface
conditions of the site).

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 3

 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
i. Soil Exploration Is Needed For:
• Planning, designing and constructing new facilities,
• Investigating the causes of destress or failure and developing remedial measures,
Assessing quality and quantity of construction materials.(i.e. aggregates for
concrete/asphalt mix etc)
2. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
Primary Objectives:
• To assess sequence and thickness of strata.
• To assess quality of bedrock and depth of overburden soil.
• To determine position of GWT.
• To evaluate the characteristics of subsoil, rock, and
GWT(ground water table).
Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 4
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
3. INVESTIGATION PHASES
In general can have Four Phases, as given below:
I. Feasibility or reconnaissance
II. Preliminary exploration pre-construction
III. Detailed exploration phases
IV. Construction/post construction stage exploration
phase-I
I. Feasibility or Reconnaissance:
Generally following information is collected in this phase:
• Project details(type of structure to be constructed, structural
loads, intended use of the structure )
Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 5
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
• Surface and sub-surface conditions of the site (obtained through study of
geological maps, aerial photographs, etc)
• Study of existing structures in the area.(behavior of existing structure adjacent to
the site)
phase II
II. Preliminary exploration:
During this phase
• Bedrock or hardpan is established
• Disturbed soil samples are recovered
• Position of GWT may also be established

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 6

 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
phase III
III. Detailed exploration:
This phase may include:
• Test pits excavation, boreholes, in-situ testing
• Collection of both disturbed and undisturbed samples for detailed laboratory
testing
• GWT may also be monitored by installing piezometers.
phase IV
IV. Construction/post construction stage exploration:
Additional exploration may be required during construction stage to cope with the
unexpected subsoil conditions
Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 7
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
• Monitoring of the movement of structure
• Monitoring of groundwater fluctuations, both during and after construction, may
be required
4. EXPLORATION METHODS
Indirect methods
• Establish boundaries between strata of different composition,
• Determine the quality by detecting changes in the electrical resistivity or
wave velocity in the soil.
The indirect methods do not provide direct information regarding the
characteristics of subsoil/rock and must be used in conjunction with direct
methods.
Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 8
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
II. Direct methods
• Soil samples are taken from the soil/rock strata by making actual excavations
through probing, borings, test pits etc.
• Subsoil/GWT characteristics are determined by field /laboratory test performed
on sample recovered.
Method used in indirect Method
• Seismic refraction method.
• Electrical resistivity method.
• Magnetic measurements method.
• Gravitational measurements method.

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 9

 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
II. Direct Methods
• A more detailed description of underground conditions at specific locations are
revealed with direct investigation methods which obtain information by physically
sampling or testing soil, rock and groundwater.
• The sampling or testing devices are inserted into a borehole advanced into the
ground by drilling methods, and either samples are returned to the surface for
evaluation and testing, or the properties of the underground profile are measured
by in-place testing
i. Methods used in DIRECT METHODS
a. Tests pits, trenches, shafts, tunnels
b. Probing or sounding
c. Test boreholes
Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 10
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
METHODS USED IN DIRECT METHODS
a. Test pits, Trenches, Shafts, Tunnels:
• Also termed as open excavations.
• The most satisfactory method of inspecting soil stratification through visual
observations and recovering both disturbed and undisturbed samples.
• Excavations may be made by hand by using manual labor or by using earth
moving equipment's (i.e. backhoe, trencher or dozer)
Merits
Visual inspection of stratification.
• Suitable for best quality disturbed and undisturbed sampling.
• Difficulties of excavating can be assessed.
Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 11
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
Demerits
• Limited to a depth of about 3 m as the cost beyond limit increase rapidly.
• Suitable for exploration only above GWT.
• Limited to shallow exploration only.
b. Probing or sounding
• Probing or sounding is made by driving a steel rod about 25 mm diameter into
the ground.
• The soil type and its properties are related to the driving resistance to the rod and
from particles adhering to the rod when it is pulled out.
• Sometime some small grooves are made along the rod to collect some traces of
soils through which it passes during probing.
Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 12
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
• MERITS
• Suitable to locate the thickness of loose overburden soil.
• Rapid method and relative cost is very low.
• Very cheap and rapid method of exploration.
• DEMERITS
• A boulder may be mistaken for bedrock.
• Method is of limited use as soil sample for identification are not recovered.
• Suitable for depth about 10 to 20 m.

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 13

 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
• C. Test Boreholes:
• Boreholes in soil/rock may be drilled using:
• Auger Boring,
• Percussion rig,
• Wash boring rig and
• Rotary drilling rig.

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 14

 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
Auger Boring:
• Hand augers are used only for boring above GWT to a maximum depth of about
10m.
• The range of diameter of holes is from 50mm(2inch) to about 300mm(12 inch)
drilled by different augers.
• Fast and economical, using simple, light, instruments for large to small holes.
• Soil removed by this is disturbed but it is better than wash boring, percussion or
rotary drilling.
• It is not suitable for very hard or cemented soils, very soft soils.

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 15

 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
• Auger Boring

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 16

 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
Percussion boring rig:

• In case of hard soils or soft rock, auger boring or wash boring cannot be
employed. For such strata, percussion drilling is usually adopted.

• Here advancement of hole is done by alternatively lifting and dropping a heavy

drilling bit which is attached to the lower end of the drilling bit which is attached to
the cable.

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 17

Fig. Percussion Drilling

Lifting, dropping,
cutting by drilling
bit.

Geotechnical investigation
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
Wash boring rig:

• It is a popular method due to the use of limited equipment's.

• Here first an open hole is formed on the ground so that the soil sampling or rock
drilling operation can be done below the hole.

• The hole is advanced by chopping and twisting action of the light bit.

• Cutting is done by forced water and water jet under pressure through the rods
operated inside the hole.

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 19

 Fig. Wash Boring

Geotechnical investigation
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
Rotary drilling rig:

• Rotary drilling method of boring is useful in case of highly resistant strata.

• It can conveniently be used in sands and silts also.

• Here, the bore holes are advanced in depth by rotary percussion method which is
similar to wash boring technique.

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 21

CONCLUSION OF PRESENTAION

• For any construction the soil that it’s built on is of great

importance.

• If the foundation is not set on solid ground it can have

disastrous impact on the building.

• Necessary for the design and construction of the new facilities

for evaluating the causes of distress and developing remedies
for the existing facilities.

Geotechnical investigation
Fig. Rotary Drilling System

Geotechnical investigation
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
SHORING
Construction of temporary structures to support an unsafe structure is called
shoring.

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 24

 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
APPLICATIONS OF SHORING
Shoring is provided in following situations
When a building wall shows sign of bulging or leaning outward
At the time of dismantling or reconstructing a defective building wall, shoring is provided
to support the floors or roofs connected to that wall.
Shoring is also provided to support super structure when large openings are required to
be made in the walls
KEY POINTS TO CONSIDER DURING SHORING
• Temporary support by means of shores to unsafe structures may be given externally or
internally or may be from both sides.
• To maintain equilibrium, it is essential that the lines of actions of overturning forces in
floors and roofs, the forces in walls and the reaction of the shores must meet at a
single point.
• Shoring can be made of timber or steel considering the load it has to withstand.
• Shoring should be strong enough to resist the acting forces, consistent with economy
• Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 25
 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
• TYPES OF SHORING
• Depending on the supporting characteristic or their positions in the space,
shorings are classified into following 3 types.
• Raking or inclined shores
• Flying or horizontal shores
• Dead or vertical shores
UNDERPINNING
• Structures provided underneath of an existing foundation to maintain its stability
is termed as underpinning. Underpinning is used to repair, strengthen or
renewal of the foundation of an existing building.
• During underpinning, the existing structure is required to be temporary
supported by means of raking shores.
Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 26
Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)

Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 27

 Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)
APPLICATIONS OF UNDERPINNING
• The following situations demand underpinning.
• When defective foundation of wall is to be replaced with new foundation or when
existing foundation of a wall is required to be strengthened to enable it to carry
more loads.
• To strengthen shallow footings of the existing building when a building with deep
foundation is to be constructed adjoining to it.
• To safe guard against the danger of excessive or differential settlement of
foundations of existing structure.
• To increase depth of foundation to increase its bearing capacity so as to sustain
heavier loads.
• During construction of basement of an existing building structure.
• Engr: Muhammad Khubaib lecturer CED, CUSIT 28
Geotechnical Investigation (Soil Exploration)

• TYPES OF UNDERPINNING
• There are several methods of underpinning of foundation of which
the three popular methods are as follow.
• Pit method – it involves strengthening by excavation and building
below the existing foundation.
• Pile method – it involves supporting the building on newly built piles
of various types without excavation.
• Pier method – this is a combination of pit and a pile method where
first excavation is done below the foundation and a pier is built up
for the new foundation.
•