SITE IMPROVEMENT

Soil Foundation Properties

1. Have adequate shear strength; bearing capacity
2. Will undergo minimum deformation; minimum consolidation; under the
imposed loads
3. Will undergo minimum volume change from swelling, shrinkage, or
dynamic loading
4. Will retain strength and resist deformation with time
5. Possess special qualities that maybe desired for a particular
construction
Choice of the engineers in facing soil problems
1. Adapt the design details to be compatible with the soil conditions
2. Alter or improve the soil properties toward a designated goal
3. Abandon the site in favor of one with more favorable soil
characteristics
Soil mass- combination of solid particle, liquid and gas
Solid phase- large tiny particles
Liquid phase- water containing dissolved electrolytes
Gas phase- air
Soil stabilization- the process of altering the soil properties of the given
site.
Stabilization techniques:
1. Densification of soil via compaction, precompression, drainage,
vibrations, or a combination of these
2. Mixing or impregnation of the soil formation with chemicals or
grouting, or using geofabrics to develop a more stable base for
compaction
3. Replacement of undesirable soil with a suitable one under controlled
conditions
COMPACTION- least expensive and widely used in improving soil character
of a site.
Benefits of Compaction
1. Increase in soil strength and improve bearing capacity
2. Reduction in the voids; reduction of settlement and permeability
3. Reduced shrinkage
If the degree of compaction is not obtained:
1. The material is too dry or too wet
2. Additional passes with roller must be made
Control in Compaction
1. Maintaining the quality of the fill, The thickness of the lifts, The
moisture content
2. Proper selection of the type and weight of compactor,
3. And the number of passes the compactor must make
Density- Water Content Test -measured the degree of compaction (R. Proctor)
Degree of Compaction
Soil Types
Equipment: vibratory rollers, tampers (vibration type equipment)

Sheep foot roller for granular soils

Performance Control
In- Placed Field Test : Nuclear Method, rubber balloon method, sand- cone
method
COMPACTED CLAYS
VIBRATORY COMPACTION
Vibroflotation- compaction technique employed mostly for cohesionless soils
Terro Probe- consists of vibro driver, aprobe suspended from a crane, and an
electric generator
Pounding- dropping a heavy weight from designated heights to achieve
densification of loose cohesionless soils or fills
PRELOADING subjecting a building site to an artificial load, generally in
the form of added fill or surcharge, prior to building loads
DEWATERINg- reducing the water content and the pore-water pressure
(verica sand & gravel darins)
Electroosmosis-develops a time- dependent imbalance in the pore-water
pressure.,facilitate the water movement
CHEMICAL STABILIZATIONChanges in soil formation
1. Reduce permeability of the soil
2. Increase soil strength
3. Increase bearing capacity
4. Decrease settlement
5. Produce a stiffening of loose sand formation,
6. And thus minimize undesirable side effects
Surface treatment- subgrades or bases for pavements
Subsurface treatment- impregnation of the subsurface formation with the
chemical
GEOSYNTHETICS- name given to a family of man-madde, sheet or net-like
products derived from plastics or fiberglass compounds.
Geotextiles- prevents fine soil from permeating into course aggregate
base
Geogrids- to improve bearing capacityof the baseion
- Resemble nets, size 1 in.- 4 in
- To reinforce soil or stone format
Geonets
Geomembranes
Application of geosynthetics
1. Reinforce soft soil; increase bearing capacity
2. Strata separation-geotextile is placed b/n 2 different materials
3. Filtration
4. Drainage
5. Moisture Barriers
6. Retention walls, embankments, and slope stability
7. Erosion control
Uses of Geogrids
1. Pavements- used in conjuction w/ geotextiles
2. Slopes and embankments- to reinforce against potential slip failure
3. Reinforced Earth Walls
4. Bearing capacity- increase bearing capacity of weak soil

GEOENVIRONMENTAL- LANDFILLSTwo types in dealing ground waste-disposal

1. Sites that are engineered and constructed for the purpose of safe
storage of waste
2. Sites that have been used as dumps without proper regard, or without
regard to the environment
Engineering a Landfill Site
Site Selection
Planning & Design
1. Anticipated amount and type of waste stored, the project quantity
and quality of material to be treated, and selection of the treatment
system
2. Life expectancy of the landfill facility during its operational life
3. The topography and soil characteristics near the site, and the
climate conditions
4. Surface and groundwater data in the proximity of the site
5. Provisions for venting gaseous products
6. Selection of durable, impermeable liners for the landfill
7. Provisions for closure and post-closure of the landfill
8. Compliance with governing regulation
Construction of a Landfill Site
Method on treatment of on-site p
ollutants
1. Chemical
Neutralize acids and alkaline contaminants
Precipitate via coagulation and flocculation
Convert toxic pollutants to less harmful materials via
oxidation or reduction
Destroy harmful organisms via disinfection
Reduce the release of hazardous constituents via
stabilization process
2. Biological

Develop microbes that render orgnic compounds harmless

via aerobic methods
Introduce oxygen into the waste via aeration
Convert harmful sludge to harmless via anaerobic methods

3. Physical

Separate large solids via screening

Settle suspended solids via gravity
Separate low-density and hydrocarbon solids via flotation
Filter suspended solids through a porous media such as as
sand
Incinerate, consisting of heating the contaminants to very
high temp and burning off their harmful properties
Others: evaporation, distillation, stripping, degastification.