Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................3

1.1

Soil Sampling..............................................................................................................3

1.2

Ground Water Level....................................................................................................3

SOIL PARAMETERS........................................................................................................3
2.1

Corrections for SPT N-Values....................................................................................3

2.1.1 Correction for N60 for Granular Soil.....................................................................3

2.2

Correlation Between Undrained Shear Strength (Cohesion) and N60.........................4

2.3

Correlation Between Angle of Friction and (N1)60......................................................4

2.4

Unit Weight of Soil.....................................................................................................4

2.4.1 Specific Gravity of Solids.....................................................................................4

2.4.2 Void Ratio.............................................................................................................4
3

APPENDIX........................................................................................................................5
3.1

Table 1. Variations of H, B, S, and R Seed et al. (1985) and Skempton (1986).......5

3.2

Table 3. Ranges of Specific Gravity of Solid Soil, G.................................................5

3.3

Table 2. Void Ratio for Some Typical Soils in a Natural State (Das, 2010)...............5

INTRODUCTION
This report was made to determine the soil bearing capacity

Soil Sampling
Standard Penetration Test (SPT) ASTM D 1586 was conducted at every 1.5 m depth interval
using a Donut type of Hammer. It consists of a split spoon sampler with inside and outside
diameters of 63.5 mm and 76.2 mm, respectively. Its hammer weighs 622.72 N, and drops at
a distance of 0.762 m.

Ground Water Level

The ground water table is located at a depth of 2.0 m below the ground surface.
2

SOIL PARAMETERS
Corrections for SPT N-Values
There are factors affecting the accuracy of the N-values measured in the field, such as the
hammer efficiency, borehole diameter, type of sampler, rod length, and effective overburden
pressure. Seed et al (1985), and Skempton (1986) recommends the following equation in
correcting SPT N-values.
N 60=
N60
N
H
B
S
R

N . H . B . S . R
60

= standard penetration number, corrected for field conditions

= measured penetration number
= hammer efficiency (%)
= correction for borehole diameter
= sampler correction
= correction for rod length

Variations of H, B, S, and R based on recommendations by Seed et al. (1985) and Skempton

(1986), are summarized in Table A1 (see appendix).
The values of H, B, S, and R used for calculations are the following:
H = 45% ((Donut type)
B = 1.0 (76.2mm diameter)
S = 1.0 (Standard Sampler)
R = 1.0 (>10)
1

Correction for N60 for Granular Soil

In granular soils, the value of N is affected by the effective overburden pressure.

3

(N1)60 = CN.N60
(N1)60 = corrected value of N60 for granular soil
CN = correction factor
pa
(Liao and Whitmans relationship (1986)
CN=
'o

pa
o
4

= atmospheric pressure ( 100 kN/m2)

= effective overburden pressure

Correlation Between Undrained Shear Strength (Cohesion) and N60

Hara, et al. (1971) suggests the following correlation between the undrained shear strength
and N60.
cu = 0.29(N600.72)pa
cu = undrained shear strength (cohesion)

Correlation Between Angle of Friction and (N1)60

Peck, Hanson and Thornburn (1974) give a correlation between friction angle, of granular
soil and (N1)60 in a graphical form, which can be approximated as (Wolff, 1989)
(deg) = 27.1 + 0.3(N1)60 0.00054(N1)602

Unit Weight of Soil

The unit weight of soils were estimated by using the following assumed values:
2.1.1

Specific Gravity of Solids

The specific gravities of soil solids, G were assumed by using the ranges of values provided
by the University of Toledo Soil Mechanics Laboratory. (see Table 2 on Appendix)
2.1.2

Void Ratio

For the layers of soil above the water table, the void ratios, e were assumed by using the
typical values given by Das, (2010). (see Table 3 on Appendix)
For the layers of soil below the water table, the value of e were estimated by using the
relationship between G, w (moisture content, obtained from, the laboratory test), and S
(degree of saturation, which is equal to 100%).

3
7

APPENDIX
Table 1. Variations of H, B, S, and R Seed et al. (1985) and Skempton (1986)

1. Variation of H
Country
Japan
United States
Argentina
China

2. Variationof B

Hammer Type
Donut
Donut
Safety
Donut
Donut
Donut
Donut

Hammer Release
Free Fall
Rope and Pulley
Rope and Pulley
Rope and Pulley
Rope and Pulley
Free Fall
Rope and Pulley

H (%)
78
67
60
45
45
60
50

Diamete
r (mm)
60-120
150
200

B
1.00
1.05
1.15

4. Variation of R
3. Variation of S
Variable
Standard Sampler
With Liner for Dense Sand and Clay
With Liner for Loose Sand
8

S
1.00
0.80
0.90

R
1
0.95
0.85
0.75

Table 3. Ranges of Specific Gravity of Solid Soil, G

Soil Type
Sand
Silty Sand
Silts
Silty Clay
Clay
Organic Soil

Rod Length (m)

>10
6-10
4-10
0-4

Ranges
of G
2.63 2.67
2.67 2.70
2.65 2.70
2.67 2.80
2.70 2.80
1+ to
2.60

Table 2. Void Ratio for Some Typical Soils in a Natural State (Das, 2010)
Type of Soil
Loose Uniform Sand
Dense Uniform Sand
Loose Angular-Grained Silty Sand

Void Ratio, e
0.8
0.45
0.65
5

Dense Angular-Grained Silty Sand

Stiff Clay
Soft Clay
Loess
Soft Organic Clay
Clacial Till

0.4
0.6
0.9-1.4
0.9
2.5-3.2
0.3