AJK Engineers (Pvt.

) Ltd

3. SITE DESCRIPTION
The Chapra Dam is proposed to be built across Sanghar nullah in District Haripur about 11.3 km South-
East of Tarbela Dam and about 0.8 km South-West of village Chapra. The dam will be constructed at 33⁰
55 ‘ 18” N and 73⁰ 01’ 00’ E. The project comprises, dam, irrigation system and water supply system.

4. REGIONAL GEOLOGY
QUARTERNARY DEPOSITS:
Terrace Deposits:

Terrace are common at right bank of nullah. The terraces have a gently inclined convex surface and are
bound on the upper side by the valley slope and on lower side by a scarp as much as several hundred
feet high that descends almost vertically to the river. At upper end of each terrace, there is invariable the
narrow gorge of a tributary stream. Materials observed in terraces are angular to sub angular gravel of
country rock, silt, clay and sands layers.

Alluvial fan:

An alluvial fan is a fan or cone-shaped deposit of sediment crossed and built up by streams. As a
stream’s gradient decreases, it drops coarse-grained material. This reduces by capacity of the channel
and forces it to change direction and gradually built up a slightly mounded or shallow conical fan shape.
The deposits are usually poorly stored. Alluvial fan mapped at right bank of nullah, material observed in
alluvial fan are angular to sub angular gravel with fine matrix.

Alluvium Deposits.

Alluvium deposits mapped at left and right bank of nullah. It comprises material loose to medium to loose
sub-rounded to sub-angular gravel with fine matrix.

River Bed:

River material consists of sub-rounded to sub-angular gravel silty sand material.

Precambrian Rocks – Hazara Formation:

Hazara formation represents “Hazara Slate Formation” of Marks and Ali (1961), “ Slate Series of Hazara”
of Middlemiss (1896), “ Hazara Group” of Latif (1970) and “Hazara Formation” of Calkins et al. (1975),
and Greco and Spencer (1993). As the formation also includes rocks other than slates, the name “Hazara
Formation” is thus adopted by many workers and therefore used here.

Hazara Formation consists primarily of Slate, Phyllite and Shale. Some minor occurrences of Limestone
Granite, Gypsum and Sandstone are also found at few places.

In the project area, Slate/Phyllite are on weathered surface while as well as on fresh surfaces, mapped at
left abutment of dam axis whereas at right abutment, rock is mostly covered with terrace deposits.

Geotechnical Investigation Report Page 3

Chapra Dam,
District Haripur.
 AJK Engineers (Pvt.) Ltd

5. STRATIGRAPHY
Stratigraphy of the various soil layers has been analyzed through the information data gathered from field
and laboratory testing of borehole samples.

Bore Hole # 01:

o From 0 to 7 meter - Overburden consisting of Grey to Dark Grey, Fine to Medium
Grained Gravels of Angular to Sub-Angular Flakey with SILTY CLAYEY SAND of Sedimentary and
Metamorphic Origin.
o From 7 to 20 meter - Grey to Dark Grey, Fine Grained, Highly Fractured, Weathered,
SLATE.
 Bore Hole # 02:
o From 0 to 10 meter - Grey to Dark Grey / Reddish Brown, Fine Grained, Highly
Fractured, Weathered, SLATE.

The stratum of the ground in general can be better visualized from field bore logs in appendix “C”.

6. FIELD INVESITGATIONS
5.1. Exploratory Boreholes
A total of two (02) boreholes (BH-01 to BH-02) were drilled at the locations along the Chapra Dam Site.
All boreholes were drilled to a target depth of 20m. The boreholes were drilled at specific locations and
were considered for the design of structures as given in Table 5.1.

The boreholes, having a uniform diameter of 100 mm, were drilled using water circulation technique with
straight rotary rig and stabilized by circulating bentonite mud in the holes. Standard Penetration Tests
(SPTs) were carried out in each hole at every 1 m depth interval. A careful record of all the materials
encountered in each borehole was maintained in the form of borehole logs. The borehole logs are
attached in Appendix “C”.

Table 5.1: Borehole (B.H.) Location for Chapra Dam Site

Sr. No. Bore Hole Drilled Depth of Borehole (m)

1 BH-01 20
2 BH-02 10
Total Drilled Depth: 30m

5.2. Testpit Excavation

For visual classification of soils at shallow depths, thirteen (13) Testpits were excavated down to
maximum depth of 3.0 m below the existing ground surface as shown in Table 5.2. In all Testpits,
excavation of 3.0 m was achieved as no rock was encountered. The Testpits were manually excavated.
Subsurface logs of all Testpits were prepared after carefully observing the soils on the walls of the
excavated pits. The Testpit logs are included in Appendix “D”.

Geotechnical Investigation Report Page 4

Chapra Dam,
District Haripur.