CE3822 - Geotechnical Design 1 — Earth fill on a Soft Clay

There is a proposal to construct a housing complex consisting of single- and two-story houses in
a low-lying area. The total area of the proposed complex is 200m x 200m. The present ground
level is 1.0m above MSL and area is subjected to frequent flooding. In order to prevent flooding
it was proposed to fill up the area to have a final ground level of 4m above MSL.

An extensive site investigation consisting of several boreholes was carried out and undisturbed
samples were obtained for laboratory testing. Subsoil condition is idealized based on the results
obtained from the site investigation. The average thickness of the soft peat layer near the ground
surface was taken to be 8 m. The dense sand layer underlying the peat was of average thickness
about 6m. There was a zone of weathered rock of thickness about 2m beneath the sand layer and
sound bed rock was encountered thereafter.

After raising the ground elevation by 3 m, it was proposed to have foundations for the buildings
at a depth of 0.5m and the foundation widths are expected to be less than 1.0m. The proposed
arrangement is illustrated in Figure 1. With this arrangement, stress increases in the soft peat
layer due to the construction of the building would be quite low. However, the peat layer will
experience significant settlements, due to the fill placed for raising the ground level. As such,
buildings would be constructed only after sufficient consolidation has taken place in the peat
due to the weight of the fill.

Consolidation tests were conducted on undisturbed samples of peat obtained and e Vs σ data and
average Cv values determined are presented in Table 1.
(Students are expected to select an appropriate set of values depending on their design number.)

Table- 1

Stress (σ) Void Ratio (e)

kN/m2 Peat A Peat B Peat C
10 1.69 2.89 1.21
20 1.64 2.69 1.12
40 1.47 2.35 1.05
80 1.36 2.10 0.95
160 1.20 1.71 0.84
320 0.77 1.30 0.71
Average Cv
5.62 8.3 4.2
m2/yr
Shear strength data obtained through unconsolidated undrained triaxial tests conducted are given
in Table 2. Bulk density of the peat can be taken as 16 kN/m3.

Table - 2

Peat A Peat B Peat C

Cu kN/m2 15.0 12.0 20.0

There are several potentials borrow areas to obtain the necessary latertic fill material. Their
particle size distribution characteristics, natural moisture content, natural bulk density, Atterberg
limits and proctor compaction test data are tabulated in Table 3 and Table 4.
(Borrow areas available for a student will depend on the design number and is illustrated in
Table 7.)
Table- 3

LL % PL% γd Optimum Specific Natural Natural

(max) moisture gravity moisture bulk
kg/m3 content % content% density
Borrow area 1 42.8 32.8 1717 18.0 2.65 12 1600
Borrow area 2 46 42 1842 16.9 2.6 15 1720
Borrow area 3 44 34.2 1895 14.2 2.7 11 1750
Borrow area 4 39 33 1815 15.9 2.6 9.6 1800
Borrow area 5 46.5 36.7 1863 14 2.65 10 1750
Borrow area 6 49 37 1710 18.2 2.55 13 1650

Table- 4 Sieve analysis test data

Particle Percentage finer
size (mm)
Borrow area 1 Borrow area 2 Borrow area 3 Borrow area 4 Borrow area 5 Borrow area 6
19.0 94.4 78.2 79.2 70.1 86.2 80.6
12.7 85.1 72.4 71.4 62.4 75.7 69.7
10.0 82.7 69.3 65.2 57.3 71.8 58.5
5.0 70.6 60.3 46.1 49.2 59.3 45.2
3.36 63.4 50.2 36.5 42.9 51.5 41.1
2.35 57.9 40.8 30.5 42.7 44.8 38.5
1.18 45.2 29.3 21.8 32.8 31.1 34.4
0.600 37.6 28.5 20.0 27.3 26.3 31.3
0.300 30.0 27.7 18.6 21.4 21.2 28.4
0.150 24.4 27.0 16.5 16.8 17.2 26.0
0.075 21.1 26.6 15.3 14.1 14.9 24.3
 Table 5 – Insitu Density Test data

Location number Moisture Content % Bulk Density kg/m3

1 12.7 2110
2 13.5 2090
Set 1 3 12.8 2067
4 12.9 2070
5 13.6 2082
6 13.8 2070

Location number Moisture Content % Bulk Density kg/m3

1 16.8 2029
2 15.8 1813
Set 2 3 18.0 1956
4 12.0 1840
5 17.0 2001
6 17.5 2010

Location number Moisture Content % Bulk Density kg/m3

1 8.6 1872
2 9.0 1900
Set 3 3 12.0 1990
4 11.0 1974
5 8.0 1880
6 9.0 1950

Table- 6

Shear strength
10 12 15 20
Cu kN/m2
Safe Fill Height
2.0 2.2 2.5 3.8
(m)

The strength gain due to consolidation can be expressed by ꕔ Cu = 0.2ꕔ σ

 Table 7 – Selection of Data Sets
Let N = Design office number – 15p
Where 0 ≤ p ≤ 10 and 1 ≤ N ≤ 15

Also N= 5n + m
Where 1 ≤ m ≤ 5 and 0 ≤ n ≤ 2

P 5,2,7,10 1,4,8 0,3,6,9

Peat Type A B C

m 1 2 3 4 5
Borrow pit 1,2,3 2,3,6 4,5,6 3,4,1 2,5,6
Areas

n 0 1 2
Increase of Ground 2.5 3.0 3.5
elevation T (m)

Figure 1
Step 1: Compute the likely consolidation settlement of the peat layer and hence estimate the
thickness of the required fill to get the required raise the ground elevation by 3m.

Step 2: Select a borrow pit area after analyzing the basic soil properties of the fill material
given and classify according to the Unified classification system.

Step 3: If the fill material is to be placed at a dry density of 95% proctor density, Estimate the
quantity of fill required in m3

Step 4: Fill is to be placed in layers and compacted with suitable compaction equipment.
Suggest a suitable layer thickness and recommend types of compaction equipment to be used.

Step 5: Once a layer of fill is placed and compacted adequacy of compaction is checked by
conducting Insitu density test at several locations. Insitu density test conducted for a layer
through core cutter method resulted in data given in Table 5. Comment about the adequacy of
compaction and suggest remedial procedures if compaction is seem to be insufficient.

Step 6: Fill should be placed in stages to avoid thew shear failure at the edges. Maximum
possible height of fill to have FOS of at least 1.3 on slope instability is given in Table 6.
Suggest a suitable program of filling.
Table Q5.1 - The Unified Soil Classification (USC) chart and Plasticity chart

Group Laboratory criteria

Description
symbol Fines (%) Grading Plasticity Notes
Well graded Dual symbols.
gravels, sandy Cu> 4 If 5 -12 %
GW 0-5
gravels, with little 1 < Cc< 3 fines.
or no fines Dual symbols
Gravels {more
Poorly graded if above A-
than 50% of Not satisfying
gravels, sandy line and
coarse GP 0-5 GW
gravels, with little 4 < PI < 7
fraction of requirements
or no fines
gravel size}
Below A-line
Coarse Silty gravels, silty
GM > 12 or 𝐷60
grained {more > 4.75 mm sandy gravels 𝐶𝑢 =
PI < 4 𝐷10
than 50%
Clayey gravels, Above A-line
larger than
clayey sandy GC > 12 and
63 m BS or 𝐶𝑐
gravels PI > 7 2
No. 200 US 𝐷30
Well graded
sieve size} =
sands, gravelly Cu> 6 𝐷10 𝑥𝐷60
SW 0-5
sands, with little 1 < Cc< 3
Sands {more or no fines
than 50% of Poorly graded
> 0.075 mm Not satisfying
coarse sands, gravelly
SP 0-5 SW
fraction of sands, with little
requirements
sand size} or no fines
Below A-line
4.75 – 0.075 Silty sands SM > 12 or
mm PI < 4
Above A-line
Clayey sands SC > 12 and
PI > 7
Inorganic silts,
silty or clayey fine
ML Use plasticity chart
sands, with slight
plasticity
Fine grained Silts and
Inorganic clays,
{more than Clays
silty clays, sandy
50% smaller {Liquid Limit CL Use plasticity chart
clays of low
than 63 m BS less than 50}
plasticity
or No. 200 US
Organic silts and
sieve size}
organic silty clays OL Use plasticity chart
of low plasticity
Inorganic silts of
Silts and MH Use plasticity chart
high plasticity
< 0.075 mm Clays
Inorganic clays of
{Liquid Limit CH Use plasticity chart
high plasticity
greater than
Organic clays of
50} OH Use plasticity chart
high plasticity
Highly organic soils Peat and other
highly organic Pt
soils

Primary letter Secondary letter

G Gravel W Well graded

S Sand P Poorly graded
M Silt M With non-plastic fines
C Clay C With plastic fines
O Organic soil L Of low plasticity (LL < 50)
Pt Peat H Of high plasticity (LL > 50)

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