NUS CONFIDENTIAL

CE5113 

               NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

 
CE5113 – GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION &
MONITORING

(Semester 1: AY2016/2017)

Time Allowed: 2.5 Hours

______________________________________________________________________

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. Please write your student number only. Do not write your name.

2. This assessment paper contains FOUR questions and comprises SEVEN printed
pages.

3. Answer ALL questions. All questions carry equal marks.

4. Please start each question on a new page.

5. Pages 6 and 7 are detachable and to be submitted with your answer books.

6. This is an “OPEN BOOK” assessment.

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Question 1 (25 marks)

(a) A geophysical survey using dipolar-dipolar resistivity array was conducted

over a construction site in Jurong area. The apparent resistivity values (“a”)
obtained for various electrodes spacings (“a”) are given tabulated in Table Q-1.
(i) Plot the graph of “a” versus “a” on a log-log graph paper.
(ii) Determine the resistivity value of the soil layer(s).
(iii) Estimate the thickness of the top soil layer.
(iv) Identify the soil type of the soil layer(s) present.

[18 marks]

Table Q-1: Apparent Resistivity Values vs electrode spacing

Electrodes Spacing Apparent Resistivity Value

a (m) a (m)
0.5 1200
1 1100
2 800
4 400
8 85
16 62
30 60
40 60
50 60

(b) If the above site was also surveyed by the seismic refraction method with an
array of geophones on the ground surface at various distances from the P-wave
source. Sketch the plot of “P-wave first arrival time-vs-geophones distance”
for this site. State your assumed value of the likely P-wave velocity of the
various soil layers and indicated the relevant values on your plot.

How can the thickness of the top layer of soil be obtained from this seismic
plot?

[7 marks]

 
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Question 2 (25 Marks):

(a) For the development of a new housing estate at Punggol, a detail site
investigation work was conducted. The soil profile consists of 4 m of fill
material (unit weight = 19 kN/m3), followed by 24 m of upper marine clay
(UMC) of Kallang Formation (unit weight = 16 kN/m3), and underlain by Old
Alluvium. Two undisturbed samples, UD1 and UD2, were obtained at depths
of 12 m and 20 m below ground respectively. The ground water table is found
to be at 2 m below the ground level.

Standard Casagrande type of Oedometer Tests were conducted for these two
samples and the equilibrium void ratios at various vertical pressures are
tabulated as follow:

Vertical pressure P’, Void ratio, e

(kPa) For UD1 @10 m For UD2 @22 m
below ground below ground
Initial water W = 38%
W = 80%
content, w
0 2.08 0.96
12.5 2.03 0.94
25 2.01 0.93
50 1.98 0.91
100 1.91 0.88
200 1.76 0.80
100 1.79 0.82
25 1.86 0.85
0 1.99 0.90
25 1.88 0.86
50 1.86 0.84
100 1.82 0.82
200 1.71 0.79
400 1.54 0.73
800 1.24 0.65
1600 0.92 0.57

i. Plot the graph of e vs log P’ for both samples. Compute the un-corrected
value of Cc for both samples.
[7 marks]

ii. Based on your understanding of the Geology of Singapore, discuss and explain
which of these two samples is more representative of the soft marine clay.
[4 marks]

 
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iii. For the sample selected to represent the soft clay, determine the Pc’, pre-
compression pressure, of this sample, and construct the corrected e-log P’
line(s) taking into account the sample disturbance correction. Determine the
corrected Cc value of the soil sample tested.
[5 marks]

iv. Hence, calculate the settlement due to this clay layer subjected to an increase
of effective pressure of 300 kPa at the top of this layer, and 80 kPa at the
bottom of this layer. Make any assumption as needed and state your
assumption.
[5 marks]

(b) Discuss the effect of sample size (diameter and thickness) on the Oedometer test
results.
[4 marks]

Question 3 (25 Marks):

(a) A set of CPT records from a CPTu-cone of an offshore site investigation is

shown in Figure Q-3 on Page 6. Using the Robertson (1990) design charts,
classify the soils at various depths.

Calculate and propose an appropriate value of undrained shear strength (Cu)

or effective friction angle for the soils encountered.

Water table can be assumed to be at 10.0 m above the ground surface.

Note: For computation, you may assume the unit weight of the sandy soil to be
20 kN/m3, and clayey soil to be 16 kN/m3. Obtain and tabulate the average
value of cone tip resistance (qc), shaft friction (fs), friction ratio (Rf) and pore
pressure (U2) at the mid depth of the layers identified. Area ratio a of this
CPTu-cone can be taken as 0.5.

[19 marks]

(b) For SPT Blow count, explain why that the blow count for the first 150 mm of
settlement is NOT counted toward the final SPT –N value?

List and discuss briefly the key factors (of the testing equipment and operation)
that will affect the N value of a soil.

[6 marks]

 
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Question 4 (25 Marks):

(a) Based on the understanding of the new international standard EuroCode 7 on

Geotechnical Design, SS EN1997- Part 1 and 2, and the geology of Singapore,
explain the requirements on the borehole number and borehole depth
termination for a proposed development at Maxwell Road (within CBD of
Singapore). The proposed development consists of a 30 stories hotel building
with 3 levels of basement carpark. The footprint of the development is about
80 m by 40 m.
[5 Marks]

(b) What is the principle of the inclinometer and what are the precautions for it to
work correctly? How would you design the inclinometer to give real time wall
lateral deflection? How can it be adapted to measure settlement profile under a
large oil tank? Illustrate your answers with simple sketches.
[8 marks]

(c) The section view of a small basement excavation (8m width by 16 m length) is
shown in Fig. Q4 on Page 7. If the two adjacent houses are on footings,
indicate where you would place the following instruments to monitor safety of
the excavation? Assume you have one inclinometer, 6 settlement markers, 3
tiltmeters, 6 VWSG, and 2 water standpipes.
[12 marks]

 
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MATRIC NO: _____________________________

Figure Q-3 CPT (piezocone) test records of the test site (Assumed net area ratio of
the cone, a=0.5 )

 
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MATRIC NO: ………………………………

Figure Q-4 Sketch of basement excavation

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