REV.

1/2009

1.0 GEOTECHNICAL DESIGN REQUIREMENT (CONVENTIONAL)

1.1 General

The Consultant shall study and search all reports on geotechnical conditions
and engineering carried out. The Consultant shall undertake soil
investigations and material surveys for the purpose of engineering design
and construction of the works.

1.2 Earthwork

1.2.1 Fill Material

Materials used in the construction of fill slopes and embankments shall, as

far as possible be those excavated from adjacent cuts. Rock excavated
from the cuts may be used as material for fills if they are crushed to
acceptable grading envelopes, with maximum size of individual pieces not
greater than 100mm. Drying out of the fill material during hauling and
handling from cut to position of placing shall have to be allowed for.

1.3 Settlement Analysis

Settlement analysis shall be carried out for the fill slopes and embankments
depending on the subsoil conditions encountered. Design of fill slopes or
embankment shall be based on 90% settlement during construction unless
otherwise agreed by JKR.

Ground improvement methods are used to reduce or accelerate settlement.

Some typical methods are vertical drains, stone columns, etc.

Settlement plates are usually installed to assess settlement during

construction. Analysis during construction such as Asaoka, Hyperbolic
Methods, etc is used to determine total settlement on site prior to cutting
back of the surcharge load.

Total post construction settlement within the first five years of service shall
not exceed 250mm.

In areas approaching structures (i.e. bridge, culvert etc), differential

settlement within the first five years after the opening of the road to traffic
will not exceed 100mm within a length of 50m.

In areas remote from structures and transition zones, different settlement

will not exceed 150mm within a length of 100m.
1.4 Stability Design of Slopes

1.4.1 Rock Slopes

Rock slopes shall be cut to 4:1 (vertical: horizontal) unless analysis indicates
that it is unstable thus requiring extensive stabilization measures. The type
of stabilization measures to be used can be one of the following:
- permanent rock anchors
- rock dowels
- rock bolting
- buttress walls
- counter forts
- relieve drains
- gunite protective surface seal
- wire netting

1.4.2 Cut Slopes

This includes cut slopes in residual soils and in completely decomposed rock.
All untreated slopes shall be designed to 1:1.5 to 1:2 with 2m berm width
and 6m height with a Factor of Safety greater than 1.25. For steeper
slopes, stabilization measures are to be provided such as:-

- soil nailing with slope surface protection / guniting

- permanent ground anchors
- retaining walls, etc.

The Minimum Factor of Safety for treated slopes shall be 1.5

Generally the maximum number of berms in a cut slope is restricted to six

berms unless there is difficulty to construct it due to the terrain
encountered.

1.4.3 Fill Slopes and Embankments

Fill slopes and embankments shall be constructed to a gradient of 1:2 with

2m berm width and 6m height with a Factor of Safety as per Table 1. For
steeper slopes, stabilization measures shall be provided such as:
- geogrid / geotextiles reinforcement
- reinforced concrete retaining structure
- reinforced fill structure
- replacing the fills with elevated structures

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1.4.4 Typical Slope Construction

Some typical slope construction criteria adopted are:-

Existing
No. of
Slope Typical Construction
Berms
Angle
Normal Slopes 1:2
<3 ≤ 35o
(Vertical:Horizontal)
Side-Long Fill On Reinforced Slopes 4:1
Slope >3 ≤ 35o
(Vertical:Horizontal)
>6 ≥ 35o Replace with Retaining Structure
Normal Slope 1:2
<6 ≤ 35o
(Vertical:Horizontal)
Embankment
Reinforced Slope 4:1
>6 ≥ 35o
(Vertical:Horizontal)
Reinforced
>6 ≥ 35o Replace with Elevated Structure
Embankment
Normal Slopes 1:1.5 to 1:2 with
<6 -
surface drains and 2.0m berms
Cut Slopes
Reinforced slope with gradient
>6 -
4:1 to reduce no of berms

1.4.5 Drains

(a) Cascading Drains

Cascading drains in slope faces shall be provided in addition to normal cut

off drains at the top of slope and berm drains. Cascading drains shall be
provided for all 1:1 cut slope surface and all fill slope surfaces which have
1:1.5 or steeper gradient.

(b) Subsurface Drains

Subsurface drains such as horizontal drains or drainage blankets shall be

provided for cut and fill slopes and for areas where the
groundwater/perched water table is found to be high.

1.4.6 Reinforced Structures

Reinforced structures shall be design according to BS 8006:1994. The types

of foundation for the reinforced structures shall be design based on the

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 subsoil profile and geotechnical properties of the subsoil at each location.
Typical foundations are driven piles and micro piles.

Load or bearing tests can also be carried out to assess the foundation
capacity.

1.5 Typical Geotechnical Design Criteria

Typical geotechnical design criteria to be complied with are shown in Table

1.

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 REV.
REV. 2/2009
1/2009

Table 1
SOME TYPICAL GEOTECHNICAL DESIGN CRITERIA FOR ROAD WORKS
MINIMUM DESIGN LIFE
DESIGN COMPONENT MODE OF FAILURE FACTOR OF (durability of REMARK
SAFETY materials)

1. Slope / Unreinforced 1.1 Local & Global Stability 1.25 75 yrs

Embankment Analysis should be according to GEOTECHNICAL MANUAL FOR
(not on soft SLOPES (1984), GEO Hong Kong
ground) Reinforced or Treated 1.2 Local & Global Stability 1.5 75 yrs

5 years post construction settlement :

2.1 Bearing (short term) 1.4 Differential
(i) within 50m from structures approach < 100mm
2. Embankment on Soft Ground 2.2 Local & global slope stability (short term) 1.3 75 yrs Settlement
(ii) within 100m remote from structures < 150mm
2.3 Local & global slope stability (long term) 1.2
(iii) road < 250mm (Total Settlement)
3.1 Tensile Resistance 2.0
Geo Spec 1 (1989), GEO Hong Kong
3. Permanent Anchors 3.2 Resistance at Soil Grout Interface 3.0 75 yrs
BS 8081
3.3 Creep/corrosion
Max. permissible vertical Max. permissible Max. permissible
4.1 Overturning 1.8
movement : lateral movement : differential
4.2 Sliding 1.6
4. Rigid Retaining Structures 75 yrs 15mm along face of wall 15mm along face of movement :
4.3 Overall Stability 1.5
Geoguide 1 (1983), wall 1 : 150 along face
4.4 Bearing 2.0
GEO Hong Kong of wall
Verticality: Alignment along top Max. permissible
External Stability ± 5mm per metre height (horizontal) : differential
5. Reinforced fill walls/structures BS 8006 120 yrs ± 15mm from movement :
Internal Stability reference alignment 1 : 100 along face
of wall
Allowable settlement:
6.1 Shaft Resistance 2.0 12mm along axis of pile at pile head at design load.
6. Individual Foundation Piles (mainly 75 yrs 38mm or 10% pile size at pile head at twice design load.
under axial loads) 6.2 Base Resistance 2.0 Residual settlement not exceed 6.5mm
BS 8004 & JKR Road Specification
Allowable settlement: Max. permissible lateral
7. Individual Foundation Piles (mainly
12mm along axis of pile at pile movement :
under lateral & bending loads Ultimate Lateral Resistance 2.5 75 yrs
head at design load 12mm perpendicular to axis of
perpendicular to axis of pile)
BS 8004 pile at design load
Allowable settlement:
8. Pile Group Block Bearing Capacity 2.0 75 yrs 12mm at Working Load
BS 8004
As for individual As 4 above for rigid retaining structures
9. Piles as Retaining Structures As for 4, 6 & 7 above 75 yrs
foundation piles BS 8004