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OUTLINE
Introduction General Equipment and Procedures Factors Affecting Measured N-values Advantages and Disadvantages Correlations Between SPT and Soil Properties
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Arman, A., Samtani, N., Castelli, R., and Munfakh, G. (1997). Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering Module 1 Subsurface Investigations, FHWA-HI-97-021, 305 pp. Carter M. and Bentley, S. P. (1991). Correlations of Soil Properties. London, Pentech Press Publishers, London, 130 pp. McGregor, J. A. and Duncan, J. M. (1998). Performance and Use of the Standard Penetration Test in Geotechnical Engineering Practice. Center for Geotechnical Practice and Research, Virginia Tech. Naval Facilities Engineering Command (1982). Soil Mechanics Design Manual 7.1. DM-7.1.
Driving Shoe
0.1 in
1.375 in
1.50 in
2.0 in
16o-23o
Donut
HAMMERS
Safety
Automatic
NHI-FHWA
NHI-FHWA
HAMMERS
Donut Hammer
Commonly used in Rhode Island Open system Delivers approximately 45% of the maximum freefall energy Highly variable energy transfer
HAMMERS
Safety Hammer
Commonly used in Rhode Island Closed system Delivers approximately 60% of the maximum freefall energy Highly variable energy transfer
NHI-FHWA
HAMMERS
Automatic Hammer
Rarely used in Rhode Island Safest system Delivers approximately 95 100% of the maximum freefall energy Consistent and effective energy transfer Increased production
NHI-FHWA
(ASTM D 1586)
NHI-FHWA
Seating Spoon150 mm (6) Second Increment 150 mm (6) Third Increment 150 mm (6)
NHI-FHWA
SPT Resistance (N-value) is total number of blows to drive sampler the 2nd and 3rd 150 mm increments
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
The wash boring method or rotary drilling with a tricone bit should be used to minimize soil disturbance. Water or drilling mud in the borehole should be used to minimize the reduction in vertical effective stress within the soil at the sampling location. Water and drilling mud must be maintained at or above the groundwater table. The bottom of the boring should be between 2.5 and 6 in. in diameter, although a maximum diameter of 4 in. is preferred. Casing should not extend below the bottom of the boring before the SPT is performed. The measured N-value should be taken from the penetration between 6 and 18 inches. The first 6 in. below the bottom of the boring is considered to be disturbed material. (Skempton 1986)
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
SPT N-values should be corrected for 60% of the maximum free-fall energy (140 lb weight dropped a distance of 30 in) to the drill stem. This corresponds to the energy delivered by the safety hammer. Drilling mud should be used to prevent liquefaction of loose sands (sometimes called running sands) below the water table. The split spoon sampler should have a uniform inside diameter of 1 3/8. A drilling bit should be used that produces an upward deflection of the drilling mud. (Seed et al. 1984)
Not seating the sampler spoon on undisturbed material Driving of the sample spoon above the bottom of the casing Failure to maintain sufficient hydrostatic head in boring
The water table in the borehole must be at least equal to the piezometric level in the sand, otherwise the sand at the bottom of the borehole may be transformed into a loose state thereby decreasing the blow counts
NAVFAC DM 7.1 (1982)
Overdrive sampler
Higher blow counts result when gravel plugs the sampler, resistance of loose sand could be highly overestimated. High N-values may be recorded for loose sand when sampling below groundwater table. Hydrostatic pressure can cause sand to rise within the casing.
NAVFAC DM 7.1 (1982)
Plugged casing
Free fall of the drive weight is not attained Not using correct weight
Not using a good tip on the sampling spoon Use of drill rods heavier than standard
If the tip is damaged and reduces the opening or increases the end area the N-value can be increased. With heavier rods more energy is absorbed by the rods causing an increase in the blow count.
NAVFAC DM 7.1 (1982)
SIGNIFICANT FACTORS
Hammer drop system Anvil size Seating of the sampler Borehole Cleaning Insufficient hydrostatic head
Kulhawy and Trautmann (1996)
Many of these factors are not routinely applied geotechnical site investigations in Rhode Island. A survey of geotechnical engineering firms in the area found that corrections are applied mostly for the analysis of liquefaction potential. In these cases N-values are corrected for overburden stress and hammer energy.
Pa CN = ' v
0 .5
ER CE = 60
ER = energy ratio (typically 60 for safety hammer, 45 for donut hammer, 100 for automatic hammer)
CORRELATIONS
Relative Density Standard Penetration Resistance (N) Blows / ft <4 4 10 10 30 30 50 > 50
State of Packing
Static Cone Resistance (qc) Tsf or kgf/cm2 < 20 20 40 40 120 120 200 > 200
Percent Very Loose Loose Compact Dense Very Dense < 20 20 40 40 60 60 80 > 80
Relative Density
0
100 90
Relative Density
6 0 10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
SPT N-value
50 40 30 20 10 4 0 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46
Carter and Bentley (1991)
Dense
Medium dense
CORRELATIONS
Undrained Shear Strength
Soil Consistency Very Soft Soft Medium Stiff Very Stiff Hard SPT N <4 24 4-8 8 15 15 30 > 30 Su (psf) < 250 250 500 500 1000 1000 2000 2000 4000 > 4000 Su (kPa) < 12 12 25 25 50 50 100 100 200 > 200
Terzaghi et al. (1996)
ANY QUESTIONS?