Lecture No.

5
Geophysical Survey and Site Investigation

Objectives of Soil
Investigation

Site Investigation
To undertake survey and
investigation activities required for
obtaining data with respect to the
physical site condition which will
affect the construction project.

Objective of Soil Investigation

1. To obtain site specific

information

2. To obtain soil

geotechnical parameters

o To establish soil stratigraphy

o To establish potential

problems associated with the

site during construction and
operation such as punchthrough geohazards
(offshore), slope stability,
liquefaction (onshore)
o To obtain sufficient & reliable
information to permit safe &
economic design of installation
of permanent works

Objective of Soil Investigation

1. To obtain site specific

information

2. To obtain soil

geotechnical parameters

o To enable selection of

foundation type, calculation of

bearing capacity and
calculation of loads acted by
soil

Method of Site Investigation

SITE EXPLORATION AND CHARACTERIZATION

Traditional
Borehole,
Sampling and
Laboratory Test

Insitu Testing

Shallow
Geophysical
Method

Method of Site Investigation

SITE EXPLORATION AND CHARACTERIZATION

Traditional
Borehole,
Sampling and
Laboratory Test

Insitu Testing

Shallow
Geophysical
Method

Test Execution: Time consuming

Sample Visual Observation: Yes

Automation: Manual sampling, minor automation in test execution, computerized

data and visualization, minor during data interpretation
Application: Calculation based on soil mechanics approach

Method of Site Investigation

SITE EXPLORATION AND CHARACTERIZATION

Traditional
Borehole,
Sampling and
Laboratory Test

Insitu Testing

Shallow
Geophysical
Method

Test Execution: Faster than traditional method

Sample Visual Observation: No
Automation: Less automated test execution, minor computerized, interpretation and
visualization
Application: Calculation based empirical correlation

Method of Site Investigation

SITE EXPLORATION AND CHARACTERIZATION

Traditional
Borehole,
Sampling and
Laboratory Test

Insitu Testing

Shallow
Geophysical
Method

Test Execution: The fastest

Sample Visual Observation: No
Automation: Highly automated test execution, interpretation and visualization

Application: Empirical correlation to determine soil type and layering system

Planning of Soil
Investigation

Sources of information for site investigation

Surface configuration,
foundation, damages,
outcrop, road

Buried
services
Slope stability

Water, sewer, electric, telephone, gas, oil tank, heating

duct

Geologic condition

Depth and
condition

Pervious use of site

Previous problem with foundation, damage, old map

Topography

rock

type,

adjacent building (type of

construction method), rock

weathering

stage,

mining

Sources of Information for Site Investigation

Climatic condition
Material and facilities
available locally

Hydrological
data
Slope stability

Flooding, soil erosion,

shrinkage, permafrost

earthquake,

swelling

and

Aggregate, fill, dump, electricity

Range of tide, river level & discharge, wave & current

condition.

Planning of Site Investigation: Location

Keywords: water main, pond, road, building

Chicken and egg problem

1. Which come first, chicken or egg?
2. Which come first,
(a) Soil exploration (and obtain soil parameter)
and use soil exploration method to suit our
foundation problem.
Or
(b) We have foundation problem and plan soil
investigation program to suit our foundation
problem.

Testing Program and Loading Path

Soil investigation
programs should
suit the foundation
problems not the
other way around!!!

MODULE CONTENT
1. OBJECTIVE & PLANNING
2. INTRODUCTION TO
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY

3. OPERATIONAL ASPECT OF
SI
4. BASIC SOIL MECHANICS
5. BASIC LABORATORY TESTS
6. TYPE OF MONITORING
TOOLS

Geophysical Survey

Geophysical Survey
Bathymetry Survey (seabed mapping)
Echo sounder: to obtain water depth
Sonar: to identify seabed feature (single beam sonar, interferometer sonar,
side scan sonar)

Seismic Survey
Shallow seismic profile
High resolution survey conducted during O&G exploration can be used to
obtain spatial picture to a certain depth

Geophysical Survey
Bathymetry Survey
(Seafloor Mapping)

Single Beam & Interferometer Sonar

Principle:
Calculate travel time of
reflected sound and calculate
the distance
Typical Result

Geophysical Survey
Side Scan Sonar

Basic Principle

Tow Vehicle for Various Frequency

and Shape

Data Acquisition and Processing System

Output: Seabed Features

Backscatter Intensity

Overlain with Sea

Bottom Information

Overlain with isopach contour of sediment

thickness from seismic interpretation

Interpreted Image

Verification Through
Photo or Video Image

Geophysical Survey
Seismic Sub bottom Profiling

Basic Principle
Seismic Source: the Boomer

Receiver: Hydrophone

Typical Result

Tools & Equipments

Seismic Source: the Air gun

Tools & Equipments

Seismic Source: the Water gun

Equipment Selection
Equipment selection is based on
the accuracy and required depth
of penetration. It is known that
high frequency will result high
resolution but at limited depth.
The table shows frequency range
of various seismic sources.

Identification of
Geohazards

Types of Geohazards

pockmark, fault, volcanoes, shallow gas, subsea landslide etc. are

interpreted through integration of data from bathymetry, ground truth
(seabed image, grab sample, sediment core) and sub bottom profile
(shallow or high resolution)

Aspect of Offshore
Structure Affecting Soil
Investigation

Typical Characteristics of Offshore Structures

Unique construction method (and stress path)
Dominated by wave load, soil behavior governed by long term cyclic
behavior
Rapid (short) construction period (and load build up), mainly
governed by undrained loading

Typical Characteristics in Offshore Structures

Loads

Implications

Immediate Interests

Self weight from structure

Environmental loads (wind,
current, wave, seismic)

o Cyclic loads are

o Remoulded and

Rate of Loading
Rapid during installation (self
weight, piling, spudcan, GBS)
Periodic (wind, current and
wave)

transferred into
foundation load
o In most cases
undrained loading
(piling, spudcan,
anchor, GBS, wind,
current, wave,
seismic)
o Governed by
remoulded or residual
shear strength due to
large strain during
installation (pile,
spudcan & anchor)

residual shear
strength
o Effect of strength
anisotropy (inherent
and stress induced)
o Effect of loading rate

Long Term Interest

o Strength degradation

& permanent
deformation under
cyclic load
o Strength gain (pile
set-up, thixotropy)

Basic Soil Parameter for Fixed Structure

CLAY
General description

Layering system
Grain size distribution

Water content
Total unit weight

Atterbergs limit
Shear strength (torvane, pocket
penetrometer, fall cone, UU. Etc.

Remoulded shear strength

Sensitivity
Stress history
Organic material content

SAND

General description
Layering system
Grain size distribution
Water content
Max/Min density
Relative density
Drained shearing
resistance
Stress history
Angularity
Carbonate content
Organic material content

ROCK

General description
RQD
Water absorption
Total unit weight
Unit weight of solid block
Unconfined compression
strength
Mineralogy
Carbonate content

Parameters for Specific Design Issues

o
o

Bearing capacity
o
o

Permanent displacemeent

Cyclic displacement
o
o

Foundation stiffness

o
o

Monotonic shear strength under different stress path

Cyclic shear strength under combined average and
cyclic shear stresses for triaxial and simple shear
stress path
Angle of shearing resistance (sand)
Compressibility
Permeability
Permanent shear strain and pore pressure under
combined average and cyclic shear stresses for triaxial
and simple shear stress paths
Cyclic shear strain as function of cyclic shear stresses
under combined average and cyclic shear stresses for
triaxial and simple shear stress paths.
Initial shear modulus
Cyclic shear strain as function of cyclic shear stresses
under combined average and cyclic shear stresses for
triaxial and simple shear stress paths.
Initial shear modulus
Damping

Parameters for Specific Design Issues

o
o

Soil reaction stress

Liquefaction potential

o
o
o

o
o
o

Skirt penetration

o
o

Monotonic and cyclic shear strengths.

Compressibility under virgin loading and unloading
Cyclic and permanent shear strains and permanent
pore pressure under combined average and cyclic
shear stresses for triaxial and simple shear stress
paths.
Initial shear modulus
Cyclic shear modulus degradation curves
Damping
Coefficient of reconsolidation (sand)

Undrained anisotropic monotonic shear strength.

Remoulded shear strength (or sensitivity)
Drained angle of shearing resistance (sand)
Residual interface angle of shearing resistance (sand)
CPT resistance (sand)
Seabed topography and objects in the seafloor.
Boulders in the soil within the skirt penetration depth

Parameters for Specific Design Issues

Pile capacity & drivability

Monotonic and cyclic shear strengths.

Compressibility under virgin loading and unloading
Cyclic and permanent shear strains and permanent
pore pressure under combined average and cyclic
shear stresses for triaxial and simple shear stress
paths.

Seabed erosion / scour

Permeability

Scope of Geophysical Survey for Platforms

Minimum survey area

Minimum depth

Seabed
topography

Seabed features

Subsurface
information

Usually 1 km X 1 km in
shallow water, 2 km X 2
km in deep water.
Possible extension to 5
km X 5 km in areas with
geohazards to
incorporate possible
platform location shifts
etc.

Similar to
recommended for
geotechnical data

Means of survey

Swath bathymetry, preferably

multibeam

Side scan sonar, line spacing

100-200 m depending on water
depth

High resolution / ultra high

resolution seismic survey for
shallow geology and fault offset
analysis
Line spacing 100-200 m
3D exploration sesmic data for
regional geohazard analysis and
drilling hazard analysis to
approx. 100 m depth

o
o

Scope of Geotechnical Survey for Platforms

Scope of Work

1 no of BH with continuous
sampling down to 15 m,
thereafter sampling with
less than 0.5 m gaps to 0.5
X to 0.7 X platform
diameter, followed by
alternate sampling and
CPT with less than 0.5 m
gaps.

Penetration

Sample Testing

1.5 X platform
diameter

o
o
o
o

Gravity
platform

3 nos of BHs with

continuous sampling to 15
m, thereafter sampling
with less than 0.5 gap

50 m

o
o

10 nos of continuous CPT

50 m or 1.5 X platform
diameter

Index testing
Triaxial tests
Oedometer test
Permeability tests
Simple shear test
CAUE, CAUC, CADE and
CADC triaxial tests
Shear wave velocity
measurement by bender
element
Resonant column test
X-ray photograph to
determine soil layering
within the tube
Radioactive core logging

Scope of Geotechnical Survey for Platforms

Scope of Work

Piled platform

Penetration

1 no of BH with sampling
every meter down to 15 m,
thereafter sampling with
less than 0.5 m gaps to 30
m, followed by alternate
sampling and CPT with less
than 0.5 m gaps, or
2 nos. BHs: one with
sampling only and one
with near continuous CPT

At least to pile penetration

+ 4 pile diameters or pile
penetration pile group
diameter, whichever is the
greater

Continuous CPT at a
location 5-10 m from main
borehole

30 m

Sample Testing

Index testing
Testing for pile capacity
and drivability and for
bearing capacity

Scope of Geotechnical Survey for Platforms

Scope of Work

1 no of BH with samples at
every meter down to 15 m,
thereafter sampling with
less than 0.5 m gaps

Penetration

30 m or anticipated
spudcan penetration + 1.5
X spudcan diameter,
whichever is deeper

Sample Testing

o
o

Jack-up rig

1 no. Continuous CPT at a

location 5-10 m from main
borehole and/or at each
leg location

20 m

Index testing
Testing for static bearing
capacity

Anchor Structures
CLAY
General description

Grain size distribution

Water content

Total unit weight

Atterbergs limit

Shear strength (torvane, pocket

penetrometer, fal cone, UU. Etc.

Remoulded shear strength

Sensitivity
Stress history (OCR)
Organic material content
Carbonate content

SAND

General description
Grain size distribution
Water content
Max/Min density
Relative density
Drained shearing
resistance
Stress history (OCR)
Angularity
Carbonate content
Organic material content

ROCK

General description
RQD
Water absorption
Total unit weight
Unit weight of solid block
Unconfined compression
strength
Mineralogy
Carbonate content

Parameters for Specific Design Issues of Anchor Structures

Scour / erosion
Slope stability
Slope stability

Liquefaction

Permeability

o
o
o
o

Strain
Strainrate
rateeffect
effect
Cyclic
Cyclicresponse
response
Permeability
Permeability
Strength
Strengthanisotropy
anisotropy

Cyclic response
Coefficient of reconsolidation

o
o
o
o

Electrical resistivity
Geochemical test
Bacteriological analyses

Undrained anisotropic shear strength

Corrosion

Suction anchor installation in

clay& skirt penetration

Parameters for Specific Design Issues of Anchor Structures

Suction anchor installation in
sand / skirt penetration

o
o
o

Suction anchor capacity

o
o
o
o

Liquefaction potential

o
o

Long term holding capacity of

suction anchors in clay

o
o

Permeability
Cone resistance
Drained angle of shearing resistance
Strain rate effect
Cyclic response
Permeability
Strength anisotropy
Anisotropic monotonic and cyclic
Shear strength
Thixotropic regain
Consolidation characteristics

Strain rate effect

Cyclic response

Parameters for Specific Design Issues of Anchor Structures

Soil pile friction in carbonate
soil

o
o

Sand compressibility
Crushability

Anchor piles

Elastic modulus

Scope of Geophysical Survey for Anchor

Structures
Minimum survey area

Seabed
topography

Full extend of anchor

spread

Seabed features

Full extend of anchor

spread

Subsurface
information

Full extend of anchor

spread

Minimum depth

More than depth

required for
geotechnical data

Means of survey

Swath bathymetry, preferably

multibeam

Side scan sonar, line spacing

100-200 m depending on
water depth

Sub bottom profiler, or

High resolution seismic
survey
Line spacing 100-200 m

o
o

Scope of Geotechnical Survey for Anchor

Structures
Scope of Work

Penetration

Drag anchor

1 no of BH/core and/or 1
No. of CPT per anchor

Sand: 5-10 m
Soft clay: to 20 m

Vertically
loaded anchor
(VLA)

1 no of BH/core and/or 1
No. of CPT per anchor

Soft soil: to 50 m
Other soil: to depth of
fluke + 5 m

Pile

1 no of BH/core and/or 1
No. of CPT per anchor

Pile penetration + 4 pile

diameter

Gravity base

1 no of BH/core and/or 1
No. of CPT per anchor

1.5 X width (unskirted) or

depth of skirt + 1.5 X width

Suction caisson

1 no of BH/core and/or 1
No. of CPT per anchor

Depth of caisson + 1
diameter

Sample Testing

Anchor designs are

generally not sensitive to
displacements. Hence
emphasis in laboratory
tests is generally on
determination of static
soil strength (peak and
remoulded) and anchorsoil interface frictional
resistance