Foundation Investigation Essentials

What are the primary objectives of site investigation?

• To select building materials

• To design the site layout

• To calculate construction costs

• The primary objectives of site investigation are to assess subsurface conditions, determine soil and rock properties, evaluate groundwater levels, and identify potential hazards.

Describe the methods of exploration used in foundation studies.

• Geological mapping and aerial photography

• Methods of exploration in foundation studies include site surveys, borehole drilling, sampling, in-situ testing, and laboratory analysis.

• Soil compaction and concrete testing

• Environmental impact assessments

What is the difference between auguring and boring?

• Auguring is used for refining holes, while boring is for drilling holes.

• Boring is a technique for creating new holes, while auguring is for filling them.

• Auguring is for drilling holes, while boring is for enlarging or refining holes.

• Auguring and boring are interchangeable terms for the same drilling process.

Explain the process of wash boring and its applications.

• Wash boring is mainly used for constructing skyscrapers.

• Wash boring is a method for underwater welding.

• Wash boring is used for soil exploration, groundwater monitoring, and installing piezometers.

• Wash boring is primarily used for drilling oil wells.

What factors determine the depth and spacing of bore holes?

• Geological conditions, purpose of the bore hole, equipment type, environmental regulations, and expected yield.

• Type of soil surface

• Weather conditions

• Time of day

• Bore hole color

What are the characteristics of representative and undisturbed soil samples?

• Representative samples do not need to be collected from the field.

• Representative samples are always larger than undisturbed samples.

• Undisturbed samples are only taken from dry soil.

• Representative samples reflect the larger area; undisturbed samples retain natural structure.

List and describe three sampling methods used in soil investigation.

• 1) Disturbed Sampling: alters soil structure for general analysis. 2) Undisturbed Sampling: preserves natural structure for physical property testing. 3) Auger Sampling: extracts soil from various depths for stratification analysis.

• Geophysical Surveying: uses electromagnetic methods for soil mapping.

• Water Sampling: analyzes moisture content in soil layers.

• Soil Compaction: increases density for load-bearing tests.

What is a split spoon sampler and how is it used?

• A split spoon sampler is used for measuring water levels in wells.

• A split spoon sampler is a soil sampling tool used to collect soil samples for geotechnical analysis.

• A split spoon sampler is a device for testing air quality.

• A split spoon sampler is a tool for mixing concrete.

Define SPT and SCPT and their significance in penetration tests.

• SPT (Single Point Test) and SCPT (Single Component Test) are used for network speed evaluations.

• SPT (Security Protocol Test) and SCPT (Security Component Penetration Test) focus on encryption methods.

• SPT (System Performance Test) and SCPT (System Component Penetration Test) are general assessments for overall system health.

• SPT (Single Point of Testing) and SCPT (Single Component Penetration Test) are focused assessments in penetration testing that help identify vulnerabilities in specific areas of a system.

How do you interpret bore log data to evaluate liquefaction potential?

• Evaluate soil type, saturation, density, CSR, and CRR to assess liquefaction potential.

• Evaluate only the depth of the borehole without considering other factors

• Ignore saturation levels and focus on grain size

• Assess only the soil color and texture