Consolidation and Permeability properties of Alluvial deposits along the

Sava river by laboratory and field Investigation

N. Grubic1, A. Skejic2, A. Balic3
1

Prof. dr, Faculty of Civil Engneering, University of Sarajevo, B&H

M.Eng., Faculty of Civil Engneering, University of Sarajevo, B&H
3
M.Eng., Faculty of Civil Engneering, University of Sarajevo, B&H
2

Abstract. The existence of thick compressible clayey silt deposits along the Sava River provides major obstacle
for design and construction of highway embankments in this region. To understand the consolidation and
permeability characteristics of this alluvial layer and then to develop reliable soil parameters for earthwork
design and construction, a comprehensive soil testing program was carried out. The program consisted of both in
situ tests [e.g., standard penetration test borings, piezocone penetration test (CPT) soundings, Marchetti flat
dilatometer test soundings, Lefranc test and CPT pore pressure dissipation tests] and laboratory tests (e.g., soil
index tests, consolidation tests). The field and the laboratory test results showed that the clayey silt deposit was
highly overconsolidated at the top and lightly overconsolidated at greater depths. The findings obtained from this
study will be beneficial for future design and construction of Embankments along the Sava River.

Key Words : Laboratory test, Field exploration tests, consolidation parameters, permeability

1 INTRODUCTION
The existence of thick compressible clayey silt deposits along the Sava River provides major obstacle
for design and construction of highway embankments in this region. The obstacles are primary due to
requests for reducing the embankments and pavement construction period. Namely, the primary
consolidation settlement period for this type of materials can last for few years, what is usually
unacceptable for Investors. In order to achieve named requests, and reduce the settlement period,
vertical drains and preloading are usually introduced as ground improvement meassure.
After pavement construction the settlement of embankments must be limited in order to prevent the
failure of pavement construction, and to provide the serviceability of roads. According to some
National Codes this settlement is in the range od 5,0 cm, what should be fullfiled allong with the
allowable longitudinal gradient due to differentioal settlements in the range of 1:200
(Balasubramaniam et al., 2010). On the other side, development of reliable consolidation and
permeability properties of the foundation soils is important in order to design functional and stable
embankments. Published papers about consolidation and permeability properties of alluvial deposits
are mainly related with soft, normally to lightly overconsolidated marine clays. (Ye Lu i dr, 2013,
J.Chu i dr., 2002, Arulrajah, A., i dr., 2007, Bo, M. i dr. 2012, Cascone, E i dr. 2013).
This paper deals with consolidation and permeability characteristics of alluvial deposits form in situ
and laboratory tests. The uniqness of the Sava river area are highly overconsolidated alluvial deposits
for shallow depths and lightly overconsolidated silts and clays for depths below about 4,0 meters.
Following the usual geotechnical practice, the in situ (e.g., standard penetration test borings, piezocone
penetration test (CPT) soundings, Marchetti flat dilatometer test soundings, Lefranc test and CPT pore
pressure dissipation tests) and laboratory (e.g., soil index tests, consolidation tests, permeability tests)
tests were conducted along highway embankment route. The findings obtained from this investigation
works will be beneficial for the design and construction period of embankments. However, the
parameters determined by this study can be used for future design of structures along the Sava River.

Three main factors control the design soludion for embankment construction and possiblly, ground
improvement technique. These factors are construction period, geometry of foundation soil with
embankment and consolidation parameters of foundation soil. The construcion period begins with
filling the embankment material and ends with final works on pavement construction. Geometry and
geotechnical model of foundation soil can be defined according to investigation works, while the
embankment -geometry depends on requests given by road engineers. Consolidation parameters can
be determined by in situ and laboratory investigation works, but due to lamination and heterogenity of
alluvial soils, along with smear effect during in situ test (Baligh and Scott, 1975) and disturbance of
soil samples, this factor is the most uncertain. Due to this uncertainty, it is necessary to provide a wide
range of investigatigation works, what is done for practical problem described by this paper.
2 LOCATION AND GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
Alluvial deposits along Sava river investigated in this study are located between Svilaj and Odzak
(Bosnia and Herzegovina). Total length of 10,0 kilometers highway route is explorated by field tests
and sampling. Figure 1 presents the geological map of particular location, along with highway route
that presents the location of field exploration tests. Same figure shows the SPT number and CPT cone
resistance in clay soils. Typical soil profile along investigated Sava river area consists of coherent
alluvial deposits (CL and CH) and granular deposits (S and G). Consolidation and permeability
properties of clay soils are reported in this paper. The basic soil properties are shown in Figure 2. In
general, the subsurface conditions across the site are relatively uniform. The top soil is about 20,0 cm
thick. The soils underlying the top soil are silty clays with thickness of 5,0 to 20,0 meters and
interbedded with sand seams and overlying gravel and sand soils as relatively stiff and permeable soil.

Figure 1. Geologic map along with the location of highway route (1a) and typical soil profile with SPT and CPT
results (1b)

Clay layer zone is devided on upper clay layers (from 0 to 4,0 m), and the lower clay layers (from 4,0
to 20,0 m). The upper clay layer is generally overconsolidated. An overconsolidation ratio (OCR)
value as high as 10,0 is sometimes found at the top of the upper clay layer probably due to desiccation,
and other effects. Gravel and Sand layers are found underlaying clay layer, at different depths along

the route. The thickness of each layer varies along the location. As it is usual for alluvial deposits a
number of sandy and gravel seams interbedded the clay soil layer.

Figure 2. Typical clay soil phisical and index properties along the highway route

3 MATERIALS AND METHODS

The subsurface conditions of the site were explored with a combination of 21 SPT tests, 20 CPT
soundings (including three CPT pore pressure dissipation tests and SCPT soundings), and 5 DMT
soundings and conventional laboratory tests. The locations of these tests are along the highway ruote
marked in Fig. 1a and the corresponding field exploration test results are presented in Fig. 1b. The
details of field and laboratory tests with results and interpretation are given below.
4 LABORATORY TESTS AND RESULTS
The thick clayey silt deposit had a major impact on the design and construction of the embankments.
Therefore, a large numer of soil samples along the highway route at different depths were thoroughly
examined by laboratory tests for classifying soil and measuring soil index properties. A disturbed
sample were used for determining properties of the soil grains (e.g., grain size distribution, Atterberg
limits, and the water content). The disturbed soil samples retrieved from the SPT split spoon samples
were used for laboratory classification and index tests.
More than 150 of Soil index test for measuring moisture content, unit weight, liquid limit and plastic
index were conducted. An undisturbed soil samples from thin tube sampler were used for laboratory
tests for determining permeability and consolidation parameters. Namelly, over 50 conventional one
dimensional consolidation (oedometer) tests were conducted in order to measure the coefficients of
vertical and horizontal permeability (kv, kh) along with soil stiffness properties properties (Cc and Cr).
Typical test results are given on figure 3.

Figure 3. Consolidation and permeability propertioes of clay from laboratory (oedometer) tests

5 FIELD TESTS AND RESULTS

5.1 Dilatometer dissipation test
During the Marchetti type flat dilatometer (DMT), one total latheral pressure dissipation tests was
carried out using a blade 96 mm in width, 230 mm in length, and 14 mm in thickness. The depth of
the test was 5,0 m. The results of the dissipation tests, shown in Fig. 4a enabled to gain valuable
information about the soil hydraulic properties. Namelly, the value of the horizontal consolidation
coefficient (ch) was obtained interpreting the dissipation of total latheral stresse with time through the
procedure shown on figure 4a and described below.

Figure 4. Total latheral pressure dissipation tests results during DMT (4a); pore pressure disipation during
CPTU (4b)

According to Marchetti i Totani (1989) coefficient of consolidation in lateral direction from DMT can
be calculated as :

c h T flex (500 1000)mm 2

(1)

ch is in [mm/min], and Tflex is time which corresponds to the point of reverse curvature on log of time
vs. pressure diagram (Figure 5). Value 500 to 1000 is constant dependent of clay type, and value of
500 is adopted according to Bo et al. (1998) for Singapore clays.

ch

500 500
mm 2

3,333
T flex 150
min
-8

(2)

ch = 5,5510 m /sec
Measured time vs. pore pressure disipation curve resulted the calculated value of consolidation
coefficient in lateral direction. This value is in range of laboratory determined values of named
coefficient.
According to Baligh and Levadoux (1980) the values of the horizontal permeability coefficient (kh)
were determined using the equation for given consolidation coefficient (ch), and corresponding vertical
effective stress (v0') :

kh

w
10
RR ch
0,0241 5,55 10 8 1,1 10 10 m / sec
'
2.3 50,0
2.3 v 0

(3)
where w is unit weight of water, RR = Cs/(1+e0) is compression ratio in the overconsolidation range,
Cs and e0 being the swelling index and the initial voids ratio respectively, as obtained from the
oedometer tests. For average values of sweeling index and voids ratio of 0,04 and 0,66 respectively,
horizontal permeability (kh) is determined as 1,110-10 m/sec.
5.2 CPTU test
Total of 20 CPTU soundings were conducted during investigation works along the highway route.
Maximum penetration depth was about 10,0 meters, as it was difficult to penetrate soil at higher
depths expecially if relatively stiff gravel soil was found at that depths. The piezocone used had a
standard cone tip area of 1,000 mm2 and an apex angle of 60. The pore pressure filter was located just
behind the cone tip. One CPTU was dissipation tests in clay, and the results indicated that full
dissipation did not occured even after 4 hours. The results are presented on figure 5b. As not even 50%
of consolidation occured after 4hours, the results of this test were not useful in order to gain the
consolidation coefficient value.
5.3 Lefranc Test
During the Lefranc test, constant water lever was maintained by adding water to the top of the pipe.
According to volume of discharged water from the well, as well as the appropriate hydraulic gradient,
the permeability coefficient in horizontal direction was determined. The results of total of 5 Lefranc
tests are presenerted in table 1.
Table 1. Values of lateral permeability coefficients (kh) determined by in situ Lefranc test
Test No.
kh [m/sec]

1,54x10-11

4,3x10-10

3,2x10-10

2,1x10-10

1,7x10-11

6 DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS

The consolidation history of the clayey soil deposits was analyzed acording to geotechnical
considerations by using laboratory test results. The analyses indicated that the clayey silt deposits are
highly overconsolidated at the top to slightly overconsolidated for greather depths.

Based on the study presented in this paper, the following points related to the use of laboratory and in
situ methods in assessing the consolidation and permeability properties of clay soils can be made.
First, the permeability coefficient determined from laboratory tests are in the range of in situ
determined values. Both in situ test results (DTM dissipation test and Lefranc tests) resulted the
similar values to oedometar test results. It seams that the soil is not very sensitive to smear. Second,
permeability coefficient in horizontal direction determined from laboratory tests (2 samples) is in the
range of permeability coefficient in vertical direction, so quite isotropic behavior can be expected from
the permeability points of view.
7 CONCLUSIONS
The consolidation and permeability properties of the silty clay soils along Sava river were studied
using laboratory, in situ, and field measurements collected along the 10 000,0 m long highway route.
The following conclusions can be drawn from the study :
- The cv values of clay deposits along Sava river range about 1,010-8 m2/sec, as obtained using
oedometer tests. The ch value determined from DTM test is 5,5510-8 m2/sec.
- The coefficient of permeability of clay soils ranges about 1,0 10-10 m/sec . Generally, the
permeability is practically constant with depth. The kh values meassured in oedometer test are
in the range of vertical permeability koefficient from oedometer tests.
- Reported results can be used for defining correlations between different index and phisical
proerties and consolidation and permeability properties for clay materials in particular area.
Namelly, the correlation between compresion index (Cc) and liquid limit (W L) given by
Terzaghi expressed by Cc = 0.009(WL 10), was confirmed by this study. Another example is
a correlation between the initial void ratio (e0) and the in situ permeability (k0) for investigated
clay type, that also fits in the range of existing correlations (Churchman, et al., 2002).

REFERENCES
Arulrajah, A., Bo, M. W., Nikraz, H., & Balasubramaniam, A. S. (2007). Dissipation testing of Singapore marine
clay by piezocone tests. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 25(6), 647-656.
Balasubramaniam, A. S., Cai, H., Zhu, D., Surarak, C., & Oh, E. Y. N. (2010). Settlement of Embankments in
Soft Soils. Geotechnical Engineering, 41(1), 61.
Baligh, M. M., and Scott, R. F. (1975). Quasi-static deep penetration in clays. J. Geotech. Eng. Div., Am. Soc.
Civ. Eng., 101(11), 11191133.
Baligh, M. M., & Levadoux, J. N. (1980). Pore pressure dissipation after cone penetration. Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Constructed Facilities Division.
Bo, M. W., Chang, M. F., Arulrajah, A., & Choa, V. (2012). Ground investigations for Changi east reclamation
projects. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 30(1), 45-62.
Bo, M.W., Arulrajah, A., and Choa, V. (1998). The hydraulic conductivity of Singapore marine clay at
Changi. Q. J. Eng. Geol., 31, 291299.
Cascone, E., & Biondi, G. (2013). A case study on soil settlements induced by preloading and vertical drains.
Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 38, 51-67.
Churchman, G. J., Askary, M., Peter, P., Wright, M., & Self, P. G. (2002). Geotechnical properties indicating
environmental uses for an unusual Australian bentonite. Applied clay science, 20(4), 199-209.
Lu, Y., Tan, Y., & Lin, G. (2013). Characterization of thick varved-clayey-silt deposits along the Delaware River
by field and laboratory tests. Environmental Earth Sciences, 69(6), 1845-1860.
Chu, J., Bo, M. W., Chang, M. F., & Choa, V. (2002). Consolidation and permeability properties of Singapore
marine clay. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 128(9), 724-732.
Marchetti, S., and Totani, G. (1989). Ch evaluation from DMTA dissipation curves. Proc., 12th Int. Conf.
Mech. Found. Eng., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 281286.