RAJIV KHATRI, et al.
/ (IJAEST) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES
“CORRELATION BETWEEN VERTICAL ELECTRIC SOUNDING AND
CONVENTIONAL METHODS OF GEOTECHNICAL SITE INVESTIGATION”
RAJIV KHATRI
Life Member Indian Society for Earthquake Technology, IIT
Roorkey,AMIE (I), Member IGS Jabalpur Chapter,Jabalpur
Professor & Head Department of Civil Engineering, Hitkarini
College of Engineering & Technology,Dumna Airport Road,
Jabalpur,M.P. Pin 482001; Email-khatri_rajiv1@yahoo.co.in;
ABSTRACT :-
Geotechnical site investigation is one of the important part of
design of any Civil Engineering construction project. A large
number of field investigation methods, are available, for
detailed field investigations for, civil engineering construction
purposes. These conventional methods is, in general, give
results based on empirical interpretation of test data. These
conventional methods, suffer from limitations of their
application to difficult terrains, steep hill slopes, marshy and
swampy areas, coastal regions and areas where a frequent
variation of soil and rock materials exist in the areas to be
investigated. As such a strong need is being felt to develop and
put in practice the Geo-physical methods of sub-surface
investigation for a more precise and fast assessment of large
area characteristics, economically, for all areas and
particularly where conventional methods cannot be used.
These Geo-physical methods require proper interpretation of
data which in turn needs a high degree of experience and
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expertise for making the interpretation. With the availability of
computer aided interpreting software, the interpretation of the
geo-physical methods data can also be done easily. Now that,
we have entered into a phase, where large and big sized
structures are required to be built in weak and difficult and
sensitive areas, we have to take recourse to the Geo-physical
methods and develop them into a popular tool for the
enhancement and benefit of the civil engineering activities
which require better and more information of every inch of the
area. In this respect there is a great need to correlate the
results of Vertical Electric Sounding method with that of
conventional test results, particularly Standard Penetration
Test results. The paper proposes to assign special property
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indii (SPI) for the soils for their proper classification based on
VES data so as to have proper understanding of the behavior
under in-situ conditions and thus to have correlation with
results of other conventional methods. The paper also proposes
to highlight the effectiveness of Vertical Electrical Sounding
technique for geo-technical site investigation.
Key Words : Vertical Electric Sounding (VES), Vertical
IJ
Electric Coring (VEC), Standard Penetration Test (SPT), Cone
Penetration Test (CPT), Special Property Index (SPI)
1. PREAMBLE :-
“Engineers have a significant role in planning, designing,
building and maintaining a sustainable future. We provide
the bridge between science and society, in this role; we must
participate in interdisciplinary teams, applying technology
to issues and challenges that require environmentally
sustainable strategies and solutions.” American Society of
Civil Engineers (2001).
2. INTRODUCTION :-
Site investigation is the process by which geological,
geotechnical, and other relevant information which might
affect the construction or performance of a civil engineering
or building project is acquired.
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Vol No. 4, Issue No. 2, 042 - 053
V.K.SHRIVASTAVA
Geo-technologist, Chairman IGS Jabalpur Chapter,
Professor (Retired) Government Engineering College
Jabalpur M.P. Email - Prof_vinay@yahoo.co.in
DR. RAJEEV CHANDAK
Professor, CE Deptt., Jabalpur College of Engineering,
Jabalpur,M.P.;. Email- rajeevchandak2003@yahoo.com
The geomaterials are the natural materials and have very
complex structure. According to Terzaghi also –
“Unfortunately, soils are made by nature and not by man, and
the products of nature are always complex.” Karl von
Terzaghi, 1936
The fundamental behavior of the geomaterials depends on
their permeability, compressibility and shear strength
characteristics. Both in-situ and laboratory test were employed
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for obtaining these properties. The accuracy of the results
obtained from the laboratory tests to represent the field
behavior is highly depends on the quality of sample and the
sampling technique applied. Obtaining reasonably good
undisturbed sample from the materials like clean cohesion-
less sands, residual soils, glacial tills and soft or heavily
jointed rock masses is quite challenging. In such a scenario
the engineering properties of these materials can be obtained
using in-situ methods. Compared to traditional drilling,
sampling and laboratory testing procedures, in-situ testing has
several important benefits like – in-situ tests are performed in
the natural condition of moisture and stress with minimum
disturbance and on large volume of soil. They are also
generally quicker and cost effective relative to the quality and
quantity of data acquired.
The conventional laboratory and in-situ tests are often time
consuming, cost intensive, require sophisticated equipments
and skilled personal in the field and lab as well as for the
interpretation. Majority of times, planners and engineers are
interested only in sufficiently accurate estimate of different
engineering properties of geomaterials with or without
conducting the expensive experiments. In view of the above
facts number of correlations has been developed to estimate
the engineering properties of different geomaterials from their
index properties.
3. CONVENTIONAL METHODS FOR GEO-
TECHNICAL SITE INVESTIGATION :-
Various field methods are prescribed in the Codes of Practice
which are conventionally adopted in different types of
terrains. These common methods are –
1. Plate Load Test,
2. Standard Penetration Test,
3. Cone Penetration Test,
4. Auguring, drilling and collection of cores of soils &
rocks, & testing in Lab
5. Pressure Meter Test,
6. Permeability Test,
7. Dilatometer Test etc.
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All these methods belong to the category of destructive or
semi-destructive testing tools.
Table (1) gives the relative merits of these methods.
4. GEOPHYSICAL METHODS FOR GEO-
TECHNICAL SITE INVESTIGATIONS :-
There has been a steady growth in the application of
geophysical techniques to geo-civil, geo-earthquake
engineering and geo-environmental engineering studies.
Geophysical methods have proven useful as rapid means of
obtaining subsurface information on a continuous profiling
basis, over large areas. They are generally non-destructive in
nature and can be carried out from the ground or water
surface, and / or from within boreholes. Geophysical
methods rely on a significant contrast in physical properties
such as density, resistivity or electrical conductivity,
magnetic susceptibility and velocity of shock waves being
present in the subsurface materials under investigation..
Geophysical techniques offer the chance to overcome some
of the problems inherent in more conventional ground
investigation techniques. Many methods exist with the
potential of providing profiles and sections, so that (for
example) the ground between boreholes can be checked to
ES
see whether ground conditions at the boreholes are
representative of those elsewhere. Geophysical techniques
also exist which can be of help in locating cavities,
backfilled mineshafts, and dissolution features in carbonate
rocks, and there are other techniques which can be
extremely useful in determining the stiffness properties of
the ground.
Geophysics plays a vital role between geologic
interpretation of ground and its structure and geotechnical &
other relevant field information vitally required for the
construction or performance of Civil Engineering projects.
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As geophysical methods are non-destructive in-situ field
exploration methods & from the array of methods available
any one method or a combination of methods can be chosen
to get a proper and fuller information from the subsurface up
to any desired depths. Various problematic conditions might
exist below the ground such as discontinuities of strata,
IJ
cavities, mine shafts, solution channels, buried channels and
back filled parts of earlier use of land like mining etc.
Geophysical methods are also very useful under such
conditions. Geophysical techniques are relatively cheap, and
are also highly regarded in such a speculative environment.
Common geophysical methods employed for geotechnical
site investigation can be classified as –
1. Electrical Methods
2. Seismic Methods
3. Gravity Methods
Electrical methods consists of measurements of resistivity /
conductivity measurements, locating water table positions,
measurement of self potential along ground profile for
generating pseudo sections and for electrical logging of
bores and wells and for measuring telluric currents.
Seismic methods consists of generating artificial shock
waves in the ground at any depth and measuring the time of
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Vol No. 4, Issue No. 2, 042 - 053
arrival of the shock waves at recording stations arranged in
many patterns equidistant from the centre. This is done to
investigate continuity of geomaterials and (or) presence of
cavities, channels and holes along the path of the seismic
waves arriving at some of the receiving stations. Reflective
and refractive shooting, reciprocal shooting are some of the
variations that can be used during investigations. Generation
of shear waves in soil strata for ascertaining their liquefaction
vulnerability is also done through the seismic methods. The
system works mostly on exactly identifying and locating the
anomalies.
In gravity measurements, a simple gravimeter is used to find
out the value of „g‟ at any place corresponding to any
theoretically obtained value of „g‟ for that area. During actual
ground measurements +ve & -ve departure values can be
obtained and on a regular grid pattern these +ve and –ve
anomalies are plotted similar to the plotting of contours and
the interpretation regarding presence of excessive or deficient
mass distribution below the ground surface can be found
leading to identifying the buried structures like domes, folds,
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faults and paleo channels etc. accurately.
5. GEOPHYSICAL INSTRUMENTATION METHOD
FOR SUB-SURFACE EVALUATION :-
Since the construction activity has now been taken to all types
of ground locations and conditions, these destructive
conventional tools no longer serve the purpose. Geophysical
instrumentation is gradually being preferred as a viable and
more versatile tool which can provide all important
information of these subsurface areas up to any depth, as an
alternative to the destructive methods and tools.
An electrical measurement through Geophysical
Instrumentation is a non-destructive or non-invasive
methodology which is capable of being used in any type of
terrain / topographic conditions and it has, practically, no
limitations. The instrument used are handy and can be carried
any where. The instrumentation can be done in much smaller
time frame as compared to any of the destructive equipments;
it is economical, dependable and is repeatable.
In the Middle Amur sedimentary basin (MASB) Vertical
Electrical Sounding method has been used for discovery of
lacustrine sediments in the southwestern and eastern parts of
the MASB. The Correlation of seismic and drilling data
confirmed the correctness of the interpretations and showed
that boreholes penetrated a thin sequence of deep-water
lacustrine sediments.
Vertical Electrical Sounding Method has also been used in the
city of Burdur in southwestern part of Turkey for determining
the settlement properties of the soil and for defining the zones
vulnerable for liquefaction in the city. The VES data has also
provided very useful information on vertical and horizontal
extends of geologic units and water content in the subsurface.
6. CORRELATION BETWEEN VERTICAL ELECTRIC
SOUNDING DATA AND CONVENTIONAL
METHODS OF GEOTECHNICAL SITE
INVESTIGATION :-
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Among the emerging trends of field investigation methods
used for geotechnical site investigation in Civil Engineering
practices Vertical Electric Sounding (VES) is finding a vide
acceptance due to its versatility of the method as also the
comparable results obtained through this method and the
other conventional field methods like SPT etc. As Vertical
Electric Sounding method for geotechnical site
investigations is becoming popular, an attempt is made to
correlate these data with that of conventional geotechnical
site investigations data. One case study is presented here o
illustrate this.
7. CASE HISTORY :-
In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the method case
history of one of the investigation sites are is being
presented here.
Case History –
Geotechnical Site investigation for the LPG Filling Plant,
Maneri, Niwas Road, Mandla (M.P.) of Hindustan
Petroleum Corporation Limited, Mumbai, had been carried
out at the premises of A.K.V.N. at Maneri Village Niwas
Road, Distt. Mandla (M.P.). The work included geo-
technical explorations covering the following aspects :-
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(i) Geotechnical Investigations :- Which included the
tests for bearing capacity of soil, drilling for core –
logging up to 10 m depth, tests for index properties
of soil etc.
(ii) Geological Investigations : which include the
electrical resistivity logging location of ground
water tube well, soil profiling etc.
(iii) Chemical tests for soil and water .
(iv) Interpretations of collected data.
For the purpose of correlation between the values obtained
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through VES method and those obtained with conventional
methods supported by laboratory test results, it was decided
to run parallel test at Maneri (the industrial township of
AKVN, M.P. Jabalpur where a LPG bottling plant had to be
built on a land area of approximately 37.5 acres. The author
was the part of this investigation team of GEC, Jabalpur and
had done the VEC work for the investigation.
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For conducting the conventional tests it was planned to have
10 number of bore holes drilled in the area, to collect soil
samples, to conduct SPT during drilling of bore holes at an
interval of 1.5 m and to arrange the core so that actual bore
log could be obtained at all the 10 drilling locations. Calyx
method of core drilling was preferred up to the depth of hard
rock (approximately 4 to 5 m below ground level). Certain
test were also proposed to be conducted on the rock cores in
the laboratory such as crushing strength test, RQD and other
routine tests like density, water absorption etc.
Since the area under the investigation was very large and
testing was to be conducted in the entire area, there were
constraints of time and funds. At this juncture it was decided
to conduct geophysical tests for supplementing and for
corroborating the results and specifically for the opportunity
for establishing a correlation between the findings of the
conventional methods and VES method.
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Vol No. 4, Issue No. 2, 042 - 053
Geology of the Area :-
The land belonging to the AKVN, Jabalpur where HPCL plant
was to be constructed forms a raised plateau in the basaltic
terrain which has been formed due to multiple lava flows
cutting across the Lameta sedimentary formation, overriding
them up to a thickness of approximately 400 ft. or more. The
top layer has been weathered over a period of time and formed
brownish and black top soil varying in thickness from 1 m to 2
m. Below the soil cover exist a layer of weathered rock
consisting of rounded detached boulders in a matrix of soil.
This is followed downwards by massive continuous bed rock
of basalt at a depth of about 5 to 6 m below the ground
surface.
The area is occupied by Basaltic rocks which are capped by
soil cover and at nowhere the rock out crop is visible. The
thickness of the soil cover is variable from place to place and
lot numbers of sink holes are present which indicate heavy
water infiltration from the top soil to the weathered rock
below. The sink – holes have interconnection at a depth of
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about 1 m.
The drilling plan consisted of drilling four boreholes at the
central part of the area and the remaining six bore holes to be
drilled elsewhere within the area. The location of these bore
holes has been clearly marked in Map (1). In order to bring in
the VES methodology for the purpose of direct correlation,
five VES cross sections were preferred. These have also been
marked in the reference Map (1).
The first cross section was chosen to be in the close proximity
of bore holes No. 7, 8, 9 and 10 for the initial calibration of
the electrical resistance values of various geomaterials present
in this part. The Calibration VES log, which has been
generated from the electrical apparent resistivity data, is given
in Fig (3) and the corresponding actual bore log for the bores
7, 8, 9 and 10 near its vicinity is given in Fig (2). A close
observation of these two would reveal the fact. Further four
other VES cross sections were subsequently selected and VES
logs were prepared from the electrical resistivity data obtained
at those locations. Their logs are also given in fig (3).
From the calibration the Special property indii range has been
prepared to indicate the identity of different geomaterials
arranged in the depth. The values are given in the Table.
SPT were conducted and the values of N obtained, (corrected
N) have been used to indicate the Safe Bearing Capacity and
compressive strength values respectively for soils,
decomposed rock or fresh rocks materials. Values close to the
N values have also been obtained from the computations of
the true resistivity value for different strata as obtained in the
VES test and it has been found that they are more or less in
the same range.
Soil Tests
As the basaltic rock up to the drilled depth is traversed by
multiple joints, the core recovery was poor. Besides the Calyx
drilling was not helpful in obtaining proper core under the
same conditions through double or triple split core barrel
diamond drilling methods. As such RQD was neither possible
nor desired as per the specifications.
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Vol No. 4, Issue No. 2, 042 - 053
have been assigned to such geomaterials as shown in the table
Factor of safety taken in the case of conventional methods below –
and that taken for the VES values was 2 for the soils and 6
for the rock materials. SN SPI Description
1 0-4 Clear sand / Gravel / Sand soil with
The soil profile has been presented on the basis of VEC more than 60% of sand, showing
method, covering the entire area and representing the top saturated condition
soil layer according to its thickness in terms of thickness 2 4 to 5 Sandy-silty clayey soil 40-50%,
contours, as shown in the drawing No. (2) having contour Saturated
interval of 0.5 m. The thickness of the layer of weathering 3 5 to 6.28 Clayey Soil, Saturated
has also been represented as profile of weathering on this 4 6.25 to 7.53 Black Cotton Soil, Saturated
drawing. The allowable bearing capacity values has been 5 7.53 to 8.24 Compact Clayey Soil / Stiff Clay,
obtained for soils, weathered rock and fresh rock at various Saturated
levels. As there is uniformity in the material present at 6 8.24 to 9.42 Detached Boulders / Highly
different depths, this soil profile and the bearing capacity saturated permeable zone
data, as given in Table (4) can be used as ready reckoner to 7 9.42 to 11.30 Detached Boulders / Highly
find the safe bearing capacity at any point. saturated permeable zone
8 11.30 to 12.56 Partly saturated compact impervious
clayey soil
Interpretation of Resistivity Data 9 12.56 to 15.00 Transition zone between soil and

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weathered rock, partly saturated
In resistivity instrumentation normally the field data is
10 15.00 to 25.00 Weathered Rock
obtained in the form of apparent resistivity values. The
11 > 25 Rocks
interpretation of vertical electrical soundings data basically
involves converting / transforming apparent electrical
resistivity values recorded at different current penetration
depths (electrode separations, a) into true resistivity and 8. INTERPRETATION :-
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thicknesses of various subsurface strata through which the
electric current passes. The true electrical resistivity (ρ) is
fundamental property of the material, which is independent
of volume and remains constant for the isotropic and
During the Vertical Electrical Sounding the data obtained for
each 1.0m thick layer represented the apparent resistivity
homogeneous material. For an-isotropic, non-homogeneous values for all subsequent layers except the top 1.0 m layer.
and stratified/layered subsurface materials the resistivity The values had to be converted into true resistivity values for
does not remain constant throughout the depth of such each layer and also from the values the identity of the
deposit. The effective resistivity value measured for layered geotechnical character of the material was also interpreted and
deposit is referred as mean or apparent resistivity (ρa). The is given in the log.
apparent resistivity is a function of true resistivities and
thicknesses of various subsurface strata through which For generating safe compressive strength values for the layer,
the true resistivity values were processed considering the
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current flows Interpretation for various information can be
obtained from this data provided a thorough knowledge of confinement conditions of the layer and with the help of the
the local geologic conditions and stratigraphic setup is suitable multiplication factor, the values for ultimate
known to the investigator. For more precise field data compressive strength for the layer were computed and safe
required for engineering characteristics of the geomaterials compressive strength values were obtained using a factor of
true resistivity values have to be obtained from the apparent safety of 5 or 6.
resistivity values using various empirical relationships
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available.
Whether true or apparent resistivity values for qualitative
interpretation of the data, the apparent resistivity values
have been found to be adequate e.g. distinction between soil
(different stratifications) and bed rock position or even for
distinguishing different major soil strata within the soil
formation can also be distinguished. Thickness of backfill
over the natural ground surface can be determined along
with the profile of such backfill over the natural ground
surface. Similarly, weathered rock zones sandwiched
between the soil overburden and the bed rock, in the case of
soil formed in-situ as undisturbed residual soils is also
accurately possible to be determined.
On the basis of the generalized VES log it is inferred that the
top soil cover is very thin and is underlain by layers of pebbles
and boulders of variable thickness which merges
imperceptibly into thick layer of boulders and ledges resting
on thick slabs of basalt. With this type of arrangement and the
data analysis from the laboratory test sufficient information
regarding the type of foundation which can be provided to any
structure being planned on such terrains and of course the
foundation depth of the structure can also be decided
depending upon the details of the structure.
9. CONCLUSION :-

Through the intensive resistivity survey in different areas
and in different geologic & meteorological conditions it has
been found that different geomaterials invariably always
identify themselves by certain numerical values obtained as
apparent resistivity values. Special Property Indices (SPI)
From the above study of the terrain and instrumentation it is
clear that Vertical Electrical Sounding data if carefully
obtained, processed and interpreted in the light of the terrain
characteristics, it is possible to generate numerical values for
safe bearing capacity or safe compressive strength, as the case

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 RAJIV KHATRI, et al. / (IJAEST) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES
may be, without using the conventional field equipments
and the laboratory support needed by such equipments. This
also is evidently clear that such terrains are not friendly to
the use of conventional tools and methods, yet the terrain
has to be characterized for the engineering behaviour of the
materials present.
From the above comparative parallel studies it becomes
evidently clear that the logs prepared using VEC data are
identical with the actual Bore Logs. Similarly the
compressive strength values for rocks and safe bearing
capacity values for soil materials are found to lie within the
close range of values as obtained through the Conventional
Methods and Laboratory tests, thereby indicating that the
Vertical Electric Coring data is a suitable and dependable
replacement for the field data obtained through a
cumbersome, costly and time consuming process involving
large number of equipments and manpower. It may even be
claimed that the applicability of Geophysical Electrical
Instrumentation is unrestricted for any type of geological
terrain having any geomaterial and for any topographic
conditions where most of the conventional methods,
probably, can not be moved in field for the investigations.
10. REFERENCE :-
a)
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Seed, H. Bolton, Tokimastu, K., Harder, L.F., and Chung
R.M. (1985) “Influence Of SPT Procedures in Soil
Liquefaction Resistance Evaluations”, ASCE Jl. Of
Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 111, No. 12,pp. 1425-
1445.
b) Skemption, A.W. (1986). “ Standard Penetration Test
Procedures and the
c) Wroth, C.P. and Wood , D.M. (1978), “The Correlation
Of Index Properties with some Basic Engineering
Properties Of Soils”, Canadian Geotechnical Journal ,
Vol. 15 (2), pp.137-145.
d) Kate J.M. & Shamsher F.H. (2007) “Electrical
A
Resistivity Behavior of Layered Soil System”, Indian
Geotechnical Journal 37(4), 2007, 321-339.
e) Khatri Rajiv, Shrivastava V.K. & Chandak Dr. Rajeev,
(2011), “Geophysical - Vertical Electrical Sounding -
Method In The Evaluation Of Difficult Terrains”,
(IJAEST) International Journal Of Advanced
Engineering Sciences And Technologies Vol No. 3, Issue
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No. 2, 138 - 141
f) M.Desai (India) (1994), “Geophysical Instrumentation
for Engineering Field Tests”. Proceedings of the XII
International Conference on Soil Mechanics and
Foundation Engineering, Vol.6, page 103
g) RJ Whitley Australia (1994), Proceedings of the XII
International Conference on Soil Mechanics and
Foundation Engineering, Vol. 5 page 195
h) Y Iwaskai, Japan (1994), Proceedings of the XII
International Conference on Soil Mechanics and
Foundation Engineering,Vol.5, page 199
i) A.K. Dhawan (1994), “Geophysical Investigation of
Tehri Dam”, Proceedings of the XII International
Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation
Engineering, Vol.4, page 1345.
5
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Vol No. 4, Issue No. 2, 042 - 053
j) Yadav, G.S., Dasgupta, A.S., Sinha, R., Lal, T., Srivastava,
K.M., Singh, S.K. (2010), “Shallow sub-surface
stratigraphy of interfluves inferred from vertical electric
soundings in western Ganga plains, India”, Quaternary
International
k) Khalil, M.A., Hafez, M.A., Santos, F.M., Ramalho, E.C.,
Mesbah, H.S.A., El-Qady, G.M. (2010), “An approach to
estimate porosity and groundwater salinity by combined
application of GPR and VES: A case study in the Nubian
sandstone aquifer”, Near Surface Geophysics 8 (3), pp.
223-233
l) Kate Dr. J.M. IITD (1984) “Comparison of True
Resistivity Values with SPT Generated N Values”,
International Seminar, Tokyo, Japan, 1984.
m) Shrivastava V.K. and Khare D.K. (1999) “Umar Aqueduct
:Success Story of a Geotechnically Difficult and Forbidden
Project.” IGS and ISSMFE 1999 – International Seminar
held at Seoul, Korea
n) Shrivastava V.K. and Khare D.K. (2000) “Difficulties in
Assessing the Bearing Capacity of Soils.” IGC 2000
Millennium Seminar held at IIT Mumbai,
o) Shrivastava V.K. (2002) “Use of Electrical Resistivity in
Geotechnical Explorations.” National Seminar on Recent
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Trends in Civil Engineering at MBM Engineering College,
JNV University, Jodhpur, 2002.
p) Mościcki, W.J., Sokołowski, T. (2010), “Electric resistivity
and compactness of sediments in the vicinity of boreholes
drilled in the years 2007-2008 in the area of Starunia
palaeontological site (Carpathian region, Ukraine)”,
Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae 79 (3), pp. 343-
355
q) C. Subbarao, and N. V. Subbarao, “Delineation of effluent
contaminated zones by electrical surveys at two industrial
sites in Visakhapatnam, India” (1994), Environmental
Geology, Volume 24, Number 4 / December, 1994, 281-
286
r) Coduto, D.P. (2001) . Foundation Design- Principles and
Practices (Second Edition), Pearson Educational
International , New Jersey.
s) Clayton, C.R.I. (1990). “SPT Energy Transmission :
Theory, Measurement and Significance”, Ground
Engineering, Vol. 23, No. 10, pp. 35-43
t) Kulhawy F.H. and Mayne, P.W. (1990). Manual on
Estimating Soil Properties for Foundation design , Report
No. EL-6800, Electric Power Research, Palo Alto,CA.
u) Liao , S.S.C. and Whitman, R.V. (1985). Overburden
correction factors for SPT in sand”, Jl. Of Geotechnical
Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 112, No. 3, pp. 373-377.
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DRAWING (1) – REFERENCE MAP FOR RESISTIVITY SURVEY OF MANERI

T
ES
DRAWING (2) – CONTOUR MAP SHOWING SOIL PROFILE AT MANERI SITE
A
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TABLE (1) – COMPARITIVE MERITS OF VARIOUS METHODS OF GEOTECHNICAL

SITE INVESTIGATION
Description SPT CPT Pressure meter Dilatometer VEC
Simplicity & Complex;
Simple; Complex; Complex; Simple;
Durability of Moderately
Rugged Rugged Delicate Rugged
Apparatus Rugged
Ease of Testing Easy Easy Complex Easy Easy
Continuous
Profile or Point Point Continuous Point Point Continuous
Value
Basis for Empirical; Empirical; Empirical; Empirical;
Empirical
Interpretation Theory Theory Theory Theory
All except All except All except
Suitable Soils All All
gravels gravels gravels
Equipment Universally Generally Difficult to Difficult to Universally
Availability & Available; Available; locate; used on locate; used on Available;

T
Use in Practice used routinely used routinely special projects special projects used routinely
Potential for
Future Limited Great Great Great Unlimited
Development ES
TABLE (2) LABORATORY TEST RESULTS AS PER CONVENTIONAL METHODS
Bore Soil Classification
Specific Liquid Plastic Plasticity Shrinkage Shrinkage
SN Hole
Gravity Limit Limit Index Limit Ratio % % % Fine
No.
Gravel Sand <75µ
BH
1 2.25 59 30 29 6 2.10 3.08% 2.78% 94.14%
-1
BH
2 *** 59 32 27 9 2.00 *** *** ***
-2
A
BH
3 *** 63 31 32 9 2.10 *** *** ***
-3
BH
4 2.27 59 32 27 5 2.10 6.03% 5.66% 88.31%
-4
BH
5 2.35 60 32 28 6 2.10 3.91% 5.93% 90.16%
-5
IJ

BH
6 2.56 61 31 30 12 2.10 3.59% 6.49% 89.92%
-6
BH
7 *** 62 31 31 5 2.10 *** *** ***
-7
BH
8 2.28 63 32 31 8 1.90 4.09% 2.17% 93.74%
-8
BH
9 *** 62 29 33 10 2.00 *** *** ***
-9
BH
10 2.24 66 30 36 9 2.10 5.24% 5.92% 88.84%
- 10

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RAJIV KHATRI, et al. / (IJAEST) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES
Vol No. 4, Issue No. 2, 042 - 053

TABLE (3) ALLOWABLE BEARING CAPACITY AT VARIOUS DEPTHS AS PER SPT

VALUES (AS PER CONVENTIONAL METHODS)
SPT RESULT
Allowable Bearing
SN Bore Hole No. Corrected
Depth Capacity
N-Value
1 BH - 1 1.50 m 16 110 kN/sqm
2 BH - 2 2.00 m R 500 kN/sqm
1.50 m 26 250 kN/sqm
3 BH - 3 3.20 m R 500 kN/sqm
4.50 m R 750 kN/sqm
4 BH - 4 2.00 m 15 110 kN/sqm
1.50 m 31 290 kN/sqm

T
5 BH - 5
2.70 m R 1600 kN/sqm
1.50 m 23 200 kN/sqm
6 BH - 6
3.30 m R 800 kN/sqm

7
ES
BH - 7
1.80 m
3.00 m
15
R
130 kN/sqm
800 kN/sqm
1.60 m 20 170 kN/sqm
8 BH - 8
2.10 m R 600 kN/sqm
1.60 m 22 200 kN/sqm
9 BH - 9
2.60 m R 900 kN/sqm
A
1.60 m 26 240 kN/sqm
10 BH - 10
3.30 m R 900 kN/sqm
R = Refusal
IJ

TABLE (4) ALLOWABLE BEARING CAPACITY AT VARIOUS DEPTHS AS PER

VERTICAL ELECTRIC SOUNDING VALUES (AS PER VEC METHOD)
Allowable Bearing
SN Depth Material
Capacity
1 1.00 m 120 kN/sqm Soil
2 2.00 m 250 kN/sqm Soil
3 3.00 m 550 kN/sqm Soil - WR Interface
4 4.00 m 660 kN/sqm WR
5 5.00 m 1200 kN/sqm WR

6.00 m &
6 1500 kN/sqm Rock
more

8
ISSN: 2230-7818 @ 2011 http://www.ijaest.iserp.org. All rights Reserved. Page 49
RAJIV KHATRI, et al. / (IJAEST) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES
Vol No. 4, Issue No. 2, 042 - 053

FIG (1) LABORATORY TEST RESULTS – PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION - AS PER

CONVENTIONAL METHODS

Particle Size Distribution Curve

BORE HOLE - 1, HPCL Maneri
100%
90%
80%
70%

% Finer ---->
60%
50%
40%
30%

T
20%
10%
0%
0.001 0.010 0.100 1.000 10.000
Particle Size (mm) ---->
ES
Particle Size Distribution Curve
BORE HOLE - 4, HPCL Maneri
100%
90%
80%
A
70% % Finer ---->
60%
50%
40%
IJ

30%
20%
10%
0%
0.001 0.010 0.100 1.000 10.000
Particle Size (mm) ---->

9
ISSN: 2230-7818 @ 2011 http://www.ijaest.iserp.org. All rights Reserved. Page 50
RAJIV KHATRI, et al. / (IJAEST) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES
Vol No. 4, Issue No. 2, 042 - 053

Particle Size Distribution Curve

BORE HOLE - 5, HPCL Maneri
100%
90%
80%
70%

% Finer ---->
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

T
0.001 0.010 0.100 1.000 10.000
Particle Size (mm) ---->
ES
Particle Size Distribution Curve
BORE HOLE - 6, HPCL Maneri
100%
90%
80%
70%

% Finer ---->
60%
A
50%
40%
30%
20%
IJ

10%
0%
0.001 0.010 0.100 1.000 10.000
Particle Size (mm) ---->

10
ISSN: 2230-7818 @ 2011 http://www.ijaest.iserp.org. All rights Reserved. Page 51
RAJIV KHATRI, et al. / (IJAEST) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES
Vol No. 4, Issue No. 2, 042 - 053

Particle Size Distribution Curve

BORE HOLE - 8, HPCL Maneri
100%
90%
80%
70%

% Finer ---->
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

T
0.001 0.010 0.100 1.000 10.000
Particle Size (mm) ---->
ES
Particle Size Distribution Curve
BORE HOLE - 10, HPCL Maneri
100%
90%
80%
70%

% Finer ---->
60%
A
50%
40%
30%
20%
IJ

10%
0%
0.001 0.010 0.100 1.000 10.000
Particle Size (mm) ---->

11
ISSN: 2230-7818 @ 2011 http://www.ijaest.iserp.org. All rights Reserved. Page 52
RAJIV KHATRI, et al. / (IJAEST) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES
Vol No. 4, Issue No. 2, 042 - 053

FIG (2) BORE LOG DETAILS AS PER CONVENTIONAL METHODS

T
ES
FIG (3) BORE LOG DETAILS AS PER VES (VEC) METHOD
A
IJ

12
ISSN: 2230-7818 @ 2011 http://www.ijaest.iserp.org. All rights Reserved. Page 53