Engineering and Construction
Engineering G eology & Soil Mechanics
Project description
With reference to the recent Policy Address, more lands supply is required in the coming future.
The government has commissioned AFL & Associate Limited as the consultant for searching Potential sites for development. You are one of the project engineers of this company responsible for producing geotechnical study of one of the sites. These sites include:
1. An existing quarry with a ruined old housing estate.
2. An existing quarry adjacent to sea side with a rec1amation land.
3. Old fish ponds with some of the soil and rock needed to be replaced for development use.
4. Wolds.
5. Agriculture lands.
6. Valleys.
7. Other sites to be identified.
For most of the sites involve removal of large amount of unwanted material, such as existing
Rock and soil, you are required to study also the feasibility of reuse the unwanted material for
Minimizing environmental impact.
Part 1 Rock
1.1 Describe the formation of the site and produce engineering description as well as
Classification of the rock types found on your site. (You are suggested producing this
Description with the help of a geological layout plan.)
You may make your description by including following points:
a. Produce a geological layout plan
b. Describe the formation of the site.
c. Produce engineering description.
d. Classify rock types.
Answer Criteria,
(L1 .1) examine modes of formation, engineering descriptions aand classifications of common rock types.
1.2 In order to promote the reuse of the unwanted materials, describe the materials from rock
Forming minerals and their susceptibility to weathering in the proposed usage.
You may make your description by including following points:
a. Describe the forming minerals of the rock chosen.
b. Propose a usage with reference to these minerals.
c. Describe the susceptibi1ity of the minerals to weathering.
d. Propose a usage with reference to their susceptibility to weathering.
Answer Criteria
(L1.2) describe the common rock forming minerals aand their susceptibility to weathering.
1.3 Evaluate the usage of the unwanted rnaterials, including rock and soil, for construction.
You rnay rnake your evaluation by inc1uding the following points:
Evaluate the rock type chosen in construction.
b. Evaluate the rock type not chosen for construction use.
c. Evaluate the soil type chosen in construction.
d. Evaluate the soil type not chosen for construction use.
Answer Criteria
(LI.3) evaluate the common lIsage of rock and un-cemented sediments for construction
Part 2 Soil
2.1 Describe the soil found on the site, both in-situ and sarnpled.
You rnay make your description by inc1uding the following points:
a. Produce soil description of in-situ rnaterial.
b. Discuss the future construction use with reference to the soil description.
c. Produce soil description of sarnpled rninerals.
d. Discuss the future construction use with reference to the soil description.
Answer criteria
(L2.1) produces soil descriptions for in-situ and sampled materials.
2.2 Produce a classification of the soil to be reused with reference to the proposed usage.
You rnay rnake your classification by inc1uding the following points:
a. Discuss the dry sieving rnethod.
b. Discuss the Atterberg Limits.
c. Present test result. ,
d. Discuss the suitability ofthe soil with reference to particular usage r _,..-‘
Answer Criteria
classify soils
2.3 Describe how to determine the basic soil properties for the soil found on the site.
You may describe the fo lIowing properties:
a. Density.;
b. Moisture Content.
c. Specific gravity
d. Liquid limit and plastic limit.
Answer criteria
?2.3) determine basic soi/ properties.
2.4 From the testing data obtained, calculate the basic soil properties and present in relevant
graphs.
You may calculate the following properties:
a. Density.
b. Moisture Content.
c. Void ratio and Porosity.
d. Liquid limit and plastic limit.
Answer criteria
(L2.4) produce calculate aand graphs relating 10 basic soil properties.
Part 3 Design parameters for soils
3.1 For the site planned for fu?re residential development use, please explain how to measure
the required geotechnical design parameters.
You may describe with the following parameters:
a. Bulk Density.
b. Cohesion.
c. Angle of shearing resistance.
d. Water Table and water pressure.
Answer Criteria
(L3.1) explain the measurement of geotechnical/ design parameters.
3.2 For the site planned for future residential development use, please plan the ground
investigation with suitable method and testing.
You may prepare your planning as follows:
a. Produce a ground investigation plan.
b. Produce a sampling pattern.
c. Discuss the ground investigation method you adopted.
d. Discuss the in-situ testing you employed.
Answer Criteria
(L3.2) discuss the methods 01 ground investigatiol1 and/or in-situ sample acquisition and testing.
3.3 Describe the methods and procedures of laboratory measurements of soils with reference to
Proposed relevant use.
You may make your description by including following points:
a. Shear box testing.
b. Ring shear testing.
c. ln-situ shear testing.
d. Trixie shear testing
Answer Criteria
(L3.3) carry out laboratory measurements on soils.
Soil Testing
4.1 From the testing data obtained, calculate the shear strength parameters of soils.
You may present your calculation by including the followings:
a. Present your data.
b. Calculate the shear strength parameters from the data obtained.
c. Draw a graph for help of calculation.
d. Discuss the properties of the soil from the parameter obtained.
Answer Criteria
4.1) Evaluate laboratory data to determine shear strength parameters using current codes of practice.
4.2 Describe the methods and procedures for permeability and one-dimensional consolidation test and calculate the relevant design parameters from the test data obtained.
You may make your calculation by the following steps:
a. Describe the method and procedure for permeability test.
b. Calculate parameters of permeability from the data obtained.
c. Describe the method and procedure for One-dimensional consolidation test.
d. Calculate parameters of compressibility from the data obtained.