Laserfiche WebLink
April 16, 2012 <br />3.0 FIELD INVESTIGATION <br />Page 5 <br />A field investigation was performed March 8 and 9, 2012 to better define the subsurface <br />conditions at the site. <br />3.1 Field Investigation Program <br />A total of three borings (BH -38, BH -39 and BH -40) were advanced March 8, and another <br />boring (BH -41) and a dynamic sounding (DS -1) were advanced March 9, 2012 as part of the <br />geotechnical field investigation. The borings and sounding are located within the footprint of the <br />proposed DWDA and are illustrated in Figure 1. Each boring was advanced with a truck - <br />mounted Simco drill rig equipped with 4 -inch diameter solid stem, continuous flight augers. <br />Representative bulk soil samples were recovered by cuttings brought to the surface by the auger <br />flights. More representative samples of specific intervals were collected with a California barrel <br />(2 -inch inner diameter sampler), driven with a 140 -pound hammer to a depth of 18 inches. The <br />California barrel was equipped with brass liners to preserve the soil properly for laboratory tests, <br />provided the sample remained intact within the liner. Blow counts or drive sample counts were <br />recorded over three 6 -inch intervals in order to obtain a relative determination of the bearing <br />capacity of the soil in general accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials <br />Standard Penetration Test (SPT) procedure (ASTM D 1586).1 SPT resistance values, when <br />properly evaluated, indicate the relative density or consistency of the soils or materials <br />penetrated. SPT sampling was conducted in each boring at 5 -ft intervals. Details of the <br />sampling, soil classifications and descriptions of materials encountered, SPT blow counts, <br />drilling and groundwater information were recorded on field boring logs by AAI's field <br />representative. Information on the field boring logs was entered into a boring log program that <br />creates a final format for report presentation. <br />In addition to the conventional auger drill hole, a dynamic sounding (DS -1), was <br />advanced alongside BH -39. The dynamic sounding consisted of a steel cone (1.5- inch - diameter) <br />being driven using procedures outlined by ASTM D1586.1 The purpose of the dynamic <br />sounding was to obtain a continuous log of the relative consistency of the alluvial materials <br />present with particular attention to any soft, weak intervals that may not be identified by <br />conventional auger drilling. <br />3.2 Subsurface Conditions <br />The material encountered in the borings was somewhat consistent in that silty, sandy clay <br />and clayey to gravelly sand overlies weathered sandstone bedrock. Approximately 10 ft of fill, <br />consisting of gravelly to silty sand, is present in the area of BH -38. The depth of the alluvium <br />varies from approximately 10 ft in BH -41 to approximately 20 ft in BH -38. Weathered bedrock <br />underlies the alluvium. The thickness of the bedrock weathering is inconsistent and varies from <br />nonexistent to approximately 5 ft. Underlying the weathered bedrock is unweathered bedrock <br />consisting, in general, of weak, poorly cemented, medium to coarse - grained sandstone. The <br />boring location of BH -38 and the drill rig used for the site investigation are illustrated in <br />Photograph 3. <br />American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), "Standard Test Method for Standard Penetration Test (SPT) <br />and Split - Barrel Sampling of Soils," Designation D1586 -11. <br />Agapito Associates, Inc. <br />