Applied Geotechnics for Construction Projects, Volume 1

Ammar Dhouib, doctor of civil engineering specializing in soil mechanics, is a lecturer and professor of geotechnics at Polytech Sorbonne University, Paris, France. He is also a geotechnical expert at the VINCI construction group and a justice expert at the Court of Appeal in Versailles. His research interests focus on geotechnics, and he has authored or co authored five books on this topic.

• Foreword ixPhilippe GUILLERMAIN† and François SCHLOSSER Entrepreneur’s Tribune: Geotechnics is at the Heart of Our Projects xiPascal LEMOINE and Eric DURANDPreface xiiiAcknowledgments xixSymbols and Notations xxiIntroduction lvChapter 1 Soil: Definition, Identification and Classification 11.1 Definition of a soil 11.1.1 Characteristic sizes 11.2 Soil types 61.2.1 Granular soils 71.2.2 Fine soils 71.3 Laboratory identification tests 91.3.1 Parameters and standards 91.3.2 Definition of parameters 101.4 Examples of soil identification and applications 131.4.1 Particle size analysis 131.4.2 Characterization of soil plasticity 141.4.3 Organic material content research 141.4.4 Liquefaction risk analysis 151.4.5 Characterization of clay soils with respect to swelling and shrinkage 161.4.6 Soil treatment for platforms and technical backfills 171.5 Soil classification 221.6 Illustrative samples 241.7 Roads and carriageways fact sheet 261.8 Railway platforms fact sheet 281.9 Appendix 1.1: Classification of soft soil and rock 301.10 References 40Chapter 2 Stresses, Deformations and Behavioral Laws of Soils 412.1 Basic concepts of mechanics of continuous media 412.1.1 Concept of stress 412.1.2 Concept of deformation 422.1.3 Generalization of the state of stresses 442.1.4 Generalization of the deformation state 512.1.5 Deformation–displacement relations 512.1.6 Deformation rate 532.1.7 Acceleration 542.2 Behavioral laws 542.2.1 Elastic behavior model 552.2.2 Elasto-plastic behavioral models 642.2.3 Viscoelastic behavior models 772.2.4 Dynamic behavior of soils 782.3 Soil creep phenomenon 822.3.1 Creep mechanism 822.3.2 Creep stresses and deformations 822.4 Mechanics of continuous media applied to soils 832.4.1 Terzaghi’s fundamental relation 832.4.2 Concepts of short term and long term 842.4.3 Equilibrium equations 852.4.4 Experimental determination of elastic parameters of soil 902.4.5 Order of magnitude of soil parameters 932.5 Practical applications to construction projects 962.5.1 Calculation of vertical stresses in a homogeneous soil 962.5.2 Steps to solving finite element calculations: simple cases 982.5.3 Project 1: Modeling and calculation of settlement of a road embankment 1092.5.4 Project 2: Study of the displacements of a retaining slurry trench wall 1122.5.5 Project 3: Modeling of rafts on vertical stiff inclusions 1182.5.6 Some lessons to be learned from deformation calculations 1192.6 References 121Chapter 3 Determination of the In-situ Geotechnical Parameters of Soils 1253.1 Introduction 1253.1.1 The purpose of testing in geotechnical projects 1253.1.2 On-site and laboratory tests: which to choose? 1263.2 General methodology of geotechnical studies 1273.2.1 Phases and types of standard geotechnical studies 1273.2.2 Standard geotechnical missions 1283.2.3 Blueprint of a geotechnical study 1353.3 Inventory of field tests in France 1373.3.1 Soil identification and classification tests 1373.3.2 Laboratory compression tests 1383.3.3 Laboratory shear tests 1383.3.4 Legend for parameters measured in the laboratory 1383.3.5 Tests to determine the mechanical properties of soils on site 1393.3.6 Legend for parameters measured on site 1393.3.7 Tests for the measurement of soil permeability 1403.3.8 Tests to measure the dynamic soil parameters 1403.3.9 Specific tests 1403.4 On-site parameter determination tests 1413.4.1 Vane test 1413.4.2 Cone penetration test (CPT) 1513.4.3 Dynamic penetrometer test (PDA and PDB) 1663.4.4 Standard penetration test (SPT) 1723.4.5 Ménard pressuremeter test (MPT) 1793.4.6 Phicometer shear test 1983.4.7 Plate-bearing test 2053.5 French conventional soil classification 2143.5.1 Classification according to Fascicle 62, Part V 2143.5.2 Soil classification according to Eurocode 7 2143.5.3 Classification according to PS92 rules 2163.5.4 Classification according to Eurocode 8 2183.6 Correlations between parameters 2193.6.1 Correlations between mechanical parameters measured on site 2193.6.2 Correlations between other parameters 2213.7 Practical analysis of typical tests 2243.7.1 Practical example of monotonic pressuremeter tests 2243.7.2 Practical example of pressuremeter tests with cycles 2303.7.3 Control procedures for pressuremeter tests 2323.7.4 Practical example of cone penetration tests 2393.7.5 Variations and correlations between parameters measured on site 2433.7.6 Photos of worksites and on-site survey equipment 2473.8 Scope of application of on-site testing 2543.9 Test results in typical soils 2563.9.1 Pressuremeter tests (Baud diagram) 2563.9.2 Pressuremeter tests in backfills treated with lime 2573.9.3 Cone penetration tests 2573.9.4 Common diagram for geotechnical investigations 2583.10 Wise conclusion 2623.11 Appendix 3.1: Correlations between net creep pressures and net limit pressures 2623.12 References 263French, European and ISO Standards in the Field of Geotechnics 271Index 303Summaries of Other Volumes 307