WPC #28013 07/09

AREA MANAGER ROADS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

AMRC 2011 SOIL AND AGGREGATE FUNDAMENTALS

STUDENT GUIDE

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

April, 2006

WPC #28013 07/09

2009 by

British Columbia Institute of Technology

Burnaby, British Columbia

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form, without permission in

writing from BCIT.

Material subject to copyright has been reproduced under licence from Access Copyright. Resale or

further copying of this material is strictly prohibited.

WPC #28013 07/09 1

Course Introduction

This is the Soil and Aggregate Fundamentals course in the Area Manager Roads Certification Program. You will earn 2.0 credits when you finish this course.

Table of Contents Page Course Introduction .................................................................................. 1

Course Outline .......................................................................................... 2

Course Details ........................................................................................... 4

Evaluation and Study ................................................................................ 5

Final Exam ................................................................................................ 6

Self-Test Answers ..................................................................................... 8

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Course Outline

Course Title: Soil and Aggregate Fundamentals

Course Number: AMRC 2011

Number of Credits: 2.0

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: define and discuss the terms geology and soil mechanics describe the natural processes that take place in the formation of

rocks, soils and aggregates know the major types of rocks and be able to identify them by using

the MoT rock identification charts describe some of the tests used to classify a soil.

Course Description

The course provides an introduction to the terminology, theory and practices as related to geology, soil mechanics and the basic properties of soils and aggregates. The course first defines the terms geology and soil mechanics, then differentiates between them and explains how knowledge of each has a function within engineering. The course discusses the natural processes that take place in the formation of soils and rocks. It then describes the rock identification charts used by the MoT and other simple field identification tests. The course outlines some laboratory tests used to define the soil properties that classify a soil in accordance with the Unified Soil Classification System. Aggregates are the fundamental component in a number of construction materials. A basic understanding of the properties of construction materials and the methods used in testing them is essential for the technologist in order to design pavement structures, concrete and asphalt mixes.

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3

Prerequisites

None.

Suggested Prerequisites

None.

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Course Details

Course Modules

Module 1 Introduction to Soil Mechanics Module 2 The Nature and Origin of Soil and Rock Deposits Module 3 Field Identification of Soils Module 4 Phase Relationships of Soil Module 5 Soil Properties Module 6 Foundations Module 7 Slope Stability Module 8 Properties of Aggregates References

Course Materials

Student Guide Course Manual

Required Text(s) and Equipment

None.

Recommended Text(s) and Equipment

American Society for Testing Materials. Section 4. Asphalt Institute. Soils Manual (MS10). American Concrete Institute. Aggregates for Concrete (E1–78). Atkins, H.N. (2003). Highway Materials, Soils and Concretes. Prentice Hall. Canadian Standards Association. CAN3 A23.1 M90-00. Canadian Standards Association. CAN3 A23.2 M90-00. McCarthy, D.F. (2002). Essentials of Soil Mechanics and Foundations. Reston Publishing Co. Lambe and Whitman. (1979). Soil Mechanics. John Wiley and Sons. Schroeder, W.L. (1984). Soils in Construction. Prentice Hall.

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Evaluation and Study

Student Evaluation

Your course mark will be based on a possible total of 100 marks as follows: Final Examination 100 marks

Note: Students must achieve a minimum passing mark of 75% on the final exam to receive credit for the course.

The Examination will be held at locations agreed with the MoT. It will be a closed book exam, i.e., the learner will not be allowed to take the course manual and texts into the exam.

Study Procedures

The course modules are self-contained and cover a particular subject or a group of related items. Each module begins with the specific objectives you should be able to achieve, then describes and explains the subject and ends with a series of self-test questions. These self-test questions should be correctly completed without reference to the manual before you proceed to the next module.

Module Self-Tests

The module self-test solutions are located in this student guide.

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Final Exam

When you have finished Module 8, you should send in your completed “Request for Exam” form. You will be asked to write a “closed book” exam in a specified period of time and the proctor (normally a professional engineer or equivalent or a person in an excluded position) will sign the form confirming that you wrote the exam in the allotted time and place. The “Request for Exam” form is page 7 of this guide. The form should be sent to:

Civil Engineering Technology Distance Education Dept., Room 286, Building SW3 BCIT 3700 Willingdon Avenue Burnaby, BC V5G 3H2

Or Faxed to:

Civil Engineering Technology Distance Education Dept., at (604) 436-6113

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Request for Examination

AMRC 2011Soil and Aggregate Fundamentals

I am prepared to write my final examination for the above course. PLEASE PRINT:

Student Name:

Address:

Postal Code:

Student Number:

Phone Number:

E-mail Address: PLEASE FORWARD MY EXAMINATION TO:

Examination Supervisor Name:

Address:

Postal Code:

E-mail Address:

I agree to supervise the AMRC 2011 – Soil and Aggregate Fundamentals examination.

Examination Supervisor Signature Examination Supervisor Name (please print)

Position or Professional Designation (Professional Engineer, etc.)

Membership Number (if appropriate)

Phone Number

WPC #28013 07/09

AREA MANAGER ROADS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

AMRC 2011 SOIL AND AGGREGATE FUNDAMENTALS

Self-Test Answers

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SELF-TEST ANSWERS

(Module 1 – Introduction to Soil Mechanics)

1. The purpose of soil mechanics when designing a road is to identify potential problems and

recommend engineering solutions for erosion, stability, etc. 2. Refer to Section 1.2 and the description of Forest – Landslide Categories.

3. Soil erosion and slope stability are linked by their vary nature: unstable slopes lead to erosion in the

form of mass wasting and surface soil erosion may lead to slope stability problems. 4. Factors influencing soil erosion are linked and include:

rainfall erodibility permeability topography ground cover.

5. The three classifications of rock are:

Igneous Rock — Formed as molten magma cools.

Sedimentary Rock — Formed mainly by the weathering and erosion of older mountains,

followed by compression from overlying sediments. Metamorphic Rock — Rock of either igneous or sedimentary origin whose properties have been

changed by pressure or chemical action. 6. Soil Mechanics is the study of how soils behave when subjected to loads and water pressure.

Soil Mechanics Engineering and Geotechnical Engineering are the same subject. 7. Weathering is the natural and continuous breaking of a rock into smaller and smaller fragments by

the actions of water, wind, ice and gravity. 8. High permeability soil describes a soil which allows water to easily pass through it.

9. Compressibility of a soil informs you of the amount of settlement that will occur over a period of

time due to an imposed load (e.g., a structure or highway). Knowing the future settlement allows you to counteract or prevent problems that may occur due to the settlement.

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SELF-TEST ANSWERS

(Module 2 – The Nature and Origin of Soil and Rock Deposits)

1. Geology is the science which studies the composition, history and structure of the earth’s crust.

Geotechnical engineering studies the behaviour of soils when subject to loads and water pressure, i.e., it deals with the engineering properties of soils.

2. Residual soils are comprised of weathered rock and are formed by the action of natural forces such

as wind, rain, etc. 3. A. Residual Soils

B. Gravity Transported Soils C. River Deposits D. Lake Deposits E. Marine Deposits F. Wind Deposits G. Glacial Deposits 4. Creep is the slow movement downhill by residual soils. It is important to know whether creep is

present or not since it can move and damage foundations. 5. Another name for subsurface water is groundwater. It is the water that is contained between the

particles of soil. 6. Glacial till is a random mixture of soil particles ranging in size from boulders to clay, that are found

in moraines.

7. See Section 2.3.5.

8. Refer to the discussion under Section 2.5.

Petrology is the science of rocks and deals with more or less definite units of which the earth is built.

Petrography comprises the purely descriptive part of the science from the chemical-mineralogical and textural point of view.

9. Grain size-uniformity; character of grains; hardness; manner of breaking; colour; behaviour with weak acid.

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10. Slate. 11. Weathering of a rock may occur due to physical or chemical process. It is often due to a combination

of both processes. Weathering generally affects the strength of the rock. Highly weathered rock is considered to exhibit poor engineering properties.

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SELF-TEST ANSWERS

(Module 3 – Field Identification of Soils)

1. A. Soil Consistency using your fingers

B. Soil Density using a steel rod C. Compressibility — visual inspection D. Permeability — visual inspection E. Colour F. Soil Composition — visual inspection, dilatancy test and smell G. Soil Structure — visual inspection H. Soil Moisture — visual inspection

2. Soil colour can indicate other important properties, e.g., a change in colour during excavation often

means a change in soil type. 3. Homogenous – uniform properties throughout the soil mass

Stratified – alternate layers of different soils Banded – alternate layers in residual soils 4. A fissure is a crack formed by the action of frost or shrinkage on the soil.

5. A. Peat

B. Grey-brown, peaty plastic clay – damp C. Very soft, grey, plastic clay – wet

D. Very soft, grey, plastic clay with some fine sand — wet E. Light grey sand with a trace of silt or clay – saturated F. Light grey, fine-coarse sand – saturated

6. A. Compact, brown, rounded gravelly medium-coarse sand – dry

B. Compact, brown, sandy gravel – dry

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SELF-TEST ANSWERS

(Module 4 – Phase Relationships of Soil)

1. Air, water and solid particles.

2. Moisture content is the mass of water in a soil sample divided by the mass of solids in that same sample. The result is multiplied by 100 and expressed as a percentage.

Degree of saturation is the volume of water in a soil sample divided by the total volume of voids in that sample. The result is multiplied by 100 and expressed as a percentage.

Bulk density of a soil is the total weight (or mass) of the soil sample (solids and water) divided by

the volume occupied by the sample, including volume of air if soil is not 100% saturated.

3. A. 1.77 gms/cm3; 45% B. 1.43 gms/cm3; 46% C. 2.32 gms/cm3; 0.25

4. The purpose of a sieve test is to determine the grain size and distribution of a soil sample so that it (the soil sample) may be classified.

5.

60u

10

230

c10 60

DC

D

(D )C

D D

6. Gradation curve not shown.

Soil 1 D60 = 11.5 mm D30 = 3.8 mm D10 = 0.5 mm Cu = 23

Cc = 2(3.8)

2.5111.5 0.5

Soil 2 D60 = 0.34 mm D30 = 0.22 mm D10 = 0.17 mm

Cu = 0.34

2.00.17

Cc = 2(0.22)

0.8370.34 0.17

Note: Your figures may vary slightly from these depending upon your plotting of sieve analysis.

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7. The purpose of a soils classification system is to make an estimate of the soil properties or

capabilities possible by association with soils of the same class whose properties are known, and to provide an accurate method of soil description.

8. A. G – Gravel

B. C – Clay or clayey C. O – Organic silt or clay D. ML – Low plasticity silt E. SW – Well-graded sand

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SELF-TEST ANSWERS

(Module 5 – Soil Properties)

1. The strength of a soil comes from two sources, friction and cohesion. The resistance to sliding of a

soil grain across another is essentially friction. In the case of sands, the interlocking effect between soil particles helps to resist movement. The frictional strength increases with the contact stress between the soil grains.

Cohesive strength can be created by natural cementing of the soil grains, by surface tension — the force which causes tiny webs of water to cling from one soil particle to another, and by chemical and electrical bonding between soil particles.

2. See page 5-5, angle of internal friction. No, a value of 60° is too high.

3. See pages 5-7 and 5-9. A change in conditions (e.g., moisture content) will alter the strength of the

soil. 4. See page 5-8 and 5-9. Affects the strength of the soil; could lead to a slope failure.

5. See pages 5-15 and 5-16.

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SELF-TEST ANSWERS

(Module 6 – Foundations)

1. See pages 6-9 and 6-10. To prevent large movements of the abutment due to failure of the soil.

2. Possibly use a raft or mat foundation, or in certain areas piled foundations.

3. You wish to ensure that the three criteria given on page 6-4 are fulfilled. Surficial soils may appear

to have a high bearing capacity. However, the soil below them may be of lesser quality (strength) and when the load is transmitted to it through the surficial soil it may fail.

Consider a very simple situation: You could put a 150–300 mm layer of gravel over an area of mud. The “surficial” soil (i.e., the gravel) would appear to give you good bearing, but once a load such as a vehicle is applied to the gravel it would be transmitted through it to the mud and failure would occur.

4. See pages 6-6 and 6-7.

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SELF-TEST ANSWERS

(Module 7 – Slope Stability)

1. A. See pages 7-9 and 7-10. B. See pages 7-5, 7-13 and 7-14. C. See pages 7-11 and 7-12. 2. A. See page 7-3. B. See pages 7-11, 7-12 and 7-13. C. See pages 7-18 and 7-19. D. See page 7-21 and 7-22. 3. See pages 7-23 and 7-24. 4. See pages 7-5, 7-6 and 7-7. 5. See pages 7-15 to 7-24.

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SELF-TEST ANSWERS

(Module 8 – Properties of Aggregates)

1. Graph 1: Gap-graded

Graph 2: Well-graded Graph 3: Uniform 2. #4.

3. Yes.

4. See page 8-13.

5. See page 8-13.

6. See page 8-13.

7. See page 8-13.

8. See page 8-15.

9. See page 8-15.

10. See page 8-15. 11. See pages 8-17 and 8-18. 12. See page 8-17. 13. See page 8-18. 14. See page 8-19. 15. See page 8-19.

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16. See pages 8-20. 17. Water, see page 8-20. 18. Saturated surface dry, see page 8-22. 19. 10 cubic metres.