AMBALARA BRIDGE SITE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0
1.1

FOUNDATION INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE BRIDGE AT AMBALARA ... 1

Introduction ................................................................................................ 1

1.2 Fieldwork ..................................................................................................... 1

1.3 Percussion Drilling (Soft Boring) in Soft Ground ......................................... 1
2.0

SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS ..................................................................... 2

2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 2

2.2 Surficial Soil Profile ..................................................................................... 2
2.3

Country Rock ............................................................................................. 3

2.4 Groundwater Conditions ............................................................................. 3

3.0

ESTIMATION OF FOUNDATION PARAMETERS ...................................... 4

3.1 Allowable Bearing Capacity Estimation for footings on Granular ................ 4

4.0

FOUNDATION DEPTH AND TYPE ............................................................ 4

APPENDIX A LOGS & LOCATION OF BOREHOLE AT AMBALARA ............... 5

APPENDIX B RESULTS OF ALLOWABLE BEARING CAPACTY ..................... 9

Geotechnical Report

Page i

1.0

FOUNDATION INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE BRIDGE AT AMBALARA

1.1
Introduction
Foundation investigation has been carried out at proposed River site found in the
Upper West Region.

The River crossing was located at Ambalara.

1.2
Fieldwork
The fieldwork was carried out between 14th and 16th February, 2010.
To facilitate the attainment of the requirement of the fieldwork, and also
ensure compliance with the requirements of soil sample recovery and
performance of specified field tests such as standard penetration tests and
recovery of undisturbed clayey/compressible soils, a 1-ton mobile cable
percussion boring rig was used to undertake subsoil investigation.

1.3
Percussion Drilling (Soft Boring) in Soft Ground
Percussion drilling in soft ground involved the drilling of two (2No.) boreholes at
Ambalara. One borehole was drilled at each approach.
The various depths attained in soft ground and decomposed rock are shown in
Table 1. Sampling and in-situ testing were carried out in the boreholes in
accordance with project specifications.
All boreholes in soft ground were deemed to have attained refusal when a total
of 50 blows have been applied during any one of the three 0.15m (6-ins)
sampler advancement during SPT. The final depths of the boreholes ranged
from 6.8m in BH 1 to 4.0 in BH 2. Duration for chiseling in each borehole
averaged one and half hours.

Geotechnical Report

Page 1

Table 1: Drilling Depths

Ambalara
Depth in Soft
Borehole

Depth in Rock

Ground

(Chiselling with

(Percussion

California Hammer)

Drilling)

Total
Depth

B1

6.7m

0.1m

6.8m

B2

4.0m

0.0m

4.0m

2.0

SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS

2.1
Introduction
This section present the results of the field activities and samples recovered as
part of the investigations.

2.2
Surficial Soil Profile
The boreholes sunk at the site revealed the following ground conditions;

Table 2: Stratigraphy of Site

Ambalara
Stratum

Thickness

Soft moist dark brown sandy 0.4m 2.1

Average SPT N
5

SILT
Loose wet grey coarse grained 2.1m 4.1m

14

silty SAND with gravel

Medium dense to very dense 4.1m 6.8m
silty

SAND

with

40

gravel

(weathered rock)

Geotechnical Report

Page 2

Surficial soils were mainly sand with a heterogeneous mixture of dense,

occasionally greyish/yellowish/brown dense silty gravel.

Logs and Location of borehole are presented in Appendix A.

2.3
Country Rock
Bedrock of weathered Granite belonging to the Middle Precambrian granitic
rocks, with minor belts of Birrimian rocks was encountered in all locations
drilled. It was chiselled at all borehole locations. The geological map indicates
that granite was to be expected along the project corridor. At Ambalara the
material actually chiseled is greyish brown silty SAND with ravel (weathered
rock).

2.4
Groundwater Conditions
Groundwater was encountered at a depth of between 1.7m n BH1.
Within the project area, the major rainy season occurs from mid August to
October. Groundwater levels are normally expected to peak at mid September
to mid October and be at lowest in mid December to mid April. Seasonal
fluctuation in groundwater level is dependent on several factors notable are;
geology, rainfall amount, topography, catchment area size, groundwater
abstraction and recharge rates, surface drainage and land-use characteristics.

Geotechnical Report

Page 3

3.0

ESTIMATION OF FOUNDATION PARAMETERS

3.1

Allowable Bearing Capacity Estimation for footings on Granular

Soils/Weathered Rock
The results obtained for N may be used to estimate bearing capacity for
granular soils of weathered granite formations. This is done in conjunction with
estimated width (B) of footing, and this is read off in the relationship established
by Terzargi and Peck curve for soils, ultimate bearing pressure in kN/m
Qult

2
N
B 0.3
B
0.08

The detailed results of allowable bearing capacity are presented in Table 3

of Appendix B.

4.0
FOUNDATION DEPTH AND TYPE
At the Ambalara bridge site a foundation depth of 6.0m should be adopted. This
will mainly be in the competent weathered rock horizon.
It is therefore recommended that a design bearing capacity of 500
750KN/m2 be used and footings placed at 6.0m. At that footing depth,
either piles or caissons is to be used.

Geotechnical Report

Page 4

APPENDIX A

LOGS & LOCATION OF BOREHOLE AT AMBALARA

Geotechnical Report

Page 5

BOREHOLE LOG
PROJECT:

Ambralara

LOCATION:
BORING METHOD: Percussion Drilling

DATE : 14th February, 2010

LOGGED BY: Ebenezer

ds1

(%) (%) (%)

pH Value

(%)

Cl- (mgl-1)

0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8

N-value

Soil/Rock Description

Chemical
Tests

SO42- (mgl-1)

Type

Shear
Test

Fines %

Sample

Consistency
Limits
nmc LL PI DFS

Sand %

OD
Level*
(m)

In-situ
Test

Gravel (%)

Symbol

Soil Profile

Cu (kN/m2)

Borehole No.: 1

Dense reddish brown GRAVEL

Loose moist light brown fine-grained

SAND

spt1

N=5

5.7 Non-plastic

89

11

- Ground water

spt2

N=6

10.2

30

11

11

71

18

16.1

39

22

75

23

16.7

39

21

73

25

Very loose to loose wet light grey/light

brown SAND with gravel

spt3

N=2

spt4

N=35

Medium dense to dense moist light green

grayish brown silty SAND with gravel
and mica (weathered Rock)

spt5

N=41

spt6

N>50

End of borehole

LEGEND
ds - disturbed sample
ud - undisturbed sample
spt - Standard Penetration Test Sample
CPT - Cone Penetration Test
N-value

nmc - natural moisture content

LL - Liquid Limit
PI - Plasticity Index
DFS - Differential Free Swell
- Ground water

Cu - Cohesion
- Coefficient of shear resistance
SO42- - Sulphate Content
Cl- - Chloride Content

Note
Hole chisseled for 1.5hours. There was no pentration of 0.1m

Geotechnical Report

Page 6

BOREHOLE LOG
PROJECT:

Ambralara

LOCATION:
BORING METHOD: Percussion Drilling

DATE : 16th February, 2010

LOGGED BY: Ebenezer

ds1

Dense moist reddish brown GRAVEL

(%) (%) (%)

1.2

22

52

41

N=34

10.3

39

20

62

30

N=47

6.8

30

14

74

25

10.7 Non-plastic

74

25

pH Value

(%)

Chemical
Tests

Cl- (mgl-1)

0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4

N-value

Soil/Rock Description

Cu (kN/m2)

Type

Shear
Test

Fines %

Sample

Consistency
Limits
nmc LL PI DFS

Sand %

OD
Level*
(m)

In-situ
Test

Gravel (%)

Symbol

Soil Profile

SO42- (mgl-1)

Borehole No.: 2

Medium dense moist greyish/dark grey

light green silty SAND
(decomposed ROCK)

spt1

spt2
Very dense dry greyish brown/dark grey slity
silty SAND with traces of broken quartz
particles (Weathered Rock)

spt3

N>50

End of borehole

LEGEND
ds - disturbed sample
ud - undisturbed sample
spt - Standard Penetration Test Sample
CPT - Cone Penetration Test
N-value

nmc - natural moisture content

LL - Liquid Limit
PI - Plasticity Index
DFS - Differential Free Swell
- Ground water

Cu - Cohesion
- Coefficient of shear resistance
SO42- - Sulphate Content
Cl- - Chloride Content

Note
Hole chisseled for 1.5hours. There was no pentration

Geotechnical Report

Page 7

AMBALARA

BRIDGE BOREHOLE LOCATION

14-02-10
Kulun

AB3

AB4
24.20m

15.60m
BH1

Ambralara

BH1
32.2m
53.0m
AB2
AB1

WA

Geotechnical Report

Page 8

APPENDIX B

RESULTS OF ALLOWABLE BEARING CAPACTY

Geotechnical Report

Page 9

Table 3:

Summary of Foundation Details at Borehole Locations

Okyereko
Ambalara

Location

BH 1

Foundation Soil

Medium dense to very dense silty SAND

Soil Thickness

Proposed Foundation

Allowable Bearing

Net Safe Bearing

Depth

Pressure

Pressure

6.8m

6.0m

1119kN/m

373 KN/m

4.0m

4.0m

1267kN/m

422KN/m

with gravel (weathered rock)

BH2

Very dense, dry dark grey silty SAND with

broken quartz particles (weathered rock)

Assuming a factor of safety of 3

Geotechnical Report

Page 10