Geotechnical Investigation of Soil Foundation for Ramps of Dawar El-Tawheed Bridge in Jizan City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Authors: Ali H. Mahfouz, Hossam E. M.Sallam, Abdulwali Wazir, Hamod H. Kharezi

Abstract:

The soil profile at site of the bridge project includes soft fine grained soil layer located between 5.0 m to 11.0 m in depth, it has high water content, low SPT no., and low bearing capacity. The clay layer induces high settlement due to surcharge application of earth embankment at ramp T1, ramp T2, and ramp T3 especially at heights from 9m right 3m. Calculated settlement for embankment heights less than 3m may be accepted regarding Saudi Code for soil and foundation. The soil and groundwater at the project site comprise high contents of sulfates and chlorides of high aggressively on concrete and steel bars, respectively. Regarding results of the study, it has been recommended to use stone column piles or new technology named PCC piles as soil improvement to improve the bearing capacity of the weak layer. The new technology is cast in-situ thin wall concrete pipe piles (PCC piles), it has economically advantageous and high workability. The technology can save time of implementation and cost of application is almost 30% of other types of piles.

Keywords: Soft foundation soil, bearing capacity, bridge ramps, soil improvement, PCC piles.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1338916

References:

[1] Erol, A.O. 1989. “Engineering Geological Considerations in a Salt Dome Region Surrounded by Sabkha Sediments, Saudi Arabia,” Engineering Geology, Vol. 26, pp. 215-232.
[2] Shehata, W, Al-Rehaili M., 1981, Geotechnical problems in Jizan, Saudi Arabia: Tech. Report Presented in KAU, Faculty of Earth Science Seminars, Jeddah (Presented also in KFUPM/RI Seminar Series, April 1990).
[3] Al-Amoudi, O.S.B. 1992 Studies on soil-foundation interaction in the sabkha environment of Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. PhD. Thesis. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Hdahran-KSA
[4] Al-Amoudi, O.S.B., Abduljawad, S.N., El- Naggar, Z. R., and Rasheeduzzafar, "Response of Sabkha to Laboratory Tests: A Case Study". Engineering Geology, Vol. 33, No.2, 111-125, December 1992.
[5] Al-Farraj, A.S. 2008. The mineralogy of clay fractions in the soils of the southern region of Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Journal of Agronomy, 7: 115-126.
[6] Fatani, M.N. and Khan, A.M. 1993 Foundations on salt bearing soils of Jizan, International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering.
[7] Liu, H. L., Fei, K., Ma, X. H., and Gao, Y. F. 2003. Large-diameter driven cast-in-place concrete thin-wall pipe pile (I) Research and Development. Journal of Rock and Soil Mechanics, 24, 164-198.
[8] Liu, H. L., Ma, X. H., Chu, H. Y., Chen, Y. H., and Gao, Y. F. 2004a. Cast-in-place pipe pile construction equipment for soft ground improvement, Patent Number: ZL 02219218.X.
[9] Liu, H. L., Ma, X. H., Chu, H. Y., Chen, Y. H., and Gao, Y. F. 2004b. Cast-in-place pipe pile construction technology for soft ground improvement, Patent Number: ZL 021125384.4.
[10] Liu, H. L., Fei K., Deng, A., and Zhang, T. 2005. Erective Sea Embankment with PCC Piles. China Ocean Engineering J. 19(2) 339-348.
[11] Liu, H. L., Gao, Y. F., and Zhang, T. 2006 Application of PCC Piles on Soft Ground Improvement of Expressways Proc. of 10th International Conf. on Piling and Deep Foundations, Amsterdam-Netherlands.
[12] Liu, H. L., Charles, W. W., and Fei, K. 2007. Performance of a Geogrid-Reinforced and Pile-Supported Highway Embankment over Soft Clay: Case Study. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering ASCE, 133 (12): 1483-1493.
[13] Mahfouz, A H. 2007. New technique of soft soil improvement: Driven cast-in-situ concrete of thin-wall pipe piles (PCC). Postdoctorate Thesis, Hohai University, Nanjing, China.
[14] Mahfouz, A H. 2011. New technique of ground improvement: Driven cast-in-situ thin wall concrete pipe piles (PCC). Geomechanic and Geoengineering International Journal, Publisher: Taylor & Francis(UK).6(2): 119-129.