Durability of Concrete Piles Properly mixed concrete compacted to a dense impermeable mass is one of the most permanent of all constructional material and give little cause of concern about its long-term durability in a non aggressive environment. However, concrete can be attacked by sulphate and sulfuric acid occurring naturally in soils, by corrosive chemicals … Read more
Shear Strength Test of Soil The choice of appropriate shear strength tests for a particular project depends on the soil type, whether the parameters will be used in a total or effective stress analysis, and the relative importance of the structure. Common laboratory tests include direct shear, triaxial, unconfined compression, and laboratory vane shear test. … Read more
How to Select Proper Pile Type? The purpose of a pile foundation is to transfer and distribute load through a material or stratum with inadequate bearing, sliding or uplift capacity to a firmer stratum that is capable of supporting the load without detrimental displacement. A wide range of pile types is available for applications with … Read more
Types of Soil Shear Test Based on Drainage Condition The shear strength parameters in the case of saturated soils depend very much upon the drainage conditions and therefore in the laboratory shear test, the drainage condition expected in the field for a particular problem should be simulated. Based on drainage condition the shear tests are … Read more
Uses of Geotextiles Geotextiles are porous fabric manufactured from synthetic material such as polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, nylon, polyvinyl chloride and various mixtures of these. They are available in thicknesses ranging from 10 to 300 mils (1 mil = 1/1000 inch) in widths upto 30 ft, in roll lengths upto 2000 ft. The permeability of geotextile … Read more
Type of Pier Pier is usually used as a general term for any type of substructure located between horizontal spans and foundations. However, from time to time, it is also used particularly for a solid wall in order to distinguish it from columns or bents. From a structural point of view, a column is a … Read more
GEOPHYSICAL TEST METHODS Geophysical test is often used as part of the initial site exploration phase of a project and/or to provide supplementary information collected by widely-spaced observations (i.e., borings, test pits, outcrops etc.). Geophysical testing can be used for establishing stratification of subsurface materials, the profile of the top of bedrock, depth to groundwater, … Read more
Well Foundation Well foundations have their origin in India & have been used for hundreds of years for providing deep foundation to important buildings and bridges. Well foundations were freely used during the Moghal Period for bridges across the major rivers. Moghal monuments including Taj Mahal are built on well foundations. Well foundations provide a … Read more
Selection of Type of Foundation The selection of a particular type of foundation is often based on a number of factors, such as: 1. Adequate depth The foundation must have an adequate depth to prevent frost damage. For such foundations as bridge piers, the depth of the foundation must be sufficient to prevent undermining by … Read more
Need for Soil Sampling A satisfactory design of a foundation depends upon the accuracy with which the various soil parameters required for the design are obtained. The accuracy of the soil parameters depends upon the accuracy with which representative soil samples are obtained from the field. Sampling is carried out in order that soil and … Read more