Preliminary Soils Reports Geotechnical Reports "As Graded" Soils Reports
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APPENDIX A - Guidelines for: Preliminary Soils Reports Geotechnical Reports "As Graded" Soils Reports PRELIMINARY SOILS REPORTS A. GENERAL 1. Signature and professional registration number of project Geotechnical Engineer (G.E.) or Registered Civil Engineer (R.C.E.); 2. Job Address. 3. Location description and/or location index map with north arrow, bar scale, etc.; 4. Description of site conditions including topography, relief, vegetation index map with north arrow, ban, man-made features, drainage and watershed; 5. Proposed grading including general scope, amount, special equipment and/or methods if applicable; 6. Planned construction including type of structure and use, type of construction and foundation/floor system, number of stories. B. FIELD INVESTIGATION 1. Scope of work including date of work, investigative methods, logs of exploratory excavations, and real or assumed elevation of exploratory excavations for reference of soil materials and samples to finished grade or footing elevations. 2. Plan with legend including site limits, terrain features, man-made features, locations of exploratory excavations, soil of formational contacts, proposed improvements (including slopes with ratios, daylight lines, paving areas, retaining/crib walls, subdrains, overexcavation/cleanout/uncompacted fill areas). 3. Location of all surface and subsurface soil samples collected. 4. Ground water conditions and potential for future natural or artificial seepages. C. ENGINEERING/MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND TESTING 1. Test methods used, type or condition of samples, applicable engineering graphics, results of all tests, and locations of all test samples. 2. Unified soil classification of materials. 3. Material competency and strength a. Field densities and moisture content, as well as relative compactions where pertinent. b. Shear strength parameters of foundation material (drained or undrained conditions, effective stress or total stress analysis). In-situ or remolded samples must be identified. c. Consolidation or settlement potential. 4. Maximum dry density/optimum moisture parameters as determined by ASTM D1557-78. D. FOUNDATION DESIGN CRITERIA (Contact Building Department for additional requirements.) 1. Footing depth, width, design and placement; 2. Criteria for foundation material preparation; 3. Allowable bearing values based on testing; 4. Lateral pressures (active, passive, or at-rest conditions) and coefficient or friction; 5. Settlement - total, differential and rate of settlement; 6. Footing design and placement criteria; E. REFERENCES All general and site-specific materials reviewed in conjunction with the report preparation should be referenced in the report. F. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Ground preparation, including recommendations regarding clearing unsuitable material removal, scarification and moisture conditioning. 2. Suitability of in-situ soil materials to support fill and/or structures. Describe requirements to be used to determine soil suitability. Also describe densification and moisturization or dewatering measures, including equipment, surcharge, settlement monitoring, etc., as appropriate. 3. Placement of structural fill: a. Suitability of on site and imported soils for use in compacted fill. b. Methods of ASTM standards to be used in fill compaction. c. Testing methods and procedures to be used, including frequency of field density testing b vertical intervals and/or volume of fill. d. Minimum recommended percent relative compaction for mass graded fill soils. 4. Recommendations for treatment of cut/fill lines or other differential transitions beneath improvements. 5. Backfill specifications and specific recommendations for compaction of utility trenches, slope faces, landscape areas, and other structural and nonstructural areas. 6. Provisions for final observations and necessary testing during and subsequent to grading. 7. Assessment as to the adequacy of the site for the proposed development. 8. Any other geotechnical information pertinent to the development of the site. GEOTECHNICAL SOILS REPORTS A geotechnical soils report shall include the following information and any additional information or investigation required by the City Engineer. A. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Signature and professional number of the Certified Engineering Geologist (C.E.G.) under which the work was performed, date report was signed, company name, mailing address and phone number. 2. The Tentative Map number, street address or any information to help locate the project area, as available. 3. Site description, which should include comments addressing the following: a. Topography vegetation and size of the subject area. b. General setting with respect to geologic, geomorphic and geographic features present in the surrounding area. c. Location map and site map with scale and north arrow. d. Location and condition of any existing structures and/or improvements, including drainage controls. e. Purpose of the report, i.e., development proposed (including the proposed land use), sale of real estate, required by City Engineer, etc. 4. A review of pertinent site specific and general geotechnical literature should be performed, as should a review of site specific aerial photographs. A listing of references reviewed should be included with the report. B. GEOLOGIC MAP Geologic map (when applicable) should be on a topographic base and should include: 1. Location map,bar scale, north arrow, legend, any geographic features which can be identified in the field, etc.; 2. Geographic features that may be present such as; formational contacts, faults, folds, anticlines, synclines, domes, joints, fractures, lineaments, terraces, etc. The accompanying report should include an evaluation of how these features may impact the anticipated use; 3. General limited of existing fiels, as indicated by visual observation. C. FIELD INVESTIGATION Field investigation should address significant factors which could affect the site. Items to consider are the following: 1. Geologic description of all units observed on the site. 2. Relative age, and correlation with named formations. 3. Attitudes and distribution of the units as they are exposed in the area (not necessarily confined to the report area if significant geologic features are present nearby). 4. Structural features affecting the report area. 5. Surficial (unconsolidated) deposits, both artificial and naturals. Distribution, relative age, identification and description of these units. 6. Landslides and related features. 7. Sufficient geologic mapping of the area to comment on anticipated ground water conditions that may affect the sit and/or project. 8. Location of any observed seeps or springs. 9. Effects of grading on infiltration of water into cut and fill areas. 10. Discussion of the effects of possible subsurface flow along the natural drainage courses proposed for filling. D. CONCLUSIONS The observed conditions should be stated and a general overview of the site geology as it correlates to the feasibility of the proposed project should be presented. An assessment of the degree of hazard present, based on existing information, should be given. If there are suspected geologic problems that cannot be evaluated except through in depth investigation, then this should be clearly stated in the report. No engineering design recommendations for the proposed development should appear in this type of report. Please note that if the geological reconnaissance report recommends further investigation, the recommended investigation must be performed before the City will accept the report. AS-GRADED SOILS REPORTS In addition to the Preliminary Report, as As-Graded Soils Report is always required for hillside grading. It shall be the responsibility of the Civil Engineer who prepares the grading plans to incorporate all recommendations of the preliminary report into the grading plans. The Civil Engineer shall also be responsible for the preparations of revised grading plans and for as-graded grading plans upon completion of the work. Further, the Civil Engineer shall have the responsibility for certifying the finished grading with respect to line and grade. Grading operations undertaken pursuant to the approved grading plan shall be subject to geotechnical observation and testing by the Geotechnical Engineer or a Registered Civil Engineer and, when geologic conditions so dictate, by a Certified Geologist, who shall have the responsibility to report whether, in their professional opinion, the grading operations were performed in compliance with the geotechnical requirements of the grading plans and specification. After completion of the grading operations, the Registered Civil Engineer or Geotechnical Engineer and/or Engineering Geologist shall submit his reports, compaction test data, and the geotechnical engineering/geology recommendations of the Civil Engineer in the form of As-Graded report. The report shall include the following information: A. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Signature(s) and professional number (s) of person of the same level of registration or certification as the parties signing the preliminary report. 2. Job address, lot and map number. 3. Grading plan number. B. PLACEMENT OF FILL 1. Purpose for which fill was place. 2. Preparation of natural grade to receive fill. 3. Placement of fill (depth of fill, watering, etc.). 4. Equipment used for compaction. 5. Method of compaction for outer slope area. C. TESTING (COMPACTION) 1. Test procedure (field and laboratory). 2. Plot plan graphically depicting