. YE 662 bort No. FHWA-RD- 75-61 Oept of Transportation ./v3 no JUN7 1976 FHWA- RU- ^IGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CJUABACflS 75-61 '^^T^ALE EMBANKMENTS. Vol. 1. Survey of Problem Areas and Current Practices J. H. Shamburger, D. M. Patrick, and R. J. Lutten "«"<**• August 1975 Interim Report This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161 Prepared for FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION Offices of Research & Development Washington, D.C. 20590 NOTICE This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Trans- portation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assiomes no liability for its contents or use thereof. The contents of this report reflect the views of the U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experi- ment Station which is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily re- flect the official views or policy of the Department of Transportation. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manu- facturers' names appear herein only because they are considered essential to the object of this document. FHI'JA DISTRIBUTION NOTICE Sufficient copies of this report are being distributed by FHWA bulletin to provide a minimum of two copies to each regional office, one copy to each division office, and two copies to each State highway agency. Direct distribution is being made to the division offices. e Technical Report Documentation Page 'h/0 1. RrpoM No. 7. Gov.rnmrnl Ar [ 3. RecipirnI s Catolog No. FHWA-RD-T5-61 4. Title ar,i Subtitle 5. Report Do*« DESIGN MD CONSTRUCTION OF COMPACTED SHALE August 1975 EMBANKMENTS. Vol. 1. Survey of Problem Areas 6. Perlorming Oigoni zotion Code and Current Practices 8. Performing Orgonizotion Report No. 1. Author's) J. H. Shamburger , D. M. Patrick, and R. J. Lutton '. Performing Orgoni zotior^ Noma ond Address 10. Work Unit No. (TfJAlS) Soils and Pavements Laboratory FCP-3^D5-012 U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station 1). Conttoct or Grant No. Intra P. 0. Box 631 Purchase Order No. H-I-OI96 Vicksburg, Mississippi 39l80 13. Type of R?poit ond Period Covered 12, Sponsoiing Agency Nome ond Address Office of Research and Development Interim Report Federal Highway Administration July 19T^-June 1975 U. S. Department of Transportation • 4, Sponsoring Agency Code Washington, D. C. 20590 /!/ :XF ]S. Supplemcntory Notes FHWA Contract Manager: Mr. D. G. Fobs WES Project Leader: Mr. W. E. Strohm, Jr. 16. Abstract rpj^g purpose of the three-phase study is to develop design and construction methodologies that will enable shales causing settlements and slope failure in highway embankments in the past to be identified and used successfully in future construction. During the first year's work (Phase l), state and federal agencies were contacted. Information obtained on the extent and types of problems, possible causes, and problem formations is discussed, and current highway practices are summarized. Physical and chemical weathering of shale placed as rock fill is a primary cause of problems. Nine states do not permit shale to be placed as rock fill, and seven states allow placement as rock fill with special provisions. Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation experiences indicate that heavy compaction equipment and relatively thin lifts produce well compacted embankments having no problems. Dats, from 16 projects indicate that saturated compacted shale materials have low shear strengths. A review of shale composition, factors contributing to degradation, and laboratory testing emphasizes the importance of mineralogy and slake-durability characteristics. The natural variability of shales collected from formations in five geologic age groups is described. This is the first of two volumes. Volume 2, covering Phase II, is published as FHWA-RD-75--62 , subtitle: Evaluation and Remedial Treatment of Comp acted Shale Embankments. 17. Key Words 18. Dis.iibulion Slotcmcnt Shale embankments No restrictions. This document is Problem shales Shale durability tests available to the public through the Evaluation techniques National Technical Information Service, Remedial treatment Springfield, Virginia 221^^1 Highway c on struction reporit [~ ? tTn'o .TtT a g s 22. P< 19. S'.-curity Cln»«.if. (of tfiit Dept c) j Unclassified 292 (8-72) Form DOT F l/Gy.y iLfio:z:i97&: pie! rd Dgrr \iu\Uoc\z9d J. Library PREFACE This report describes Phase I of a three-phase investigation funded by the Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), under Intra-Government Purchase Order Wo. U-I-OI96. Contract manager was Mr. D. G. Fohs , Materials Division, FHWA. The work was conducted during the period July 19T^-June 1975 by the Soils and Pavements Laboratory (S&PL), U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES), Vicksburg, Miss. Mr. W. E. Strohm, Jr., was project coordinator. Messrs. Strohm and J. H. Shamburger and Drs. D. M. Patrick and R. J. Lutton prepared the report. The investigation was accomplished under the direct supervision of Mr. D. C. Banks, Chief, Engineering Geology and Rock Mechanics Division, S&PL, and under the general supervision of Mr. J. P. Sale, Chief, S&PL. Mineralogical examinations and their interpretation for a study of shale variability were provided by Mr. G. S. Wong, Engineering Sciences Division (ESD), Concrete Laboratory, WES. Mr. A. D. Buck, ESD, provided mineralogical examinations and their interpretation for a study of shale samples from an embankment in Clifton Forge, Va. Personnel of the State highway organizations of California, Colo- rado, Indiana, Oklahoma, Ohio, Oregon, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia provided valuable information for the study and assistance in obtaining shale samples. Director of the WES during the conduct of this study and the prep- aration of the report was COL G. H. Hilt, CE. Technical Director was Mr. F. R. Brown. n CONTENTS Page PREFACE ii CONVERSION FACTORS, U. S. CUSTOMARY TO METRIC (Sl) UNITS OF MEASUREMENT X I. INTRODUCTION 1 Background 1 Basic Objectives 3 Scope of Study h Approach h Scope of Report 6 II. DATA COLLECTION 8 Literature Search 8 Personal Contacts 10 Data Review 11 III. SHALE EMBANKMENTS . lU Shale Occurrence 1^ Problem Shales . 15 Occurrence of Problem Shales 2^1 Types of Problems h2 Current Highway Construction Procedures 50 Preconstruction Practices 51 Construction Criteria 6l Remedial Treatment 6U Discussion 65 Corps of Engineers Experiences and Practices 6T USER Practices 97 Application of CE and USER Practices to the Construc- tion of Highway Shale Embankments 100 rv. CLASSIFICATION AND COMPOSITIONAL ASPECTS OF FINE-GRAINED CLASTIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS 102 Classification 102 Geological Classification Schemes lOU Composition 108 Fabric Il6 V. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO MATERIAL DEGRADATION 119 Geological and Environmental Considerations 119 Material Degradation Factors 122 VI. REVIEW OF LABORATORY EXAMINATION AND TESTING TECHNIQUES . 1^7 Mineralogical and Petrological Tests 14-8 Durability Tests 152 m CONTENTS Page Soil Mechanics Tests 157 Miscellaneous Tests 159 Discussion l60 Selected Tests l62 VII. PROBLEM SHALES AND THEIR VARIABILITY l63 Procedures for Variability Tests and Examinations . 163 Results of Tests and Examinations I8U Comparisons with Stratigraphy and Location of Problem I86 Discussion of Observations and Testing 201 VIII. DETERIORATION PROPERTIES OF SHALES AT KNOWN LOCATIONS OF PROBLEM EMBANKMENTS 205 Comparison of Results 207 Example of Chemical Weathering 207 IX. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 212 Conclusions 212 Recommendations 2l8 APPENDIXES A. APPROACH FOR PHASES II AND III 219 B. CHECKLIST FOR INFORMATION ON DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION 223 C. DESCRIPTION OF ROLLED SHALE-LIMESTONE FILL AT TUTTLE CREEK DAM, KANSAS 228 REFERENCES 230 BIBLIOGRAPHY 235 IV LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure No. Title Page 1 States selected for the study. 9 2 Shale occurrence; Oregon and California. l6 3 Shale occurrence; Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota. 17 h Shale occurrence; Utah and Colorado. l8 5 Shale occurrence; Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. 19 6 Shale occurrence; Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. 20 7 Occurrer-ce^ of prohlem shale formation, California,, 29 8 Occurreace of proolem shale formation, Colorado. 30 9 Occurrence of problem shale formaticris , Indiana. 31 10 Occurrence of problem shale formations, Kentucky. 32 11 Occurrence of troublesome shales (]. , 2, and 3) and problem shales {h and 5), Missouri. 33 12 Occurrence of problem shales, Montana. 3^ 13 Occurrence of shales presenting probleiris in the past, Ohio. 35 lU Occurrence of problem shales, Oklahoma. 36 15 Occurrence of problem shales. South Dakota. 37 16 Occurrence of problem shales, Tennessee. 38 17 Occurrence of problem shale, Utah. 39 18 Occurrence of problem shales , Virginia. ^0 19 Occurrence of problem shales. West Virginia, Hi 20 Example of boring plan for spillway site (USAE, Huntington, 1973). 73 . Figure No. Title Page 21 Example of spillway section and NX boring log (USAE, Huntington, 1973). 7^ 22 Example of 2-in. drive sampler boring log and 6-in. core log (USAE, Huntington, 1973). 75 23 Gradation of shale, Beltzville test fills. 82 2k Comparison of percent settlement and compaction effort, Beltzville Dam.