JUN 1 2 1997 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/geotechnicalprop139baue iH.GS EGN 139 Geotechnical Properties of Selected Pleistocene, Silurian, and Ordovician Deposits of Northeastern Illinois mmmmmmnmmrmmmmmnmmrmmmmmrmmmmm Mikkt* R. A. Bauer B. B. Curry A. M. Graese R. C. Vaiden W. J. Su M. J. Hasek GEOtOGlCAt ILUNOIS SU.WEV Ll'^f^A'^^ 1991 ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY 139 Department of Energy and Natural Resources ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 3 3051 00005 4498 Geotechnical Properties of Selected Pleistocene, Silurian, and Ordovician Deposits of Northeastern Illinois R. A. Bauer B. B. Curry A. M. Graese R. C. Vaiden W. J. Su M. J. Hasek ILLINOIS GEOLOGICAL SUKVEY LISRA.^Y 1991 ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY 139 ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Morris W. Leighton, Chief Natural Resources Building 615 East Peabody Drive Champaign, Illinois 61820 O printed on recycled paper CONTENTS ABSTRACT 1 INTRODUCTION 1 SOURCES OF PREEXISTING DATA FOR THE SSC STUDY AREA 2 Local Tunneling Experience 2 Preconstruction Investigations 3 EXPLORATION AND LABORATORY TESTING FOR SSC SITING 7 Field Exploration 7 Laboratory Testing and Analyses 8 STRATIGRAPHY 8 Overburden/Soil Units 9 Bedrock Units 14 Configuration and Nature of the Bedrock Surface 16 GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES 17 Bedding 17 Joints 21 Diagenetic Structures 24 Faults 24 SEISMICITY 25 HYDROGEOLOGIC CONDITIONS 25 Hydrogeologic Units 25 Groundwater Levels 26 Groundwater Inflow 27 GEOTECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GLACIAL MATERIALS 27 General Engineering Properties of Overburden Types 27 General Engineering Properties of Selected Drift Units 29 GEOTECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ROCK UNITS 30 Rock Strength 32 Rock Strength Versus Sample Size 35 Rock Hardness 35 Special Testing for Weak Shales 38 Joints 39 Sonic Velocities 46 Rock Mass Properties and Classification 46 In Situ Stresses 51 GEOTECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF UNDERGROUND FACILITIES 52 Rock Formations 52 Tunneling Conditions 52 Chambers 53 Roof Span 53 Ground Behavior 58 Advance Rates 58' UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND MILWAUKEE 59 Previous Tunneling Experiences in Northeastern Illinois 59 Underground Construction in Milwaukee 60 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS 60 REFERENCES 61 APPENDIXES FIGURES 1 Location of the SSC study area and TARP tunnels in northeastern Illinois 2 2 Drill-hole locations in the SSC study area 3 3 Location of all wells and drill-holes in SSC study area 4 4 TARP tunnels in the Chicago area (Harza 1987) 5 5 Stratigraphic column of surficial deposits in northeastern Illinois 9 6 Stratigraphic column of bedrock and drift units in northeastern Illinois 10 7 Areal distribution of surficial deposits in the SSC study area 11 8 Areal distribution of bedrock units at the bedrock surface in the SSC study area 12 9 Location of quarries and sand and gravel pits mentioned in text 17 10 Cross section of Paleozoic bedrock in northeastern Illinois 18 11 Location and strike of joints in surface quarries 21 12 Joint strike directions as measured in angle boreholes and in the Myers-Podschwit quarry 22 13 Average rock properties for the Silurian dolomite, Maquoketa shale and dolomite, Galena Platteville dolomite and limestone 14 Strength relative to sample size of Wise Lake dolomite samples 35 15 Slake durability values for Maquoketa shale samples 40 16 Average occurrence of joints (per ft of core), per formation per dip degree angle of joint 41 17 Frequency of type of filling (none, partial, complete) in joints, per formation 42 18 Frequency of type of joint surface, per formation 42 19 Example of joint face roughness as shown by joint profiles in Wise Lake dolomites 43 20 Nomograph to calculate Joint Roughness Coefficient 43 21 Typical joint face in dolomites of SSC study area 44 22 Large displacement direct shear test results for joint in dolomites of SSC area 44 23 Large displacement direct shear test results for joint in dolomites of SSC area 45 24 Large displacement direct shear test results for joint in dolomites of SSC area 45 25 Barton's Rock Mass Classification by bedrock unit for the most probable underground 53 conditions in the SSC study area TABLES 1 Summary of data on joint orientations and spacing In northeastern Illinois 6 2 Summary of geotechnical conditions at or near the bedrock surface in study area 20 3 Number of joints (per dip degrees) in Silurian and Ordovician bedrock samples 23 4 Summary of joint characteristics per stratigraphic unit in SSC exploratory boreholes 23 5 Seismic risk assigned to northeastern Illinois by various seismic risk maps 24 6 Average hydraulic conductivities of units 25 7 Summary of geotechnical properties of general types of overburden materials in study area 28 8 Geotechnical properties and particle-size distribution of specific drift units in study area 31 9 Summary of TARP geotechnical data 32 10 Summary of ISGS geotechnical data for bedrock samples from SSC study area 34 11 Schmidt Hammer test results for bedrock samples from SSC study area 34 12 Taber Abrasion test results for bedrock samples from SSC study area 36 13 Summary of Schmidt Hammer, Taber Abrasion, and Total Hardness test results 37 14 Average rock property values for bedrock formations in SSC study area 38 15 Slake Durability and Atterberg Limits values for Maquoketa Shale in SSC study area 39 16 Average in situ sonic velocities and calculated Dynamic Moduli values of bedrock 47 17 Laboratory- measured compressive wave velocities, parallel and perpendicular to bedding 48 in samples from SSC boreholes 18 Average core recovery values, by stratigraphic unit, for boreholes in SSC study area 49 19 Average rock quality designation values, by stratigraphic unit, for boreholes in study area 49 20 Lowest core recovery values, by stratigraphic unit, for boreholes in SSC study area 50 21 Lowest rock quality designation values, by stratigraphic unit, for boreholes in study area 50 22 Most probable rock mass conditions in SSC study area 51 23 Most probable rock mass conditions in SSC study area 51 24 In situ stress calculations for SSC borehole S-26 52 25 In situ stress calculations for SSC borehole S-28 52 26 Information on underground chambers constructed throughout the world 54 27 In situ stress conditions and expected tangential stresses at tunnel crown and springline 58 APPENDIXES A TARP Data from Harza Engineering Company: Strength Properties 70 for Formations of Nortlieastern Illinois A-1 Strength properties of the Racine Formation (Silurian System, Niagaran Series) 74 A-2 Strength properties of the Romeo Member of the Joliet Formation (Silurian System, 74 Niagaran Series) A-3 Strength properties of the f\/largraf Member of the Joliet Formation (Silurian 75 System, Niagaran Series) A-4 Strength properties of the Elwood Formation (Silurian System, Alexandrian Series) 77 A-5 Strength properties of the Kankakee Formation (Silurian System, Alexandrian Series) 79 A-6 Strength properties of the Wise Lake and Dunleith Formations (Ordovician System, 81 Galena Group) A-7 Strength properties of the Platteville Group (Ordovician System) 84 B ISGS Geotechnical Data for the SSC Study Area B-1 Silurian bedrock samples 86 B-2 Maquoketa Group (Ordovician) dolomitic shale and shale samples 87 B-3 Maquoketa Group (Ordovician) dolomite samples 88 B-4 Maquoketa Group (Ordovician) limestone samples 88 B-5 Samples from the Wise Lake Formation (Ordovician, Galena Group) 89 B-6 Samples from the Dunleith Formation (Ordovician, Galena Group) 91 B-7 Dolomite samples from the Platteville Group (Ordovician) 92 B-8 Samples from the St. Peter Sandstone (Ordovician, Ancell Group) 92 Printed by authority of tlie State of Illinois/1991/1000 ABSTRACT Large quantities ot detailed geotechnical data on the bedrock and glacial drift in northeastern Illinois were collected and compiled as part of the investigation for a suitable site for the proposed Superconducting Super Collider (SSC). The database includes (1) preexisting information such as stratigraphic data obtained from boreholes, strength test results, and observations and experiences from tunneling and construction of underground chambers in the region; and (2) new data from investigations conducted specifically for the SSC project, including studies of additional boreholes; hydrogeologic studies of water levels and in situ hydraulic conductivity; strength testing of rocks and soils; assessment of rock hardness and joint strength, and joint characterization; determination of laboratory and in situ sonic velocities; and rock mass classification and measurement of in situ stress magnitude and direction. This extensive database was used to characterize rock mass conditions and tunneling advance rates. Test results and construction experience in bedrock indicate that rock quality is good, tunneling conditions are favorable, and little or no support is required. Chambers with spans of 63 feet have previously been excavated in the dolomite bedrock, but studies for the SSC project shows that spans up to 125 feet are possible. Information gained from several successful underground construction projects in the Chicago and Milwaukee areas (where geologic conditions are similar) also indicate that construction of tunnels and chambers within the bedrock of northeastern Illinois is practical and that construction conditions are predictable. The geotechnical and stratigraphic data summarized in this report should be useful for siting future construction projects in glacial and bedrock materials