NUREG/CR-5738 Field Investigations for Foundations of Nuclear Power Facilities U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Washington, DC 20555-0001 AVAILABILITY NOTICE Availability of Reference Materials Cited in NRC Publications NRC publications in the NUREG series, NRC regu NRC Public Document Room lations, and Title 10, Energy, of the Code of Federal 2120 L Street, N.W., Lower Level Regulations, may be purchased from one of the fol Washington, DC 20555-0001 lowing sources: <http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/PDR/pdrl .htm> 1 -800-397-4209 or locally 202-634-3273 1. The Superintendent of Documents U.S. Government Printing Office Microfiche of most NRC documents made publicly RO. Box 37082 available since January 1981 may be found in the Washington, DC 20402-9328 Local Public Document Rooms (LPDRs) located in <http://www.access.gpo.gov/sudocs> the vicinity of nuclear power plants. 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Codes and A portion of NRC regulatory and technical informa standards are usually copyrighted and may be tion is available at NRC's World Wide Web site: purchased from the originating organization or, if they are American National Standards, from <http://www.nrc.gov> American National Standards Institute All NRC documents released to the public are avail 11 West 42nd Street able for inspection or copying for a fee, in paper, New York, NY 10036-8002 microfiche, or, in some cases, diskette, from the <http://www.ansi.org> Public Document Room (PDR): 212-642-4900 DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by any legal liability or responsibility for any third party's use, or the an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United results of such use, of any information, apparatus, product, or States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their em process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use by ployees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes such third party would not infringe privately owned rights. NUREG/CR-5738 Field Investigations for Foundations of Nuclear Power Facilities Manuscript Completed: September 1999 Date Published: November 1999 Prepared by N. Torres, J. P. Koester, J. L. Llopis U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 3909 Halls Ferry Road Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199 E. G. Zurflueh, NRC Project Manager Prepared for Division of Engineering Technology Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 NRC Job Code W6453 Field Investigations for Foundations of Nuclear Power Facilities ABSTRACT This document provides a technical basis for revision of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulatory Guide 1.132, Site Investigations for Foundations of Nuclear Power Facilities, reflecting current and state-of-the-art techniques related to field site investigations. The report summarizes the processes of acquiring geological, geophysical, geotechnical, and other kinds of relevant information that may affect the construction or performance of a building or other engineered structure at selected sites. Guidance is presented for in situ site studies during the various stages of site characterization. Topics range from initial information gathering, literature review, and site reconnaissance investigations, to on-site testing and the collection and management of samples for laboratory testing. Specific laboratory tests and techniques for the engineering analyses of soils and specific requirements for liquefaction analysis are not addressed in this document but are covered in companion technical basis documents. °°. NUREG/CR-5738 Field Investigations for Foundations of Nuclear Power Facilities TABLE OF CONTENTS A B ST R A C T ........................................................................ 111 PR E FA C E ......................................................................... ix O V ER V IEW ....................................................................... xi 1 GEOLOGIC SITE ASSESSM ENT .................................................... 1 1.1 Development of a Conceptual M odel .............................................. 1 1.2 O ffice Study .................................................................. 2 1.2.1 Existing Literature ....................................................... 2 1.2.2 M ap Studies ........................................................... 12 1.2.2.1 Topographic M aps ............................................... 12 1.2.2.2 Geologic M aps .................................................. 13 1.2.2.3 M ineral Resource M aps ........................................... 13 1.2.2.4 Hydrologic and Hydrogeologic Maps ................................ 13 1.2.2.5 Seism ic M aps ................................................... 14 1.3 W alk-over Study ............................................................. 14 1.3.1 Geologic Field Reconnaissance ............................................ 14 1.3.2 Geologic Field M apping .................................................. 15 1.3.2.1 Areal M apping .................................................. 15 1.3.2.2 Building Construction Sites ........................................ 17 1.3.2.3 Borrow and Quarry Sites .......................................... 17 1.3.3 Construction M apping ................................................... 17 1.3.4 Remote Sensing M ethods ................................................. 18 2 GROUNDWATER INVESTIGATIONS .............................................. 19 2.1 G eneral ..................................................................... 19 2.2 M ethods of Observation ........................................................ 22 2.2.1 W ells ................................................................. 22 2.2.2 B orings ............................................................... 22 2.2.3 Piezometers and Observation W ells ......................................... 22 2.2.4 Springs and Surface W ater ................................................ 24 2.2.5 Tracer Testing .......................................................... 24 2.2.6 Geophysical M ethods .................................................... 24 2.3 Perm eability Testing .......................................................... 25 2.3.1 Tests in Piezometers or W ells .............................................. 25 2.3.2 Pum ping Tests .......................................................... 27 2.3.2.1 Time-drawdown Test ............................................. 27 2.3.2.2 Distance-drawdown Test .......................................... 28 2.3.3 Perm eability of Rock .................................................... 28 2.3.4 Pressure Tests .......................................................... 28 3 BORINGS AND EXPLORATORY EXCAVATIONS .................................... 29 3.1 B orings ..................................................................... 29 3.1.1 Boring M ethods ...................................................... 30 3.1.1.1 AugerBorings .................................................. 31 v NUREG/CR-5738 Field Investigations for Foundations of Nuclear Power Facilities 3.1.1.2 Drive Borings ................. .......... ............ 31 3.1.1.3 Wash Borings ................. .......... ............ 31 3.1.1.4 Rock Core Boring .............. ............ 32 3.1.2 Soil Identification and Description ........ .......... ............ 33 3.1.3 Rock Core Logging .................... ........... .........