PROPERTIES OF DEPOSITS OF SHELL FOR FOUNDATION

Jaime A. Gusmo Filho1. Washington M. Amorim Jr2.

ABSTRACT The presence of shells is very frequent in the resulting deposits of the geological processes of transgression and regression of the sea. They happen close to the coastline, especially in Metropolitan Area of Recife, Brazil, where load constructions are being built. The geotechnical properties of this marine deposits are not very well-known for foundations, so this work presents the first results obtained in the field and laboratory tests accomplished in deposits of shell samples. INTRODUCTION Along the Brazilian coast, we find deposits reworked by the different agents prevailing in the geological processes of transgression and regression of the sea. The presence of shell of marine origin is frequently one of these deposits found in the underground of Recife, whose characteristics are very variable. Concentrated, they appear in the profile below the marine terraces, originated in the Quaternary by the flotation of the level of the sea and they form very defined layers. Sometimes they are mixed with the other coarse sediments, besides coral fragments, in bigger or smaller proportion. Many big engineering structures have been built on lands carrying these deposits. Some buildings show settlements so high that their serviceability are becoming questionable. Thus it is important to know their characteristics and geotechnical properties. This paper describes the experience in terms of field data and laboratory tests on shell deposits of the Metropolitan Area of Recife DEPOSITS OF CORAL AND SHELL In many parts of the world, the calcareous materials are present, especially those of organic origin as coral and shell, chose to the line of continental coast and the hottest oceans. To day they have exercised great fascination and scientific interest and now they have turned also of interest for the engineering. The corals are secretions of the zoophytes, that are animals seeming plants, and are remarkable for their capacity to build massive structures of skeletons of calcium carbonate, in environment of shallow, warm and clean water. A smaller contribution is given to the accumulation of calcium by other organisms, as mollusks, foraminiferous and algae. The cementation of the mass happens for several processes including chemical precipitation of the water in the circulating sea and marine organism. The calcareous structure is capable of resisting the action of the waves and as result they can form topographical aspects, which can rise above sea level to form atolls and coral reefs. The calcareous skeleton produced by the corals and other organisms is a structure highly porous, contains frequently great cavities and is open with passages of communication with the sea. In consequence, it becomes full of sediments, sands, silts, etc., including fragments of coral and shell. The shells are calcareous frames that cover most of the mollusks or animals of soft body. The study of these animals is the object of the malacology, word of Greek origin that means malaks (soft) + logy (study). The interest for the shell dates back to the Antiquity, having the mollusks application in several other sciences as medicine, nutrition, geology, paleontology and environment engineering (Tenorio, 1998).

Jaime Gusmo Filho, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Agamenon Magalhes 2901 - Espinheiro 52021/170 Recife - Pernambuco Brasil 2 Washington Amorim Jr, , Federal University of Pernambuco, R. Baro de Souza Leo 221 1503 B - Boa Viagem 51030/300 Recife - Pernambuco Brasil

The presence of thick deposits of coralline material and shell in the underground of Recife, or even of these fragments in other deposits besides clay, is tied up to geological events that are responsible for defining the current landscape of Recife. GEOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION The fluctuating sea level during Quaternary is very important in the formation of the Brazilian coastal plains, as for real changes of the marine level (eustasia) or modifications of the levels of the continents (tectonism and isostasia). This sea level fluctuation breaks up the balance of the coastline and the movement of sediments with the alternation of the processes of erosion and deposition. In consequence, the coastal line of northeastern Brazil is found on deposits reworked by the different environmental agents prevailing in the geological processes of transgression and regression of the sea. The geological studies identified two groups of sandy marine terraces in the plain of Recife as testimonies of the sea level fluctuation during the Quaternary (Alheiros et al, 1990). The two marine terraces are constituted of quartz sand and they differ in genesis aspects and composition. They are characterized by their superficial quotas (4 to 8m of depth), in general with a good compaction level for support of foundations (Gusmo Filho, 1998). Below these terraces it is frequent the occurrence of deposits with the presence of shells forming very defined layers or mixed ones to other coarse sediments, besides coral fragments in higher or smaller proportion. They can happen in the form of fragments of varied size or to be partially dissolved by the attack of the underground water. The materials are mixed with higher or smaller amount of sand and silt, when not practically isolated from other materials. They slip easily outside the sampling tube and this make laboratory testing of geotechnical properties difficult. Figure 1 shows the typical profiles of these deposits that occurred in the zones north and south of Metropolitan Area of Recife. Appearing to 5 m depth in the north zone and after 8 m in the south zone, the shell and coral layers have a thickness from 3 to 5 m. We notice the intermediary position that they have between the superior layer of the overlying compact sand terrace (sometimes unpenetrable by the Nspt test), and the inferior layer of underlying sand and silt. In the north zone, in a general way, the last layer has extremely low compactness and great depth. Therefore, it is important to know the geotechnical characteristics and properties of these deposits.
DEPTH (m) South Zone North Zone WL FINE SAND, SOFT WL FINE SAND, DENSE FINE SAND, DENSE FINE SAND, SOFT

FINE SAND WITH FRAGMENTS OF SHELLS, SOFT

FRAGMENTS OF SHELLS AND/OR CORAL

FRAGMENTS OF SHELLS AND/OR CORAL SILT AND FINE SAND, SOFT

FINE SAND, SOFT TO DENSE

Figure 1. Typical borings of the coast board of the Metropolitan Area of Recife

GEOTECHNICAL PROPERTIES The sampling with the use of common tube sampler becomes difficult since the absence of clay and silt makes recovery of samples practically impossible. That is why the material used was close to the coast of recifes where it is relatively easy to find deposits similar at the surface. The place chosen for the collection of the samples was in the Piedade beach. Description of the Texture, Grain-Size and Specific Gravity The particle form is lamellar made of fragments of shells, mollusks, crustaceans and other marine animals with calcareous shells. The grain-size is typical of a coarse soil with the absence of clay and silt fractions as previously mentioned. The specific gravity of the grains was 2.783 given by the average of seven determination using a volumetric flask of 500 ml. On the other hand, the relative density tends for minimum value of 2.755 where there was fine sand up to 15 % in weight. Field test The Nspt test has been the technique more economical and fast for field investigation since it allows the collection of material samples, although with difficult and small quantity. The test allows identifying deposits with different values for Nspt. For instance, deposits in the north and south zone of the Metropolitan Area of Recife are described in the boring as sand and silt with many fragments of shell, or otherwise simply fragments of shell or coral. Figure 2 is a synthesis of field tests obtained in different places of north and south zone of Recife and classified as fragments of shell or coral in the boring. They are both results of dynamic (Nspt) and static (Rp) penetration. In the south zone, values of Nspt vary from 4 to 23 with point resistance Rp varying from 12 to 18 MPa. In the north zone, values of Nspt are very low (from 1 to 4) corresponding to values of Rp between 2 and 2.75 MPa. In the same Figure 2, variation between the maximum and minimum Rp is 1.5 times in both the north and the south zone. Meanwhile, the variation between the maximum and minimum Nspt is 4 times in the north zone and 6 times in the south zone. These results reflect the difficulties of the geotechnical characterization of the deposits of shell or coral. They indicate also the high variability of the in-situ density and strength.
Nsptspt(mn) = 4 N (min)=4
20.00
6x

1 5x ,

16.00

Rp (MPa) R em MPa p

12.00

8.00

Nsptspt (m x = 4 N(max)=4 )

Nsptspt (mn) =1 N (min)=1

ZONA ZONE SOUTHSUL Nspt = a 23 Nspt = 44to 23 Rp(mdio) = 14,7 MPa Rp (median)=14,7 MPa

4.00

4x

1 5x ,

Rp(mx) Rp (max) Rp(mn) Rp (min)

NORTHNORTE ZONA ZONE Nspt 1 to Nspt == 1 a44 Rp(mdio) = 2,2 MPa Rp (median)=2,2 MPa

0.00
0 5 10 Nspt 15 20 25

Figure 2:Variation of Nspt and Rp in deposits of fragments of shell and coral

Nspt (max)=23 =

N (m x 2 3 spt )

Rp(mx) Rp (max)

Rp (min) Rp(mn)

Laboratory Tests Direct Shear Strength As the material does not allow the recovery of undisturbed samples, we made the direct shear test in three different apparent dry unit weights as a tentative to obtaining the range of variation of the resistance parameters. It is a material that is difficult to work in laboratory: the form of the particles, similar to scales, does not allow repeating the same unit weight although working with the same volumes and weights of material. In each attempt of preparing test samples, the particles are placed at random and different unit weights are obtained. For each test, four samples of square section were used with side dimensions of 10.16 cm. They were ruptured after flooding with constant deformation speed of 0.483 mm/min, at applied normal pressures of 49.0, 98.1, l47.1 and 196.1 kPa. For the tests, the particles retained in the #4 sieve [4.76 mm opening] were eliminated. In the natural deposit, the small amount of these particles [around 2% in weight] is not expected to significantly influence the angle of internal friction. However, the same does not happen in the test. If they occur along in the rupture, they can influence the result. Results presented in Table 1 show an increase of the angle of internal friction with the apparent dry unit weight at the confinement pressure from 0 to 100 kPa. The same does not occur at the pressures of 100 to 200 kPa, where the number of tests carried out have not established any particular trend. It is possible that for small confinement pressure (up to 100 kPa, p. former) the structures formed by lamellas has a spacial acquaintance that is open and not preferential in direction. This structure is not made for high pressures resulting in lamellas that are less spaced, disposed horizontally and normal to the applied effort. It is possible also to have the grain crushing and/or particle alignment at higher pressure. The direct shear test has the plane of rupture horizontal and so one can wait resistance fall with the increase of the vertical pressure of confinement. Triaxial test are being programmed to evaluate this model since the rupture surface is not preset. Table 1. Variation of the internal friction angle with the dry apparent unit weight and normal pressure. d kN/m3 7.94 8.53 9.22 Applied normal pressure in kPa 0 to 100 100 to 200 36 36 45 42 48 29

From the shape of plots of shear versus horizontal deformation shown in Figure 3, one can identify that the rupture takes the form similar to that of loose sand. Even the samples of high dry apparent unit weight, there is little evidence of dilatency. Whether crushing of the calcium carbonate particles occurred during shearing cannot be verified by the visual inspection of the samples after the rupture, or for the grain size before and after the test. The form of the particles in scales makes sieving less reliable to this evaluation.

SHEAR STRESS (kg/cm )

2 1,5 1 0,5 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

SHEAR STRESS (kg/cm )

2,5

2,5 2 1,5 1 0,5 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

HORIZONTAL DISPLACEMENT (%)

HORIZONTAL DISPLACEMENT (%)

Figure 3. Shearing curves from the direct shear test for minimum and maximum unit weight.

Oedometrical Tests The tests used cylindrical test bodies with 3 cm height and 10 cm diameter. In such volume of material, especially for the small height, the difficulty of obtaining test bodies with same dry apparent unit weight becomes even more difficult than in the direct shear test. So the procedure the adopted was to use three test bodies for each chosen unit weight: minimum, median and maximum. The results presented for each one of these weights are the average of three test bodies used. For evaluation of the presence of fine sand in the compressibility of the material, two groups of material were accomplished: one with the material as it was collected with approximately 15 % of fine sand and another with material passing through the # 4 sieve [0,42 mm opening]. The obtained results are presented in Figure 4 and in Tables 2 and 3. As for the direct shear tests, the fraction retained in the # 4 sieve [4.76 mm opening] was eliminated in the oedometer best samples. This is to eliminate the influence of relative coarse particles on the compressibility in a test body with just 3 cm height
0 0

VERT. DISPLACEMENT (%)

-5

VERT. DISPLACEMENT (%)

-5

-10

-10

-15

-15

-20 0,01

0,1

1
2

10

100

-20 0,01

0,1

1
2

10

100

PRESSURE (kg/cm )

PRESSURE (kg/cm )

Figure 4. Oedometrical test of shells with and without fine sand The constrained modulus varies depending on the applied vertical pressure and unit weight of the material. The presence of fine sand reduces the compressibility of the deposit, an increase of the constrained modulus between about 12 and 37 % when the material contains l5 % with fine sand. In terms of medium value for foundation project, it is suggested to use the following values for the constrained modulus of shell deposit: 3000 kPa for pressures applied up to 100 kPa; 6000 kPa for pressures applied between 100 and 400 kPa; and 8000 kPa for pressures higher than 400 kPa. Also, the values found for the constrained modulus correspond to about 1,5 to 3 times the values of Rp obtained in the north zone with Nspt less than or equal to 4. Table 2. Constrained modulus in kPa in shell fragments with 15% in weight of fine sand. Value of pressure d in kPa kN/m3 0 to 100 100 to 400 400 to 1250 2717 4024 7267 7.26 minimum 3507 7037 7734 7.94 middle 3674 10309 9524 8.73 maximum Table 3. Constrained modulus in kPa in shell fragments without fine sand Value of pressure d 3 In kPa kN/m 0 to 100 100 to 400 400 to 1250 6.67 3643 3582 5935 minimum 7.16 1780 4484 8039 middle 7.65 3241 7463 7880 maximum

CONCLUSION The shell layers of the Metropolitan Area of Recife, Brazil, proves to be a material difficult for sampling as well as field and laboratory tests. The penetration test (Nspt and Rp) is the best technique of characterization of these deposits for resistance in the field. Direct shear test shows the angle of internal friction was found between 43o and 36o for less, and applied pressure higher than 100 kPa, respectively. Oedometrical test shows the constrained modulus varying between 3000 kPa and 8000 kPa for the applied pressures between 100 and 400 kPa, respectively. A model for the arrangement of this material can be conceived as being the shell responsible for a lamella macro-structure that depends on granular soil in its voids. REFERENCES Alheiros, M.M.; Menezes, M.F. and Ferreira, M.G (1990). Carta Geotcnica da Cidade do Recife, Sub-rea Geologia de Engenharia. Relatrio Final FINEP/UFPE, pp. 81. Barata, F.E. (1984). Propriedades Mecnicas dos Solos. Livros Tcnicos e Cientficos Editora Ltda., rio de Janeiro, pp. 152. Gusmo Filho, J.A. (1998). Fundaes. Ed. UFPE, Recife, Brasil, pp. 350. Kogler, F. End Scheidig, A. (1948). Baugrund und Bauwerk. Ed. W. Ernst und Son, Berlin 5th Edition, pp. 288. Tenrio, D.O. (1998). Malacologia. Notcias do CTG/UFPE, Recife, Feb, pp. 3.