Experimental Geotechnical Characterization Campaign of the Matam Soil for Lithology: Application to the Study of Supports of the Balterdi Bridge

Abstract

This paper presents a geotechnical study whose objective is to determine the lithology of the soil of Balterdi village (Matam, Senegal). A bridge-type structure with six supports is to be built on the studied site. The drilling program consisted of six core drillings (SC) each 30 m deep with sampling and six destructive drillings with pressuremeter tests (SP) every 1.5 m up to 30 m deep. A pair of core and pressuremeter tests was carried out under each support. From the results of the core drill holes and the geological model of the site, it can be seen that the lithology of the soil along the structure consists essentially of soft clay layers, becoming firm at depth over the first 18 m on average (with some incursions of sandy layers) resting on medium to compacted sand up to 30 m. Brown clayey fill is also present between piers P3 and P5. The presence of a watercourse along the structure is noted. The foundations will therefore be carried out in the water. The results of the pressuremeter tests confirm the homogeneity of the soil over the whole area. Indeed, the values obtained are almost similar for all the tests. According to the limit pressures obtained, the clayey-sandy formations encountered along the structure are respectively soft to firm and moderately compact to compact. Their limit pressures are high enough to allow good bearing capacities.