Geological conditions and geotechnical characteristics of Phnom Penh subsoils in Cambodia

Better understanding about subsoil characterization can help to improve the quality of the construction industry. Recently, several works on the subsoil in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, were conducted separately, site by site, because of developments in the Cambodian society.

However, no comprehensive study has been conducted to centralize these subsoil investigations.

Now, an international team of researchers from Tokyo Institute of Technology and Chulalongkorn University has been successfully visualized 3D geological structures and investigated geotechnical characteristics of Phnom Penh subsoils.

Geological and geotechnical data were collected from 1,200 boreholes reports covering Phnom Penh city to build the 3D geological structures and provide detailed information about the engineering properties of subsoils in Phnom Penh.

The typical subsoil profile of Phnom Penh city was successfully categorized according to the multiple geological cross-sections over Phnom Penh city. The physical (grain size distribution and Atterberg limits) and engineering properties (compressibility, undrained shear strength and effective internal friction angle) of Phnom Penh subsoils were investigated. Lastly, the empirical correlation of the undrained shear strength to the SPT-N value was examined.

Here, the first 3D geological and geotechnical database of Phnom Penh subsoils was successfully produced which will be an important contribution to land development of Phnom Penh city.

Fig. 1: (a) 3D geological model of Phnom Penh subsoils in oblique view and (b) multiple cross-sections in oblique view.

Fig. 2: (a) Typical subsoil profile of Phnom Penh city in downtown area and (b) empirical correlations of the undrained shear strength to the SPT N-value of Phnom Penh fine-grained soils.

Reference

Authors:	Samphors Touch1), Suched Likitlersuang2), and Thirapong Pipatpongsa3)
Title of original paper:	3D geological modelling and geotechnical characteristics of Phnom Penh subsoils in Cambodia
Journal, volume, pages and year:	Engineering Geology, 178, 58-69 (2014)
DOI:	10.1016/j.enggeo.2014.06.010
Affiliations:	1) Department of International Development Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan http://www.ide.titech.ac.jp/en/ 2) Department of Civil Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand http://www.eng.chula.ac.th/en 3) Global Scientific Information and Computing Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan http://www.gsic.titech.ac.jp/en

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