SAES-A-114 Brackish Water: Water with Total Dissolved Solids of 10,000 ppm or more
SAES-A-114 Clean Sand: Soil meeting the following gradation containing less than 3% weight of organic material or clay:
Sieve Size Percent Passing
¼ in (6.25 mm) 100
SAND No. 10 (2.00 mm)
No. 200 (0.075 mm)
90 - 100
10 or less
Material shall consist of gravel, sand and/or marl. The maximum size of the fill material shall be one-half the lift
SAES-A-114 General Fill
thickness or 75 mm (3 inches), whichever is less.
Select Fill or ‘Structural Fill’ shall be composed only of inorganic material and shall have 100% passing the 5 cm (2 in)
sieve and from 0 to 20% passing the No. 200 sieve.
SAES-A-114 Select Fill The portion of Select Fill material passing the No. 40 sieve shall have a maximum liquid limit of 35 and a maximum
plasticity index of 12 per ASTM D4318. Liquid limit and plastic limit tests are not required for select fill material with
less than 15% passing the No. 200 sieve.
Controlled Low-Strength Material (CLSM)
The mix design shall be proportioned to produce a 28-day compressive strength between 0.7 and 1.4 MPa (100 and
200 psi), pretested using the actual raw materials and approved by the Company Representative before use on the
SAES-A-114 CLSM project. Compressive strengths above or below this range may be approved by the Company Representative based
on future excavation requirements.
CLSM shall be allowed to harden a minimum of 6 hours prior to proceeding with construction over the CSLM.
Water used for compaction of fill material shall be reasonably free of salts, oil, acid, alkalis, organic matter, or other
deleterious substances
Use of water with Total Dissolved Solids of 10,000 ppm or more (i.e., brackish water, seawater or water obtained
from ground pits such as subkha water) is not allowed
SAES-A-114
Compaction The site shall be proof-rolled and inspected for soft spots or loose zones. Proof roll may be defined as crossing the
Water area with a heavy (minimum 10-ton weight) rubber-tire or steel-wheel roller.
Top 150 mm scarified and recomputed. The density of the top 150 mm in these areas shall not be less than 90% of
the maximum Modified Proctor density (ASTM D1557) or 70% relative density (ASTM D4253 and ASTM D4254) for
cohesionless freely draining soil.
SAES-A-114 Fill Placement and Compaction
Within 0.6 m of the bottom elevation of foundations, spread footings, slabs-on-grade and pavements when fill is
required to achieve final grade.
For backfill which will be in contact with concrete or steel structures.
SAES-A-114 bottom elevation
In no case shall compaction be allowed on slopes greater than 1 (V) to 5 (H). A series of horizontal benches, steps, or
terraces, at least 1 compactor width, should be cut into existing and natural slopes prior to adding new fill to key the
new fill into the underlying soil.
Select Fill
SAES-A-114 Select Fill Material shall be placed in lifts of 200 mm maximum in loose depth.
Material
General Fill Material shall be placed in lifts of 300 mm maximum in loose depth.
General Fill Material and Select Fill Material shall be placed in lifts of 100 mm maximum in loose depth for hand-
operated compaction equipment.
General Fill Other lift thicknesses may be approved by the appropriate Saudi Aramco Inspection Representative based on a field
SAES-A-114
Material test section using the intended compaction equipment and verification that compaction was achieved for the full
depth.
Commentary Notes:
Impact rollers can compact soils in lifts exceeding 1 m.
clean sand or
SAES-A-114 If clean sand or dune sand is used for fill, the compacted sand shall be kept wet until the next layer is placed.
dune
The moisture content of the material being compacted shall be within 3%, plus or minus, of the optimum moisture
content as determined by ASTM D1557.
SAES-A-114 moisture content
For cohesionless freely draining soils when ASTM D4253/ ASTM D4254 are the appropriate test procedures, there is
no applicable optimum moisture content.
Fill and backfill adjacent to structures such as retaining walls, pits, and basements shall not be compacted with heavy
SAES-A-114
Fill and backfill equipment, but shall be compacted with hand-operated equipment to a distance of 1.2 meters or greater beyond
adjacent the sides of the structures. Every effort shall be made to place backfill materials symmetrically and in uniform layers
to prevent unnecessary eccentric loading on a structure or foundation.
SAES-A-114 Fill Placement and Compaction
SAES-A-114 Fill and backfill Fill and backfill layers shall be uniformly compacted in accordance with the following density requirements:
All Select Fill Material and any fill beneath and/or adjacent to foundations, grade beams, mats, buildings, lined
All Select Fill Material and slopes or drainage channels, and process areas
any fill beneath and/or At least 90% of the maximum Modified Proctor density as determined by ASTM D1557, or
adjacent At least 70% Relative Density as determined by ASTM D4253 and ASTM D4254 for cohesionless granular soils
that do not exhibit well-defined moisture density relationship.
Select Fill Material beneath and/or adjacent to foundations with static loads over 320 kPa and foundations for
vibrating or heavy machinery:
loads over 320 kPa and
At least 95% of the maximum Modified Proctor density as determined by ASTM D1557, or
foundations
At least 85% Relative Density as determined by ASTM D4253 and ASTM D4254 for cohesionless granular soils that
do not exhibit well-defined moisture density relationship.
Asphalt and concrete pavement subgrades:
At least 95% of the maximum Modified Proctor density as determined by ASTM D1557, or At least 85% Relative
subgrades: Density as determined by ASTM D4253 and ASTM D4254 for cohesionless granular soils that do not exhibit well-
defined moisture density relationship
General Fill Material for areas not designated as open or landscaped:
At least 90% of the maximum Modified Proctor density as determined by ASTM D1557, or At least 70% Relative Density as determined by ASTM
D4253 and ASTM D4254 for cohesionless granular soils that do not exhibit well-defined moisture density relationship.
General Fill Material for areas designated as open or landscaped:
At least 85% of the maximum Modified Proctor density as determined by ASTM D1557, or At least 65% Relative Density as determined by ASTM
D4253 and ASTM D4254 for cohesionless granular soils that do not exhibit well-defined moisture density relationship.
Subkha working platforms Commentary Notes:
Compaction to the required densities indicated in Section 6.3 are virtually impossible to achieve
in the first layer placed directly on subkha and similar very weak soils. A working platform to
provide a stable base is often required
A 500 mm thick layer of fill material placed directly on the subkha compacted as well as possible
is usually sufficient. Stripping of the subkha “crust” prior to fill placement is not recommended.
A geotextile layer between the subkha and the working platform provides a capillary break and
improves both short-term (construction) and long-term performance of the engineered fill.
Laboratory Control Test Frequency
clean sand or
If clean sand or dune sand is used for fill, the compacted sand shall be kept wet until the next layer is placed.
dune
The control tests specified in section 6.4.1.1 shall be conducted at a
minimum for every 10,000 m3 where the fill material is uniform or for
every change of source or material type.
Every effort should be made to ensure that the fill material is uniform.
However, in situations when the fill is (1) from a single borrow area but
non-uniform in composition, or (2) a stockpile from multiple sources, the
tests in section 6.4.1.1 shall be conducted at a minimum for every 5,000
m3 using a combined sample of four random samples of the fill material.
accuracy of the method for the given fill material and compaction
method.
Testing shall be performed at the following frequencies:
Select Fill Material under all foundations, buildings and process
areas - one test every 100 m² of each lift.
Select Fill Material under roadways, railroads, area pavement
and parking areas, and lined slopes or drainage channels - one
test every 200 m² of each lift.
General Fill Material - one test every 500 m² of each lift.
Backfill of trenches - one test for every 15 linear meter of each
lift.
SAES-A-114
Excavation shall be performed as required by the design drawings
to the
SAES-A-114
SAES-A-114
