Spatial interpolation of geotechnical data: A case study for multan city, pakistan

Geotechnical data contributes substantially to the cost of engineering projects due to increasing cost of site investigations. Existing information in the form of soil maps can save considerable time and expenses while deciding the scope and extent of site exploration for a proposed project site. This paper presents spatial interpolation of data obtained from soil investigation reports of different construction sites and development of soil maps for geotechnical characterization of Multan area using ArcGIS. The subsurface conditions of the study area have been examined in terms of soil type and standard penetration resistance. The Inverse Distance Weighting method in the Spatial Analyst extension of ArcMap10 has been employed to develop zonation maps at different depths of the study area. Each depth level has been interpolated as a surface to create zonation maps for soil type and standard penetration resistance. Correlations have been presented based on linear regression of standard penetration resistance values with depth for quick estimation of strength and stiffness of soil during preliminary planning and design stage of a proposed project in the study area. Such information helps engineers to use data derived from nearby sites or sites of similar subsoils subjected to similar geological process to build a preliminary ground model for a new site. Moreover, reliable information on geometry and engineering properties of underground layers would make projects safer and economical.