The engineering significance of Pleistocene stratigraphy in the Saskatoon area, Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract
It was recognized that repeated stages and substages of glaciation in Saskatchewan during the Pleistocene Epoch produced a series of overlapping sediments. It was shown that these sediments could be analyzed for engineering purposes within a three-dimensional stratigraphic framework. Preliminary field investigations indicated that a stratigraphic analysis could be related to construction problems found on highway embankment construction, gravel location, and tunnel excavation. Field studies established that it is practical for the field engineer to analyze and interpret the stratigraphy in the field. Furthermore, laboratory studies indicated that there were significant differences in the engineering properties of different drift-stratigraphic units. It was shown that the behavior of the till units during construction could be explained in terms of the fundamental engineering properties of soils such as shear strength parameters and compressibility. Finally, it appeared to be probable that the basic concepts developed in this study would apply to other areas covered by glacial sediments.

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