RIVER VALLEY TESTING CORP.

REPORT OF GEOTECHNICAL EXPLORATION 2011 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS MISC. PROJECTS OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN RVT #N10-374.5

Prepared for: MR. JOSEPH SARGENT CITY OF OSHKOSH FEBRUARY 25, 2011

Neenah

Green Bay

Madison

RIVER VALLEY TESTING CORP.

1060 Breezewood Lane, Suite 102 Neenah, WI 54956 Telephone: 920/886-1406 FAX: 920/886-1409

February 24, 2011 Mr. Joseph Sargent City of Oshkosh 215 Church Avenue Oshkosh, WI 54903 Re: 2011 Capital Improvement Projects Misc. Projects Report of Geotechnical Exploration Oshkosh, Wisconsin RVT #N10-374.5 Mr. Sargent:

In accordance with your instructions, River Valley Testing Corp (RVT) has prepared this letter to document our fieldwork for the above referenced project. We included the following in our scope of services; 1) mobilizing to the site to conduct four (4) standard penetration soil borings to a depth of 6', three (3) to 15', one (1) to 20', and one (1) to auger refusal which occurred at a depth of 13' below the existing grade and 2) preparing a report documenting the results of our fieldwork. Purchase Order #115333 authorized RVT to perform these services on January 18, 2011. Portions of the soil samples will be held at RVT for a period of 30 days from the date of this report and then will be discarded unless requested to ship them to a location designated by you. RVT has expressed its opinions in this report based on the conditions observed at the test boring locations. If the construction encounters different conditions than at the test boring locations, RVT requests notification so we can review these new conditions. Respectfully Submitted, RIVER VALLEY TESTING CORP. Matthew A. Meyer, P.E. Staff Geotechnical Engineer
MAM/mam Attachments

TABLE OF CONTENTS Item N10-374.5 Page

1.0 PROJECT INFORMATION...................................................................................................... 1 2.0 FIELD EXPLORATION ............................................................................................................ 1 3.0 LABORATORY ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................... 1 4.0 SUMMARY OF SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS ..................................................................... 2 High Avenue Congress Avenue to Wisconsin Street................................................. 2 Alley West of Main Street 14th Avenue to 15th Avenue............................................... 2 Planeview Road 400' south of S.T.H. "26" ................................................................ 3 5.0 CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................................. 4 Subgrade Preparation and Structural Fill ................................................................... 4 Hard/Extremely Dense Soils/Bedrock .......................................................................... 5 Groundwater Control ................................................................................................... 5 6.0 STANDARD OF CARE .............................................................................................................. 6

APPENDIX Boring Location Diagrams Soil Boring Logs Unified Soil Classification System Important Information About Your Geotechnical Engineering Report

2011 Capital Improvement Projects Misc. Projects Oshkosh, Wisconsin 1.0 PROJECT INFORMATION

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We understand the proposed construction includes concrete pavement construction and utility installations on High Avenue, Planeview Road, and the Alley west of Main Street between 14th Avenue and 15th Avenue in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 2.0 FIELD EXPLORATION RVT performed the standard penetration soil borings using a truck mounted, rotary drill rig on February 10 and 11, 2011. The drilling crew obtained field soil samples in accordance with American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM): D1586. Using this procedure, a 140 pound weight falling 30" drives a two inch outside diameter (OD) split barrel sampler into the soil using either a safety type manual hammer (MH) or an automatic hammer (AH). The "Method Section" of the boring logs indicates the hammer type in parentheses. After an initial set of six (6) inches, the standard penetration resistance or N-value describes the number of blows required to drive the sampler an additional 12 inches. The N-value provides an index of the relative density of cohesionless soils or the consistency of cohesive soils. This provides additional information as to the relative strength and compressibility characteristics of the subsoil. As we advanced the borings, the crew chief also measured the pavement and base thicknesses, and visually and manually classified the soil samples using the Unified Soil Classification System. The drillers also noted depths to observed groundwater both during and at the completion of each boring. Mr. Joseph Sargent of the City of Oshkosh determined the boring locations and depths. Further, City of Oshkosh personnel located the borings in the field and determined the surface elevations. The soil boring location diagrams in the Appendix show the approximate boring locations. 3.0 LABORATORY ANALYSIS After completion of the field exploration, a Geotechnical Engineer visually and manually classified the samples in the laboratory in accordance with the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS). The classification included the major and minor soil type, grain-size, color, moisture content and consistency/relative density. The square-bracketed text below the classification indicates the probable geographic origin. We have attached logs of the borings to the Appendix of this report. Further, RVT performed laboratory tests to determine in-situ moisture content (W). In addition, we screened all samples for volatile organic content using a Photo Ionization Device (PID). These laboratory test results can be found on the boring logs adjacent to the number of the tested sample. Further, the drillers obtained calibrated spring penetrometer readings, Pq, for many of the clayey samples. The Pq test results can be found on the boring logs in the unconfined compressive strength (Qu) column.

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4.0 SUMMARY OF SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS High Avenue Congress Avenue to Wisconsin Street The generalized soil profile indicated by the borings consisted of a 11" to 17" pavement section overlying existing fill and possible fill to a depth of between 1' and 4', and then glacial till extended to the boring termination depths. The glacial till consisted of lean clay while the existing fill and possible fill consisted of a variety of soils including organic clay, sandy silt, and silty sand. The standard penetration N-values indicated the clayey native soils had a medium to very stiff consistency. In addition, the silty and clayey existing fill and possible fill had a very stiff to rather stiff consistency and the sandy existing fill had a medium dense relative density. The soil boring logs note the Standard Penetration N-values in the column titled "Total (N)". The drillers also observed the water level in the boreholes during drilling and at the completion of each boring. However, none of the borings contained measurable groundwater. Because the borings encountered poorly draining soils, in our opinion, the groundwater level may take days or weeks to stabilize. In addition, groundwater levels can fluctuate with time due to seasonal variations in precipitation, lateral drainage conditions, and from location to location. The time of year and the weather history during the advancement of the boring should be considered when estimating groundwater levels at other points in time. The table below provides a general summary of the exploration results for High Avenue:
Boring Number H-1 H-2 H-3 H-4 Proposed/ Actual Boring Depth 6' / 6' 6' / 6' 6' / 6' 6' / 6' Pavement Thickness 5" 13" 15" 7" Base Course Thickness 6" 2" 2" 9" Existing Fill Depth 1' 15" 17" - 4' 3' Predominant Native Soil Type Lean Clay (CL) Lean Clay (CL) Lean Clay (CL) Lean Clay (CL) Auger Refusal Depth None None None None Groundwater Depth None None None None PID > 20 Units No No No No

Alley West of Main Street 14th Avenue to 15th Avenue The generalized soil profile indicated by the boring consisted of an 6" asphalt pavement section overlying existing fill to a depth of 2' and then glacial till extended to the boring termination depth. The glacial till consisted of lean clay and silty sand while the existing fill consisted of silty sand. Auger refusal occurred Boring Alley-2, and we noted it at a depth of 13' below the existing grade.

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A 5' rock core would be required to determine if auger refusal occurred on bedrock, a boulder, or some other obstruction. However, based on published bedrock information, in our opinion the auger refusal more likely than not occurred on a boulder or some other obstruction. The standard penetration N-values indicated a medium to rather stiff consistency for the clayey native soils. In addition, the sandy native soils had a very dense to extremely dense relative density. Further, the sandy existing fill soils had an extremely dense relative density. The soil boring logs note the Standard Penetration N-values in the column titled "Total (N)". The drillers also observed the water level in the borehole during drilling and at the completion of the boring. However, the boring did not contain measurable groundwater. Because the boring encountered poorly draining soils, in our opinion, the lack of observed groundwater may not be a reasonable indication of the static groundwater level being below the boring termination depth at the time of drilling. In addition, groundwater levels can fluctuate with time due to seasonal variations in precipitation, lateral drainage conditions, and from location to location. The time of year and the weather history during the advancement of the boring should be considered when estimating groundwater levels at other points in time. The table below provides a general summary of the exploration results for the alley west of Main Street:
Boring Number Alley-2 Proposed/ Actual Boring Depth 15' / 13' Pavement Thickness 4" Base Course Thickness 2" Existing Fill Depth 2' Predominant Native Soil Type Lean Clay (CL) Auger Refusal Depth 13' Groundwater Depth None PID > 20 Units No

Planeview Road 400' south of S.T.H. "26" The generalized soil profile indicated by the borings consisted of a 9" to 14" pavement section or 13" base course layer overlying existing fill and possible fill to a depth of between 3' and 4', and then glacial till extended to the boring termination depths. The glacial till consisted of lean clay while the existing fill and possible fill consisted of lean clay and sandy lean clay. The standard penetration N-values indicated a generally medium to very stiff consistency for the clayey native soils. In addition, the clayey existing fill and possible fill had a hard to stiff consistency. The soil boring logs note the Standard Penetration N-values in the column titled "Total (N)". The drillers also observed the water level in the boreholes during drilling and at the completion of each boring. However, only Boring PL-2 encountered measurable groundwater and the drillers noted it at a depth of 10' below the existing grade during drilling operations. At the completion of drilling, the drillers noted groundwater at a depth of 12' below the existing grade. Because the

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borings encountered poorly draining soils, in our opinion the observed depth to groundwater during drilling may not be a reasonable indication of the static groundwater level at the time of drilling. In addition, groundwater levels can fluctuate with time due to seasonal variations in precipitation, lateral drainage conditions, and from location to location. The time of year and the weather history during the advancement of the boring should be considered when estimating groundwater levels at other points in time. The table below provides a general summary of the exploration results for Planeview Road:
Boring Number PL-1 PL-2 PL-3 PL-4 Proposed/ Actual Boring Depth 15'/15' 20'/20' 15'/15' 15'/15' Pavement Thickness None 6" 4" 4" Base Course Thickness 13" 8" 5" 8" Existing Fill Depth 13" 4' 14" 4' 9" 4' 3' Predominant Native Soil Type Lean Clay (CL) Lean Clay (CL) Lean Clay (CL) Lean Clay (CL) Auger Refusal Depth None None None None Groundwater Depth None 10' None None PID > 20 Units No No No No

5.0 CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS Subgrade Preparation and Structural Fill We assume the new utility lines will extend below the existing fill encountered in the borings. Therefore, we do not anticipate significant special subgrade preparation will be required prior to installation of new watermains and sewers. However, if the excavations encounter existing fill below the proposed utility depths, we recommend removing the existing fill and replacement of it with compacted structural fill. Further, because we assume the excavations will extend deeper than 5', we recommend maintaining excavation side slopes at a ratio no steeper than 1' horizontal to 1' vertical. In addition, we wish to note that other OSHA requirements concerning excavation bracing may apply. Structural fill used for utility pipe bedding or trench backfill should consist of a predominantly sand material with 100% passing the 3" sieve, 70-100% passing the #4 sieve and less than 15% passing the #200 sieve. All structural fill materials should be placed in lifts not to exceed 8" and should be compacted to at least 95% Modified Proctor (ASTM: D1557) density. In our opinion, none of the soils encountered in the borings would likely meet RVT's recommended gradation for structural fill. After the initial site preparation, we recommend the pavement subgrade be proofrolled with a loaded tandem axle dump truck in areas with clayey soils and a large vibratory roller in areas with sandy soils. Soft subgrade areas, which RVT observes to exhibit rutting or deflections greater than 1" during proofrolling, should be over-excavated and replaced with structural fill as recommended above. Because of the frozen surface conditions, we could not evaluate the potential amount of over-excavation that might be required for the roadways.

2011 Capital Improvement Projects Misc. Projects Oshkosh, Wisconsin Hard/Extremely Dense Soils/Bedrock

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Some of the borings also encountered hard/extremely dense soils. The rippability of hard/extremely dense material depends on several factors, including the nature of the soils/rock, moisture content, strength, and weathering; and the type of excavation equipment. Based on historical data and conversations with excavation contractors, it is our opinion that standard penetration N-values should be used only as a general indicator as to the rippability of hard/extremely dense soil. Soils having standard penetration N-values less than 50 bpf can usually be excavated with standard construction techniques. Soils with N-values above 50 bpf, and where auger refusal has not yet been met, can usually be excavated with larger machinery equipped for ripping rock. Some of the likely attachments would include heavy shanks (ripping teeth), shank protectors, and narrow track shoes. Hard or extremely dense soils where auger refusal has been met often will require blasting to remove the rock. In RVT's opinion, cobbles or boulders may be encountered during construction, especially where the borings encountered N>50 bpf material. If the contractors have concerns about the excavation process, then we recommend they extend additional borings, or conduct test pits, during the bidding phase of the project. Groundwater Control Based on our understanding of the proposed construction and the information obtained from the borings, we generally do not anticipate that the excavations will extend below the static groundwater level. However, Boring PL-2 encountered groundwater during drilling at a depth of between 10' and 12' below the existing grade. Further, seasonal variations in precipitation and site drainage conditions can cause the accumulation of free water in the upper soils. In our opinion, groundwater seepage into the excavations generally should be suitably controlled using sump pumps and pits unless the excavations extend more than 3' below the static groundwater level. Further, at least a very low risk will always exist that one or more of the sites would require a more substantial dewatering system (such as a temporary well point system). Therefore, RVT wishes to emphasize that lowering the static groundwater level can have detrimental effects on nearby structures. With this in mind, RVT recommends any dewatering schemes be reviewed by a contractor who specializes in this type of work prior to its implementation.