Geotechnical Engineering–II [CE-321]

BSc Civil Engineering – 5th Semester

Lecture # 9
4-Oct-2017

by
Dr. Muhammad Irfan
Assistant Professor
Civil Engg. Dept. – UET Lahore
Email: mirfan1@msn.com
Lecture Handouts: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/geotech-ii_2015session
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STRESS UNDER UNIFORMLY LOADED
IRREGULAR SHAPED AREA
How to determine stress in soil caused by irregularly shaped
loaded areas?

 Newmark (1942) influence charts

 Determination of stresses at given depth and location (both
within and outside the loaded area)
 Vertical stress
 Horizontal stress
 Shear stress 2
 STRESS UNDER UNIFORMLY LOADED IRREGULAR
SHAPED AREA
– Newmark Influence Charts –
• Based on Bousinesq theory

• Similar charts available for

Westergaard theory (to be
discussed later)

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 – NEWMARK
INFLUENCE CHARTS –

• Contours of a cone

• Each ‘area’ or ‘block’ has the

same surface area in cross-
section

• Projection on paper distorts the

block area, i.e. areas look
smaller close to the center and
vice versa

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 – NEWMARK
INFLUENCE CHARTS –

• Drawing to be made on scale

• Distance A-B equal to depth of
interest
• Scale of loaded area to be
selected accordingly
• Center of influence chart to
coincide with point of interest

• Count number of blocks under

loaded area

∆𝜎𝑧 = 𝑞𝑜 . 𝐼. (𝑁𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑠)

qo = contact stress
I = influence factor
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 Practice Problem #8
What is the additional
vertical stress at a depth of 10
m under point A?

∆𝜎𝑧 = 𝑞𝑜 . 𝐼. (𝑁𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑠)

No of elements = 76 (say)

A B
20mm
I = 1/200
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 STRESS
DISTRIBUTION
CHARTS

Ref: Bowles pp #292

Fig. 5-4

Pressure isobars (also called pressure

bulbs) based on the Boussinesq
equation for square and strip footings.

Applicable only along line ab from the

center to edge of the base.

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STRESS INCREASE (∆q) DUE TO
EXTERNAL LOAD

Determination of stress due to external load at any

point in soil

1. Approximate Method
2. Boussinesq’s Theory
3. Westergaard’s Theory

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 Westergaard’s Theory
• Boussinesq theory derived for homogeneous, isotropic, linearly
elastic half-space.
• Many natural soils sedimentary (layered) in nature; e.g. varved
clays.
• Westergaard theory considers infinitely thin elastic layers of soil.

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 Westergaard’s Theory for Point Load
Westergaard, proposed (1938) a formula for the computation of vertical
stress sz by a point load, P, at the surface as;

P 1  2  2  2 
s z 

2z 2 1  2   2     r z 2  32

If poisson’s ratio, , is taken as zero, the above equation simplifies to

P 1 P
s z  2  2 IW

z 1  2r z 2  32
z

Where, 1 1 Independent of all

IW 

 1  2r z 2  32 material properties.

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 Westergaard vs Boussinesq Coefficient
1 1
IW 

 1  2r z 2  32

3 1
IB 

2 1  r z 2 
52

The value of IW at r/z = 0 is

0.32 which is less than that of
IB by 33%.

Boussinesq’s solution gives

conservative results at shallow
depth.
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Westergaard
Charts for
Rectangular
Loads

Ref: Holtz & Kovacs (2nd Ed.)

Fig. 10.9 (pp #480)

Influence values for vertical

stress under corners of a
uniformly loaded rectangular
area for Westergaard theory
(after Duncan & Buchignani,
1976)

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 Influence values for vertical stress under
center of a square uniformly loaded area
(Poisson’s Ratio, ν = 0.0)
(after Duncan & Buchignani, 1976)

Ref: Holtz & Kovacs (2nd Ed.)

Table 10.1 (pp #481)

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 Influence values for vertical stress under
center of infinitely long strip load.
(after Duncan & Buchignani, 1976)

Ref: Holtz & Kovacs (2nd Ed.)

Table 10.2 (pp #481)

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 Influence values for vertical stress
under corner of a uniformly loaded
rectangular area.
(after Duncan & Buchignani, 1976)

Ref: Holtz & Kovacs

(2nd Ed.)
Table 10.2 (pp #481)

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 SUMMARY
APPROXIMATE METHOD
Use of 2:1 (V:H) stress distribution
𝑄
𝜎𝑧 =
(𝐵 + 𝑧) ∙ (𝐿 + 𝑧)

BOUSSINESQ METHOD WESTERGAARD METHOD

P
s z  I
2 B s z 
P
I
z z 2 W

Where,
Where,
3 1 1 1
IB 
 
2 r z 2  1 5 2
IW 

 1  2r z 2  32

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Practice Problem #9

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REFERENCE MATERIAL
An Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering (2nd Ed.)
Robert D. Holtz & William D. Kovacs
Chapter #10

CONCLUDED

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