REVIEW ON THE

FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
OF GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING

ENGR. BENNYLIZA MARIE A. GREGORIO

 SOIL COMPRESSION AND
SOIL SETTLEMENT
SOIL COMPRESSION

Soil compression is the decrease in volume of soil

due to the deformation of soil particles and
expulsion of water and air from void spaces due to
increase in STRESS IN SOIL .

Unwanted or uncontrolled decrease in volume may

lead to settlement of foundation. If the settlement of
foundation is not controlled or anticipated, major
structural failure may occur.

Soil Settlement
Uniformsettlement occurs
when a building settles
at the same rate
throughout all portions
of the structure. If the
entire structure rests on
the same kind of soil, then
uniform settlement is likely
to occur.
When one portion of the
structure settles down to a
certain depth
Generally doesn't cause
cracks in the structure.
However, upon prolonged
tipping settlement, the
structure may overturn.
FACTORS AFFECTING SOIL
COMPRESSION OR SOIL SETTLEMENT.
APPLIED
LOAD (P)
SOIL LAYER SETTLEMENT OF
(ANY TIME) FOUNDATION
• Consolidation
settlement
• Elastic settlement
CLAY LAYER
CAUSES OF SETTLEMENT:
Differential settlement is the
uneven or unequal settling
• Magnitude of load applied to foundation.
or sinking of a home or
building's foundation.
• Properties of soil underneath the foundation
This occurs when the soil • Presence of clay layer
under your foundation
contracts, expands, or shifts
irregularly, causing the
• Presence of water table
structure to settle unevenly.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SOIL • PRIMARY CONSOLIDATION
COMPRESSION OR SOIL SETTLEMENT. - Is the result of a volume change in saturated cohesive soils
APPLIED because of the expulsion of water that occupies void spaces.
LOAD (P)
Cc H Po +ΔP Cs H Po +ΔP
Sc = log Sc = log
1+eo Po 1+eo Po
(for “NORMALLY” consolidated clay) (for “OVER” consolidated clay)
SOIL LAYER SETTLEMENT OF
C H P C H P +ΔP
Sc = s log c + c log o
(ANY TIME) FOUNDATION
• Consolidation
settlement 1+eo Po 1+eo Po
• Elastic settlement
(for “OVER” consolidated clay)

CLAY LAYER NORMALLY CONSOLIDATED SOIL

-are clay soils in which the present effective overburden pressure
is the maximum pressure to which the soil has been subjected in
the past.
Pre – determined value to determine the Primary Consolidation
Settlement of Normally Consolidated Clay:
• Axial Force applied in the foundation (P0
• Dimension of foundation considering the
soil bearing capacity of soil (B).
• Thickness of clay layer (H)
• Properties of Clay Soil like unit weight and
void ratio
 Considering the formula for normally consolidated
PROBLEM: clay:
A rectangular footing as shown, carried a 500kN of Cc = 0.009(LL-10) = 0.009 (45 -10) = 0.315
force. Considering the soil profile below, determine the
H = 1.5
primary consolidation settlement of the footing if the
eo = 0.85
clay is normally consolidated
N.G.L
Po = ? Sand Layer
Cc H Po + ΔP ΔP = ? 1.2
Sc = log 1.2mx2.0m 1.5m
1+eo Po
N.G.L
2.55m W.S 0.3
where:
Sand Layer
Sc = Primary Consolidation 0.30m
1.2 1.35

1.2mx2.0m 1.5m Cc = Compression index

W.S Cc = 0.009(LL-10) 2 𝑸 1.5m
0.30m eo = in situ void ratio
0.675
1
H = thickness of clay layer Clay Layer
Clay Layer ΔP = average increase of
1.5m effective stress on clay layer
Po = average effective
stress at the mid – height of
Sand Layer Clay Layer clay layer
γmoist = 16 kN/m3 γsat = 15 kN/m3
γsat = 18 kN/m3 eo = 0.85
LL=45