GEOTECHNOLOGY-I(CEPC-33)

Unit 4 Shallow Foundations-II

Dr. Jitendra Singh Yadav

Assistant Professor-I
Dept of Civil Engineering
NIT Kurukshetra, Kurukshetra Haryana

1
 CONTENT

• Various causes of settlement of foundation,

• Allowable bearing pressure based on settlement,
• Settlement calculation,
• Elastic and consolidation settlement,
• Allowable settlement according to I.S.Code.
• Plate load test and its interpretation,
• Bearing capacity from penetration tests,
• Design bearing capacity.

2
Types of Settlement found in shallow foundation

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 3

Settlement of shallow foundation Settlement
S = Se + S c + S s
St = Si + Sc + Ss
Immediate Primary Secondary
Settlement Consolidation Consolidation
Se Sc Ss
Si= Immediate or elastic settlement (<7 days). It takes place during the application of loading. In clays,
the settlement is due to the change in the shape of the soil without a change in volume or water
content. It is neglected as compared to long term settlement. (Important for Granular soil)
Sc= Primary consolidation settlement. Due to gradual dissipation of pore pressure induced by external loading
and consequently expulsion of water from the soil mass, hence volume change. (Important for Inorganic
clays) .It is due to the consolidation.

Ss= Secondary Compression Settlement. It occurs because of volume change occurring due to
rearrangement of soil particles. Occurs at constant effective stress with volume change due to
rearrangement of particles. (Important for Organic soils) Creep
Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 4
•Immediate settlement is not time dependant settlement.
•Primary consolidation and secondary settlement are time dependant.
•For granular soils, immediate settlement is the entire settlement.
•In inorganic clays, Primary consolidation accounts major part of the settlement.
•In organic clays, secondary compression accounts major part of the settlement .

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 5

Settlement Calculation
Consolidation Settlement (for clay)
Immediate Settlement (for clay)
Cc  p + p 
Sc =  H log 10  0 
Se =
qB
Es
(
1 −  s2 I f ) 1+ e0  p0 
or Sc =  mv H 0 p
Settlement (granular soil or sand) (all Immediate Settlement)
(a) Plate load test method ( IS-1888-1982) De Beer and Martens (1957) Meyerhof(1965)
(b) Method based on SPT (IS 8009-Part 1-1976)
S = 2.3 H log  0 +  
(c) Method based on SCPT   q  q 
where C = 1.5  c 
or C = 1.9  c 
C  0  0  0 
(d) Semi-empirical Method (Buisman, 1948)

0   +  
S =  2.3 H log 0 
E   0 

(e) Use strain influence factor (Schmertman and Hartman (1978)

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 6

 Elastic settlement of Foundation
H H

 (  −  s  x −  s  y ) dz
1
Elastic settlement: Se =   z dz = z
0
Es 0
Es = Modulus of elasticity
H = Thickness of soil layer
s = Poisson’s ratio of soil
This theory is applicable for surface footing
Elastic settlement for Flexible Foundation: and flexible footing.

Se =
qB
Es
(
1 −  s2 I f ) Types of corrections: 1. Depth correction
2. Rigidity correction for
raft foundation
I f = influence factor: depends on the rigidity and shape of the foundation
E s = Avg elasticity modulus of the soil for (4B) depth below foundn level
Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 7
Elastic settlement of Foundation Soil Strata with Semi-infinite
depth

Uniform settlement

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 8

Elastic settlement of Foundation

• Normally consolidate clay, Eu= (750 to 1200) Su

• Heavily over consolidated clay, Eu= (1500 to 2000) Su
• Normally consolidated sensitive clay, Eu= (200 to 600)Su
Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 9
 E in kPa
Elastic settlement of Foundation

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 10

 Fox’s Depth Correction Factor for
Rectangular Footings of (L)x(B) at
Depth (D)

( Sc ) Embedded
= Depth factor
( Sc )Surface Shallow foundation

Deep foundation
Rigidity Factor as per IS:8009-1976
Total settlement of
rigid foundation
Total settlement at the center
of flexible foundation

Rigidity factor = 0.8Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 11

Settlement due to Primary Consolidation

  o +  av 
For NC clay ( c   o  )
  o +  av Sc =
Cc H c
log  
1 + eo   
o 
For OC clay ( o +  av
   c ) Cs H c   o +  av 
Sc = log  
1 + eo   o
 
  c  Cc H c   o +  av
 
For OC clay ( o  )
  c   o +  av Sc =
Cs H c
log  + log  
1 + eo 
 o  1 + eo   
c 
 o = Average effective vertical stress before construction
 av
 = Average increase in effective vertical stress
 c = Effective pre-consolidation pressure
eo = Initial void ratio of the clay layer  t
Cc = Compression Index
 m

Cs = Swelling Index
Hc = Thickness of the clay layer
1
 av
 = (  t + 4 m +  b )  b
6 Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 12
 Settlement due to Primary Consolidation

Influence zone of bearing capacity = B

Influence zone for settlement = 2B

Po = initial effective overburden pressure before applying foundation load.

Delta p= vertical stress at the centre due to application of load.
Cv= compression index
e0= initial void ratio
mv = coefficient of volume compressibility

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 13

1. Pore water pressure correction
2. Depth correction
3.Rigidity correction for raft foundation

1. Corrections for the effect of 3-D consolidation

S c(3D) = Sc (1D)
where = correction factor. In absence of data regarding pore water pressure parameter A,
following values can be taken:
 = 1-1.2 very sensitive clay
=0.7-1.0 Normally consolidated clay
=0.5-0.7 Over consolidated clay
=0.3-0.5 Heavily over consolidated clay

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 14

Settlement Correction for Effect of 3-D Consolidation

( S c )3 D =  ( Sc )1D

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 15

IS 8009 part 1: 1976
 Settlement Due to Secondary Consolidation

C H c  t2 
Ss = log  
1 + ep  t1 

Void Ratio, e
C = Secondary Compression Index
e
=
log ( t2 t1 ) ep

e p = Void ratio at the end of primary consolidation e

t1 t2
H c = Thickness of Clay Layer Time, t (Log scale)

Secondary consolidation settlement is more important in the case of organic and

highly-compressible inorganic clays

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav

 Settlement of Foundations on Granular Soils

• Due to consolidation, short term field tests are not suitable to determine the settlement of cohesive soil.
a) Plate load test method ( IS-1888-1982)

Df

W=5Bp

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 17

https://theconstructor.org/geotechnical/plate‐load‐test‐ https://www.raeburndrillingnorthern.com/insitu‐testing
bearing‐capacity‐calculation‐soil/13321/
Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 18
Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 19
 Plate Load Test – IS:1888-1982

Bearing Plate:
• Rough mild steel bearing plate in circular or square shape
• Dimension: 30 cm, 45 cm, 60 cm, or 75 cm.
Thickness > 25 mm
• Smaller size for stiff or dense soil.
• Larger size for soft or loose soil
• Bottom of the plate is grooved for increased roughness.
• Concrete blocks may be used to replace bearing plates.

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav

Plate Load Test – IS:1888-1982
Test Pit:
• Usually to the depth of foundation level.
• Width equal to five times the test plate
• Carefully leveled and cleaned bottom.
• Protected against disturbance or change in natural formation

Plan

Section

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav

Procedure
•Selection of Location

•Based on the exploratory boring.

•Test is carried out at the level of proposed foundation.

•If water table is below the foundation level but the depth is less than width of plate then the test is carried out
at the level of water table. If the water table is above the foundation level then the water level is reduced to
proposed foundation level by pumping out the water during the test; however, in case of high permeability
material perform the test at the level of water table.

•In case the soil is expected to have significant capillary action and the water table is within 1 m below the
foundation, it becomes necessary to perform the test at the level of water table in order to avoid the effect of
higher effective stresses due to capillary action resulting in lower values of interpreted settlements.

•Reaction supports should be at least (3.5 x width of plate) away from the test plate location, and loading
arrangement should provide sufficient working space.

•Test plate should be placed over a 5 mm thick sandBy:layer

Prepared and
Dr.Jitendra it Yadav
Singh should be centered with the loading arrangement.
22
•A seating pressure of 7 kPa is applied and then released after some time before the test.

•Loads are applied in the increments of approximately 1/5th of the estimated ultimate safe load. (Or, one
may choose to increase the load at an increment of 0.5 kN) or 25 mm settlement which ever is earlier.

•At each load settlement is recorded at time intervals of 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 16, 25 min and thereafter at intervals
of one hour.

•For clayey soil, the load is increased when time settlement curve shows that the settlement has exceeded
70-80% of the probable ultimate settlement or a duration of 24 Hrs.

•For the other soils, the load is increased when the settlement rate drops below 0.02 mm/min.

•The minimum duration for any load should, however, be at least 60 min.

•Dial gauges used for testing should have at least 25 mm travel and 0.01 mm accuracy.

•The load settlement curve can then be platted from settlement data.

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 23

Plate Load Test – Load-Settlement Curve

Terzaghi and Peck (1948):

Sf = Settlement of a foundation of width Bf (cm)

 B f ( B p + 30 ) 
2
Sf
= 
 B p ( B f + 30 ) 
Sp  Sp = Settlement of the test plate of width Bp (cm) at
 the same load intensity as on the foundation

Soil Index - n
Bond (1961): Clay 1.03 to 1.05
Sandy clay 1.08 to 1.10
n
Sf  Bf  Loose sand 1.20 to 1.25

=  Medium sand 1.25 to 1.35

Sp 
 Bp 
 Dense sand 1.40 to 1.50

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav

 Plate Load Test: Some Considerations
• The width of test plate should not be less than 30 cm.

• It is experimentally shown that the load settlement behavior of soil is qualitatively different for
smaller widths.
Soft soil
layer
• The settlement influence zone is much larger for the real foundation sizes than that for test plate,
which may lead to gross misinterpretation of expected settlement for proposed foundation.

• The foundation settlements in loose sands are usually much larger than what is predicted by plate
load test.

• Plate load test is relatively short duration test and gives mostly the immediate settlements.

• In case of granular soils the immediate settlement is close to total settlements.

• However, due to considerable consolidation settlement in case of cohesive soils, the plate load test Sf Bf
=
becomes irrelevant in such case. Sp Bp

• Although the following relationship is suggested for interpreting the settlements in cohesive soils,
Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav
it can not be used seriously for design.
Important Considerations

• Plate size smaller than 30 cm should never be used in any case.

• It may lead to misleading results, if the soil at site is not homogenous.
• Capillarity in sand bed increases its effective vertical stress or its stiffness. The test will result in a severe
underestimate of actual settlement.

• For clayey soil, immediate settlement is not the main settlement. However, plate load test gives the
immediate test.

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 26

Ultimate Bearing capacity Calculation from plate load test
quf Bf
• For cohesionless soil = Where, quf= ultimate bearing capacity of footing
qup Bp
qup= ultimate bearing capacity of plate

• For cohesive soil quf = qup

Safe Bearing capacity Calculation from plate load test

• The safe bearing capacity of a footing can be determined from the load-settlement curve of the test plate.

• If the permissible settlement of foundation of width Bf is Sp, corresponding settlement Sp of test plate Bp
can be found from equation. Then the load intensity corresponding to Sp is read from load settlement
curve and taken as safe bearing capacity of foundation.

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 27

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 28
 Plate Load Test: Bearing Capacity
• In case of dense cohesionless soil and highly cohesive soils ultimate bearing capacity may be estimated from the peak
load in load-settlement curve.

• In case of partially cohesive soils and loose to medium dense soils the ultimate bearing capacity load may be estimated
by assuming the load settlement curve so as to be a bilinear relationship.

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 29

Plate Load Test: Bearing Capacity

• A more precise determination of bearing

capacity load is possible if the load-settlement
curve is plotted in log-log scale and the
relationship is assume to be bilinear. The
intersection point is taken as the yield point or
the bearing capacity load.

quf Bf
For cohesioless soil → =
qup Bp

For cohesive soil → quf = qup

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav
Safe Bearing capacity Calculation from plate load test
• If the load test is carried out above the natural water table, the settlement computed from the curve will have to be
corrected if there is a likelihood of rise in water table in future.
Settlement computed from plateload test
Actual settlement =
Correction factor (Cw )

Peck, Hanson, and Thornburn (1974) IS:8009 method

 Dw 
 C w = 0.5 + 0.5 Dw1
C w = 0.5 + 0.5 B 
 Df + B 
 
Dw= depth of water table below the ground level Df= depth D’w= depth of water table from base of footing
of foundation
B= width of foundation

Prepared By: Dr.Jitendra Singh Yadav 31

Thank You

32