Foundation Engineering IV

Shallow Foundations - Settlement

Foundation Engineering IV

Settlement
Vertical settlement is the accumulation of
movements in the vertical direction
The components of settlement are:
1. Elastic settlement elastic deformation of
the soil skeleton (occurs rapidly, and is not
time dependent).
2.Consolidation (is time dependent).
3.Secondary consolidation (creep)reorientation & crushing of particles
Foundation Engineering IV

Settlement
Only a small fraction of settlement is due
to elastic deformation of grains, and
therefore only that small fraction is
recoverable if applied stress is removed
Nonetheless it is convenient to treat soil as
pseudo-elastic with "elastic" parameters
Es, G', , and ks.

Foundation Engineering IV

Settlement

The two activities in settlement analysis

1. Obtain realistic values of the elastic
parameters

Undisturbed samples
In situ tests
Anisotropy
Stratification

Foundation Engineering IV

Settlement

The two activities in settlement analysis

2. Obtain a realistic stress profile from the
applied load

Correct numerical values

Effective depth H of influence zone
Theory of elasticity usually used
(assumes isotropic homogeneous soil)

Foundation Engineering IV

Settlement

The values obtained from these two activities

are used in an equation of general form
H

dH

= q/Es q = f(H,load) Es = f(H, soil) H is

an estimate.

Foundation Engineering IV

Settlement
This section shows how to obtain q, Es and H
Estimation of settlement is often in considerable
error read Case History 16, Brink Vol 3.
Estimates tend to be overestimates, both
magnitude of settlement and rate.
This is conservative, but we need to be careful
not to be so conservative that unneeded
expensive remedial action is recommended.
Settlements are classified as immediate or
consolidation
Foundation Engineering IV

Settlement
Es can be obtained from consolidation test or
triaxial test (Eq 5-1a)
(1 ) Es ,triaxial
1
Es

mv (1 )(1 2 )

If triaxial cell pressure approximates in-situ

pressure Es,triaxial approximates Es
If triaxial test carried out under k0 conditions
Es,triaxial = Es
Foundation Engineering IV

Settlement
Es can also be estimated from a variety of
correlations:
P89 (Cc)
Es 1.5qc (Buisman).
Es 1.9qc (Meyerhof 1965, Schmertmann 1970)
Es 2.5(qc 3200) kN/m 2 (Clean Sands)(Web b 1969)
Es 1.67(qc 1600) kN/m 2 (Clayey Sands)(Web b 1969)
Foundation Engineering IV

Methods of calculating q the increase in stress in the soil due to

foundation pressure

Approximate method
Boussinesq method (Eqn 5-5)
Newmark chart
Integration of Boussinesq's Equation over a
Rectangular Area

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Integration of Boussinesq's Equation over a

Rectangular Area
The equation given by Newmark, applicable
beneath the corner of a loaded rectangular
area of dimensions B x L is:

1 2MN V V 1
1 2MN V
qv q0
tan

V V1
4 V V1 V

B
L
M
N
qv q0 if z 0
z
z
V M 2 N 2 1 V1 (MN )2

If V1 V then use tan1 instead of tan1

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Immediate Settlement Calculations (5-16)

Settlement at the corner of a rectangular
base of dimensions B' x L' can be computed
by (Eqn 5-16)
1 2
1 2

H q0 B
I1
I 2 I F

Es
1
L'
H
M ,N
B'
B'
q0 = contact pressure
B' = least lateral dimension of contributing rectangle
Ii = influence factors that depend on L'/B', thickness of
stratum H, and base embedment depth D
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Immediate Settlement Calculations (5-16)

The influence factors (due to Steinbrenner)
are given by (Eqn (a) and (b) p303)
1
I1

1
M ln

M 2 1 M 2 N 2

M 1 M N 1
2

M
ln

M 2 1 1 N 2

M M N 1
2

N
M

tan 1

2
2
2
N M N 1
L
H
where M , N
B
B
I2

These are easily programmed, and are

tabulated in Table 5-2
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Immediate Settlement Calculations (5-16)

(Foxs Influence factor If can be obtained
from Figure 5-7, p 303
Note that B is the width of the foundation, not
the width of the participating area.
B
L'

L
B'
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Immediate Settlement Calculations (5-16)

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Immediate Settlement Calculations (5-16)

A more convenient form of the equation is
1 2
H q0 B
mI s I F
Es
1 2
I s I1
I2
1

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Immediate Settlement Calculations (5-16)

The procedure for calculating the
settlement must be followed carefully:
To calculate settlement at
Corner B' = B, L' = L
Centre B' = B/2, L' = L/2

Calculate the ratios H/B' and L'/B'. If there

are a number of contributing rectangles, use
the largest B to calculate H, and use this H
for all the contributing rectangles. (H=5B or
depth to hard stratum).
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Immediate Settlement Calculations (5-16)

Using Table 5-2 (304) obtain I1 and I2 (or
calculate them using Eq (a) and (b) (303).
Calculate Is from Eq (c) (306)
Obtain Fox's factor from Fig 5-7 (303)
Calculate the weighted average Es
Es ,av

E
i 1

si

Hi

Apply Eq 5-16a (306)

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Example
A piece of industrial equipment having a mass of 229,7
tonnes (including the mass of the footing) is to be
supported on a footing 3m x 3m placed at a depth of
1,5m below ground surface. The soil properties are:
0 5,5 m Es = 24,5 MPa = 0,35

Density = 2200 kg/m3

5,5 12,0 m
Es = 28,2 MPa = 0,35
below 12,0m
Hard rock
Estimate the immediate settlement at the centre, the
corners and the mid point of the edges of the footing.
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Example
(Data from Brink, ABA. Engineering Geology of South
Africa, Vol 3. Building Publications, Pretoria, 1983.
p228)
A cylindrical tank of diameter 28 m and height 13,6 m is
filled with water. The soil profile is:
0 0,9 m Clay fill - mv = 0,25 m2/MN
0,9 2 m Clay -mv = 0,15 m2/MN
2 7,8 m Clay with calcrete nodules - mv = 0,20 m2/MN
7,8 9 m Clay
- mv = 0,15 m2/MN.
Using Es = 1/mv, estimate the settlement at the centre
and the edge of the tank.
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What value of Es to use?

Obtain test results from triaxial test
measurement of E
(1 ) Es ,tr
1
Es

mv (1 )(1 2 )

from undrained triaxial strength

Normally consolidated clay (200 - 500) x su
Lightly overconsolidated clay (750 - 1200) x s u
Very overconsolidated clay (1500 - 2000) x s u
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What value of Es to use?

Published correlations:
Table 5-6 (317)
Table 2-8 (125)

From SPT
form Es = C1(N + C2)

From CPT
form Es = C1 + C2qc

Use local values (e.g. Webb, Mival & Allinson).

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Size effects (5-9)

Designing footings for equal settlement
Relating settlement to plate bearing tests
H 2 q02 B2 mI s 2 I F 2 Es2

H1 q01 B1 mI s1 I F 1 Es1

(Eqn 5-18)

For clay soils, assuming the same profile

H 2 q02 B2

H1 q01 B1
Foundation Engineering IV

(Eqn 5-18) (c)

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Size effects (5-9)

This equation does not model sandy soils well.
For the same pressure, settlement can be
estimated from plate bearing tests using

2B

'
'
B2 B1

H 2 H 1

Foundation Engineering IV

'
2

(Eqn 5-18) (e)

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Allowable Settlements
A table of allowable settlements is given as
Table 5-7
Franki Table 20.5.1 also gives useful values

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