Settlement of Shallow

Foundations

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Introduction
the allowable settlement of a shallow foundation may control
the allowable bearing capacity.
The allowable settlement itself may be controlled by local
building codes. Thus, the allowable bearing capacity will be
the smaller of the following two conditions:

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

The settlement of a foundation can be divided into two major
categories:
1.
elastic, or immediate, settlement and
2.
consolidation settlement
Primary consolidation and secondary compression
For the calculation of foundation settlement
1. Procedure for calculation of vertical stress increase
2. Elastic settlement calculation
3. Consolidation settlement calculation

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Elastic settlement (or immediate settlement),

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

The elastic settlement of a rigid foundation can be estimated as
Se(rigid) 0.93Se(flexible, center)
Due to the nonhomogeneous nature of soil deposits, the
magnitude of Es may vary with depth.
Bowles (1987) recommended using a weighted average of Es ,
or

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Improved Equation for Elastic Settlement
Mayne and Poulos (1999) take into account
the rigidity of the foundation,
the depth of embedment of the foundation,
the increase in the modulus of elasticity of the
soil with depth, and
the location of rigid layers at a limited depth

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Settlement of Sandy Soil: Use of Strain Influence Factor
The settlement of granular soils can also be evaluated by the use of a
semiempirical strain influence factor proposed by Schmertmann et
al. (1978).

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

See next slide
effective stress at
a depth of z1
before
construction of
the foundation

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Settlement of Foundation on Sand Based on Standard Penetration
Resistance
Meyerhofs Method
Meyerhof (1956) proposed

Meyerhof (1965) suggested that the net allowable bearing pressure should be
Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)
increased by about 50%.

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Bowles (1977) proposed that the modified form of the bearing
equations be expressed as

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Primary Consolidation Settlement Relationships

Or subdivide the layers layer in layers

Refere to soil mechanics lecture notes
3rd year

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Three-Dimensional Effect on Primary Consolidation Settlement
SkemptonBjerrum modification (1957) for a consolidation
settlement calculation.
The consolidation settlement calculation presented in the preceding
section is based on one-dimensional laboratory consolidation tests.
The assumption is that u, immediately after application of the load
equals , at any depth. In this case

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

The settlement ratio for a continuous foundation Kstr, can be

determined in a manner similar to that for a circular
foundation.

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Hc = Thickness of clay layer

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Settlement Due to Secondary Compression
Secondary compression settlement is a form of soil
creep that is largely controlled by the rate at which the
skeleton of compressible soils, particularly clays, silts,
and peats, can yield and compress.
Secondary compression is often conveniently
identified to follow primary consolidation when
excess pore fluid pressure can no longer be measured;
however, both processes may occur simultaneously.
Also referred to as the secular effect

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Field Load Test (Plate Load Test-PLT)

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Any
Questions?
Asst. Prof. Khalid Aljanabi (Ph.D.)