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ZEEVAERT,P~.D.
SYNOPSIS
The foundation design for the forty-three storey
building Tower Latino Americana in Mexico City
introduced new and interesting problems in foundation engineering.
The Paper describes the general
philosophy adopted in the design of the foundation
of this building.
A detailed description of subsoil
conditions and mechanical properties of the lacustrine deposits encountered at the site is given.
The ground surface subsidence problem and
investigations performed to discover the source of
compression of the clay deposits are described, and
the way this phenomenon was taken into account
when consideration
was given to the foundation
design.
Excavations
into the lacustrine volcanic clay
deposits in Mexico City produce large heave.
The
Author describes the procedure used to excavate to
a 13-m depth for the foundation structure, and to
avoid the heave of the bottom of the excavation and
the excessive settlement of adjacent buildings and
streets.
Settlement observations
are reported-of
the
building, of the ground surface, and other deepseated strata.
Piezometric
water-level
observations during construction, and afterwards, are also
dealt with.
Finally, a comparison of observed and computed
settlements is given in an attempt to predict the
future behaviour of the foundation of the building.
INTRODUCTION
The forty-three storey building property, La Latin0 Americana Seguros de Vida, S.A.,
(Fig. 1, facing p. 118) was constructed in Mexico City at the corner of Madero and San Juan
de Letran opposite the Palace of Fine Arts. The foundation surface occupied by the building
is 1,114 sq. m. The weight, including the foundation structure and 20% live load, is 23,500
tons ; therefore the unit load at the foundation slab elevation is 21.1 tons/sq. m.
The building is supported on a rigid reinforced-concrete mat foundation resting on 361
concrete piles driven to a depth of 33.5 m into a firm sand layer where they act as pointbearing piles. The foundation plan and the pile layout are shown in Fig. 2. The depth to
the bottom of the foundation slab is 13 m below ground surface elevation. The total depth
is occupied by two basements and the foundation structure. The foundation and retaining
walls have been waterproofed to obtain effective use of the buoyant forces.
In order to take care of the ground surface subsidence (typical of Mexico City) as the
sidewalk settles away from buildings on pile foundations, the Author recommended a special
design that would facilitate the lowering at any time of the ground floor of the building.
The floor was divided into panels supported on wood blocks, permitting the panels to be
lowered as required. This practice will avoid in the future the necessity to construct steps
into the building as the sidewalk subsidence progresses.
The piles were driven from a preliminary excavation 2.5 m deep made in advance to clean
the site from old foundations. After the piles were inserted a I Wakefield -type of wood
115
.
116
LEONARDO
ZEEVAERT
sheet-pile was driven in a single operation to a depth of 16 m. The wood sheet-pile served
to create an impervious diaphragm to prevent water entering the excavation.
Therefore
the water-table in the upper pervious deposits was protected from a strong draw-down that
might have initiated a large settlement of the neighbouring buildings.
During excavation to the S-m depth the wood sheet-piles were shored from side to side
Thereafter,
the foundation beams
in both the north-south
and the east-west
directions.
were constructed in braced trenches excavated to the full depth required for the foundation
structure.
After the gridiron of beams was completed the panels between beams were
excavated one after another, and the foundation slab resting on the piles was constructed.
-4s substitutes
for the excavated load, every panel was immediately
filled with sand and
gravel.
After this the foundation was completed and loaded to obtain a reaction on the
piles of 12.5 tons/sq. m, equivalent to about half the weight of the building.
The erection
oi the steel structure then proceeded, and as more load was added the water-table was permitted to rise and exert under the foundation slab an equivalent reaction to the additional
43rd.srcrey
SAN
JUAN
DE
FOUNDATION
LETRAN
AVE.
STRUCTURE
7OUNDAliON
,-,F
VI
Wood Sheet-P,les
Fig.
2.
Foundation
plan
and layout
LA
LATIN0
Forty
Three
of piles
LAYOUT
AMLRIGANA
-
5tcw.j
Bwldlng
FOUNDATION
DESIGN
AND
BEHAVIOUR
OF TOWER
LATIN0
AMERICANA
117
load.
This procedure was followed until the total load of the building was applied and the
water-table was restored to its original elevation.
Settlement
observations and piezometric
water levels were carefully observed during the entire process of construction of the foundation, and thereafter.
In order to design the foundation of Tower Latin0 Americana it was necessary to investigate the source of surface subsidence and the index and mechanical properties of the subsoil
The results of these investigations
are reported in
materials at the site of the building.
the Paper.
SUBSOIL
CONDITIONS
5.555.70
m
5~70-6+30 m
6~80-6~85
6.85-7.45
7.45-7.55
7.55-9.15
9.15-l
m
m
m
m
1-9 m
1 l-9-12.1
12.1-15.8
m
m
15.8-15.85 m
15.85-16.5 m
16.5-21.4 m
21.4-21.50
21.50-22.50
m
m
22.50-23.65
23.65-24.30
m
m
24.30-27.20
27.20-29.10
Condition
A fill was found of clayey silt and sand with humus.
A large content of
pottery remains of Aztec origin was encountered in these horizons.
The
average water content is about 4576.
A layer of black volcanic ash with silt and little clay.
Deposit of light grey plastic fissured silty clay with root-holes and high
content of calcium carbonates,
Caliche Barrilaco.
The average water
content is about lOOo/o.
Pumice sand.
Grey clayey silt with calcium carbonates.
Pumice sand, and gravel.
Greyish olive-green fissured clayey silt with little calcium carbonates.
Average water content about 90%.
Becerra sediments.
Lacustrine volcanic clay, containing the mineral montmorillonite,
diatoms,
and ostracods.
Tacubaya Clay I.
Black volcanic ash.
Brown and reddish brown lacustrine volcanic clay containing the mineral
montmorillonite,
diatoms, and ostracods.
Tacubaya Clay I.
Black volcanic ash.
Grey clayey silty sand, with root-holes and calcium carbonates.
Olive-green
lacustrine
volcanic
clay, montmorillonite,
diatoms,
and
ostracods with lenses of white volcanic glass at 19.75 and 20.80-m depth.
Tacubaya Clay II.
Brown pumice sand.
Grey clayey silt and fine sand with root-holes and calcium carbonates
caliche .
Brown and reddish brown volcanic clay.
Tacubaya Clay III.
Grey clayey silt and fine sand with root-holes and calcium carbonates
caliche .
Olive-green lacustrine volcanic clay, contains montmorillonite,
diatoms,
and ostracods.
Tacubaya Clay IV.
Series of lacustrine deposits of volcanic montmorillonitic
clay, pumice
sand and ostracods sand.
Ostracods and iiolites very abundant.
Extremely
pervious
deposit in horizontal
direction
corresponding
to
Tacubaya Clay V.
118
LEONARDO
29.10-3350 m
33.5~38.20
38.20-41.55 m
41.55-41.95 m
41.95-45.25 m
45.25-47.70 m
47.70-64.50 m
64.50-65.25
65.25-65.40
65.466660
66.60-68.75
6875-70.00
m
m
m
m
m
ZEEVAERT
Olive-green lacustrine volcanic clay, containing the mineral montmorillonite, ostracods, and some diatoms. Tacubaya Clay V.
Series of alluvio-lacustrine deposits of andesitic sand, clayey silty sand
with little andesitic gravel and pumice, root-holes and calcium carbonates
in the upper part of the deposit. Tarango Sand I.
Olive-green lacustrine volcanic montmorillonitic clay, with diatoms,
ostracods, sponge spicules, with a black sand lens at 41.20. Tarango
Clay I.
Fine sand layer of white clean volcanic glass, wind deposited on the lake.
Olive-green lacustrine volcanic montmorillonitic clay with white clean
volcanic glass lens at 43.50-m depth. Tarango Clay I.
Same lacustrine clay as above, interbedded with numerous thin lenses of
volcanic sand. Tarango Clay I.
Series of deposits of sand, clayey silt, or silty sand of andesitic origin.
Little gravel and pumice grains. Tarango Sand II.
Brown lacustrine volcanic clay.
Lenses of volcanic sand.
Olive-green lacustrine volcanic clay.
Fine sand of white, clean volcanic glass.
Olive-green iacustrine volcanic clay.
Fig. 3 shows the water content profile from which may be seen distinctly the lacustrine
bentonitic clay deposits. The first lacustrine volcanic clay deposit corresponding to Tacubaya
Clay I-V, assumes a high water content that remains practically constant with depth and
reaches a height of 350%.
Near the sand lenses the water content in the clay drops on account of higher content of
coarser grains in the sediments. The large scattering of the water content appears to be
because of the transgression and regression of the sediments as the water level in the lake
assumed different elevations. This fact may be recognized also by the variation in the
Atterberg limits. The liquid limit was encountered as high as 400% and as low as 260%
regardless of depth, and the plasticity index between 264% and 110%. The unconfined
compressive strength shows a large variation from O-7-1.4 kg/sq. cm. This variation may
be associated with the different salinity of the water in the lake during the process of sedimentation. The minimum value of the unconfined compressive strength varies from 0.7 kg/
sq. cm in the upper part of the deposit to 0.85 kg/sq. cm at the bottom.
From the permeability point of view it is important to notice the sandy and silty layers
containing calcium carbonates at depths of 15.85, 21.50, 23.65, and 28 m. These horizons
define shallow waters in the lake. Particularly important is the series of silt and sand layers
with high content of microscopic shells, between 27.20-29.0 m deep. All these materials
have a permeability from ten to one hundred times larger than the volcanic clay deposit.
From geological considerations these layers may be considered continuous since they appear
in the same stratigraphic position in the subsoil in many other places in the heart of the city.
Therefore, from the hydraulic point of view, for consolidation purposes, they may be considered as drainage surfaces within the clay mass. Compressibility curves for the volcanic
high compressible clay deposits are illustrated in Fig. 4(a).
The first hard deposit Tarango Sand I has a variable compaction, its water content varies
The upper part of the deposit, because of cementation with clay and calcium
from 2570%.
carbonates, has in the in situ state a higher strength ; but the strength may be variable in
the horizontal direction because of the erratic development of calcium carbonates and clay
content. The cohesion may be as large as O-4 kg/sq. cm and the angle of internal friction
as high as 36.
FOUNDATION
DES
GN AND
STANDARD
PCN!lTRATlOh
BLOWS PER Fool
50 I[x)
150200
BEHAVIOUR
OF TOWER
.ATINO
AMERICANA
FIATLRCONTLNTIN: UNCONFIN
COMPRESS
If
DRYWM-ITOfSOLID:lRENGTUINI
sotoo
IS0
200
250
3003so401
iI510 1.5
119
EFFECTIVE
PRLSSURL
IN KG/CM'
05 1.0I"520 25 30 35
m
-
* WATER CONTENT
CARBONATES.ROOT-HOLES AND
SAND(CALlCUE)
0 INTERGRANULAR EFFECTIVEPRESSURE
iAND
ATTERBERG LIMITS
X VOLCANIC CLAY
@ SANDY J SILTYCLAY
4= BREAK INTHECOMPRESSIBILITY
CURVE
ss SPECIFIC
GRAVITY
Fig.
3.
Subsoil
profile
120
LEONARDO
ZEEVAERT
PRCSSURC
P INK/C
PRCSSLIAC :P IN K/C
Fig.
4.
Compressibility
curves
The second lacustrine volcanic clay deposit corresponding to Tarango Clay I, has an
Compared with the
almost constant water content of about 190% in its entire thickness.
The silt and very fine sand
upper volcanic clay deposit the Atterberg limits are smaller.
The variations in
content is larger and has less content of ostrocod shells and diatoms.
The unconfined compressive strength assumes minimum
liquid limit are from 260-108%.
values of about 0.9 k&q. cm in the upper part of the deposit, Fig, 3. Compressibility curves
of this volcanic clay are shown in Fig. 4(b).
The second hard deposit, Tarango Sand II, consists of a series of alluvio-lacustrine strata
of sand, silt, and clayey silts with gravel, and may be considered in a semi-compact state.
The compressibility is low.
The cohesion is zero for sand and silt stratifications and as large
The angle of internal friction may reach values
as 0.67 kg/sq. cm in the clayey sediments.
up to 45.
The second lacustrine clay deposit, Tarango Clay II, encountered at 65-m depth has a
water content of 150%, liquid limit of 153% and plasticity index of 105%.
Compressive
strengths are as low as 1.65 kg/sq. cm.
HYDRAULIC
CONDITIONS
FOUNDATION
DESIGN
AND
BEHAVIOUR
OF TOWER
LATIN0
121
AMERICANA
at different depths.
The horizons selected to install the porous point of the piezometers were
The curve marked B
the most pervious strata at 48, 34, 28, 21, 16, 12, 8, and 2-m depth.
in Fig. 3 shows the effective overburden pressure computed with the piezometric pressures
encountered,
and the curve marked A shows the effective pressures with static hydraulic
conditions (as if all piezometric water level elevations would reach the water-table found at
1.15 m from the ground surface).
The curve marked B shows that the effective pressures
increased by the drop in piezometeric
pressures, because of downward water flow. The
investigation
demonstrates
that there is a small drop in the piezometric water levels for
piezometers installed at 28-m depth or less, but the strong change in the piezometric levels
starts at 34-m depth.
The semi-pervious
layers at 28 m appear to provide sufficient water to maintain,
at
present, the hydrostatic
pressure practically
unchanged at this elevation.
Therefore,
an
The seepage
important downward hydraulic gradient is established only after 28-m depth.
forces have increased the effective pressures in the fifth layer of the upper clay deposit
Tacubaya, and in deposit Tarango Clay I, as shown in Fig. 3.
From this investigation
it was concluded that the source of ground surface subsidence
was mainly the compression of Tacubaya
Clay V of the upper volcanic clay deposit, and
that of the second volcanic clay deposit, Tarango Clay I.
Benchmarks
ST48 and 9T34
(see Fig. 9) installed at the site at 48-m and 34-m depth, respectively, show the quantitative
values of the compression of these two clay deposits and of the total ground surface subsidence with respect to benchmark
ABN49 installed at 49-m depth in the Alameda Park,
280 m away from the site, Fig. 7.
The location of the benchmarks and reference points used in this investigation are shown
in Fig. 8. From observations in the Alameda Park, illustrated in Fig. 9, it will be seen that
starting in 1950 the rate of drop in piezometric water pressures has diminished and also the
velocity of ground surface subsidence to about half of its value during the period 1949-1950.
This phenomenon may be due to the suppression of part of the deep water supply wells in the
central part of Mexico City.
FOUNDATION
DESIGN
The foundation was designed with piles, covering an area of 1,004 sq. m on the first hard
deposit, Tarango Sand I, Fig. 3. This layer was selected to avoid excessively large negative
friction on the piles, and the emerging effect of the building from the surface of the ground ;
in contrast to a design using piles bearing on Tarango Sand II, which would cause the effects
referred to above to be of an unacceptable
magnitude.
Furthermore,
the piles were more
economical with a length to reach the first hard stratum.
A safe average load of 1.2 kg/sq. cm
was assigned to the upper part of Tarango Sand I, taking into account the reduction of
pressure because of excavation, the rigidity of the foundation structure, and the distributing
effect of the supporting sand layer itself.
The weight of the building is 2.10 kg/sq. cm : therefore, to obtain an increment of pressure
in Tarango Clay I that could be taken safely, it was necessary to support with uplift water
Thus it was decided to place the
pressure the balance foundation pressure of 1-O kg/sq. cm.
foundation slab at a depth of 13.0 m from the ground surface.
The probable settlement
caused by the increment of load in the second clay deposit,
Tarango Clay I, may be estimated using the following settlement equations, taking into consideration the secondary consolidation :
St = s, + -52
Primary
consolidation
S, = L mqll. H . p . t . F,(T,)
S, = L m,z . H . ;[F(Tm)(t
4*
(1)
(2)
t, < t < tc .
(32
:
-
ta) +
o<t<t,
F1(T&,l
122
LEONARDO
ZEEVAERT
Secondary consolidation :
t, < t < t, + t,
(4)
t, + te < t
in which :
n=m
WV) = 1 -
(2n + 1)P f
(2%
1)2.
(5)
T
.
(6)
n=o
?I=*
F,(T,)
= 1 - -&
t, =-
n=O
1)4 .(I
(212 :
T,, . Hz
4cv
4&l
, T, = 112 . t
(2n+ l)W
--i+u)
.,
(7)
(8)
$ = AP
t = rate of loading, considered constant during loading period t,
e
The values of m,l, mt, c, and T,, are obtained from consolidation tests. The average
values of these mechanical properties and the average increment of pressure are reported in
Table 1, Fig. 5. The computed time-compression curve of Tarango Clay I for a loading
period t, = 0 months is shown as curve A in Fig. 6. However, the rate of settlement is
governed by the perimeter friction of the foundation against the upper subsoil deposits and
therefore by the speed of settlement corresponding to the ground surface subsidence with
respect to the point of the piles resting at 34-m depth on the sand layer. Therefore, the rate
TIME IN MONTUS
1
34
P-id_
SAND
200
i i i
mw mt cv L
I
I
1000
I\
3
hP
//I////////[
CLAY
68\0
YOLCLUIC
6LW
s
2
CLAY
0.03550.021 o.m2
3.03 0.40
Fig. 6. Compression of Tsrango
Clay I, because of weight of
building
Fig. 5.
Consolidation
properties,
Tarango
Clay I
FOUNDATION
DESIGN
AND
BEHAVIOUR
OF TOWER
LATIN0
123
AMERICANA
of loading of deposit Tarango Clay I appears to be much smaller than the rate of loading
corresponding to the construction period of the building. Calculations made to adjust the
observed settlement of the building with computed settlement demonstrate that the fitting
of the observed curve with the computed curve marked B in Fig. 6, requires a loading period
close to t, = 84 months.
The building will not emerge from the ground surface until the rate of compression of the
above-mentioned clay deposit is smaller than the rate of ground surface subsidence with
respect to the 34-m deep sand layer.
The plan and cross-section of the foundation are shown in Fig. 2. The number of piles
used is 361 and, under normal conditions, they carry a load of 33 tons/pile.
Several pile tests performed at the site showed the elastic limit working conditions of the
piles to be 90 tons and the maximum load necessary to force the pile into the sand stratum,
120 tons.
However, as the building emerges from the ground surface the compression of Tacubaya
Clay V will create a negative friction on the piles because of the relative velocity resulting
from the ground surface subsidence and the compression of Tarango Clay I.
The total negative friction acting on a pile may be estimated by means of the equation :
h
.
F(-)
(9)
0 Sda
in which S is the unit shearing strength of the remoulded clay along the shaft of the pile.
The following approximate value may be assigned to the start of shear flow :
s=~K,tan$,.*,
(10)
PALACIO
CINCO
DE MAYO
AVE.
PI8
GU4RDlOLA
ILIILUWCU
PIUS
PI7
J UARLZ
AVE.
z
ll--llI?
Fig.
7.
General
location
of building
and
benchmarks
Pi6
MADERO
AVE
124
LEONARDO
ZEEVAERT
MADERO
AT8
i
Fig. 8.
K0 = ratio of horizontal
ds =
angle of internal
@Ta
mw~tti
Li
>
Pn
- =
PV
AVF
0112
to vertical
friction
effective
of remoulded
~+Jx.pv=~
by the following
(11)
in which :
P,=j(z)=
= 2.1 d
-n. K, 'tan
clay
deposit
not
affected
by reduction
&
. in which :
d = diameter
of pile shaft
aP0 + c
p, .cNZ= &--a.2
&
friction
is.
FOUNDATION
DESIGN
Fig.
9.
4ND
Surface
BEHAVIOUR
subsidence
OF
with
TOWER
respect
LATIN0
AMERICANA
125
to ABN49
EXCAVATION
126
LEONARDO
ZEEVAERT
FOUNDATION
DESIGN
AND
BEHAVIOUR
OF
TOWER
LATIN0
AMERICANA
127
The application of the hydraulic system turned out to be a success, since the settlement
of the ground surface outside the sheet-pile caused by the deep-seated compression of the
clay deposits, Fig. 13(b), did not affect the neighbouring buildings or public utilities.
The
upheaval of the bottom of the excavation did not take place since, during the excavation period,
the upper part of the clay deposit was under an average increment of pressure of
about O-4 kg/sq. cm, Fig. 13(a), which introduced a positive friction load on the piles.
After the hydraulic system was suspended, Fig. 11, the pumping and injection wells were
sealed with cement to re-establish hydraulic initial conditions.
In order to provide means to correct any tilting of the building because of the non-homogenity in the compressibility of the volcanic clay deposits, injection wells were designed at the
four corners of the foundation.
At any one of these wells the pressure could be raised or
lowered if necessary to produce an important difference in uplift water pressure at the corners
of the building. Therefore, a counteracting tilting moment can be introduced that may help
to force the building back to its vertical position. This hydraulic system has not been in
use, however, since the building has not shown any sign of tilting.
The deep foundation
design undoubtedly has contributed very effectively in absorbing any difference in compressibility properties of the volcanic clay deposit, Tarango Clay I, consolidating under the
load of the building.
SETTLEMENT
OBSERVATIONS
Settlement and piezometric observations have been carefully carried on by the engineering
staff of La Latin0 Americana since the beginning of construction.
The most representative
observations are reported in Figs 14 and 15 taken with reference to a fixed benchmark,
ABN49, established in the Alameda Park at a depth of 49 m.
25M+aH+l3OW-_(
18P16 +
IP21
8PZ8
CPl6
38P51
Fig.
11.
49.43
Piezometric
water
levels
during
excavation
128
LEONARDO
ZEEVAERT
Fig. 12.
Piezometric
water pressures
!E IN TON/ M*
0
during excavation
40
CFFECT~LCAIJSE
INSIDESHUT-PILE
Fig. 13.
OUTSIDE SI-IET-PILE
before and during excavation
EX-
FOUNDATION
I949
IQ50
DESIGN
1451
AND
BEHAVIOUR
1952
1953
Fig.
14.
Settlement
OF TOWER
1954
LATIN0
1956
AMERICANA
1957
129
1958
observations
When excavation proceeded in 1949 the benchmarks at the site showed the following
average settlement with respect to ABN49 :
P8
9T34
ST48
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
27.3 cm/year
15.6 cm/year
6.5 cm/year
Sanborns sidewalk
at the site
at the site
Therefore, the added compression of Tacubaya Clay V and Tarango Clay I at the site
was 20.8 cm/year, the compression of Tarango Clay I, 9.1 cm/year and the compression of
Tacubaya Clay V, 11.7 cm/year. During excavation and because of load relief in Tarango
,Clay I the compression of this deposit stopped from November 1949 to November 1950 until
the load of the building was large enough to start again the compression of this layer (Figs 14
and 15), thus showing that at present Tarango Clay I is consolidating because of the load of
the building. The rate of consolidation is governed by the rate of the ground surface subsidence. The positive friction acting against the foundation walls and piles holds the building
against a faster settlement. This condition may continue until the rate of consolidation of
Tarango Clay I is smaller than the rate of ground surface subsidence with respect to the
34-m sand layer when the positive friction will turn into negative friction.
The settlement of benchmark 9T34 at the site compared with the columns of the building
is shown in Fig. 14, demonstrating that there has been no penetration of the piles in the
so-called hard layer Tarango Sand I at 34-m depth. The above-mentioned philosophy assumed
<duringdesign concerning the behaviour of this foundation is therefore confirmed.
Figs 14 and 15 show the settlement of other reference points with respect to ABN49
fixed benchmark. It may be noticed that in general the area surrounding the building has
130
*
E
i 2o
5 IO
.c
:
LEONARDO
EXCAVATION
_---
TO:
-2.5t+BM+l3.0M-j
/=iiiii
ZEEVAERT
RATE
/y
%IDRAULIC
SYSTEM WORKING
6TB
3T2
@
x
IT2
8T48
YT34
v
t
P8
Pfl
PI7
1950
1951
1952
Fig. 15.
1953
Settlement
19%
1955
1956
1957
observations
had a fairly uniform surface subsidence. A reference point P 11 on the Palace of Fine Arts
with weight of 1.2 k&q. cm (Fig. 9) shows that this building is not settling any more with
respect to the Alameda Park unloaded areas. However, the area west of San Juan de Letran
comprising the Alameda Park and Palace of Fine Arts is settling with respect to the La Traza
area east of San Juan de Letran. The clay deposit under La Traza area, heavily loaded since
the 16th century, is less compressible than those outside. This fact may be observed in
Figs 9 and 14 from surface reference points PS and ABN3.
Building Guardiola across the street is a twelve-storey building constructed in 1940 on
1,156 wood piles with an average load of 7 tons/pile. The foundation and basement are
placed in an 11-m-deep excavation : therefore, it may be considered that the movement of
Guardiola Building with respect to ABN49 benchmark, as well as the movement of this
building relative to the ground surface, may be considered representative of the ground
surface subsidence phenomenon and of the normal compression of Tarango Clay I in this
area. The settlement curve P-17 of Guardiola Building, Fig. 15, may be taken as the approximate origin for the additional compression of the Tarango Clay I deposit under the load of
Tower Latin0 Americana, as shown in Fig. 16.
CONCLUSIONS
FOUNDATION
DESIGN
;j~D,,,,,
5YSCt-l
AND
BEHAVIOUR
OF TOWER
LATIN0
AMERICANA
131
WORKING
-COMPUl~O
StlTLtMtNTOr L.A.TOWtRWIT!-l
RESPfCT ABM49 BCNCUMARKINALA~ hPAR
l
OBSERVED SCTTLCMCNT or L.A.T~wCRWITH
REsPrcT A8N49 BCNCUMARKINALAI RPAR
+ OBStRVCD SCTTLCMFNT OF GUARDIOLAWITURtSPtCT ABN49 0tNCUMARKIN ALIl IAPA'
. OBSEQV~DSCTTLEMENT Or SANBORN'S SIDCWALK(P8)
----RrrERENcc LiNr ~~~COMPUTED XTTLCMENT.(DARALL~LTO GUARDIOLA +I
IQ49 1950 1 1851 ] 1952 1 IQ53
Fig. 16.
Predictions
iQ6i 1 I962
deposit supporting the building did not compress, although practically all the load of the
building had been applied. The settlement is parallel to Guardiola Building on piles. After
February 1953, the Tarango Clay I deposit started to compress on account of the load of the
building that was gradually transferred to the point of the piles as the foundation was permitted to settle because of the compression of the upper clay deposits.
An attempt to estimate the future net settlement of the building is shown in Fig. 16,
using computed settlement curves from Fig. 6, for loading periods tc = 0 and tc = 84 months.
The origin of compression of the lower clay deposit Tarango Clay I was taken approximately in February 1953. The observed settlement lies between the computed curves.
Therefore, the lower clay deposit supporting the building still has to compress theoretically,
in 6 years, an estimated value of 12 cm. On the other hand, extrapolation appears to indicate
that the building will start to emerge slightly from the ground surface within the next 2 years.
However, although in the future the building may emerge from the ground surface because
of the ground surface subsidence produced by the compression of Tacubaya Clay V, the
ground floor resting on movable supports may be lowered as required to follow the sidewalks
at the building.
Provisions in Mexico City are under way to reduce the rate of fall of the piezometric water
132
LEONARDO
ZEEVAERT
levels. One item has been to stop pumping from water wells in the heart of the city. The
effect may be already noticed by observations made at the Central Park and also at the
building site. Another item has been to drill absorption wells in open areas to inject clean
water. However, this measure is still in observation. Apparently in some places wells
have not been properly sealed in the upper part of the clay deposit ; thus they serve
also to drain the upper part of this deposit above the 28-m depth. This practice, if
continued, may create a strong reduction of piezometric water levels in the upper part of the
clay deposits and consequently a large compression of them.
Already this fact has been observed by the Author in several places adjoining injection
wells. At the site of Tower Latin0 Americana the drop is noticeable already in the 28-m-deep
piezometer.
The maximum limiting condition would be when piezometric water levels in piezometer
9P34 have dropped to a depth of 33 m, and at a rate of 0.54 m/year shown by this piezometer.
This may take place within the next 30 years.
Observations plotted in Figs 14 and 15 show that with respect to the Alameda Park
benchmark ABN49 the rate of settlement taking place in the last 2 years has had the
following value :
12.9 cm/year
Ground surface
. . P8
Tarango Sand I
. . Guardiola
9.7 cm/year
2.4 cm/year
Tarango Sand II
. . 8T48
Therefore, the compression of Tacubaya Clay V is at present only 3.2 cm/year and Tarango
Clay I is compressing at the rate of 7.3 cm/year.
Assuming that conditions will remain as they are observed to-day, then in the next
30 years the building may emerge from the ground surface roughly 100 cm. On the other
hand, it will be seen from settlement observations since 1949, that there is the tendency to
reduce the rate of drop in the piezometric water levels, and correspondingly the rate of compression of the high compressibly volcanic clay deposits (Figs 14 and 15). If this favourable
situation continues, then the differential settlement between building and ground surface
will be smaller than the above-mentioned estimated value.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The pile driving, excavation, and construction of the foundation was under the direction
of Mr Adolf0 Zeevaert, Civil Engineer, Chief Engineer of La Latin0 Americana. The consulting engineering during construction, design of the foundation structure, and the soil mechanics
investigation were performed by the Author. The Author wishes to extend his appreciation
to his co-workers: Mr H. Vogel, Civil Engineer for laboratory work; to Mr Heriberto Izquierdo,
Civil Engineer, who was directly in charge of the calculation of the foundation structure;
to Mr Jaime de la Peza for preparation of figures and computations included in this Paper;
and to the staff of the engineering department of La Latin0 Americana for careful settlement
and piezometric water level observations. Without this information the behaviour of the
foundation of the building could not have been estimated and controlled during construction.
The Author wishes also to extend his appreciation to the Life Insurance Company, ,La
Latin0 Americana, for all the efforts this company made toward the solution of this interesting
foundation problem, even though the early investigations appeared to be only of academic
value.
BUISMAN, A. S. K., 1941.
FOREMAN, FRED.,
1955.
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