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SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS

JapaneseSocietyof SoilMechanics

STRESS DISTRIBUTION
B.K. RAMiAH*

and

and

VoL 13, No. 2, June 1973

Foundation Engineering

UNDER INCLINED LOADS

L.S. CHiKKANAGAppA**

ABSTRACT

Boussinesq'sand Cerruti'sequations
for point loads are combined
to obtain
an
for point load inclinedat an angle to the, vertical.
This haS been extended
to includeinclinedlinearleads also. Cerruti'sequation for horizontalpoint load has
been integratedover a rectangular
area
and
the influencevalue
is presented in the
form of a chart. Stressbulb$ for various inclination
of the loads are also presented in
equatien

the paper.

Key

words:

IGC;

inclinedload,stress distribution
El

INTRODUCTION
Boussinesq's

and

for the point

Westergaard's equations

for determining the

vertical

stress,

vertical

the soil masses.

a:, within

loads are

This has been

the basis
extended

rectangular
footings and listed in
listed very well in reference
limitations,
2, the Boussinesq's equation
has been widely
used
in Soil Mechanics problems. Loads
in engineering practiceare not always vertical:
There are many
cases
wherein
the
loads are inclined
it is acting viz., retaining
walls, foundations
to the surface on which
Qn sloping
informationson stresses due to inclinedloads
ground, piles etc. Ready made
are lacking in Soil Mechanics literature
although
the vertical
stress due tO horizontal
load has been solved by Cerrutias early as in 1882 (1).In this paper, an attempt
has
been made to present the stress distributionin soil mass under
an
inclinedIoad by
combining
Boussinesq'sand Cerruti'sequations.
Table and charts are prepared to
ca!culate
the vertical
stress
due
to
an
inclined
load. The positions of the stress
(ff.)
bulbs are also shown
for differentinclinations
of the concentrated
and lineloadsinclined

by intergrating the basic

to circular

equations

SoilMechanics literature(1,2). In

to the

spite

and

of the

vertical.

THEORETICAL

VbrticalPOint lbrce
The Boussinesq's

ANALYSIS

'
equations

for

vertical

stress

for point

vertical

load is given by

Professor and Head of Dept. of Civil Engg. and Principal, UniversityVisvesvaraya College of
Engg,, Bangalore University, Bangalore l, I,ndia.
,
,
** LuenCitvUerre$i.t;?
DInedPiti.Of
CiVil Engg', UniversityVisvesvarayaCollegeof Engg., Bangalore
*

BCaiVnig/ailonrgegv
Written discussionson this paper

should

be

submitted

before April 1, 1974.

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RAMIAHANDCHIKKANAGAPPA

ax==

3P

z3

(1)

2rr Rs

f)2]
[i+(
'sts

or

ae=::

(2)

lil.{l,

Table 1. Values of K' forinclined loads

ac

x-.z

10e
O.OO
O.05

O.10

2oe

O.9848
O.9596
O.9935. 0.9567
1.002.1 O.9758

Soo
O.8660

4oe

50e

O.7660Q.798,1
O.6427

6oo

7oo

O.5000

O.3420

t.olo8
1.0195
i.0282

o.ggog
l.O080
1.0251

O.50

1.0368

2.0422

O.55

1.0455

O.40

1.0542

1.0595
1.076a

O.45

I.0629

S.09S5

O.50
O.55
O.60

t.0716

1.1106

rt.1277

1.0257 O.95SO
1.0640 O.9765

O,Bl18

t.0802

1.t448

1.1025

1.1406
1.17B9

O.9057
O.9527

O.75.

t.1150

1.1619
1.l790
t,t961

1.0196
1.0629

O.70

1.0889
1.0976
1.I06S

O.80
O.85

1.1236

"2152

1.IS23

f.2S05

1.2555 t.1923 1.0936

1.295S 1.2561 1.t406
1.5521 l.2794 1.1876

O.65

O.90 1.1410
o.95 S.1497
rt.OO 1.t584

t,2474
1.2645

O.7576
O.7959

O.6299
O.4829
O.673.2 O,5299

O.e524
O.8725

O.7165

O.7598

O,5769
O.62S8

O.9491
O.9874

1.2172

O.8464
O.8897

1.1495

1.2B16

1.4087

a.2816

t.f670

1.2987

1.4470

1.tO

1.1757

G,515B

1.4855

1.4526

1.5755

1.15

1.1844

t.5329

1,52S6

t.4959

1.20

1.t931

1.35QO

1.5519

1.25

t.201B

1.6002

1.50
1.S5
1.40
1.45

1.2t04
1.2191

1.3671
t.S842

1.5592
t.5825
1.6258
1.6691
1.7124
1.7557

1.4225
1.4695

1.50

1.2452

g.55

1.2558

1.60

1.2625

1.6S85
1.6768
1.7151

1.7554

1.7917
1.8500
1.868S

O.6500O.7000o.7seoO.

1.0467

1.2S46

1.4697
t.4868

5000O.3500O.400

1.1062 O.9997

1.05

1.2565

O.2500O.

O.8587

1.5227

1.4015

o.tsoo
O.3705O.4198O.4690O,5182O.567
O.2000

O.7178
O.7648

1.5704

1.4184
1.4S55
t.4576

O,17S6O.2228O.2720O.521')'
o.ooooO.0500

o a-lo1.06601.09101.1160l.14101.16601.19101.2f601.2410t.26601.29101.51601.
O.91e8
O.8031
O.6708

1.S660
1.4093

1.2278

90e

O.8910O.9160O.941eO.9660O.99101.01601.
O.6810 O.54S3
O.5889
O.8502e.s"624O.8945O.9266O.9588O.99091.02301.05521.08751.M941.151
O.7195 O.5866 O.4359
O.1000

O.20
O.25

o.ls

8oe

1.7990
l.8423
1.8856

O.9000O.9500l.OOOO1.

1.S285

1,5165
1.5654
1.6104
1.6574
1.7044
1.7514
1.7983

1.845S

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INCLINEDLOADS

WhereP=

Vertical point load

stress
is required
distanceto the point under
r=VxS+y2consideration
R==V!ff1'Ty2+z2and
(seeFig.1(a))fromtheloadand

x=Depth

at which

r=Radial

xz

loe

2oo

5C}e

40o

6oe

506

70e

8ce

90e

1.651.7Q1.751.601.851.901S52..OO2.052.102.f52.202.252.302.352
1.27121'.27991.28661.29721.30591.31461.S2331.53201.S4061.5493a.3580i.56671.37541.S8401.39271.4
4.50591.5210i.558t
1.79B5l.84771.897e1.9.4621.99
1.6SOO1.700PIL75001
1.69101.71601.7alo1.76601.79tO1.81601.841C1.(B6601.8910"916el.9410
1,s26a1;8585t,89071.92281.95491.9B71
1.90661.94491.9B522.02a5
1.92891.9722
1.89251.9S9S1,.9863
2.0155

1.55521.57251,58941.6065t.62561.64071.6578t.67491.69201.7091
2.05882.1021
2.,0552
2.05982.0931

2,08022.12722.17422.22132.2681

2. .145O
2.IS642.17a7
2.18872.
2.01922.0514
2,32q
2.0855
2.2t502.25152.28962.
2.2755

2.11562.la7fS

2.la322.Gg2a2.24162.29092,340

2.31e62.3619
2.3151
2.5621

2.17992.2t2e2.2442
327
2.4050
'il

2.S6522.4045
2.448e
2.4gl8

t.72621.74S5
2.2765
1.75q7a.7775

.402.452.5e2.602.702.603.005.504.004.505.005.506.007.008.009.00to.oo

2.M282.4811
2. 55 i
1

2.4091
'2.4561
2.,38942.4386
2,50502.55602.59702.6a4-O
2.48782.5571

2.50842.34062.37272.g5702.50122.56552.6941
2.57842.62172.66SO2.7ilE2.83822.92485.0980
2. 51 ]:42.55772,6S452.7109
2.5863

G
,2..6356
2.6912
S.4188t.45611.45551.47081.50561.5924t.67921.7660!.85281.9596
.79'16

2.7849
2.7540
2;8525
2.87892.97285.16105.6S064.100G4.57e2s.

lt828s1.86501,89721.9656
2.21601'.26602.S660
2.7675

2.95105.f2805.62044.

2.94075.5257S.70674.08974.47274,85575.25876.00476.77077.5
2.1566

3.os45.S36B5.6581

2.61602.8660S.1Q605.56605.61605.,866o4.s66b4.86605.56605.8660
5.55103.96404.3970

M28

2.S0762,4786

4.60525,09725.59006.08247.06728.0

2.e264

4.8500.-.h.26305.69606.56205.0000S.5OOO6.000

2.6496

3`979S

2.8206

4.5O084.62225.26495.9076

2.9916

2.2000
5..5356
2.23762.54702.7208
S.6756
4.01764..S596

6.5505
7.19SO

7.42808.29409.1600
7.85888.79849.7580
9..OS68
10.0210 10,OOOO

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AND

RAMIAH

The

above

is usually

equation

wyitten

CHIKKANAGAPPA

as

(3)

ffz=Ki"za

Where

[i+(
Y]
'si2

K=-Sltr

zr

is known as the infiuencevalue.

The value of Kfor various ratios of rfz isavailable
in the literature
(1;2) either in the form of'graphs or in the form of tables.
HbrizontalPbint 17brce
If a concentrated
force parallel to the boundary acts at the origih O, as in Fig. 1(b),
then the vertical stress due to this load is given by (1)
and

a:=

or

ax=

3P x22 2n R5

(4)

23.i]Ri`l

(s)

(f)

P
o
r

R
z

i(r,z)
crz

Fig. 1(a), Vertical-oncentrated

mass
Ioads on semi-infinite

Fig. 1(b). Horizontal-concentrated

load

inclinedPoint Iibrce
If a concentrated load is acting
by combining
point in the

equations
soil

mass

at

an

(1)and (4),the
is written

angle

vertical

to the
stress

on

vertical

of

a,

at

mass

the

origin

due to the inclinedload

f,

K(6os

cr+f

sin

O, then
at any

K'=(cosa+xksina)=f(a,

(6)

at)

'

a.=P!g2K+K'

The

semi-infinite

as

as=a.l+;.-

where

(7)

x!2)

values of K' is tabulated as a functiencr and the.ratio x!x.

xfz and rfz, the values of K (fromRef. 1 or 2) and K' can

By knowing the values

be read out from tables

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INCLINED

If the

LOADS

39

is negative,
the value of K' can be obtained
First,
ignoring
the sign of ratio x!z, the
from the table with a slight modification.
value
of K' is read
directlyfrom the tabie. From thisvalue is deducted the value of
to xlz
in the table). The resulting value gives the values of
coscr (corresponding
-xlx sina.
value
By adding this
algebrically to eoscr, then the value of K' fornegative
ratio
ef x!z is obtained.
For example,
ifit is desiredto have the value of K' for xlz
-O.60 and a=50e,
we get from the table the value of K' for x/x=O.60
(ignoringthe
of
cos
50"
from
this,
one
minus
sign)
as 1.1023. Deducting the value
gets1.1023-O.6427
which
will have negative
sign. Adding algebrically this with cos 50",one gets
K' as O.6427-O.4596==O.1831.
and

o. can

be

cal ulated.

ratio

xlz

=O

==O.4596

PRESSURE

BULBS

Point Loads
by means
Isobarscan be plottedvery conveniently
for both vertical and horizontalpoint loads expressed
For vertical Ioads
3P
2x'

axL=

Where

P isthe

angle

measured

from the

an angle

components

equations

e-ordinates.

(8)

Rs

2-axis

to the

stress

cos3a

(seeFig. 1 (a)).For

cos!p

(;k)v-o:=
23.PR,

If the inclinedload makes

of

in polar

horizontalloads,

(g)

sinp

vertical,

we

get by combining

equatiens

<8)and (9)
as

==

a:;+

cos
i;=23xPR2
(cossp
:=

3P
2.R2

cos2p

sin

p sin

a)

COS(PTa)

(10)

cos2p'cos(pTa)

(n)

COS2P

Therefore,
R--V-

23.P.,

and
1.0kglcm2,
Using the above
equations forvalues of P=1.0kg
and th==2.0kglcmM
isobars are drawn in Fig.2(a),2(b),2(c)forinclination
ef 30",60e,85e and 900 (Horizontal).
Fig. 3 shows isobars on a plane inclinedat 450 to the directionof the load. On a
a..is zero
and only the component
plane at 90e to the direction of the load, the compenent
-

o:i

exlsts.

INFLUENCE

CHARTS

dificultto formulate an infiuencechart for inclinedloads acting on areas

However, the Newmark's chart can be used to findthe azJ due to the
vertical
component
of the inclinedloads. To find a,, the stress due to horizontal
component
of the inclinedload,the influencechart presented by Barksdale and Harr
<1)is used and algebric sum of ff.l+de can be obtained.
It is very

of any

shape.

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CHIKKANAGAPPA

RAMIAHAND

P=looKg
of
-06

-O4

-O2

O.2

O6

04

cm'

O2

O4

43

O6

21

lNDEX

Ns

t50BARN05acO:z7KG/chj2
Oo3oo.dr3CS'
to]-o2O2O

1234

08

(a)
P:looKg
ac
-06

O2

-04-O2

04

O6x,crn

O2
4

O4

EUsN
Ot6

{NDEX
tSOBARNOSdi
1

2
3

U:zTKG/CM
e

,6Oesse
60
S5

1O
lO
2O

20

(b)
Fig. 2. Isobars

under

inclinedpoiht l6ad

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INCLINED LOADS

41

Kg

P.tOO

,crn

,
EHN

Fig. 2(c).Isobars

of

P=1-oo

Kg

2.0

and

1.ekgfcm2 fer horizontalpoint load

-O4rO.2

O.2O-4+r,cm

O2

INDEX

Pe4Sx

iSeBARSNosofazKGtcdi

E:,

O4

vrPLAN

"30I.o

71

O6

2
3

601O

602,O

o3O2O

+z
P.lOK
+r,cm

.71/

t
d4
TEN5rLESTRESStt`klt-

LNDEX
COMPRESStVE

NN./-'il

STREss

iN

2/

IsoeARsNosacazKG/cf

/tK"-...

'

'

"Oo1O
goe2O

+z
Fig. 3. Isobars

en

plane

making

an

angle

of

450

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AND
4AMIAH

42

INCLINED UNIFORM LINEAR

OF INFINITE LENGTH

CHIKKANAGAPPA

LOAD

forvertical and
The stress components
to get
horizontalloads are combined
stress
components
forlinearinclinedlead
P acting'at angle a with the vertical.
The inclinedloading system is shown in
Fig. 4. The loadpamay be expressed
as
of
kglm, tlm, kg/cm. The summation
the

stress

yields

component

pxac

o
x

(2)

osS l-at
(ot)yzo
=

2p
==

.R

cosgPcos(pTa)

(12)

The stress bulbsfor the inclinedlinear

Ioad is shown
in Fig. 5i for inclinatiens
900. Fig. 6 shows the
of 300, 60e and
distributionof vertical stress on a horizontal

and

vertical

tcrz
z

Fig. 4.Inclined-infinitelinearuniformload

planes.
8

P.IOKgtcm

O6O4O2

"y

tt
O2O4

O204O604Oi2

+x.cm

+x,cm

O2
E

4h

P.I-OKglcm

2O
-se

2e

,
-e

tt.orz=I'OKG/cKi!
orz.FeKG/cM

ec=3oe

ac'6oo

O6

-.r

+z

sY
P:[OKgtcrnww

02O4x,cm

O4a2

.o

92
O4"
'e

OTz=loKGrcM2

oC.goe

+z

Fig. 5. Inclinedlinearuniferm

loads

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INCLINED

LOADS

43

P=1O Kgtcm

"

-20

-to

/e

+10

-xtcm

t2O

e'

+x,cm

ac:3ooacs9oO
ac=3oei"e
l-U
di=ge
STRESSSCALE:1CM:O2KG

+z

Fig. 6. Distributionof
LINEAR

If an
obtain

stress

vertical

INCLINED

LOAD

on

herizontaland

plane,s

yertical

OF FINITE LENGTH

inclinedlinearload of a finitelength is acting as shown

in Fig. 7, one
by integratingthe Eq. (6)along
the vertical stress at any point in xz-plane

can

the

y-axls

(cesa+xksina)dy
23.Pft3,

de=Si

==-{l-[2n(SfiF22)

x2+il2+bu
vxs+i2g+b2-(

(14)

=:P!aKK'

x2ill2g

a3)
)](cosa+xk
sina)

is a dimensionless infiuence
factorand is equal to terms within the
square
bracket in Eq. (13).
The values
of blz and
xlg
can
of Kfor any ratios
K

where

be obtained

from the

Fadam (3).The

chart

prepared by

of

K' is given in

value

P
diN

the table presented in this paper.'Thus

by a
if Fadam values are rnultiplied
factor K' depending on a and the ratio
xXz,

one

can

compute

the vertical

stress

due to an inc!inedlinear load.

UNIFORM

INCLINED

RECTANGULAR

LOAD

s
ON

FOOTING

If an inclinedload q per

unit

z
area

is

Fig. 7. Inclined-finite
Iinear

uniform

Iead

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ANDCHIKKANAGAPPA

RAMIAH

O26

O24

NX,"
022

oeo

"sJl
NN11

2etiD
c

O-IB

rv"

-tL4v

X1,

O16

Xlxl)IIN

d?,dg
S

7t

v-O14

2gvXOt2gf-O1

NNNNxNNv

n=bla,m=Zt2a

crzt9.k

NN/'NNx"ssNNNXNNNxxN

,NNt

--.---5TEiNBRENNERSVALUEFOR
,

xNN"NxxN

NNxXXXNNXNNXsc.

VERTICALLOADS
AUTHORSVALvEFoRHORIZDNTALLOADS.

O08

NNNXNNN

xxx

oou

NNxxxNXxx

NNNs,SNN

xxx

xXx<xxx

xNNxssNX

xNN
NXNX'-sNNN.JQ..

oo4

xx

Ns

xxx

N'6s"h'

N
s

SL

xNs-

Hs..-

xxNN..N(l..
NN-.N'sN

h----ss

NxN

]to

O02

N---N

Ns'

--h--hNli..-

Nn.i-sli--N-N

Jg

NNs

?n4f

Fig. 8. Normal

-.---.--

4
m"

and

korizontaluniform

5
load

6
over

rectangular

area

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INCLINED
acting

on

45

LOADS

footingof sides 2a 2b, the vertical

be obtained
by cornputing the vertical
of the inclinedload and
summing
up

rectangular

of the footing can

horizontalcomponents

stre$s
stress

beneath the corners

due to vertical and

algebrically.

Stressdue to VbrticalComponent
This stress can be computed
easily
from the charts presented by Steinbrenner
(1)or
Fadam (3)or Taylor (4).The vertical stress a.J is given by

(is)

ax;==f.[.?+".,xlf+'(in)C2it-+2Zii):slf,-+sin-'vFiii,"vrk-,-+T'i'i]

Conciseiy,
(16)

axl=q-K
m

where

and

are

definedin Fig. 8

Kis the influencevalue for vertical

and

Stressdue to HbrizontalComponent
Th.e stress at due to horizontalcomponent
the point horizontal load over the entire
-,

of the
area.

inclinedloadisebtained

Referring to Fig. 8, we

component.

by integrating
have

a7)

.:-3,q.22il="-.!.":-,{(.rSY,i(n,)ei/Yi]?i$+,,}y,

Integrationyields
o'i=

where

n==b/a

and

[v.-,n-+
a+.,) (IIin+
]

-Sl.T

.i

as)

m,+",

m==z!2a
.

or

a.=

qK

Where K is the infiuencevalue forhorizontalcomponent

of the vertical load. In Fig. 8,
the values of K is plotted for various
values
of m and n.
While computing
a,, suitable
sign
should
be attached. For cerner points A and D, at, is ive and itis -ive for
corner pointsB and C. To facilitate
easy computation
and for ready
reference,
the
infiuencevalue for vertical cornponent of the inclinedload is also plotted in the same
as dotted curves.
These curves are obtained
figureand are shown
using Eq. (15).
-

DISCUSSION

Efact ofinclination
of Load on Stress Bulb
It is seen from Figs.2(a),2(b) and 2(c) that as the inclination
a increases,
the stress
bulb will move
in a directionopposite
to that of the inclination.At the same
time,
the stress buib will reduce in the size and becomes narrower
as a increases. Depth of
the stressed
fieldalso decreases. Finallywhen
a=90"
there will be syrnmetrical
stress
bulbs on either side of the peint of application
of load,but they are
of opposite
sign
as shown
in Fig. 2(c).
E02ictofincgination
ofLoad on a RectangularLoaded Area
In Fig. 9, is shown
the variation
of the value
of the vertical stress below the
A of square
footing as a increases keeping q, the load intensity,censtant.

corner

As

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RAMIAHAND

46

CHIKKANAGAPPA

ck-2drmu-"t

otII

y
k.

IA

0l

O2

O3
os.ox

z1

oe

.o

2
NI,e.3"1E

'

7
of load intensity on influenceyalue,
Fig.9. Elfectof inclinatioll
a square footing

K for

increases,the vertical stress below the footingincreasesupto a depth equal to about

till a reaches 400. Then a. reduces for
the side of footing. This trend is observed
furtherincreaseof a tilla limitingvalue shown by the curve ct=90 is reached. Below
a depth greater than the side of footing,the variation of o. with a does not seem to
for inclination upto 40". For corner point B, the vertical stress
be very significant
the stress variation
with
depth'is
decreasesas a increasesand finallywhen a==900,
similar
to that shown
by curve a=:900 in Fig. 9, but of opposite sign.
COMPUTATION

in
The values
Calculator.'presented

chart

and

table

are

cornpttted

using

`Wang

Electronic

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INCLINED

LOADS

47

CONCLUSIONS

Infiuencevalues and
point in a seil mass

chart

any

are

when

presented for easy

the applied

of

stress

a.

at

loads arecomputation
inclinedto thevertical
vertical.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors express their thanks to the Bangalore Universityforthe facilitiesprovided

in carrying out this research
work.
Thanks are also due to Mr. P. Purushothamaraj,
while
draftingthis paper.
Lecturer in CivilEngg., for his critical comments
NOTATION

b=:lengthor
K, K'
a,

=influence

m,

x,

width
value
ratio

n==dirnensionless

P=point load
q=load intensity
R==radialdistance
co-ordinates
y:=:rectangular
2=A
co-ordinate;
depth
th==vertical
axl=vertical

stress
vertical
component
of the inclinedload
to horizontalcomponent
of the inclinedlead
of the load to vertical
of the radial linewith the vertical

stress

due to

if:=:vertical
stress
due
a:=Inclination

P
za C=runningco-ordinates
=inclinatlon

REFERENCES
1)2)3)
Harr, M. E. (1966):Foundations of Theoretical SoilMechanics, McGraw Hill Book Company.
:
Theoretical Soil Mechanics, American Book Company.
Jumikis,A. R. (1969)
stresses
in elastic foundation,"Proe. Secend
Fadam, R. E. (1948):
values for estimating
"Influence

Inter.Conference on SoilMechanics and Foundation Engineering,Vol. 3.

4) CIraylor,
D. W. (1948):
Fundamentals of SoilMechanics, John Wiley and Sons Inc.,New York.
11, 1972)
(ReceivedSeptember

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