Geotechnical Engineering

Settlement of a Shallow Foundation in Clay

Principles
The settlement of a foundation on clay is dependent on
the load applied,
the direction of the applied load,
the point of application of the applied load,
the period over which the load is applied
the depth of the foundation, the plan area of the foundation,
the width of the foundation,
the position of the round water level,
the profile of the ground water pressure,
the thickness of the soil layers,
the unit weight of each soil layer
the stiffness of the soils
and the time the load is applied.

500 kN

Harrs solution
Settlement, s

Df

BL

q n =

(1 :2 )
NC Clay
q n' B
Ip
E / m3
17 kN
cU 60kPa
2
mv increase
0.3(min
/contact
MN ) stress [note it is the
net
increase in stress that causes settlement]

B =

Breadth of foundation

Ip =

Influence factor

E =

Modulus of elasticity

Poissons ratio
(= 0.5 for immediate settlement in clay)

q n =
=

500
(17)(1)
( 2)( 2)

108kPa

Ip =

0.8 for B/L = 1 and H > zone of influence

E =

25MPa

s =
=
Correction for rigid =
foundation
settlement =
=

(108)(2)

(1 0.5 2 )
0 .8
25

5.2mm
0.8

(0.8)(5.2)
4.2mm

Christian and Carrier

Settlement, s =

q n =

u1u 0 q n' B
Ed

net increase in contact stress [note it is the

increase in stress that causes settlement]

B =

Breadth of foundation

o =

Influence factor fro depth correction

1 =

Influence factor for correction for shape

and zone of influence

Ed =

Modulus of elasticity

q n =

500
(17)(1)
( 2)( 2)

108kPa

For D/B = 0.5, o

0.8

For H > zone of influence, 1

0.7

s =
=

(0.7)(0.8)(108)(2)
25

4.8mm

Correction for rigid =

foundation

0.8

settlement =

(0.8)(4.8)

3.2mm

Long term settlement using consolidation theory

The procedure is to:divide the soil into layers
calculate the effective overburden stress at the centre of each layer
calculate the increase in stress at the centre of each layer
use Fadums charts for increase in stress at the corner of a rectangle
for settlement at centre divide the rectangle into four
calculate the change in thickness of each layer
settlement =

mV q n H

4 I

'

mv =

'
v

mv h

coefficient of volume compressibility

h =

thickness of layer

v =

Increase in stress in layer due to contact

stress

According to Fadums charts

Depth
below
foundation
(m)

Thickness

Over
burden
pressure
(kPa)

Pour
press
ure
(kPa)

Effective
over
burden
pressure
(kPa)

0.25
0.5
0.75
1
1.25
1.5
1.75
2

0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25

4.25
8.5
12.75
17
21.25
25.5
29.75
34

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

4.25
8.5
12.75
17
21.25
25.5
29.75
34

(B/2)/
Z

(L/2)/
Z

Influence
factor

Increase in
over burden
pressure
(kPa)

IP

4
2
1.33
1
0.8
0.67
0.57
0.5

4
2
1.33
1
0.8
0.67
0.57
0.5

0.24729
0.23247
0.205
0.17522
0.14607
0.120
0.09473
0.08403

106.72
100.24
88.56
75.6
63.2
51.84
40.6
36.28
Sode=

(note v = 4 Ip q n' because the increase in stress is below the centre of the
foundation)
s =

42.2mm

Settlement
(mm)

8.04
7.52
6.642
5.67
4.74
3.89
3.05
2.72
42.27

Correction for clay type =

Correction for depth =
settlement =
=

0.9
0.85
(0.9)(0.85)(42.2)
32.3mm