FOUNDATION ENGINEERING -I

Settlement Analysis

Course Instructor :

Syed Zishan Ashiq

Lecture 05
August 2015

Mirpur University of Science & Technology Mirpur

AJK

What is a Settlement?
Definition

The total vertical deformation at the surface resulting from :

1. External Load
2. Dewatering
Settlement Components
1. Immediate Settlement ; Se elastic
2.

Primary Consolidation Settlement ; Sc

3.

Secondary Settlement (Creep) ; Ss

S Se Sc S s
2

IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT
Defined as settlement which occurred

directly after the application of a load,

without a change in the moisture content.
Caused by soil elasticity behavior
The magnitude of the contact settlement
will depend on the flexibility of the
foundation and the type of material on
which it is resting.
For clay, the immediate settlement
generally very small comparing to the
consolidation settlement, therefore this
immediate settlement mostly ignored.
Usually considered at sand or sandy soil.

IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT
General Equation (Harr, 1966)
General Equation (Bowles, 1982)

General Equation (Harr, 1966)

1. Flexible Foundation
B.qo
2
S

e
s
At corner

Es
B.qo
Se
1 s2
Es

At center

2.

1 m 2 m
1 m m
2

m. ln

1 m 2 1

1 m 1

Rigid Foundation
B.q
2

Se

Es

B.qo

Se
1 s2 av
Es

Average
1
ln

1
s

B
L

; H=

Es = Elasticity modulus of soil

r

B = Foundation width
L = Foundation Length

Immediate Settlement

General Equation (Bowles, 1982)

1 s2
S e q o .B'.
.F1
Es

1
1 M2 1 M2 N2
M M2 1 1 N2
F1 M . ln
ln

2
2
2
2

M 1 M N 1
M M N 1

L'
B'

H
B'

Es = Elasticity modulus of soil

H = Effective thickness of soil layer, e.g. 2 to 4B under foundation
L
2

At the center

L'

At the corner

L' L

B'

B
2

B' B

and F1 is multiplied by 4
and F1 is multiplied by 1

Immediate Settlement
Saturated Clay

q o .B
S e A 1 .A 2
Es

Immediate Settlement (Layered Soil)

Youngs Modulus

Circular Foundation or
L/B =1
z=0

Iz = 0.1

z = z1 = 0.5 B Iz = 0.5
z = z2 = 2B

Iz = 0.0

Foundation with L/B 10

z=0

Iz = 0.2

z = z1 = B Iz = 0.5
z = z2 = 4B Iz = 0.0

Example

Depth
(m)

z
(m)

Es
(kN/m2)

Iz
(average)

(m3/kN)

0.0 1.0

1.0

8000

0.233

0.291 x 10-4

1.0 1.5

0.5

10000

0.433

0.217 x 10-4

1.5 4.0

2.5

10000

0.361

0.903 x 10-4

4.0 6.0

2.0

16000

0.111

0.139 x 10-4

1.55 x 10-4

t
5
17.8 x1.5
1 0.5
0.9 C2 1 0.2. log
1 0.2. log
1.34
C1 1 0.5
0
.
1
0
.
1
160

17
.
8
x
1
.
5

qq

S e C1 .C 2 . q q

2B
0

Iz
.z
Es

S e (0.9)(1.34)(160 17.8 x1.5)(1.55 x10 4 )

S e 24.8 mm

Consolidation Settlement
When the stress on a saturated clay layer in the field is

increased, the pore water pressure in the clay will

increase.
Because the coefficients of permeability of clays are
very low, it will take some time for the excess pore
water pressure to dissipate and the stress increase to be
transferred to the soil skeleton gradually.
Consolidation is the process of dissipation of excess
pore water pressure in a row of time.
Note:
Dissipation of pore water pressure occurs simultaneously with the squeezing
out of the pore water. Therefore, the consolidation time depend on:
1. The distance of pore water to be squeezed out
2. The coefficient of permeability of soft soil

Consolidation Philosophy
a

V a lv e
( s o il s p e rm e a b ilit y )
a

Ho

S p rin g

Si

( s o il p a r t ic le s )

( H o - S i)

W a t e r fi lle d c h a m b e r
( w a t e r s a t u ra t e d s o i l s p o r e s )

I D E A L IS A S I

P r e s s u re i s b o r n e
b y p o re w a t e r

U N D R A IN E D

S E T TL E M E N T C U R V E

L a te ra l d e f o rm a t io n

IM M E D IA T E
S E T T L E M E N T ( S i)

S E TTL E M E N T

P R IM A R Y O R
C O N S O L I D A TIO N
S E TTL E M E N T (S c )
W a t e r i s e x p e ll e d
a

Sc

L O G T IM E

H Y D R O S TA T IC
P R E SS U R E

(H o - S i - S c )

SEC O N D A R Y
S E TTL E M E N T (S s )

S p ri n g c o m p r e s s e d
W a t e r p re s s u re re d u c e d

C O N S O L ID A T IO N
N o w a t e r fl o w

(H o - S i - S c - S s )

A l l l o a d is b o rn e b y s p r in g
H y d ro s t a t i c p re s s u re
( z e ro e x c e s s p o re w a t e r p re s s u re )

D R A IN E D C R E E P

LO A D

Ss

Consolidation
First time, suggested by Terzaghi (1920-1924) with
several assumption :
1 dimensional
Saturation is complete
Compressibility of water is negligible
Compressibility of soil grains is negligible (but soil grains

rearrange)
Darcys Law is valid
Soil deformation is small
Soil permeability is constant
Soil skeleton of each layer is homogeneous, so isotropic linier
elastic constitutive law is valid

1.

Normal Consolidation
pc po

2.

OR

pc
1
po

Sc

Cc
p p
.H c . log o
1 eo
po

Over consolidation
pc po

OR

po + p < pc
po < pc < po+p

pc
1
po
Sc

p p
Cr
.H c . log o
1 eo
po

Sc

p
p p
Cr
Cc
.H c . log c
.H c . log o
1 eo
po 1 eo
pc

Consolidation Parameters

Determination of Consolidation Properties

Procedures :
1.

Determine the point O on the e-lop p curve

that has the sharpest curvature (that is, the
smallest radius of curvature)

2.

Draw a horizontal line OA

3.

Draw a line OB that is tangent to the e-log p

curve at O

4.

Draw a line OC that bisects the angle AOB

5.

Produce the straight line portion of the e-log

p curve backward to intersect OC. This is
point D. The pressure that corresponds to
the point p is the pre-consolidation pressure,
p c.

Determination of Consolidation Properties

Determination of Compressive Parameters

Consolidation Settlement

e1 e 2
av '
'
p 2 p1

S c m v .H c . p

av
mv
1 eo
Where :
mv = Compression Index
Hc = Thickness of soft soil layer
p = The stress increment due to the external
load

Bina Nusantara

Consolidation Time

Tv .H
t
Cv

Where :
t = consolidation time
Tv = consolidation factor depended on consolidation degree (U)
2

U = 0 60%

U%
Tv

4 100

U > 60%

Tv 1,781 0,933. log 100 U%

U = consolidation degree in percent, descript as ratio of

design settlement
to total settlement
S c ,i
U
x100%
Sc

Cv = coefficient of consolidation, get from consolidation test

Consolidation Settlement

Tv .H
t
Cv

Where :
H = length of water path
Porous Layer

Porous Layer

Hc

Impermeable
layer

Hc

Porous Layer

H = Hc

H = 0.5Hc

Consolidation Time of Layered Soils

Hc,1

Cv1

t1
t2

Hc,2

Tv . H c ,1 2
Cv 1
Tv . H c , 2 2

Cv2

t3
Hc,3

= 3.4 years

Cv 2

Tv . H c , 3
Cv 3

= 5.2 years

= 6.1 years

Cv3

t = 6.1 Design

Consolidation Time of Layered Soils

- Determine the equivalent of Hc of each layer
Hc,1

Cv1

H c' ,i H c,i

Cvi
Cvref

-Determine the sum of equivalent Hc

Hc,2

Cv2

-Determine the equivalent of Cv

Cvek Cvref

Hc,3

Cv3

H
.

' 2
c
Hc 2

-Determine the consolidation time

Tv . H c
Cv ek

EXAMPLE
Determine the total consolidation time of 3 layer of clay, which
have different value of coefficient of consolidation and thickness for
90% degree of consolidation.
1st Layer : thickness 5 m, Cv = 5 x 10-3 cm2/s
2nd Layer : thickness 3 m, Cv = 6 x 10-3 cm2/s
3rd Layer : thickness 8 m, Cv = 7 x 10-3 cm2/s

Solution
Layer Thickness
(Hc)

Cv
(m2/s)

Equivalent
Thickness
(Hc)

5m

5 x 10-7

5.00 m

3m

6 x 10-7

3.29 m

8m

7 x 10

Total
Cvref is Cv1

-7

9.47 m
17.76 m

Cvek
(m2/s)

T
(years)

6.16 x
10-

11.18

EXAMPLE
A laboratory consolidation test on a normally clay showed the following result :
Load, p (kN/m2) Void ratio at the end of consolidation, e
140
0.92
212
0.86
The specimen thickness was 25.4 mm and drained on both sides. The time required
for the specimen to reach 50% consolidation was 4.5 min.
A similar clay layer in the field, 2.8 m thick and drained on both sides, is subjected
to similar average pressure increase that is p o = 140 kN/m2 and po+p = 212 kN/m2.
Determine the following :
1. The expected maximum consolidation settlement in the field
2. The length of time it will take for the total settlement in the field to reach 40 mm
3. Repeated no.2 problem in case of drained on one side

EXAMPLE
Requirement 1

e1 e2
Cc
p2
log
p1

0.92 0.86
Cc
0.333
212
log

140

p o p
Cc
Sc
.H c . log
1 eo
po

0.333
212
Sc
. 2.8 . log
87.5mm
1 0,92
140

EXAMPLE
Requirement 2
Determine field consolidation coefficient

S c ,i
Sc

x100%

Calculate consolidation time

Where :
U = 45.7%

40
x100% 45.7%
87.5

Tv .H 2
t
Cv

Tv = /4 (U2) = 0.164 (U = 45.7%)

H = Hc/2 = 1.4 m = 1400 mm
Cv = 7.061 mm2/min
We got

0.164 x1400 2 = 45523 min = 31.6 days

t
7.061

EXAMPLE
Requirement 3

Calculate consolidation time

Where:

Tv .H 2
t
Cv

U = 45.7%
Tv = /4 (U2) = 0.164 (U = 45.7%)
H = Hc = 2.8 m = 2800 mm
Cv = 7.061 mm2/min

Hence

0.164 x 2800 2
t
7.061

= 182093 min = 126.5 days

Influence of Pore Water Pressure

Two influences of pore water pressure to the
settlement are :
Initial average overburden pressure (po) should
be in effective condition (po)
ii. External Load, the uplift of water pressure will
reduce the increase of vertical pressure by external
load
i.

Secondary Consolidation (Creep)

Occur after primary consolidation process finished
ii. Defined as an adjustment of soil skeleton after the
excess pore water dissipated.
iii. Depend on time and will be occurred in a long
time
iv. Difficult to be evaluated
i.

Void Ratio

Secondary Consolidation (Creep)

Time (Min)

Example
A laboratory testing of consolidation for specimen thickness 25.4 mm is carried out to determine the
secondary settlement, with the result as shown in the following table :

Example
Assume
the
thickness
of
the
compressible layer is 10 m and the
consolidation settlement is 30 cm which
occurs after 25 years. The initial void
ratio eo is 2.855, and the initial dial
reading is 12.700 mm
Required :

Compute the amount of secondary

compression that would occur from 25
to 50 years after construction. Assume
the time rate of deformation for the load
range in the test approximates that

Example

Example
t p t
C
Ss
.H c . log
1 ep
tp

0.052
50
Ss
.10. log

1 2.372
25

Ss = 4.6 cm

Thank you for

listening