Advanced Foundation Engineering
(Master’s Level Course)
Primary Textbook: Principles of Foundation Engineering – Braja M. Das
TOPIC 1: INTRODUCTION TO FOUNDATION ENGINEERING
1.1 Example Foundation Designs
TOPIC 2: REVIEW OF SOIL MECHANICS (Chapter 1 – Das)
2.1 Index Properties and Soil Classification
Example: Soil Classification
2.2 Soil Structure
2.3 Effective Stress Calculations
Example: Effective Stress Calculations
2.4 Shear Strength of Soils
2.4.1 Shear Strength of Sands
Example: Laboratory Determination of Friction Angle
2.4.2 Shear Strength of Clays
2.4.3 Summary Notes on Shear Strength of Clays
TOPIC 3: SUBSURFACE EXPLORATION (Chapter 2 – Das)
3.1 Purpose of Subsurface Exploration
3.2 Subsurface Exploration Program
3.3 Procedures for Site Investigation
Example: Rock Cores
Example: Test Pits
3.4 Subsurface Exploration Report
Example: Subsurface Exploration Program
TOPIC 4: SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS – ULTIMATE BEARING CAPACITY (Chapters 3 &
4 – Das)
4.1 Types of Shallow Foundations
4.2 General Concept of Bearing Capacity
4.3 Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Theory
4.4 General Bearing Capacity Equation
4.5 Summary of Bearing Capacity Procedures
4.5.1 Terzaghi’s Approach
[Link] Cohesionless Soils (C = 0, ϕ = ϕ)
[Link] Cohesive Soils (Clays) – Drained Loading (Long-Term Analysis, Effective Stress Analysis, C = C ′,
ϕ = ϕ′)
[Link] Cohesive Soils (Clays) – Undrained Loading (Short-Term Analysis, Total Stress Analysis, C = Su,
ϕ = 0)
4.5.2 General Bearing Capacity Equations
[Link] Cohesionless Soils (Sands)
[Link] Cohesive Soils (Clays) – Drained Loading
[Link] Cohesive Soils (Clays) – Undrained Loading
4.6 Factor of Safety Against Bearing Capacity Failure
Example: Bearing Capacity Calculation
4.7 Foundations with One-Way Eccentricity
Example: Stresses Under Eccentric Loads
4.8 Presumptive Bearing Pressures
4.9 Ultimate Bearing Capacity – Special Cases
4.9.1 Rigid Base at Shallow Depth
4.9.2 Closely Spaced Foundations
4.9.3 Footings on Bedrock
TOPIC 5: SETTLEMENT OF SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS (Chapter 5 – Das)
5.1 Stresses Below a Rectangular Foundation
5.1.1 Approximate 2:1 Method
5.1.2 Use of Influence Charts
Example: Stress Distribution
5.2 Schmertmann’s Method for Settlement on Sand
Example: Schmertmann’s Settlement Calculation
5.3 Settlement on Sand Based on SPT (Meyerhof’s Method)
Example: Meyerhof Method
5.4 Estimation of Modulus of Elasticity (Es)
5.5 Settlement on Clays
5.5.1 Compressibility and Consolidation Settlement
Field Conditions
Laboratory Tests
Primary Consolidation Settlement
Normally Consolidated Clay Settlement
Example: Primary Consolidation Settlement
5.5.2 Time Rate of Consolidation
Example: Time Rate Calculation
5.5.3 Precompression with Surcharge
5.5.4 Sand Drains (Strip Drains, Wick Drains)
5.6 Tolerable Settlement of Buildings
TOPIC 6: BEARING CAPACITY OF MAT FOUNDATIONS (Chapter 6 – Das)
6.1 Combined Footings and Mat Foundations
6.2 Bearing Capacity of Mat Foundations
6.3 Compensated (Floating) Foundations
Example: Compensated Foundation Design
TOPIC 7: DEEP FOUNDATIONS (Chapter 11 – Das)
7.1 Types of Piles, Drilled Piers, and Caissons
7.2 Sources of Pile Capacity
7.3 Estimation of Required Pile Length
7.4 Estimation of Pile Axial Capacity
7.4.1 General Approach
7.4.2 Meyerhof’s Method for End Bearing (Qp)
7.4.3 Frictional Resistance (Qs)
7.4.4 Point Bearing Capacity on Rock
7.4.5 Settlement of Single Pile
7.5 Estimation of Lateral Pile Capacity
Example: Pile Foundation Design
7.6 Pile Group Efficiency
7.7 Ultimate Capacity of Pile Group in Saturated Clays
7.8 Consolidation Settlement of Pile Groups
7.9 Pile Driving Formula
7.10 Negative Skin Friction (Downdrag)
7.11 Drilled Shafts
7.11.1 Types and Construction
7.11.2 Load Transfer Mechanism
7.11.3 Load-Bearing Capacity
In Granular Soils
In Clays
Into Bedrock
FHWA Empirical Methods
TOPIC 8: SOIL–PILE INTERACTION ANALYSIS
8.1 Analysis of Pile Groups Subjected to Axial and Lateral Loads
8.2 Application of GROUP 7.0 Software
Example: Soil–Pile Interaction Analysis
TOPIC 9: LATERAL EARTH PRESSURES (Chapter 7 – Das)
(To be covered if time permits)
9.1 Earth Pressure Conditions
9.2 At-Rest Earth Pressure
9.3 Rankine Active Earth Pressure
9.4 Rankine Passive Earth Pressure
TOPIC 10: RETAINING WALLS (Chapter 8 – Das)
(To be covered if time permits)
10.1 Types of Earth Retaining Structures
10.2 Proportioning of Gravity and Cantilever Retaining Walls
10.3 Stability of Retaining Walls
Check for Overturning
Check for Bearing Capacity Failure
Check for Global Slope Instability
Example: Stability Analysis of Retaining Wall
10.4 Control of Water Table in Backfill
TOPIC 11: SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSIS
(Can be covered after Retaining Walls or integrated with Soil Mechanics review)
11.1 Introduction to Slope Stability
Types of slopes (Infinite and Finite Slopes)
Causes of slope failure
Types of slope failure (Rotational, Translational, Compound)
11.2 Factor of Safety Concept
Definition and interpretation
Methods of expressing Factor of Safety
11.3 Stability of Infinite Slopes
Cohesionless soils
Cohesive soils
Effect of seepage and water table
Example: Infinite Slope Stability Calculation
11.4 Stability of Finite Slopes
11.4.1 Swedish Circle Method (Ordinary Method of Slices)
Assumptions
Calculation procedure
Example: Method of Slices
11.4.2 Bishop’s Simplified Method
Assumptions
Iterative solution
Comparison with Ordinary Method
11.5 Stability Number and Taylor’s Charts
Use of stability charts
Critical height of slope
11.6 Effect of Seepage Forces
Rapid drawdown condition
Sudden lowering of water table
11.7 Seismic (Pseudo-static) Slope Stability Analysis
Horizontal seismic coefficient
Effect on Factor of Safety
11.8 Slope Stabilization Techniques
Drainage control
Retaining structures
Soil reinforcement
Ground improvement methods