LECTURE 14

DESIGN OF SHALLOW FOUNDATION

The geotechnical design of foundation is basically focused on how to choose

the size of the footing, the depth of the footing based on the soil parameters,

satisfying foundation settlement and as well the bearing capacity.

The figure below demonstrated the use of a plate load test data to determine

the real settlement of the footing.

Plate size=60cm, Plate is placed at the depth of 1m below G.L, Footing

size=2.5m x 2.5m, depth of the footing Df =2.5m,

Total load on the footing =150 ton.

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 150
Load intensity= = 24𝑡/𝑚2
2.5×2.5

24𝑡/𝑚2 can be traced from the graph to the corresponding settlement.

Therefore, from the curve the corresponding settlement value for 24𝑡/𝑚2 is
12mm. SP = 12mm.
2
𝐵𝑓 (𝐵𝑝 + 30
𝑆𝑓 = 𝑆𝑝 [ ]
𝐵𝑝 (𝐵𝑓 + 30)

Where: 𝑆𝑝 = 12𝑚𝑚, 𝐵𝑓 = 250𝑐𝑚, 𝐵𝑝 = 60𝑐𝑚

250(60 + 30 2
𝑆𝑓 = 12 [ ] = 21.5𝑚𝑚
60(250 + 30)

Depth correction

𝐷 2.5 − 1 𝐿
= = 0.6, =1
√𝐿𝐵 √2.5 × 2.5 𝐵

Correction factor=0.83

Corrected settlement = 21.5 x0.83=17.85mm

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 Settlement type

a. Total settlement (uniform)

b. Differential settlement

𝐷𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝛿 = 𝑆2 − 𝑆𝑖

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 Example 14.1
a. The data below was obtained from Footing during a load plate test conducted
on 75cm square test plate at a depth of 2.5m below the ground level on a sandy
soil which extends up to large depth. Determine the settlement of a Foundation
4m x 4m carrying a load of 1600kN placed at of 2m below the ground surface
on the same soil.
b) determine the actual settlement if water table is raised at the base of the
Footing.
Load Test Data
2
Load Intensity (kN/m ) Settlement (mm)
0 0
60 2.6
120 5.2
180 8.4
240 12.5
300 18.5
360 38
400 50

Solution

60

50
Settlement (mm)

40

30

20

10

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

Load Intensity (kN/m 2)

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From the curve the settlement of the plate 𝑆𝑝 = 8𝑚𝑚

2
𝑆𝑓 𝐵𝑓 (𝐵𝑝 +30
𝑁𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =[ ]
𝑆𝑝 𝐵𝑝 (𝐵𝑓 +30)

400(75 + 30 2
𝑆𝑓 = 8 [ ] = 13.57𝑚𝑚
75(400 + 30)

13.57
𝑏. 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 =
𝑐𝑤
Using Peck, Hansom and Thormburm (1974) method, 𝐷𝑤 is considered to be
at the base of the foundation.
𝐷𝑤
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒, 𝐶𝑤 = 0.5 + 0.5 ( )
𝐷𝑓 + 𝐵
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒: 𝐷𝑓 = 2𝑚, 𝐷𝑤 = 2.5𝑚, 𝐵 = 4𝑚
2.5
∴ 𝐶𝑤 = 0.5 + 0.5 ( ) = 0.708
2+4
13.57
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 = = 19.1𝑚𝑚
0.708
If 𝐷𝑤 ′ is considered , it means that water table level is below the base of the
foundation.
Therefore, 𝐷𝑤 ′ will be zero i.e. 𝐷𝑤 ′ = 0 in that case 𝐶𝑤 will be
0
𝐶𝑤 = 0.5 + 0.5 ( ) = 0.5
2+4
13.57
∴ 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 = = 27.14𝑚𝑚
0.5

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Example 14.2

a. Using the same plate load test data, determine the allowable bearing
capacity of a foundation 5m x 5m at a depth of 3m below ground surface on
the same soil. The permissible settlement of the foundation is 75mm and
factor of safety against bearing is 3. Unit weight of the soil is 19kN/m3.
b. What will be the allowable bearing capacity if water table is raised at the
base of the footing.
Calculation for Bearing capacity
60

50
Settlement (mm)

40

30

20

10

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

Load Intensity (kN/m 2)

251𝑘𝑁/𝑚2 𝑈𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑜𝑑 𝑞𝑢𝑝 = 251𝑘𝑁/𝑚2

𝐵𝑓 300
𝑈𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑜𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑞𝑢𝑓 = 𝑞𝑢𝑝 ( ) = 251 ( ) = 1008𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝐵𝑝 75
Hence, the soil is a granular soil, therefore 𝐶𝑁𝑐 = 0
Since 𝑁𝑞 , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑁𝛾 were not given the right part of the equation will be used to
determine 𝑁𝛾 .
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 𝑞𝑢 = 0 + 𝑞𝑁𝑞 + 0.4𝐵𝛾𝑁𝛾

0.4𝐵𝛾𝑁𝛾 = 1008𝑘𝑁/𝑚2

1008
𝑁𝛾 = = 26.53𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
5 × 19 × 0.4

To calculate the ∅0 angle value, we can use 𝑁𝛾 = 26.53𝑘𝑁/𝑚2 to interpolate

linearly .
From the table 𝑁𝛾 fail between 19.7 -42.4
26.53 − 19.7
∴ (∅ − 30) = (35 − 30) ( ) = 1.51
42.4 − 19.7
(∅ − 30) = 1.51
∅ = 30 + 1.51 = 31.51
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By the same linear interpolation 𝑁𝑞 , value can be determined
300 − 22.5
31.510 − 𝑥
350 − 41.4
31.51 − 30 𝑥 − 22.5
=
35 − 30 41.4 − 𝑥
1.51 𝑥 − 22.5
=
5 41.4 − 𝑥
𝑥 − 22.5 = 0.302(41.4 − 𝑥)

35.0028
𝑥= = 27
1.302

𝑁𝑞 = 27 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ∅0 = 31.510
𝑞𝑢 = 𝑞𝑁𝑞 + 0.4𝐵𝛾𝑁𝛾
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑞𝑁𝑞 = 𝛾𝐷𝑓 𝑁𝑞 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0.4𝐵𝛾𝑁𝛾 = 1008𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
= 19 × 3 × 27 + 1008
𝑞𝑛𝑢 = 𝑞𝑢 − 𝛾𝐷𝑓
= 19 × 3 × 27 + 1008 − 19 × 3
𝑞𝑛𝑢 = 2547 − 57 = 2490𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
2490
𝑁𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒, 𝑞𝑛𝑠 = = 830𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
3

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 Settlement

𝑆𝑓 = 75𝑚𝑚 (𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡)

2
𝐵𝑓 (𝐵𝑝 + 30
𝑆𝑝 = 𝑆𝑓 [ ]
𝐵𝑝 (𝐵𝑓 + 30)
𝐵𝑝 = 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 = 75𝑚𝑚
75(500 + 30 2
𝑆𝑝 = 75 [ ] = 42.99𝑚𝑚
500(75 + 30)
𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒 𝑆𝑝 = 42.99𝑚𝑚 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 375𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙 = 375𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 = 1008𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝑆𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 375𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒
b. 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 =
𝐶𝑤

75𝑚𝑚 × 𝐶𝑤 = 75 × 0.5 = 37.5𝑚𝑚

42.99
𝑆𝑝 = = 21.50𝑚𝑚
2
From the curve 21.50mm corresponding to the 280kN/m2

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 Design of Isolated Footing

Solutions

Average porewater pressure parameter (A) = 0.6,

Assumed values B x L = 3m x 3m, Df = 2m.
The design will determine if the assumed depth satisfied the bearing capacity
and settlement. The influence zone for the settlement calculation will be up to
6m = 2 x B. whereas for the bearing capacity it will be up to 3m = B.
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 600 𝑄
𝑞𝑛 = = = 66.7𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
3×3 𝐵×𝐿
a. Bearing capacity (Skempton bearing capacity expression)

𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑, 𝑞𝑛𝑢 = 𝐶𝑢 𝑁𝑐

𝐷𝑓
𝑁𝑐 = 5(1 + 0.2 𝐵⁄𝐿) (1 + 0.2 ⁄ )
𝐵

Hence is a square footing therefore this expression can be used:

𝐷𝑓
𝑁𝑐 = 6 (1 + 0.2 ⁄ ) = 6(1 + 0.2 2⁄ ) = 6.8
𝐵 3

30 × 2 + 20
Weighted 𝐶𝑢 = = 26.67𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
3

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 3 = 𝐵, 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑚𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑢𝑝𝑡𝑜 3𝑚

𝑞𝑛𝑢 = 𝐶𝑢 𝑁𝑐 = 26.67 × 6.8 = 181.33 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2

181.33
𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒𝑡𝑦 = = 2.7 > 2.5
66.67
(𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔)
b. Settlement calculation
i. Immediate settlement
𝑞𝑛 = 66.7𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝐵 = 3𝑚, 𝜇 = 0.5, 𝐼𝑓 = 1.12 (𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒)
𝑞𝑢 𝐵
𝑆𝑖 = (1 − 𝜇2 )𝐼𝑓
𝐸
18000 × 2 + 12000 × 2 + 30000 × 2
𝐸𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑑 = = 20,000𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
6
The foundation is an isolated footing, such that the only correction required
is depth correction.
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 𝐷 2 𝐿⁄ = 1
= = 0.67, 𝐵
√𝐿𝐵 √3 × 3
From the chart the correction factor is 0.81
𝑆𝑖(𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑) = 8.4 × 0.841 = 6.8𝑚𝑚

ii) Consolidation settlement

𝐶𝑐
𝑆𝑐 = ∑ 𝐻𝐿𝑜𝑔10
1+𝑒0

At Point A

ϸ−
0 = 2 × 18 + 1 + (18 − 10) = 44𝑘𝑁/𝑚
2

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 1 = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝐴

66.7 × 9
∆ϸ = = 37.52𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
(3 + 1)(3 + 1)

At Point B

ϸ−
0 = 2 × 18 + 2 × 8 + 1 × 9 = 61𝑘𝑁/𝑚
2

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒: 2 = 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟 𝐼

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒: 2 = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝐵 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝐴

1 = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝐵 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟

66.7 × 3 × 3
∆ϸ = = 16.7𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
(3 + 3)(3 + 3)

𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 3 = 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟𝐼 + 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝐵 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝐴

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At Point C

ϸ−
0 = 2 × 18 + 2 × 8 + 2 × 9 + 1 × 9 = 79𝑘𝑁/𝑚
2

66.7 × 3 × 3
∆ϸ = = 9.4𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
(3 + 5)(3 + 5)

𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒: 5 = 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟𝐼 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼𝐼 + 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑃𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟 𝐼𝐼

44 + 37.52 61 + 16.7
𝑆𝑐 = 0.07 × 2𝐿𝑜𝑔10 ( ) + 0.15 × 2𝐿𝑜𝑔10 ( ) + 0.12
44 61
79+9.4
× 2𝐿𝑜𝑔10 ( ) = 80.75𝑚𝑚
79

𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 0.81

𝑃𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 0.7

𝐻𝑐⁄
0.7 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 3𝐷 𝑆𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑡 (𝐴 = 0.6, 𝐵 = 2)

𝑆𝑐(𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑) = 80.75 × 0.81 × 0.7 = 45.78𝑚𝑚

𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 6.8 + 45.78 = 52.58 < 75𝑚𝑚 (𝑆𝑎𝑓𝑒) 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑅𝐶𝐶 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑠

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