Introduction

Foundation loads cause settlement

Immediate/elastic settlement, S
i
(<7 days)
Due to change in shape of soil w/o change in volume or water content (e.g. granular soils). It is
time independent.
Primary consolidation settlement, S
c
Mainly due to gradual expulsion of pore water from soil voids (e.g. inorganic clays). It is time
dependent. Dissipation of excess pore water pressure and increase in effective stress.
Secondary compression / creep settlement, S
s
Occurs at constant effective stress with volume change due to re-arrangement of soil particles
(e.g. organic soils). Theoretically begins at the end of primary consolidation.
S
t
= S
i
+ S
c
+ S
s
Immediate Settlement
Also called elastic settlement.
Employs theory of elasticity, for saturated clays.
Occurs in all types of soils due to elastic compression.
Occurs immediately after the application of load.
Depends on the elastic properties of foundation soil, rigidity, size and
shape of foundation.
Applicable for rigid and flexible foundations.
Soil assumed to be homogenous, isotropic and semi-infinite.
Elastic properties of soil
G = Shear Modulus
E = Modulus of elasticity
= Poissons ratio
Poissons ratio is defined as the ratio of lateral strain (
3
) to axial strain (
1
) in triaxial
compression test
Value of for soils range from 0 to 0.5
Saturated soils close to 0.5
Dry soils close to 0
Laboratory Methods
Undrained Triaxial tests on representative undisturbed samples under simulated
field conditions of stress range and mode of deformation.
Other tests to find undrained cohesion of soil
A varies from 500 to 1500 for inorganic stiff clays
A varies from 100 to 500 for organic or soft clays
Field Methods
Plate Load Test
Standard penetration test (SPT)
Static cone penetration test (CPT)
Computation of Modulus of Elasticity
Correlations of E with N and q
c
N= Standard penetration resistance, SPT number
q
c
= cone resistance
Influence Factor (I
f
) for vertical displacement
For completely saturated clay under rapid loading (undrained, no volume change)
= 0.5
In this case, E is constant. Determined from secant modulus obtained from undrained tri-
axial test over a range of stress fromzero to 50% of ultimate bearing capacity.
Consolidation Settlement
Time related process of volume change due to expulsion of water under an increased load.
Corrections for settlement due to Consolidation
Correction for the effect of 3-D consolidation
Skempton and Bjerrum(1957)
Vertical pressure not equal to induced pore water pressure.
Element may undergo lateral deformation also (3-D consolidation).
Excess pore water pressure is a function of Skemptons pore pressure
parameter A.
= correction factor
= f ( type of soil (or) A parameter, shape of foundation)
Correction for the effect of 3-D consolidation
Correction for the rigidity of the foundation (IS 8009:1976)
Rigidity factor = Total settlement of rigid foundation
Total settlement of flexible foundation at centre
= 0.8
Correction for depth of embedment for rectangular footing of L x B at Depth, D
Depth factor = S(embedded) - can be used for both elastic and primary consolidation settlements
S(surface)
Seat of settlement
Defined as stressed zone beneath the foundation within which stresses induced
by load are large enough to cause significant settlement.
Depth of influence zone = f ( nature of structure, shape and disposition of
loaded area, load intensity, soil profile ad engineering properties).
Generally taken as zone bounded by 20% vertical stress contour.
20% 10% pressure bulb
Square footing 1.5 B 3 B
Strip footing 2 B 6 B
Rectangular footing shorter dimension controls settlement
(significant depth)
Usually 10% pressure bulb area can be considered as influence zone.
5 % for important structures such as Nuclear reactor.