Soil/Rock property evaluation

and bearing capacity

calculation

Naresh Man Shakya

Department of Roads
Evaluation of Parameters
Stereonet plotting
Schmidt Net
Polar net
Design of Spread and Pile
Foundation
 Definition of foundation
The lowest part of a structure is generally referred
to as foundation.
Function of foundation
To transfer load of the superstructure to the soil on
which it is resting.
Requirements (Functional)
A properly designed foundation is one that transfers the
structural load throughout the soil without overstressing
of soil which can result in either excessive settlement or
shear failure, both of which can damage the structure.
 Classification of Foundations
 Shallow foundation
 Deep Foundation

 Shallow foundations located just below the lowest

part of the superstructure they support;

 deep foundations extend considerably deeper into

earth.
Depth and location of foundation

Depends on
1. Zone of significant volume changes in soil.

2. Adjacent structures and property lines.

3. Ground water

4. Underground defects

5. Scour depth
 Selection of Foundation
Type

1. Spread (Open)

2. Pile (bored or driven)

3. Well
 Design Methods
 Prescriptive

published values of permissible stresses

 Load/prototype

 full scale
 centrifuse tests
 model tests
 Design Methods
 Observation

 review design during construction

 set acceptable limits
 Set range of behaviour
 Set monitoring plan
 Set contingency plan
 Calculation

For bridge foundation, we are using this

method
Basic Definitions :
1) Ultimate Bearing Capacity (qu) :
The ultimate bearing capacity is the gross pressure
at the base of the foundation at which soil fails in
shear.

2) Net ultimate Bearing Capacity (qnu) :

It is the net increase in pressure at the base of
foundation that cause shear failure of the soil.
3) Net Safe Bearing Capacity (qns) :
It is the net soil pressure which can be safely applied
to the soil considering only shear failure.
Thus, qns = qnu /FOS

FOS - Factor of safety usually taken as 2.00 -3.00

4) Gross Safe Bearing Capacity (qs) :

It is the maximum pressure which the soil can carry
safely without shear failure.
qs = qnu / FOS + γ Df
 Spread Foundation
Existing Design Practice in
Nepal
Modes of shear Failure :
Vesic (1973) classified shear failure of soil
under a foundation base into three
categories depending on the type of soil &
location of foundation.

1) General Shear failure.

2) Local Shear failure.
3) Punching Shear failure
Bearing Capacity with SPT
values
Shallow foundation
 For grannular strata, bearing capacity is computed
using
• Qult = 2 N2BRw + 6(100+N2)DRw2 Teng (1969)
• Qult = (p’(Nq-1) +0.5BN) / F Terzaghi (1943)
 Cohesive strata, bearing capacity is computed using
• Qult = c Nc / F Terzaghi (1943)
Different methods used by different designers for allowable
bearing capacity estimates for permissible settlement of 25 mm or
40 mm
Granular strata
 For grannular strata, bearing capacity is computed using
• qa = 720(N-3)[(B+1)/2B]2Rw(1+D/B) Teng (1962)
 based on Terzaghi and Peck (1948) using corrected N
value
• qa = 1.1 N Rw Peck et al (1974)
• qa = 1.2NRw Meyerhof (1956) or
• qa = 8N[(B+0.3)/B]2Rw Meyerhof (1956)
• qa = 12.5N[(B+0.3)/B]2RwFd for B>1.2m Bowles
(1988)
Bearing Capacity with
C and Φ values
Assumptions of Terzaghi
• The failure zones do not extend above the
horizontal plane passing through base of
footing
• The failure occurs when the down ward
pressure exerted by loads on the soil
adjoining the inclined surfaces on soil wedge
is equal to upward pressure.
• Downward forces are due to the load (=qu×
B) & the weight of soil wedge (1/4 γB2
tanØ)
• Upward forces are the vertical components of
resultant passive pressure (Pp) & the
cohesion (c’) acting along the inclined
surfaces.
 Brinch Hansen (1970)
Design of Shallow Foundation

For sand and gravel

q`u c' Ncscdcicbcgc v' Nqsqdqiqbqgq 0.5' BN s dib g

For Clay

q u  5 . 14 c u s c ' d c ' i c ' b c ' g c '   v

Bearing capacity factors Nc, Nq, Nr
Correction factors
 Layered Soil
 Weak layer over stiff layer
> qf for weak layer
 Multi layer

> check qf for all layers

> allow for distribution of load
 Weak layer below stiff layer

> check for punching

 Thin weak layer within stiff layer

> check for squeezing

 Zone of influence
H=0.5 B (45+Ø/2)
Pile Foundation
 Types of pile

End bearing: Friction: Bored pile Driven pile

loads to the loads to the
bottom sides
 Types of pile

End bearing: Friction: Bored pile Driven pile

loads to the loads to the
bottom sides
 Types of pile

End bearing: Friction: Bored pile Driven pile

loads to the loads to the
bottom sides
 Types of pile

End bearing: Friction: Bored pile Driven pile

loads to the loads to the
bottom sides
 Common Practice of Pile
Foundation Design in Nepal
Pile Foundation in Cohesive soil
Bearing Capacity of Soil Qu= Qs+ Qb
Where.
Qs = Bearing capacity due to
adhesion,

Qb = Bearing capacity due to end

bearing,
Pile Foundation in Cohesive soil
Bearing capacity due to adhesion,
Qs = a c As
a - Adhesion factor
c - Average undrained shear
strength of the clay along the
sides of the pile
As - Embeded surface area of the
pile
Pile Foundation in Cohesive soil
Bearing capacity due to end bearing,
Qb = c Nc Ab
c - Undrained shear strength at
the base of the pile

Nc - Meyerhoff's bearing capacity

factor, usually taken as 9

Ab - Pile base area

Pile Foundation in Cohesive soil
Negative skin friction, Qn = 0.90 c H S

c - Undrained shear strength of the

clay (compressible fill materials)
H - Depth between normal bed level
and maximum scour level
S - circumference of the pile
 Pile Foundation in Cohessionless soil
Skin friction at depth z, f =Ks pd tanδ
Overburden pressure at depth z, pd = S r z
Bearing capacity due to skin friction,
Qs = 0.5*Ks*r(z1+z2)*tan δ *As
Ks - Earth pressure coefficient; the ratio of the
lateral to vertical earth pressure at the sides of
the pile
(higher than Ka but lower than Kp)
r - bulk density for strata above the water table
and submerged density below the water table
d - Angle of wall friction between pile and soil
As - Embeded area from z1 to z2
 Pile Foundation in Cohessionless soil
Bearing capacity due to end resistance,
Qb = pob (Nq-1) Ab
pob - Effective overburden pressure at the pile base
level
Ab - Area of the pile base

Nq - Meyerhoff's value

Negative skin friction, Qn = (0.5 Ks r z tan d ) H S

H = z - Depth between normal bed level and
maximum scour level
S - circumference of the pile
 Pile Group
Considered when pile spacing
< 1.5 m
< Pile diameter
< 10% of Pile length

Procedure for Pile Group Calculation

• consider block of soil enclosed by the piles as
a single pile
• Calculate base width and base area
• Calculate end bearing capacity of block pile
• Calculate the skin friction of the soil block
enclosed in the group pile
 Pile Group
Procedure for Pile Group Calculation (contd.)
• Calculate total capacity
Qu=Qb+Qs

Compare Qu with product of no. of single piles

and single pile capacity

The lower value will be the computed value of

Pile Capacity of the Pile Group.
Any other issues?