by

MANISH.S

Topic-SBC of SOILS AND SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS
Auger borings

Definition
Terms related with it
Methods to estimate SBC of soils
Some typical values of SBC of soil in Indian conditions
Shallow foundation-types

Topics to be discussed
By defn- Bearing Capacity is the max. stress which soil
or rock can carry without yielding or displacement or
without undergoing failure

When excessive load is transferred to soil, from structural
foundation, it tends to undergo settlement in beginning
and progressively leading to failure

Ultimate BC of soil- intensity of loading, at the bottom of
foundation, at which soils fails by shear(is pre-dominant
force responsible for failure)

SBC- max. intensity of loading that soil will safely carry
without undergoing shear failure. Usually obtained by
dividing ult. B.C by F.O.S(usually 2-3)
Methods to find SBC of soil
By plate load test
By SPT test
By IS code method(IS 2911)
Plate load test
field test for determining ult B.C of soil & settlement
expected
Consists of loading a steel plate placed @foundation
level & recording settlements corresponding to each
load increment
Procedure:
Test set-up
Testing procedure
Interpretation of results
1. A square pit of required size is excavated up to 5 times the side of steel
plate(25mm thick-300to 750mm wide) to be used. At the centre of pit, square
hole is dig, which is same ratio to that of breadth to depth of pit
2. The bottom of the hole is made level
3. The steel plate is put up in the hole and then platform is prepared as shown
in fig









4. The amount of initial load(increments) is decided according to the
type of the soil to be tested. Dial gauges are fixed to record
increments of plate
5. At every increment of 2kN(applied through hyd jack), dial gauge
readings and noted down till settlement of 25mm or failure occurs
Once expt. is over, load vs settlement curve is drawn,
ult B.C of soil is found from graph(point in graph where
plot changes to curve from straight line) and this is
divided by F.O.S(2 or3) to obtain SBC
As per IS-2911
Shallow or open foundations
Most common type of foundation and can be laid using open excavation
by allowing natural slopes on all sides
This type of foundation is practicable for a depth of about 5m and is
normally convenient above the water table
This type of foundation is provided for structure of moderate height built
on sufficiently firm dry ground. Not suitable for filled up soils(common in
areas where lakes/ water bodies converted to land)
Types
Wall footing Continuous footing
Isolated footing Cantilever footing
Combined footing
Inverted arch footing







Wall footing
These footings can be either simple or stepped
The base course of these footings are of lean concrete
The base width of the concrete base course should be equal to twice
the width of wall. First base course is laid( i.e concrete).

Isolated Footings:
These are used to support individual columns.
They can be of stepped type or have projections in the concrete base
In case of heavy loaded columns steel reinforcement is provided in both
directions in concrete with15cm offsets
Generally these are common for residential buildings
Steel
reinf
Steel
reinf
Combined footing
A combined footing supports two or more columns in a row
A Combined footing may be rectangular or trapezoidal constructed with
reinforced concrete
The location of centre of gravity of column loads and centroid of the
footing should coincide

When 2 columns are not equally
loaded
When 2 columns
are equally
loaded
Inverted Arch Footing:
This type of construction is used on soft soils to reduce the depth of
foundation
End piers have to be strengthened specially-precaution
Were used in olden days for buildings- now not so common

Continuous footings
In this type of footing a single continuous R.C slab is produced as
foundation of two or three or more columns in a row

This type of footing is suitable at locations liable to earthquake
activities. This also prevents differential settlement in the structure
column
column
column
Strap beam
Strap or cantilever footing
Strap footing consists of two or more individual footings
connected by a beam called strap
This type of foundation may be used where the
distance between the columns is so great that
combined trapezoidal footing becomes quite narrow
Grillage footing
This type of footing is used to transmit heavy loads from steel columns
to foundation soils having low bearing power
This type of foundation avoids deep excavation and provides necessary
area at the base to reduce the intensity of pressure of the foundation
Consists of grillage beams which are provided a frequent intervals
Constn- Excavation laying of foundation bed concrete compaction
placing of grillage beams(either in 1 or 2 layers) placing of
concrete in between gap of grillage beams
Raft foundation
A raft or mat is a combined footing that covers the entire area beneath
a structure and supports all the columns
When the allowable soil pressure is low(i.e for soft clay or marshy site)
or the structure loads are heavy the use of spread footings would cover
more than one half of the area and it may be prove more economical to
use raft foundation
The raft is composed of reinforced concrete beam with relatively thin
slab underneath. This slab is provided with steel at top and bottom face
of slab @right angles
Area of excavation is slightly more than area of structure itself as it
generally projects out of structure

Construction procedure- 1)Excavation
2)compaction of soil
3)laying of steel for slab
4) concreting of slab
column
column
Raft slab (in between columns)
Raft slab(in between columns)

Black cotton soil