COMPUTER AIDED ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF WELL FOUNDATION

P. K. Basudhar1, B. A. Yadav2 and Arindam Dey3

1 2

Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India Former Post Graduate Student, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India 3 Research Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India

ABSTRACT The study pertains to the development of software for analysis, design and drafting of well foundation. Analysis had been carried out by using methods based on the recommendations made by IRC, Winkler and a method proposed by Poulos and Davis. With the developed interactive software one can analyze, design the details of the well foundation saving lot of monotonous manual efforts. Drafting of different cross-sections of the well with its dimension and reinforcement details is possible very easily with the above program. For the problem studied design bending moment with IRC method is 62.62% more than the maximum bending moment obtained by using Poulos and Davis approach. It was seen that the Winkler approach resulted 0.21% more deflection as compared to the Poulos and Davis approach, the same for maximum bending moment was 2.56%. However, these variations will be different for other problem. Even though the bending moment values predicted by using Winkler and Poulos and Davis approaches were less than that predicted by using IRC method, the reinforcement requirement was same due to the codal restriction for provision of minimum reinforcement. The vertical deflections predicted by using Winkler and Poulos and Davis approach were seen to be negligible. From the comparison of the obtained results it is revealed that the IRC method is very conservative with regard to the prediction of deflection and bending moment vis-vis the same predicted by the other two methods. 1 Introduction Even though well foundations are the costliest among all other foundations they are extensively used for bridges, marine structures, abutments in lakes, rivers and seas, breakwaters, other shore protection works, large water-front structures such as pump houses, subjected to huge vertical and horizontal forces, isolated heavy structures such as chimneys, and even to large and heavy buildings. Wells are also used as foundations for the high voltage carrying electric towers. Wherever considerations of scour or bearing capacity require foundations being taken to a depth of more than 15 to 20 m, open excavation becomes costly and uneconomic as heavy timbering and shoring has to be provided. Progress will be slow, particularly where dewatering is involved. Another disadvantage of adopting the conventional type of footing is that the excavated material which is refilled around the structures is loose and hence easily scoured as compared to that of the natural ground. The main aim of this study is to check the suitability of a developed computer program for the analysis, design and drafting of well foundation. Three approaches were used to for this purpose: (a) IRC method, (b) Beams on elastic foundations using Winkler model, and (c) Continuum mechanics based on Mindlin Solution (Poulos and Davis, 1980). For this study, the well was assumed to be a rigid foundation and buckling in the 54

well is neglected. Soil is assumed to be homogeneous and elastic. Results obtained from the three methods of analysis were compared to develop an understanding about the e relative merits of these methods. 2 Design Aspects of Well Foundation The main design aspects of well foundation are the design of grip length, steining thickness, curb and bottom plug. A well foundation should be sunk below the maximum scour depth, such that there is adequate lateral stability, and this embedded length is called the grip length. In addition to the Rankine depth consideration, grip length is required for developing sufficient passive resistance to counteract the overturning moment due to horizontal force at well top. Other criterion is that the well should be taken deep enough to rest on strata of adequate bearing capacity in relation to the force being transmitted. The steining thickness should be designed in such a way that it is adequate for the stresses developed during sinking and during installation. If possible, the thickness can also be designed to give adequate self weight for the well to avoid the use of additional weight or kentledge for sinking. Besides the forces acting, additional forces due to sand-blows, as well as the light blasting required when boulders obstruct the sinking of the well should also be taken in consideration. IRC recommends a minimum reinforcement of 720 N/m3 in a well curb. The inner slope of the curb should not be more than 30 for ordinary soil and 45 for cohesionless soil. The bottom plug has to be designed for an upward pressure equal to the pore pressure at the bottom minus the pressure due to self weight. Also, if well foundation is of reinforced cement concrete type, additional steel reinforcement should be provided to take care of the stresses acting on it. 3 Standard Analyses and Procedure 3.1 IRC Method (IRC: 45 1972) A typical well foundation showing the general forces acting on the same are shown in Figure 1. The loads applied on the well foundation are (a) Applied vertical load (P), (b) Applied moment (M), (c) Soil pressure and water forces acting on the steining, (d) Forces which may be caused due to tilting and shifting of the well while installation should also be considered, and (e) forces at the well curb should also be considered caused due to wind blowing and some minor blast required during well driving. The detailed methodology followed for the design is well documented in the IRC: 45 1972. 3.2 Analysis with Winkler Model Analysis of the well foundation using Winklers approach is done in two parts (1) Laterally loaded well, and (2) Vertically loaded wall 3.2.1 Laterally Loaded Wells For the laterally loaded wells (Figure 2), the relationship between the lateral pressure p and the deflection y can be written as p=Kh.y, where Kh is the horizontal subgrade modulus. For the present study, a provision was made by horizontal subgrade modulus by (1) Assume Kh constant along the depth of the well, (2) Assume linear variation of Kh

55

along the depth, and (3) estimating the values of the horizontal modulus of subgrade reaction along depth using the number of blow count N from equation provided by Japanese Highway Bridge Code. For the Winkler model analysis, the soil is assumed to be elastic and can be represented by linear springs. Springs are assumed to be at n number of equally spaced nodes. The governing equation as per beams on elastic foundations is formulated which is discretised by using the Finite Difference Method. The discretised equation is applied at all the nodes of the well which will give n number of equations with n+2 number of unknowns. The extra two unknowns are solved by using equilibrium and boundary conditions at the respective positions. 3.2.2 Vertically Loaded Wells For calculating the vertical deflection of the well, the soil at the tip and around the well was replaced by Winkler springs as shown in Figure 3. As the well as assumed to be rigid, it would displace vertically a uniform distance z along its length. The displacement under the applied load P, and self weight W, generated shearing stresses , in the soil adjacent to the well, and a pressure p, at the tip. It had been assumed that both of these stresses were related to the displacement z, of the well by the equations =ksz, and p=ktz. Now, the total settlement in the vertical direction can be obtained from the equilibrium equations. 3.3 Poulos and Davis Approach The details of this particular method is vividly describe in Poulos and Davis (1980) 3.3.1 Laterally Loaded Wells Analysis of laterally loaded wells using the continuum idealization of soil employs the Mindlin (1936) equation for the displacements due to a horizontal point load acting beneath the surface of an elastic half space. Douglas and Davis (1964) (documented in Poulos and Davis, 1980) presented solutions for the displacements of a vertical rigid rectangular plate subjected to a horizontal load and a moment acting at its top, using the equations of Mindlin. The same had been adopted here for a well by considering the well as a combination of rigid rectangular plates and imposing compatibility between the well and soil displacements at their centers. The schematic diagram for this condition is shown in Figure 4. 3.3.2 Vertically Loaded Wells Mindlin (1936) presented solutions for the displacements caused due to a vertical point load acting beneath a surface of semi-infinite elastic half space. These solutions were the corner stones of the elastic continuum approach used in the analyses of load-settlement behavior of the axially loaded piles. The idealization for this study is shown in Figure 5 3.4 Problem Statement For the sake of brevity, the entire problem statement is not defined here. It is well documented in Yadav (1998)

56

3.5 Results

4 Generalized Conclusions (1) With the developed interactive software one can analyze and design the details of a well foundation saving lot of monotonous efforts. Drafting of different cross-sections of the well with its dimension and reinforcement details is possible very easily. (2) The maximum allowable lateral deflection for well by IRC method was 21.25 mm for the present study, whereas the lateral deflection obtained by the other methods were very less and generally in the order of 1 mm. However, depending on the end conditions specified the maximum deflection obtained by using Winkler model was of the order of 8 mm which was much lower than the allowable lateral deflection 21.25 mm specified by IRC. (3) Design bending moment with IRC method was 62.62 % more than the maximum bending moment obtained by using Poulos and Davis approach. (4) It was seen that the Winkler approach gave more (0.21 %) deflection as compared to the Poulos and Davis approach, the same for maximum bending moment was 2.56 %. (5) Vertical deflection obtained by Poulos and Davis approach (1.19 mm) was more than the Winkler approach (0.337 mm). However, both the deflections could be considered negligible. (6) It was seen form the analysis done by using IRC method, subgrade reaction approach and continuum approach, that the design done with IRC method was very conservative both in terms bending moment and lateral deflection. As such, IRC method could be used with confidence.

References: i. IRC: 45 (1972). Recommendations for Estimating the Resistance of Soil below Maximum Scour Level In the Design of Well Foundations for Bridges. IRC ii. Poulos, H. G. and Davis, E. H. (1980) Pile Foundations Analysis and Design, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., USA. iii. Yadav, B. A. (1998) Computer Aided Analysis, Design and Drafting of Well Foundations, M.Tech. Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering. IIT Kanpur.

57

Fig. 1: Forces acti on the well foundation . ing l Fig. 2 Laterally loa 2: aded well found dation (Winklers ap pproach)

Fig. 3: Vertica loaded wel foundation ally ll (Winkle approach) ers

Fig 4: Laterally l g. loaded well fou undation (Poulos an Davis approa nd ach)

Fig. 5 Vertical loaded well foundation lly l (Poulos and Davis app s proach)

58