ENCE4610

FoundationAnalysisandDesign
Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations:
Vesis Method
Eccentric Loading of Foundations
Effect of Water Table
 CurrentMethodsofBearing
CapacityAnalysis
Terzaghis Method does
not take into
consideration factors
such as:
o Base or ground inclination
o Water table effects
o Layered soil effects
o Eccentricity of load
o Rectangular foundations
Also, there are other
methods of estimating
the bearing capacity
factors, especially N
Methods in common
use
o Meyerhof
o Brinch-Hansen (esp. popular in
Europe, generally the most
conservative of the methods)
o Vesi
All methods use the
same Nc and Nq
In this course we will
emphasize Vesi
o Closest to AASHTO
o Factors used in FE exam
 VesisMethod
z Similar in basic format to Terzaghi's Method,
but takes into account a larger number of
factors
z Some variations in the way it is implemented
 VesiBearingCapacity
Factors

For equations: angles in radians

VesiShapeFactors
VesiDepthFactors
VesiLoadInclination
Factors
 Vesi
BaseTilt
Factors
 Vesi
Ground
Slope
Factors
 AllowableBearing
Capacity
z Most foundations
Factors when considering
designed by ASD
selection of a factor of safety for geotechnical
strength
q ult
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qa =
F
z Foundation is then
designed so that
the allowable
bearing pressure is
not exceeded
 GeneralBearingCapacity
Example
Governing Equation z Given
z Rectangular Foundation
z Width of foundation = 1100
mm (B)
z Length of Foundation =
2200 mm (L)
z Depth of Foundation = 1500
mm (D)
z Soil cohesion c = 15 kPa
z Soil internal friction3 angle
= 30, = 19 kN/m
z Water table even with
depth of foundation
z Foundation and ground
level, load concentric
z Find
z Design loading, FS = 3 using
Vesis Method
 EccentricorMoment
Loading
Eccentric Loading z Moment Loading
o Load is away from the M
centre of the foundation in M l
the B direction only e= =
Q Q
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l
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VariablesforEccentricand
MomentLoading
z e = eccentricity of bearing pressure
distribution
z Q = applied vertical load
z Q/l = applied vertical load per unit length of
foundation
z M = applied moment load
z M/l = applied moment load per unit length of
foundation
z e = eccentricity of applied vertical load
 OneWayLoading
z One-way loading is loading along one of the
centre axes of the foundation
z Three cases to consider
EquationsforTwoDimensionalPressures
withEccentric/MomentLoads
 ExampleofOneWay
Eccentricity
Given
o Continuous Foundation as
shown This image cannot currently be display ed.

o Groundwater table at great

depth
o Weight of foundation
(concrete) not included in
load shown
Find
o Whether resultant force acts in
middle third
o Minimum and maximum
bearing pressures
 ExampleofOneWay
Eccentricity
z Compute Weight of Foundation
z Wf/b = (5)(1.5)(150) = 1125 lb/ft
z Compute eccentricity
z
e=
(M
/ l)
=
8000
= 0.61 ft.
Q /l 12000 + 1125
B 5
= = 0.833 ft. > 0.61 ft.
6 6
z Thus, eccentricity is within the middle third of the
foundation and foundation can be analysed further
without enlargement at this point
 ExampleofOneWay
Eccentricity
z Compute minimum and maximum bearing pressures

Q
l 6e
q min = 1
B B

12000 + 1125
=
(6 )(0.61 ) = 703 psf
q min 1
5 5
Q
l 6e
q max = 1+
B B

12000 + 1125
=
(6 )(0.61 )
q max 1 + = 4546 psf
5 5
TwoWayEccentricity Kern of Stability
Eccentricity in both z Foundation stable
L and B against overturn only
if resultant falls in the
directions produces a kern in the centre of
the foundation
planar distribution of
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z Resultant in the kern if

stress
6eB 6eL
+ 1
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B L
eB, eL = eccentricity in B, L directions
BearingPressureatCorners
TwoWayEccentricity
Q 6eB 6eL
q = 1
A B L
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 TwoWayEccentricity
Example
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y Given
12 m Grain silo design as shown
Each silo has an empty
weight of 29 MN; can hold
up to 110 MN of grain
Weight of mat = 60 MN
12
Silos can be loaded
m
independently of each
other

y Find
Whether or not eccentricity
will be met with the various
loading conditions possible
Eccentricity can be one-
way or two-way
 TwoWayEccentricity
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Example
z One-Way
Eccentricity
z Largest Loading: two
adjacent silos full and
the rest empty
z Q = (4)(29) + 2(110) +
60 = 396 MN
z M = (2)(110)(12) =
2640 MN-m

M
e=
Q Eccentricity OK
2640 for one-way
e= eccentricity
B 50 396
= = 8.33 m > 6.67 m
6 6 e = 6.67 m
 TwoWayEccentricity
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Example
z Two-Way Eccentricity
z Largest Loading: one silo full and the rest
empty
z P = (4)(29) + 110 + 60 = 286 MN
z MB = ML = (110)(12) = 1320 MN-m

M 1320
eB = eL = = = 4.62m
Q 286
6eB 6eL (6 )(4.62 )
+ = 2 = 1.11 > 1
B L 50

Not acceptable
TwoWayEccentricity
Example
z Two-Way Eccentricity
z Solution to Eccentricity
Problem: increase the size of
the mat
6eB 6eL (6 )(4.62 )
+ = 2 =1
B L B
B = L = 55.4 m
z Necessary to also take other
considerations into account
(bearing failure, settlement,
etc.)
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Equivalent
Footing
Procedure
Structural Geotechnical

(NAVFAC DM 7.02)
EquivalentFootingUsingTwo
WayEccentricityExample
z Largest Loading: one silo full and the rest
empty

z Result of Two-Way
Eccentricity Analysis
z eB = eL = 4.62 m
z B = L = 55.4 m (expanded
foundation)
z Equivalent Footing
Dimensions
z B = B 2eB = 55.4 (2)(4.62)
z B = 45.8 m = L (as B = L and
eB = eL)
 EquivalentFootingUsingTwo
WayEccentricityExample
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z One-Way
Eccentricity
z Largest Loading: two
adjacent silos full and
the rest empty
z B = L = 55.4 m
(expanded
foundation)
z eB = 6.67m
z eL = 0 m
z B = B-2eB = 55.4
(2)(6.67) = 42.1 m
B 50 z L = L = 55.4 m
= = 8.33 m > 6.67 m
6 6
 Groundwaterand
LayeredSoilEffects
Layered Soils are Shallow groundwater
virtually unavoidable in
real geotechnical
situations
Softer layers below the
surface can and do
significantly affect both
the bearing capacity
and settlement of
foundations
affects shear strength in
two ways:
o Reduces apparent cohesion
that takes place when soils are
not saturated; may
necessitate reducing the
cohesion measured in the
laboratory
o Pore water pressure increases;
reduces both effective stress
and shear strength in the soil
(same problem as is
experienced with unsupported
slopes)
 SolutionforGroundwaterand
LayeredSoilBearingCapacity
Weighted average is, Three ways to analyze
overall, the best way of
handling both of these
situations
Groundwater creates
additional soil layer
Valid unless soil
strengths have major
variations
layered soil profiles:
1. Use the lowest of values of
shear strength, friction angle
and unit weight below the
foundation. Simplest but
most conservative.
2. Use weighted average of
these parameters based on
relative thicknesses below
the foundation. Best
balance of conservatism
and computational effort.
1. Use width of foundation B as
depth for weighted average
3. Consider series of trial
surfaces beneath the
footing and evaluate the
stresses on each surface
(similar to slope failure
analysis.) Most accurate
but calculations are tedious;
use only when quality of soil
data justify the effort
 ExamplewithLayered
SoilsandGroundwater
Find Given
o Check adequacy o Square spread footing as
against bearing
capacity failure using shown
weighted average
method, Vesis
Formula and FS = 3

2.5 m
LayeredSoilExample
Failure zone exists for a
distance B (1.8 m) below the
foundation, i.e., from 1.9 m to
2.7 m below the ground
surface (an assumption of
the method)
o Unsubmerged silty sand layer
is 0.6 m deep
o Submerged silty sand layer is
0.5 m deep
o Fine-to-medium sand layer is
0.7 m in the failure zone
Weighting factors
o Unsubmerged silty sand layer:
0.6/1.8 = 0.33
o Submerged silty sand layer:
0.5/1.8 = 0.28
o Fine-to-medium sand layer:
0.7/1.8 = 0.39
Weighted Values of Soil
Parameters
o c' = (0.28+0.33)(5 kPa) +
(0.39)(0) = 3 kPa
o ' = (0.28+.33)(32) + (0.39)(38)
= 34
o = (0.33)(18.2) + (0.28)(18.2-
9.8) +(0.39)(20.1-9.8) = 12.4
kN/m3
Note that submerged unit weights
were used for submerged layer
This avoids the need to then
compute an average buoyant
weight
In the event a layer is not
submerged, the moist unit weight
can be used for that layer and a
buoyant weight for the
submerged layers
Compute Foundation Weight
o Wf = (1.8 m)2(1.9 m)(23.6
kN/m3) = 145 kN
 BEARING CAPACITY BY VESIC'S METHOD
Reference: Das, "Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering," Section 12.2

Name
Date 08-29-12
Identification Das Example 12.1
Input

Spreadsheet Units of Measurement

SI SI or E
Foundation Information
w = 9.81 kN/m^3
Loading
e
Shape SQ SQ, CI, CO, or RE B= 0.00

Resultfor B =

L =
1.80

1.80
m

m
e
L=

(deg)=
0.00

20.00
Df = 1.90 m

LayeredSoil Soil Information

c =
=
3.00 kPa
34.00 deg Leave s a t blank if no water.
1 = 17.80 1 s a t = kN/m^3 Soil Above Foundation Base
2 = 12.40 2 s a t = kN/m^3 Soil Below Foundation Base

and Dw = 100.00 m
Factor of Safety
F = 3.00
Depth of Water Below Ground Surface

Calculations

Groundwater
e
(deg)= 34.00 Nc = 42.16 B = 1.80 B= 0.00 B'= 1.80
e
(rad)= 0.59 Nq = 29.44 L = 1.80 L= 0.00 L'= 1.80

(deg)= 20.00 N = 41.06 A = 3.24 Df /B= 1.06 A'= 3.24

Example c
3.00
Nc
42.16
Fcs
1.70
Fcd
1.32
Fci
0.60
qu
172 kPa
Qu
558 kN

q Nq Fqs Fqd Fqi

33.82 29.44 1.67 1.21 0.60 1223 kPa 3963.7 kN

B N F s F d F i
12.40 1.80 41.06 0.60 1.00 0.17 47 kPa 151.0 kN

Gross Ultimate = 1442 kPa 4672.6 kN

FS = 3.00 Net Ultimate = 1408 kPa 4563.0 kN
Gross Allowable = 481 kPa 1557.5 kN
Net Allowable = 469 kPa 1521.0 kN
 LayeredSoiland
GroundwaterExample
Notes on Solution
o To get the spreadsheet to
properly analyze the results,
we basically told it that the soil
was dry and uniform, then
input the homogenized
cohesion, internal friction
angle and unit weight under
the foundation
o We also computed a
homogenized unit weight
above the foundation;
however, note that this is
different from that below.
Notes on Solution
o Net allowable bearing
capacity of the foundation
= 1521 kN
o Loads on Foundation:
External Load = 800 kN
Foundation Weight =
145 kN
Total load = 945 kN <
1519 kN
o IMPORTANT: note that
different load combination
schemes (ASD and LRFD)
may change the total load
we are actually designing
against!
Questions?