CVLE451

Online Lecture 4

Ref: B.M.Das, Principles of Foundation Engineering

Das and Sobhan, Principles of Geotechnical Engineering
 Bearing Capacity of Layered Soils
Stronger Soil Underlain by Weaker Soil
• Bearing capacity formulas presented in previous lecture are for foundations in
homogeneous soils extending to considerable depths. Hence, the cohesion, angle
of internal friction, and unit weight are assumed to remain constant. However, in
practice, layered soil profiles are often encountered, therefore failure surface at
ultimate load may extend through two or more soil layers. This section will present
a procedure for limited cases proposed by Meyerhof and Hanna (1978) and
Meyerhof (1974).
Study Problems
Homework 1 due 15 April
• Solve Problem 3.8 on Slide 25 and submit by email
(hbilsel@ciu.edu.tr)

• Note: Please put your student number as the «subject» of your email
and send the solved problem as an attachment.
 Settlement
Compressibility of Soils

• A stress increase caused by the construction of foundations or other

loads compresses soil layers. The compression is caused by

• (a) deformation of soil particles,

• (b) relocations of soil particles, and
• (c) expulsion of water or air from the void spaces.
 Types of Settlement
In general, the soil settlement caused by loads may be divided into three broad categories:

1. Elastic settlement (or immediate settlement), which is caused by the elastic deformation of dry
soil and of moist and saturated soils without any change in the moisture content. Elastic settlement
calculations generally are based on equations derived from the theory of elasticity.

2. Primary consolidation settlement, which is the result of a volume change in saturated cohesive
soils because of expulsion of the water that occupies the void spaces.

3. Secondary consolidation settlement, which is observed in saturated cohesive soils and organic
soil and is the result of the plastic adjustment of soil fabrics. It is an additional form of compression
that occurs at constant effective stress.

The total settlement of a foundation can then be given as ST= Sc+Ss+Se

Sc primary consolidation settlement

Ss secondary consolidation settlement
Se elastic settlement
 Consolidation Settlement
• When a saturated soil layer is subjected to a stress increase, the pore water pressure is
increased suddenly.
• In sandy soils that are highly permeable, the drainage caused by the increase in the pore water
pressure is completed immediately.
• Pore water drainage is accompanied by a reduction in the volume of the soil mass, which results
in settlement.
• Because of rapid drainage of the pore water in sandy soils, elastic settlement occurs
simultaneously.
• When a saturated compressible clay layer is subjected to a stress increase, elastic
settlement occurs immediately.
• Because the hydraulic conductivity of clay is significantly smaller than that of sand, the excess
pore water pressure (u) generated by loading gradually dissipates over a long period.
• Thus, the associated volume change (that is, the consolidation) in the clay may continue long
after the elastic settlement. The settlement caused by consolidation in clay may be several times
greater than the elastic settlement
Calculation of Settlement from One-Dimensional
Primary Consolidation
• For NC clays

• For OC clays when 0 +c

• For OC clays when 0 +>c

 Problems on Consolidation Settlement
Problem 1

Skempton (1944)

LL=Liquid limit
Problem 2
Problem 3
Problem 4

Determine the consolidation settlement of the clay layer under the

given loading condition using the consolidation parameters obtained
in part (a).

e0=1.35
Problem 4

Top clay
• clay
Problem 5