Chapter 4 - Part IV - Stress and Settlement

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Course Module:
ECG3223
GEOTECHNICS
Chapter 4
Part IV
Stress Distribution and
Settlement
PowerPoint® Slides by
Last Updated: April 2020 © LMS SEGi Education Group Dr. Azlinda Saadon
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
Chapter 4: Stress Distribution and Settlement
introduced students on the:
1. Vertical stresses in soil due to foundations.

2. Calculation of stresses due to applied loads on
foundations.
3. Immediate settlement.
4. Consolidation settlement.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. To introduce the basic concept of stress distribution

and settlement in foundations.
2. To calculate the vertical stresses due to applied loads.
3. To calculate the immediate settlement on
foundations.
4. To calculate the consolidation settlement on
foundations.
CONTENTS
This chapter consist of the following topics:
For Stress Distribution (1st Part - Completed)
1. Introduction to vertical stress distribution.

2. Stress due to a Concentrated/Point Load.
3. Stress due to a Circularly Loaded Area.
4. Stress due to a Vertical Line Load.
5. Stress due to a Horizontal Line Load.
6. Stress below a Vertical Strip Load (Finite width and Infinite length).
7. Stress below a Rectangular Area.
8. Average Vertical Stress Increase due to a Rectangular Loaded Area.
9. Average Vertical Stress Increase below the Center of a Circularly
Loaded Area.
10. Stress Increase under an Embankment.
This chapter consist of the following topics:
For Settlement (2nd Part)
1. Introduction
2. Elastic Settlement
3. Elastic Settlement of Shallow Foundation on Saturated Clay
4. Elastic Settlement in Granular Soil: Settlement based on Theory of
Elasticity
5. Consolidation Settlement:
i. Primary Consolidation Settlement Relationships
ii. Three-Dimensional Effect on Primary Consolidation
Settlement
iii. Settlement due to Secondary Consolidation
5. Consolidation Settlement
5.1 Primary Consolidation Settlement Relationships
 As mentioned before, consolidation settlement occurs over time in
saturated clayey soils subjected to an increased load caused by
construction of the foundation. (See Figure 4.6.)
 On the basis of the one-dimensional consolidation settlement, the
equation,
Eq. 4.14
Figure 4.6 Consolidation settlement calculation.
 Therefore,
Eq. 4.15
Eq. 4.16
Eq. 4.17
 Note that the increase in effective pressure, Δσ’, on the clay layer is not
constant with depth.
 The magnitude of Δσ’will decrease with the increase in depth measured
from the bottom of the foundation.
 However, the average increase in pressure may be approximated by,
Eq. 4.18
 The method of determining the pressure increase caused by various types of

foundation load using Boussinesq’s solution is discussed in the previous
section of Chapter 4 (Vertical Stresses Increased in Soil).
 Δσ’av can also be directly obtained from the method presented in the
previous section (Average Vertical Stress Increase due to a Rectangularly
Loaded Area).
5.2 Three Dimensional Effect on Primary Consolidation
Settlement
 The preceding equation for consolidation settlement (Eq. 4.15, 4.16 and 4.17) were
derived based on one-dimensional laboratory consolidation test.
 The underlying assumption is that the increase in pore water pressure, Δu,
immediately after application of the load equals the increase in stress, Δσ, at any
depth. In this case,
Eq. 4.19
where
Sc(p)-oed = consolidation settlement calculated by using Eq. 4.15, 4.16 and 4.17.
Δσ’(1) = effective vertical stress increase
mv = volume coefficient of compressibility.
 In the field, however, when a load is applied over a limited area on the ground
surface, such an assumption will not be correct.
 Consider the case of a circular foundation on a clay layer, as shown in Figure 4.7.
 The vertical and the horizontal stress increases at a point in the layer
immediately below the center of the foundation are Δσ(1) and Δσ(3) respectively.
 For a saturated clay, the pore water pressure increase at that depth, is,
Eq. 4.20
 For this case,
Eq. 4.21
 Thus, we can write,
Eq. 4.22
 The settlement ratio for a continuous
foundation, Kstr, can be determined in a
manner similar to that for a circular
foundation.
 The variation of Kcir and Kstr with A and Hc/B
is given in Figure 4.8. (Note: B = diameter of
a circular foundation, and B = width of a
continuous foundation).
 The preceding technique is generally referred to
as the Skempton–Bjerrum modification
(1957) for a consolidation settlement
calculation.
 Leonards (1976) examined the correction
factor Kcr for a three-dimensional
consolidation effect in the field for a circular
foundation located over overconsolidated
Figure 4.7 Circular foundation on a clay clay.
layer.  Referring to Figure 4.7, we have
Eq. 4.23
Eq. 4.24
Figure 4.8 Settlement ratios for circular (Kcir) and continuous (Kstr).
 The interpolated values of Kcr(OC) from Leonard’s 1976 work are given in
Table 4.5.
Table 4.5
5.3 Settlement due to Secondary Settlement
 At the end of primary consolidation (i.e., after the complete dissipation of excess
pore water pressure) some settlement is observed that is due to the plastic
adjustment of soil fabrics.
 This stage of consolidation is called secondary consolidation.
 A plot of deformation against the logarithm of time during secondary
consolidation is practically linear as shown in Figure 4.9.
Figure 4.9 Variation of e with

log t under a given load
increment,
and definition of secondary
compression index. PowerPoint® Slides by
 From the figure, the secondary compression index can be defined as,
Eq. 4.26
Eq. 4.25
 The magnitude of the secondary consolidation can be calculated as,
Eq. 4.27
 Mesri (1973) correlated C’a with the natural moisture content (w) of several
soils, from which it appears that
Eq. 4.28
 Mesri and Godlewski (1977) compiled the magnitude of Ca/Cc
(Cc = compression index) for a number of soils.
 Based on their compilation, it can be summarized that,
 Secondary consolidation settlement is more important in the case of all

organic and highly compressible inorganic soils.
 In overconsolidated inorganic clays, the secondary compression index is

very small and of less practical significance.
Example 4.3: Three Dimensional Effect on Primary Consolidation
Settlement
A plan of a foundation 1 m x 2 m is shown in Figure Q4.3.
Estimate the consolidation settlement of the foundation, taking into account the three-dimensional effect. The
clay is normally consolidated.
Given: A = 0.6.
Figure Q4.3 Calculation of primary consolidation settlement for a foundation

Solution
The clay is normally consolidated, use Eq. 4.15,
Therefore, the average effective stress at the middle of the clay layer, σ’o,
σ’o = γdry(sand) H + (γsat(sand) - γw) H + ½ Hc (γsat(clay) - γw)
From Eq. 4.18,

Now, the following table can be prepared. (Note: L = 2m, B = 1m),
Ica = refer to Chapter 4-Part 1: Vertical Stress (Table 7)

Δσ=qoIcb = refer to Chapter 4-Part 1: Vertical Stress (Eq. 11)
Ica = refer to Chapter 4-Part 1 (Table 7)
Table 7
Δσ=qoIcb = refer to Chapter Chapter 4-Part 1: Vertical Stress (Eq. 11)
Eq. 11
Now assuming that the 2:1 method of stress increase (see Chapter 4-Part 1: Vertical Stress Figure 7)
holds good, the area of distribution of stress at the top of the clay layer will have dimensions
Figure 7. 2:1 method of finding stress increase under a

foundation.
From Figure 4.8,
Using Eq. 4.23,
Leonards (1976) examined the correction factor Kcr for a three-

dimensional consolidation effect in the field for a circular
foundation located over overconsolidated clay.
From Figure 4.8,
Figure 4.8 Settlement ratios for circular (Kcir) and continuous (Kstr).

Chapter 4 - Part IV - Stress and Settlement

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FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

1. Vertical stresses in soil due to foundations.

1. To introduce the basic concept of stress distribution

This chapter consist of the following topics:

For Stress Distribution (1st Part - Completed)

1. Introduction to vertical stress distribution.

For Settlement (2nd Part)

 The method of determining the pressure increase caused by various types of

 For this case,

 Thus, we can write,

Figure 4.9 Variation of e with

 The magnitude of the secondary consolidation can be calculated as,

 Secondary consolidation settlement is more important in the case of all

 In overconsolidated inorganic clays, the secondary compression index is

Figure Q4.3 Calculation of primary consolidation settlement for a foundation

σ’o = γdry(sand) H + (γsat(sand) - γw) H + ½ Hc (γsat(clay) - γw)

From Eq. 4.18,

Ica = refer to Chapter 4-Part 1: Vertical Stress (Table 7)

Figure 7. 2:1 method of finding stress increase under a

Using Eq. 4.23,

Leonards (1976) examined the correction factor Kcr for a three-

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