Delta University for Science & Technology Fall Semester: mid-term Exam

Faculty of Engineering Total Marks: 20

Civil Engineering Department Number of
pages: 1
Course Title: Foundation Engineering Date: 23 March 2019
Course Code: STE 421 Duration: One hour

Answer the following questions:

Question 1 5 Marks
A circular foundation of diameter 8 m supports a tank. The base of the foundation is at 1 m from the ground
surface. The vertical load is 20 MN. The tank foundation was designed for short-term loading conditions (Cu =
80 kPa and γsat = 19 kN/m3). The groundwater level when the tank was initially designed was at 4 m below the
ground surface. It was assumed that the groundwater level was stable. Fourteen months after the tank was
constructed and during a week of intense rainfall, the tank foundation failed. It was attributed that failure
occurred by bearing capacity failure due to the raise of water table up to the ground level.

Establish whether this is so or not.

Given:

The Friction angle is ф = 25 ֯ from simple shear test.

For short-term loading; qu = 5.14 Cu dc sc where; sc = 1.2, dc = 1, and

For long-term loading; qu= Υ’ Df dq sq + 0.5 Υ’BNΥ dΥ sΥ where; sq = 1.47, sΥ = 0.6, dq = 1.04, dΥ = 1

For ф = 25 ֯ Nc =5.14, Nq = 10.7, NΥ = 6.95

Answer

Question 2 5 Marks
 Fig.1 shows a proposed canal near a 6 story apartment building 30 m wide x 40 m long. The
building is founded on a mat foundation.
a) Describe and justify some of the concerns you may have regarding the stability of
the mat foundation with constructing such a canal.
b) If the owner insists on constructing the canal, research methods that you would
consider so that the canal can be designed and constructed safely.

Answer
Concerns:
1. The top layer (sand mixed with silt and clay) can slide along the silt layer leading to instability.
2. Sliding is also possible at the interface of the fine sand and the silty clay.
3. General slope stability failure.
4. Seepage of water into the canal can lower the groundwater leading to additional settlement.
The groundwater level is unlikely to be lowered uniformly so additional differential settlement
could occur. Even for uniform decreases in groundwater level, the settlement would be nonuniform.
5. The additional differential settlement will cause addition bending moment and rotation of the
mat.
A possible alternative design method is to use a retaining wall rather that cutting a slope.

Question 3 5*1= 5 Marks

i. When do strap footings are used in foundation?
a) To transfer load of an isolated column
b) Distance between the columns are long
c) Two column loads are unequal
d) All of the mentioned

Answer: b

ii. When two column loads are unequal, which of the possible footing can be provided?
a) Strap footing
b) Raft footing
c) Trapezoidal combined footing
d) Mat footing
Answer: c

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 iii. Mat foundation is recommended when the area covered by all footings:
a) Exceed 50% of the plan area of the structure
b) Less than 50% of the plan area of the structure
c) Equal 50% of the plan area of the structure
d) None of the above
Answer: a
iv. Plate load test may be used to determine:
a) Coefficient of permeability
b) Coefficient of consolidation
c) Coefficient of subgrade reaction
d) Coefficient of uniformity
Answer: c

v. In Pseudo coupled method:

a) The springs act independently but have equal ks values depending on their locations on the
Mat
b) The springs act independently but have different ks values depending on their locations on
the Mat
c) The springs act dependently but have equal ks values depending on their locations on the
Mat
d) The springs act dependently but have different ks values depending on their locations on the
Mat
Answer: c

Question 4 7 Marks
Design a combined rectangular footing to support the two columns shown in Figure and.
Column C1, 0.30 * 0.40 m, working load = 1320 kN
Column C2, 0.30 * 0.70 m, working load = 1960 kN
Allowable soil pressure = 175 kN/m2
Concrete, fcu = 25 N/mm2; Steel, fy = 400 N/mm2

0.40 0.70

0.30 0.30
S = 3.60 m
C C
1 2

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Examiner: Dr. Rami Bakr

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