PLATE LOAD TEST + An experimental \ethod to determine the bearing capacity of footings. + Square/circular mild steel plates (sizes 30, 45, 60, 75 cm) are used to model the prototype footing. The plates are subjected to incremental loading and bearing cay of the prototype footing is determi based on the load-settlement curve of the plate. Sizes of plates 30, 45, 60, 75 cm (smaller sized are used in dense/stiff soils and bigger plates are used in loose/soft soils Pit size Atleast 5 times the width of the plate Depth of pivexcavation Depth of prototype footing Loads Seating load of 70 gicm? is applied first. Subsequent loads are applied in increments of about 1/5t of the estimated safe bearing capacity (max). Load duration Till the rate of settlement becomes less than 0.025 mmihr ‘Test to be continued Till the soil fails in shear or total settlement reaches 25 mm.TEST SET-UP if WT is present above the ofBEARING CAPACITY DETERMINATION Based on settlement criterion Settlement of prototype footing and that of plate are related as: t & % é Permissible settlement of the prototype footing is known. One can hence calculate the permissible settlement of the plate (Sp). From load-settlement curve, the safe bearing capacity (q,) can be determined. Plate bearing pressure (kN/m!) arnt — = \ qu=safe bearing capacity of plate 4 Load ys. settlement curve of the plateBEARING CAPACITY DETERMINATION i Bearing pressure Based on shear failure criterion « up Ultimate bearing capacities of plate and footing are i related as: B ue = (F) au (for granular soils) 2 ue = up (for clayey soils) The net safe bearing capacity of the footing (gns) can be estimated using FS of 2.5-3.0. ‘Utimate bearing capacity of the plate‘This method assumes that the safe load on a plate is dependent on its area and perimeter. Thus the safe load on a plate can be expressed as: | Where, Q is the safe load corresponding to | the permissible settlement and m,nare | constants. Q= mA, +nP, Iftwo plate load tests are done using two square plates of sizes B, and B, on the same soil: Qs = MApy + MPpy Q2 = MAyz + MPpz The simultancous equations can be solved to obtain val \d n, Now, the safe bearing capacity of the prototype footing can be estimated as: Qy = mA, + nPy Where, Q, is the safe load on the foundation and A;, P; are its area and perimeter.LIMITATIONS OF PLT PLT gives only immediate settlement and cannot predict consolidation settlement (load duration is short), So, plate load test gives reliable results only in granular soils. PLT is recommended where the soil is homogeneous up to a depth of at least |.5 to 2 ti th of the prototype footing, In granular soil, the ultimate bearing capacity of the plate found from load-settlement curve is not equal to that of the prototype footing due to scale effect. Does not take the effect of water table into account,PLATE LOAD TEST Example 1; Following observations were made during a plate load test on a 30 cm square eee er LS ri oem Mer Load intensity 0 Os io 615 (20 25 30 35 4.0 (ha/em’) Settiement(mm) 0 20 40 70 110 160 230 320 450 Plot the load-settlement curve. Determine the allowable bearing pressure for a 2 m square footing adopting a factor of safety of 2.5 against shear failure and permissible settlement of 25mm. Solution: The load intensity (kPa) vs. settlement (mm) graph ls plotted as shown In the following figure. o 100. 200 300 400, 500{tn granular soil, settlement of footing and that of plate are related as: >) Given that Sp =25mm Substituting above, permissible settlement of the plate is obtained as:25 Sp = pq = 828 mm From graph, the safe bearing pressure corresponding to Sp = 8.28 mm is: Ge = 165 kPa Bearing capacity criterion The ultimate bearing capacity of the plate as found by double tangent method is nearly 280 kPa. In granular soll, UBC of plate and footing are related as: B 2 aur = (5) ten = (gq) «165 = 1100 kea Adopting a F5=2.5 against shear failure, the net UBC.of the foating is: sor = 440 kPaBearing capacity criterion The ultimate bearing capacity of the plate as found by double tangent method is nearly 280 kPa. In granular soll, UBC of plate and footing are related as:’ dur = (5) Quy = (=) 165 = 1100 Fa Adopting a FS=2.5 against shear failure, the met UBC of the footing is: 1100 ea = y= MO KPA Allowable bearing capacity The allowable bearing capacity of the footing is the lower of g, and q,.,. in this example, the allowable bearing capacity Is 165 kPa. Note: Allowable bearing capacity is governed by settlement criterion,