WATER RESOURCES UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

ASSIGNMENTS

Problem 1:

A square footing is shown in the below figure. For the following case, determine
the safe gross allowable load, Qall, that the footing can carry. Use Terzaghi’s.

equation for general shear failure. (Fs = 3). Given

= 1800 Kg/m3; ; c’ = 23.94 kN/m2;

’ = 250; B = 1.8m, Df = 1.2m; h = 1.2m

The values of bearing capacity factors are as in the table below:

Problem 2:

A square footing is shown in the below figure. For the following case, determine
the safe gross allowable load, Qall, that the footing can carry. Use Terzaghi’s
equation for general shear failure. (Fs = 3).
Problem 3:

Q = 1.000 kN (includingthe weight of

foundation and soil)

Layer 1:
1.0m = 18 kN/m3
m C’ = 10kN/m2
’ = 24o
B = 2.4m
1.0m

Layer 2:
= 19 kN/m3
C’ = 15kN/m2
’ = 28o

Calculate the factor of safety against the failure shearing in the square footing by
using the weighted average value for  , C’ and ’ with layered soils.
Problem 4

For the retaining wall shown in the Figure Below,

a. Determine the active force per unit length of the wall for Rankine state.

b. Find the location of the resultant

Problem 5:

A frictionless retaining wall is shown in Figure below.

Draw the active pressure distribution diagram

Determine the active force, Pa, and its location after the tensile crack occurs
Problem 6:

For the retaining wall shown below, assume the active case will develop and. The filling soil with
A
the properties:
Layer 1
Layer 1:  = 18kN/m3;  = 20o; C = 18kN/m2. H1 =4m
B
Layer 2:  = 19kN/m3;  = 22o; C = 14kN/m2.
H

Layer 2
H2 = 4m

a) Draw the complete horizontal earth pressure diagram. Make sure you clearly indicate
the magnitudes of the stresses and any other important information on the diagram.
b) Determine the magnitude and location of the design resultant force.

Problem 7

- For the retaining wall shown below, assume the active case will develop and: H = 6m;
H1 = 3m. The filling soil with the q= 10kPa
properties:  = 18kN/m3;

sat = 19kN/m3;  = 20o; C = 12kN/m2. Filling soil H1

Water level
H
- Draw the horizontal earth pressure
diagram according to Rankine. Determine H2
the magnitude and location of the design
resultant force. A B

Problem 8:

Determine the bearing pressure for strip footing is shown as in the below figure. The unit weight
of concrete is 24kN/m3.
Problem 9:

Determine the bearing pressure for strip footing is shown as in the below figure. The unit weight
of concrete is 24kN/m3.

Problem 10:

A column that carries a vertical downward load of 1000 kN is supported on a 2m-

square, 1m-deep spread footing.
A site where 1 m of sand overlies 6 m of clay over a deep dense gravel layer. The water
table is 0.5 m below the surface of the sand. The clay has the following properties:
recompression index, Cr = 0.04, compression index, Cc = 0.2, specific gravity of solids,
Gs = 2.7, saturated unit weight, sat = 17 kN/m3 ; OCR = 1.0. The sand has properties  =
18 kN/m3, sat = 20 kN/m3.
a) Determine the induced stress at the depth of 3.0m below the center footing (z)
b) Estimate the settlement of the foundation (Sc)
c) Estimate the settlement of the foundation (Sc) with OCR of clay = 1.5

Problem 11:

Estimate the primary consolidation settlement of the foundation shown below. Only use
two layers to estimate the consolidation settlement, but consider the entirely clay
stratum. You have been told by a geologist that the water table at the site seasonally
fluctuates between 1 – 3m below the surface. Therefore, you should assume that the
soil in the top of 3m is slightly overconsolidated with an overconsolidation margin Pc of
50 kPa. Assume that the soil below this depth is normally consolidated.

Q = 2500 kN (includes the weight of the footing and the soil)

B = 2.5m (square); Df = 1m; Dw = 1m

a) Determine the induced stress at the depth of 1.0m and 4.0m below the footing (z)

b) Estimate the primary consolidation settlement of the foundation (Sc)

Soil #1
Type CH
Hsoil (m) 6.0
(kN/m3) 18
sat (kN/m3) 19
c or Su (kPa) 50
Eo 1.0
Cr 0.04
Cc 0.5

Problem 12:
A soil profile includes 2 soil layers. The first layer is silty sand in normally consolidated state with
 = 18 kN/m3; sat = 19 kN/m3 and the thickness of 2m. The second layer is over
consolidated clayey sand (OCR = 2.5) with sat = 20 kN/m3 and the thickness of 30m. The
ground water level is located at 1.0m below the surface level.

Consider a square with the sizes of 4m and the bearing pressure of 300kPa. The depth of the
footing is 2m.

Determine the settlement of the footing by using Strain influence factor chart. (The soil stiffness
of clayey sand Es = 15000 kPa)

Hint: You can split the soil layer into element of 2.0m for settlement calculation.

Table for general shear failure

Table for local shear failure