Chapter Eight

Stresses in a Soil Mass

Lecturer
Dr. Mo’men Ayasrah

2022-2023
1. Introduction
2. Stresses Caused by a Point Load
3. Vertical Stress Caused by a Vertical Line Load
4. Vertical Stress Caused by a Horizontal Line Load
5. Vertical Stress Caused by a Vertical Strip Load (Finite Width and Infinite
Length)
6. Vertical Stress Below the Center of a Uniformly Loaded Circular Area
7. Vertical Stress at Any Point Below a Uniformly Loaded Circular Area
8. Vertical Stress Caused by a Rectangularly Loaded Area
9. Vertical Stress Caused by a Rectangularly Loaded Area (point under center)
8.1 Introduction

• The construction of a foundation causes changes in stress, usually a net increase.

• The net stress increase in the soil depends on the load per unit area to which the
foundation is subjected, the depth below the foundation at which the stress estimation
is desired, and other factors.
• It is necessary to estimate the net increase of vertical stress in soil that occurs as a
result of the construction of a foundation so that settlement can be calculated.
• The increment in vertical downward stress caused by any applied load is assumed to
be ∆σ.
• ∆σ is affected by the magnitude and the type of the applied load, and the depth and
distance of the point at which the stress is measured.
 8.2 Stresses Caused by a Point Load
Boussinesq (1883) solved the problem of stresses produced at any point in a homogeneous,
elastic, and isotropic medium as the result of a point load applied on the surface of an infinitely
large half-space
Example
8.3 Vertical Stress Caused by a Vertical Line Load
Example
8.4 Vertical Stress Caused by a Horizontal Line Load
Example
8.5 Vertical Stress Caused by a Vertical Strip Load (Finite Width and
Infinite Length)
8.6 Vertical Stress Below the Center of a Uniformly Loaded Circular Area
8.7 Vertical Stress at Any Point Below a Uniformly Loaded Circular Area
Example
8.8 Vertical Stress Caused by a Rectangularly Loaded Area
8.9 Vertical Stress Caused by a Rectangularly Loaded Area (point under
center)
Example