ECV 403: FOUNDATION ENGINEERING 1- YEAR 2018/2019

TUTORIAL QUESTIONS

Assignment 1

As a student of civil engineering you are investigating performance of such retaining walls under different
conditions. You are required to calculate the most critical total active and passive thrust on the wall at
Thika superhighway/ Eastern Bypass overpass, assuming traffic jam conditions (the traffic on overpass
consists mainly of large trucks which transmit a line load of 18 tonnes per axle). Assume the wall is
embedded 3 m into the ground; road structure imposes a surcharge load of 16 kN/m2. Further assume that
the retained soil is clayey gravel of dry unit weight 20 kN/m3 for which ∅ = 25o and c = 2 kN/m2. The
surface of the clay is horizontal, and the water table is at mid height of the retaining wall.

Assignment 2

Gate C (along Thika road) is supported by three pillars. The concrete footing for side pillars is 1.0 m x 1.0
m wide, while for middle footing is 2 m x 1.8 m wide. The footings are 0.5 m thick and they rest 1.5 m
below the ground surface. Assuming typical properties of soil below the footing determine the ultimate
bearing capacity of the foundation (hint, base properties depending on your understanding of soil types
and existing reference books, manuals).

Calculate the ultimate settlement of each of the three footings, if a layer of soft clay, 6 m thick, lies under
the foundation. How long will it take for the central pillar to settle by 50%?

Tutorial Questions

Earth Pressures

1. With help of a neat diagram, distinguish between ‘active Rankine State’ and ‘passive Rankine
state’
2. Calculate the total active thrust on a vertical wall 5 m high, retaining a sand of unit weight 17
kN/m3 for which ∅ = 35o. The surface of the sand is horizontal, and the water table is at a level 2
m below the surface of the sand.
3. Define the following terms
- Earth pressure at rest
- Passive pressure
- Active pressure
4. Explain fundamental assumptions made under Coulombs theory of earth pressures

Bearing capacity of Foundations

5. A strip footing is 1.5 m wide and its base rests on 1m below the ground surface. The soil below
the footing has the following properties: ƴ= 20 kN/m3, c= 1 kg/cm2 and ∅ = 38o. Determine the
ultimate bearing capacity of the foundation.

Instructor: Dr. Eng. Mwai Page 1 of 2

 6. A foundation in a loose sand is 4 m wide, 6.0 m long and 1.5 m deep. The soil weighs 16 kN/m3
and has an angle of internal friction 32o. Compute the safe bearing capacity if the factor of safety
is given as 2.
7. Using neat sketches, describe various types of shear failure in soils (i.e. general shear failure,
local shear failure and punching shear failure

8. Footings are many a times subjected to eccentric and inclined loadings. This lead to reduction in
bearing capacity. Explain how you would account for this reduction during design of foundations.

Settlement of Shallow Foundations

9. Differentiate between immediate, primary consolidation and secondary consolidation settlements.

Use a neat sketch where appropriate

10. A layer of soft clay, 5 m thick, lies under a newly constructed building. The effective pressure
due to overlying strata on the clay layer is 3.0 kg/cm2, while the new building increases the
overburden to 4.2 kg/cm2. Compute the settlement, assuming the natural water content of the clay
is 43% . Assume reasonable figures for specific gravity of the soil grains and compression index.

11. Using a neat sketch, explain how consolidation settlement takes place in clay soils.

12. Assume the newly constructed foot bridge at KU lies on a clay stratum, 5 m thick. A layer of sand
exists at the top and at the bottom of the clay layer. The coefficient of consolidation is 50x10-4
cm2/sec. How many days would be required for the bridge to attain 50% of its potential ultimate
settlement?

Piling

13. A precast concrete pile was driven is sand using a 5 tonne hammer having a free fall of 1.2 m. If
the penetration of the pile in the last blow of the hammer was noted as 10.0 mm. determine the
load carrying capacity of the pile.
14. Differentiate between friction piles and end bearing piles
15. Describe circumstances under which the pile foundations may be used for building construction

Shoring and Underpinning

16. Using neat sketches, describe conditions under which underpinning of structures may be
necessary

Dewatering

17. Dewatering may be an expensive exercise if it involves ground water. This may call for
application of alternative approaches for carrying out construction works. Describe some of the
methods available for an engineer.

Instructor: Dr. Eng. Mwai Page 2 of 2