Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations

From Theory to Practice

Ahmed ElMouchi, P.Eng., Ph.D.

(Senior Geotechnical Engineer – WSP Canada Ltd.)
2- Case Histories

Fig 1. Failure of Silo Foundation Fig 2. The collapse of the Transcona Fig 3. Shallow foundation Failure in
(Vesic 1957, from Tschebotarioof Grain Elevator , Winnipeg, Canada Adapazarı, Turkey (Puri and Parkash
1951) (White, 1953). 2007)

7 Bearing Capacity
 4- General Bearing Capacity Equation
(i) Three components contributing to bearing capacity

Rankine Passive Zone

1- Cohesion component
developed along the failure
surface (c)

2- Surcharge component
due to soil weight above the
foundation (Df)
The above Term Logarithmic
Spiral Curve Active Zone

3- Soil contact with footing (B) Transition Zone

The Below Term

Fig 8. Bearing Capacity Failure under a rough rigid continuous (strip) footing (Das 2019)

14 Bearing Capacity
 4- General Bearing Capacity Equation
(ii) AASHTO 2020
▪ All the bearing capacity formulations used in AASHTO 2020 are based on Munfakh et al. (2001)

1
𝑞𝑛 = 𝐶 𝑁𝐶 𝑠𝑐 𝑖𝑐 + γ𝑞 𝐷𝑓 𝑁𝑞 𝑠𝑞 𝑑𝑞 𝑖𝑞 𝐶𝑤𝑞 + 𝛾𝑓 𝐵′ 𝑁𝛾 𝑠γ 𝑖γ 𝐶𝑤γ Eq. 2
2

Cohesion Term Surcharge (above Df) Term Foundation (below Df) Term

▪ qn = Nominal Bearing Resistance (kPa) ▪ C = Soil Cohesion (kPa)

▪ Nc, Nq, Nγ = Bearing Capacity Factors (Dimensionless) ▪ γq Df = Effective Vertical stress at the foundations
base (kPa) :Df = foundation depth (m)
▪ sc, sq, sγ = Correction factor for foundation shape (S)
▪ B = Effective Footing width (least plan dimension
▪ ic,, iq , iγ = Correction factor for inclined loadings (i) of the footing after considering load eccentricity)
▪ dq = Correction factor for foundation depth (d) (m)

▪ Cwq, Cwγ = Correction factor to account for the ▪ γf = γbelow = foundation soil unit weight (kN/m3)
location of the ground water table

16 Bearing Capacity
Module (2) - Settlement Analysis of Shallow
Foundations with RS Pile Software
From Theory to Practice

Ahmed ElMouchi, P.Eng., Ph.D.

(Senior Geotechnical Engineer – WSP Canada Ltd.)
 Notes
Method Manual Boussinesq Westergaard

Calculated Stress point at 5 m from edge – 8.4 8.4 10.3

Depth = 5 m
Calculated Stress point Centre – Depth = 5 m 82 82 64.4

Boussinesq Westergaard
Loading Stress ZZ
(kPa)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
max (stage): 100 kPa
max (all): 100 kPa

39 Settlement Module
 19- Ground Improvement – Vibro-Compaction
(19a) Introduction

Concept ➢ Drives a vibrating probe into the ground

➢ Probe generates lateral vibratory forces to rearrange particles
into a dense state.
➢ In saturated cohesionless geomaterial, vibration can generate
excess pore water pressure, which reduces interparticle contact
forces (i.e., effective stresses) so that the interparticle friction
(i.e., shear strength) is reduced. As a result, the rearrangement of
particles becomes easier.

Application ➢ Suitable for densifying deep deposits of cohesionless Fig 56. Vibro-Compaction (Hayward Baker Inc.)
geomaterial.

➢ With up to 20% fines (preferably less than 10%) Q: What If I the soil on-site was dry?

➢ but less than 2-3% clay particles. A: If dry geomaterial is encountered, flushing
water may be used or the whole site is even
Improvement Depth flooded prior to vibro-compaction.

➢ Typical between 5 to 20 m.

➢ But has been used to densify up to 40 m of loose cohesionless soils.

204 Settlement Module

 20- Ground Improvement – Preloading with Wick Drains
(20a) Introduction

Concept ➢ Preloading concept is to reduce void ratio of

soft soils through consolidation.

➢ If consolidation would take long time to

complete, vertical drains can be used to
shorten drainage distance and accelerate
the rate of consolidation thus reduce the
time.

➢ Vertical drains may be in the form of sand

drains or Vertical Prefabricate Drains PVD
(Wick Drains)

➢ Preloading is effective when the loading is

higher than soil preconsolidation stress.

Application ➢ Vertical Drains are typically in the range of

30 m.

➢ Used up to 60 m is some projects

217 Settlement Module

 23- Geotechnical – Structure Interaction – Modulus of Subgrade Reaction

Step (1) We provide initial modulus of subgrade reaction (tentative) to the structure team

Step (2) We Receive SLS Service (Working) stresses from structure

Step (3) Do settlement analysis (Settle 3)

Step (4) Provide structure team with modulus of subgrade k reaction again

Step (5) Structure calculate stresses again and send back to us

Step (6) Back and Forth - Till convergence occur

246 Settlement Module

Module 3a: Deep Foundations (Piles) –
Axial Analysis with RS Pile Software -
From Theory to Practice

Ahmed ElMouchi, P.Eng., Ph.D.

(Senior Geotechnical Engineer – WSP Canada Ltd.)
2.4-Bored Piles – Weak Rock
General ❑ Weak rocks are rocks of small qun like shale, siltstone, mudstone, Sandstone and
etc
Unconfined Compressive Strength Rock Quality Designation RQD
❑ Cylindrical Sample from rock coring

❑ Diameter should be more than >= 54 mm (NX Core) σ 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑃𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑒 ⩾ 10 𝑐𝑚
𝑅𝑄𝐷 = 𝑥 100 %
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑅𝑢𝑛
❑ Height to diameter ration >2 ( preferred between 2.5 and 3)
❑ In Calculating RQD only core breaks due to jointing
should be considered.

❑ Breaks due to drilling (mechanical breaks), handling or

qun = σc
discing (high stress) are ignored in RQD calculations

61 Deep Foundations
 Example (6) RS Pile - Driven Piles Axial Resistance – Cohesive Soils
Manual Solution

𝑓𝑠 = 𝑞𝑠 = 𝑐𝑎 = α 𝑐𝑢
𝑞𝑡 = 𝑞𝑏 = 𝑐𝑢 𝑁𝑐

0.95 1710 kN

qt = qb = Ultimate End Bearing resistance (kPa)

cu = Su = Undrained Shear Strength (kPa)

Nc = Bearing Capacity Factor (Typically 9)

47.5 kPa

450 kPa
❑ D/b = 15 / 0.6 = 25 ❑ qt = 50 x 9 = 450 kPa
❑ From Figure α = 0.95
❑ Qt = qt x Area = 450 x (0.6 x 0.6) = 162 kN 162 kN
❑ qs = 0.95 x 50 = 47.5 kPa
❑ Qs = 47.5 x Area of rectangular distribution
= 47.5 x perimeter x length = 47.5 x (0.6 x 4) x 15 = 1710 kN

125 Deep Foundations

 Example: Calculation of a single point at load
10- Axial Load Transfer Mechanism (t-z) and (q-z) curves transfer curves (t-z) from both the load-
settlement curve and the load-distribution
Load-Distribution Curve From curve)
Instrumented Pile during pile load test (1) At target depth (z) on the selected load
distribution curve, calculate the quantity
Load (kN) ∆Qz/∆z (tangent slope) (kN/m)
400 800 1200 1600 2000
0 (2) t could be calculated as
∆𝑄𝑧
t= ∆𝑧
3 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟
(3) z is the soil settlement only which would
z

be equal =
6 Measured settlement – Pile Shortening
Depth (m)

(4) Pile Shortening =

∆Z Shaded Area under the load distribution
9
curve at point z / EA of the pile
∆Q
ElMouchi’s note:
12
Because in real-life and during the design phase
we won’t have the load-settlement analysis nor the
load-distribution curves, all the pile analysis
15 software assumes typical values for the t-z and p-z
curves based on the soil type to calculate the pile
settlement and come up with an anticipated load-
settlement curve (reverse of what we explained)

242 Deep Foundations