Soil Settlement

By

Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE

Fall 2010
Soil Settlement:
Total Soil Settlement = Elastic Settlement + Consolidation Settlement

Stotal = Se + Sc

{
Load Type (Rigid; Flexible)

Elastic Settlement or Immediate Settlement depends on

Settlement Location (Center or Corner)

{
Theory of Elasticity

Elastic Settlement

Time Depended Elastic Settlement (Schmertman & Hartman Method (1978)

Elastic settlement occurs in sandy, silty, and clayey soils.

By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.

 By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.

Consolidation Settlement (Time Dependent Settlement)

* Consolidation settlement occurs in cohesive soils due to the expulsion of the water from the voids.
* Because of the soil permeability the rate of settlement may varied from soil to another.
* Also the variation in the rate of consolidation settlement depends on the boundary conditions.

SConsolidation = Sprimary + Ssecondary

Primary Consolidation Volume change is due to reduction in pore water pressure

Secondary Consolidation Volume change is due to the rearrangement of the soil particles
(No pore water pressure change, Δu = 0, occurs after the primary consolidation)

Water Table (W.T.)

Expulsion of When the water in the voids

Water
the water starts to flow out of the soil
matrix due to consolidation of
the clay layer. Consequently,
the excess pore water
pressure (u) will reduce,
Voids
Solids and the void ratio (e) of the
soil matrix will reduce too.
Elastic Settlement

Bqo 2
Se = (1 - μs) α (corner of the flexible foundation)
Es
2

Bqo 2
Se = (1 - μs) α (center of the flexible foundation)
Es

1
Where α = [ ln ( √1 + m2 + m / √1 + m2 - m ) + m. ln ( √1 + m2 + 1 / √1 + m2 - 1 )

m = B/L

B = width of foundation
L = length of foundation

By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.

 Bqo (1 - μs) α
Se =
Es
3.0

2.5
α
αav
αr
2.0
α, αav, αr

1.5

For circular foundation

1.0 α=1
αav = 0.85
αr = 0.88

3.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
L/B

Values of α, αav, and αr

By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.
 Elastic Settlement of Foundation on Saturated Clay

Janbu, Bjerrum, and Kjaernsli (1956) proposed an equation for evaluation of the
average elastic settlement of flexible foundations on saturated clay soils (Poisson’s
ratio, μs = 0.5). Referring to Figure 1 for notations, this equation can be written as

Se = A1 A2 qoB/Es

where A1 is a function H/B and L/B, and is a function of D f/B.

Christian and Carrier (1978) have modified the values of A 1 and A2 to some extent, and these are
2.0
presented in Figure 2.
L/B = ∞
L/B = 10
1.0

1.5
5

A2 0.9 A1 1.0
2
Square

Circle
0.5
0.8
0 5 10 15 20
Df/B 0
0.1 1 10 100 1000

H /B

Values of A1 and A2 for elastic settlement calculation (after Christian and Carrier, 1978)
By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.
Elastic Settlement Using the Strain Influence Factor: [Schmertman & Hartman Method (1978)]
Se = C1 C2 ( q - q) ∑ (Iz / Es ) Δz The variation of the strain influence factor with depth
below the foundation is shown in Figure 1.
Note that, for square or circular foundations,
where
Is = strain influence factor Iz = 0.1 at z = 0
C1 = a correction factor for the depth of foundation embedment Iz = 0.5 at z = 0.5B
= 1 - 0.5 [q / (q - q)] Iz = 0 at z = 2B

C2 = a correction factor to account for creep in soil Similarly, for foundations with L/B ≥ 10
= 1 + 0.2 log (time in years /0.1)
q = stress at the level of the foundation Iz = 0.2 at z = 0
q = overburden pressure = γ Df Iz = 0.5 at z = B
Example: Iz = 0 at z = 4B

BxL

q
Df q = γ Df Iz Es
ΔZ1
ΔZ2

Is3 ΔZ3
s3
Average Is
ΔZ4
Average Es

Depth, z
Elastic Parameters of Various Soils
Young’s Modulus, Es

Type of Soil MN/m2 Lb/in2 Poisson’s Ratio,s

Loose sand 10.35 - 24.15 1,500 - 3,500 0.20 - 0.40

Medium dense sand 17.25 - 27.60 2,500 - 4,000 0.25 - 0.40
Dense sand 34.50 - 55.20 5,000 - 8,000 0.30 - 0.45
Silty sand 10.35 - 17.25 1,500 - 2,500 0.20 - 0.40
Sand and Gravel 69.00 - 172.50 10,000-25,000 0.15 -0.35
Soft clay 2.07 - 5.18 300 - 750
Medium clay 5.18 - 10.35 750 - 1,500 0.20 - 0.50
Stiff clay 10.35 - 24.15 1,500 - 3,500

E s (kN/m2) = 766N
E s = 2q c

where N = standard penetration number

qc = static cone penetration resistance

Note: Any consistent set of units can be used

The Young’s modulus of normally consoliadated clays can be estimated as

E s = 250c to 500c

For overconsolidated clays

E s = 750c to 1000c

where c = undrained cohesion of clayey soil

 Depth (m) Z (m) Es (kN/m2) Average Iz (Iz/Es). z (m 3/kN)

0-1 1 8,000 0.233 0.291 x 10-4

1.0 - 1.5 0.5 10,000 0.433 0.217 x 10-4
1.5 - 4 2.5 10,000 0.361 0.903 x 10-4
4.0 - 6 2 16,000 0.111 0.139 x 10-4
= 1.550 x 10-4

C1 = 1 - 0.5 (q / q - q )

= 1 - 0.5 [ 17.68 x 1.5 / 160 - (17.8 x 1.5)]

C2 = 1 + 0.2 log (5/0.1) = 1.34

Hence
2B
Time = 5 years

Sc = C1 . C2 (q -q) (Iz/E s)  z
Example:
0
= (0.9)(1.34)[160-(17.8x1.5)](1.55x10-4 ) B x L = 3 m x 3m
-4
= 249.2x10 m  24.9 mm
q = 160 kN/m2  = 17.8 kN/m3
1.5 m Es (kN/m2) 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.6 Iz
0
4,000 12,000 20,000
1.5
2 2

Iz = 0.5
4 4

6 6

8
Averaged
Depth, z (m)

Actual
 Consolidation Settlement

Consolidation Settlement (Primary Consolidation) = Sc = (Cc/1+eo) Hc . log [(Po + P)/Po]

Qdesign = Column Load Stressed Zone

Normally
Consolidated Sand
Clay
B

Caly
Hc Hc/2
Overburden
Pressure
Po

2
2
1 1
Stress
Distribution

Sand

By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.

Consolidation Settlement
Normally Loading Unloading
Consolidated Soil
p
Sand Sand
2 Hsand Sand 2 Hsand
1 1
H clay/2 p
p Hclay H clay/2 p
p Hclay
Clay

Sand Sand Sand

Void Ratio Void Ratio

Void Ratio
p p
P
P

eo

Cc

Po Po + p
P Log P
Po p
Po +  P Log P
Po Log P

Cc H log(po +p)
Sultimate = H =
CS H 1 + eo Po + P
Po
 = log ( )
1 + eO P0
Po = sand . Hsand + (clay - water ) . Hclay/2
By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.
 Re loading
with Heavy Load
p2

2 Hsand 2
Hsand
1 1
Hclay/2 p
p 2 Hclay Hclay/2
p
p 2 2 Hclay

Void Ratio The soil become Void Ratio P2 2

p
p
P
overconsolidated
p
soil

eo
Cs

Cs

Po Po + p
P Log P Po Pc P2
Po + p Log P
=
Pc

 =
CS H
= H
Sultimatelog
P Cs C
( C= ) +
HC Hlog PP + P Cc H log Po + P2
(
log ( co +) ) ( )
1 + eO Po 1 +1e+ eO Po PC 1 + eo Pc
o

By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.

 Re loading
with light Load

p2

2 Hsand Hsand
2
1 1
H clay/2 p
p 2 Hclay H clay/2
p
p 22 Hclay

Po + p
P
Void Ratio The soil become Void Ratio
22

p
 P
overconsolidated p
 P22
soil

eo
Cs

Po Pc Log P Po Pc Log P

Cs H log Pc
CS H P + P2 S ultimate = H = ( )
 = log ( o ) 1 + eo Po
1 + eO Po
By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.
Determining The Preconsolidation Pressure (Pc)
Cassagrande Graphical Method

Void Ratio
5 6
3
1
4
2

Po Pc Log P
OCR = Pc/Po
OCR = 1 Normally Consolidated
OCR > 1 Over Consolidated
OCR > 4 Heavily Over Consolidated

By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.

 Rate of Consolidation

Settlement at any time = Stime

Stime = Sultimate * U% S ultimate= (Cc/1+eo) Hc . log [(P o + P)/P o]

U% = f (Tv) ....

Tv = f (cv) ......
cv . t
Tv = Qdesign = Column Load
(Hdr)2

Sand  u =Excess Pore Water Pressure

Caly
Overburden Hdr = Hc /2
Pressure
P Stress Distribution
Po P 2: 1 method
Uo

Hc = Layer Thickness

Sand

 u =Excess Pore Water Pressure

By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.

Rate of Consolidation Two way drainage One way drainage
Hdr = Hclay/2 Hdr = Hclay
Sand Sand

Settlement at any time = Stime Clay Clay

Sand Rock

Stime = Sultimate * U%
U% = f (Tv) .... Tv = Time Factor

From Tables
Tv = f (cv) ...... Cv = Coefficient of Consolidation
cv . t t = time (month, day, or year)
Tv = (Hdr)2= Drainage Path
(Hdr)2 Hdr = H or H/2

C v is obtained from laboratory testing

By: Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.