UNIT 3:

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOIL AND BEARING CAPACITY, CONCEPT OF

BULB PRESSURE

STRIP FOUNDATION SUITABLE FOR LOAD BEARING STRUCTURES IN

STONE AND BRICK UPTO PLINTH LEVEL INCLUDING FOUNDATION
FOR STEPS.

PLINTH FORMATION DPC

 Cohesive vs. Non-cohesive soils:  soils are divided into 2 groups based on the
ability of a soil mass to hold together by itself (cohesive) and those having no
ability, or strength, to hold together by itself (cohesion-less).
Cohesive soils: 
 These soils generally contain a sufficient clay content to effectively 'glue' the
mass together. 
 As such, they also have the ability to be moulded or shaped.  This property of
being moulded is called 'plasticity' and describes the ability of the soil to be
rolled into thin rods 3.0 mm diameter without breaking. 
 These soils have internal strength, can be compacted and compressed, and
generally are suitable for foundation materials under optimum moisture
conditions. 
 Most fine-grained soils have some cohesion and are usually composed of
significant amounts of silt and/or clay.
Non-cohesive soils: 
 These soils have no strength in their own. 
 There is usually a complete absence of clay or fine particles from which
cohesion is derived. 
 Sand and gravel are good examples of cohesion-less soils. 
 However, if sandy or gravely soils are geologically or structurally confined
they can exhibit strength properties but the strength is due to the
confinement, not the material itself.
 Rocks & Cohesion-less soils Cohesion soils
S.B.C
Description S.B.C (kN/m2) Description
(kN/m2)

(a) Rocks (c ) Cohesive soils

1. Rocks (hard) without lamination and defects, 3240 1. Soft shale, hard or stiff clay in deep bed, dry
for Ex. Granite, Trap and diorite 440

2. Laminated rocks For Ex. Sandstone and lime 1620 2. Medium clay readily indented with a thumb nail
stone in sound condition 245

3. Residual Deposits of shattered and broken 880 3. Moist clay and sand clay mixture which can be
bedrock and hard shale, cemented material indented with strong thumb pressure 150

4. Soft Rock 440 4. Soft clay indented with moderate thumb pressure
100
5. Very soft clay which can be penetrated several
(b) Cohesion-less soils centimeter with the thumb 50
5. Gravel, sand and gravel, compact and offering 440 6. Black cotton soils or other shrinkable or expansive
resistance to penetration when excavated by clay in dry condition (50% saturation)
tools 130-160

6. Coarse sand, compact and dry 440

7. Medium sand, compact and dry 245

8. Fine sand, silt (dry lumps easily crushed by 150

fingers)
9. Loose gravel or sand gravel mixture : Loose 245
coarse to medium sand, dry
10. Fine sand, loose and dry 100
SAFE BEARING CAPACITY OF SOIL

 The term bearing power / safe bearing capacity of soil is used to indicate
the maximum load per unit area which the soil will resist safely without
displacement.

 Where in, maximum load/pressure means that at the base of the footing
= weight of superstructure + self-weight of footing + weight of earth fill, if
any.

 The safe bearing capacity of soil is used for designing foundations of all
structures.

 Soils have tendency to behave in a complex manner when loaded and gets
deformed when stressed due to loading, and hence it important to study
bearing capacity of soil.
 CONCEPT OF BULB OF PRESSURE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR
SITE INVESTIGATION
 All footings convey pressure to the soil below it.

 The intensity of this pressure vary throughout the

soil mass.

 The pressure is greater directly below the center

of the footing, and then spreads out into the soil
both laterally and vertically in ever diminishing
intensities. This effect is called the bulb of
pressure or pressure bulb.

 Bulb of pressure: an isobar is a line which

connects all points of equal stress below the
ground surface. In other words, an isobar is a
stress contour. We may draw any number of
isobars as shown in fig. For any given load system.
 Each isobar represents a fraction of the load applied at the surface. Since these
isobars form closed figures and resemble the form of a bulb, they are also
termed bulb of pressure or simply the pressure bulb.

 Normally isobars are drawn for vertical, horizontal and shear stresses. The one
that is most important in the calculation of settlements of footings is the
vertical pressure isobar.

 It is evident that the shape of the pressure bulb will differ for different footings.

 Continuous footing – pressure bulb is essentially linear and represents the

shape of a continuous trench.

 Isolated / circular / square footing – pressure bulb spreads in all directions and
represents the shape of a balloon.
SAFE BEARING CAPACITY OF SOIL

 FOR COHESION-LESS SOILS, THE SBC SHALL BE REDUCED BY

50% IF THE WATER TABLE IS ABOVE OR NEAR THE BEARING
SURFACE OF THE SOIL.
DAMP PROOF COURSE - DPC
•WHAT IS KNOWN AS A DAMP PROOF COURSE.
•IN ALL MODERN BUILDINGS DAMP PROOF COURSE IS USED. IT IS USUALLY
SHORTENED TO 'DPC', AND IN MOST BUILDINGS LESS THAN 30 YEARS OLD, IT
CONSISTS OF A DPM, WHICH IS A DAMP PROOF MEMBRANE, AN IMPERMEABLE
LAYER OF MATERIAL, MOST OFTEN A POLYETHYLENE OR BITUMEN-POLYMER,
THAT IS LAID IN THE BEDDING JOINT BETWEEN TWO COURSES OF BRICKS.

•ITS PURPOSE IS TO PREVENT MOISTURE FROM THE OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT

AND THE GROUND RISING UP THROUGH THE BRICKWORK VIA CAPILLARY
ACTION, WHICH CAN RENDER THE WALLS DAMP AND THE BUILDING UNUSABLE.
DAMP PROOF COURSE
•A damp proof course (dpc) is a layer of
impermeable material built into the wall to prevent
upward drive of ground water.
•It is always laid to a course at least 150mm above
ground level and is simply rolled out on top of the
preceding course.
•Once in position, the brick laying continues as
normal, covering the dpc with a bed of mortar and
then laying the first course of bricks above dpc.

•Never build any wall without dpc - it costs very little

and guarantees a longer life for the wall, as damp
cannot rise above the dpc to saturate the facing
brickwork.

•In places where the dpc runs out, the next roll
should start by overlapping the preceding roll by at
least 400mm to ensure dpc integrity.
CAUSES OF DAMPNESS

•Moisture rising up the walls from ground

•Action of rain on wall tops and rain beating against external walls

•Condensation

•Poor drainage at building site

•Imperfect orientation

•Imperfect roof slope

•Defective construction

•Absorption of water from rain water pipes

EFFECTS OF DAMPNESS

•Unhealthy living conditions

•Unsighty patches

•Softening and crumbling of plaster like lime plaster

•Damage to painting

•Efflorescence in walls due to continuous presence of moisture lessens its

strength

•Damage to floors

•Damge to electrical fittings and metal rustings

MATERIALS FOR DPC

Cement concrete
•Cement concrete of 1:2:4 mix or 1:11/2:3 mix is generally provided at plinth level to work
as dpc.
•The thickness may vary from 4cm to 15cm. Such layer can effectively
•Check the water rise due to capillary action.
•Where dampness is more two coats of hot bitumen paint may be applied on it.

Hot bitumen
•This is highly flexible material material, which can be applied with a minimum
thickness of 3mm.
•It is placed on the bedding of concrete or mortar while in hot condition.

Bituminous or asphaltic felts

•This is a flexible material which is available in rolls of various wall thicknesses.
•It is laid on a levelled flat layer of cement mortar.
•An overlap of 10 cm is provided at junctions, angles and crossings. The laps
should be sealed with bitumen.
•Bituminous felts cannot withstand heavy loads, they can accommodate slight
movements.
Metals
Sheets of lead copper aluminium can be used as dpc.These sheets are
flexible.
They are laid in a way similar to laying of bituminous sheets.
Lead sheets can be corroded when in contact with lime or cement. It
should therefore be protected by a coating of bitumen.
Copper sheets of minimum 3mm thickness are embedded in lime or
cement mortar.
Aluminium sheets if used should be protected with a layer of bitumen.
They are not as good as lead or copper sheets.

Plastic sheets
•This is relatively a new type of dpc material, made of black polythene,
0.5 to 1mm thick in the usual walling width and roll lengths of 30m.
•Relatively cheap but not permanent.