Foundation Engineering I

CE-325
Bearing capacity of shallow foundations

NUST Institute of Civil Engineering (NICE)

School of Civil & Env. Engineering (SCEE)

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Bearing capacity of sand based on settlement
According to Meyerhof’s theory, for 25 mm (1 inch) of
estimated maximum settlement

In English (fps) units,

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Bearing capacity of sand based on settlement
Bowles (1977) proposed modified equations

In English (fps) units

Plate load test 4

ASTM D-1194
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In sandy soils

In clayey soils

For a given intensity of load q, the settlement of actual footing can

be approximated from following relationship

In sandy soils

In clayey soils
Limitation of plate load test 6
Standard Penetration Test (SPT) 7

ASTM D-1586
 SPT test procedure 8

ASTM D-1586
Drill a 60-200 mm (2.5-8 in) dia
exploratory boring to the depth of
test.
Insert SPT sampler into boring.
63.5 kg (140 lb)
A hammer of 63.5 kg (140 lb) is
raised a distance of 760 mm (30 in)
and allowed to fall.
The process of hammering is
repeated untill the sampler has
penetrated a distance of 450 mm
(18 in).
Number of hammer blows are
recorded for each 150 mm (6 in)
penetration.
 SPT test procedure 9

Test is stopped if (a) more than 50 blows are required for any of
the 150 mm intervals, or (b) if more than one hundred total blows
are required to drive the required 300 mm or (c) 10 successive
blows produce no advance. This is known as refusal and noted on
boring log.

Total blow count for last 300 mm (12 in) of penetration is called
SPT N value.
 Sources of error in SPT N value 10

The principal variants of the test are

• Method of drilling
• How well the bottom of hole is cleared before the test
• Presence or lack of drilling mud
• Diameter of the hole
• Location of the hammer (surface type or down-hole type)
• Type of hammer
• Number of turns of the ropes around the cathead
• Actual hammer drop height
• Mass of the anvil that the hammer strikes
• Friction in rope guides and pulleys
• Wear in the sampler drive shoe
• Straightness of the drill rods
• Presence or absence of liner inside the sampler
• Rate at which the blows are applied
Correction to N value 11
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Overburden correction 14
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