CHAPTER-9
FOUNDATION ENGINEERING
9.1 FOUNDATION : It is the bottom most part of the structure that remains in
direct contact with soil and transmits the load of the structure underneath.
Functions of the foundation- In addition to transmitting the load of the
superstructure to the soil it provides stability to the structure against
overturning and erosion.
SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS
Types of Foundations may be broadly classified
under two heads: shallow foundations and deep
foundation is shallow if its Terzaghi, a foundation.
According to Terzaghi, a foundation is shallow
if its depth is equal to or less than its width.
In the case of deep foundation, the depth is
equal to or greater than the width. Apart
from deep strip, rectangular or square
foundations, other common forms of
deep foundations are: pier foundation,
pier foundation are and well foundation.
The shallow foundations are of the
following types : spread footing (or simply,
footing), strap footing, combined footing,
and mat or raft footing.
Fig. shows the common types of shallow foundations.
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A spread footing or simply footing is a type of shallow foundation used
to transmit the load of an isolated column, or that of a wall to the subsoil. This
is most common type of foundation. The base of the column or wall is
enlarged or spread to provide individual support for the load. Fig. shows some
typical spread footings.
9.2 Bearing Capacity :
Definitions :
1. Footing: A footing is a portion of the foundation of a structure that
transmits loads directly to the soil.
2. Foundation: A foundation is that part of the structure which is in direct
contact with and transmit loads to the ground.
3. Foundation soil : It is the upper part of the earth mass carrying the
load of the structure.
4. Bearing capacity : The supporting power of a soil or rock is referred to
as its bearing capacity. The term bearing capacity is defined after
attaching certain qualifying prefixes.
5. Gross pressure intensity (q) : The gross pressure intensity q is the
total pressure at the base of the footing due to the weight of the
superstructure, self-weight of the footing and the weight of the earth fill,
if any.
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6. Net pressure intensity (qn). It is defined as the excess pressure, or
the difference in intensities of the gross pressure after the construction
of the structure and the original overburden pressure. Thus, if D is the
depth of footing.
¥ = ¥ − = ¥ − «¬
Where « is the average unit weight of soil above the foundation base.
7. Ultimate bearing capacity (®). The ultimate bearing capacity is
defined as the minimum gross pressure intensity at the base of the
foundation at which the soil fails in shear. (When the term bearing
capacity is used in this book without any prefix, it may be understood to
be ultimate bearing capacity).
8. Net ultimate bearing capacity (¯® ). It is the minimum net pressure
intensity causing shear failure of soil. The ultimate bearing capacity ¥S
and the net ultimate capacity are evidently connected by the following
relation :
¥S = ¥ S + … (9.1) or ¥ S = ¥S − ….
9.1 (a)
Where is the effective surcharge at the base level of the foundation.
9. Effective surcharge at the base level of foundation (°) . It is the
intensity of vertical pressure at the vase level of foundation, computed
assuming total unit weight for the portion of the soil above the water
table and submerged unit weight for the portion below the water table.
10. Net safe bearing capacity (¯± ). The net safe bearing capacity is the
net ultimate bearing capacity divided by a factor of safety F
¥ S
¥ =
²
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11. Safe bearing capacity (± ). The maximum pressure which the soil
can carry safely without risk of shear failure is called the safe bearing
capacity. It is equal to the net safe bearing capacity plus original
overburden pressure:
¥ S
¥ = ¥ + ;¬ = + ;¬
²
Sometimes, the safe bearing capacity is also referred to as the ultimate
bearing capacity ¥S divided by a factor of safety F.
12. Safe bearing pressure or Net soil pressure for specified
settlement.
It is the intensity of loading that will cause a permissible settlement or
specified settlement for the structure.
13. Allowable bearing capacity or pressure (¥ ). It is the net loading
intensity at which neither the soil fails in shear nor there is excessive
settlement detrimental to the structure.
TYPES OF BEARING CAPACITY FAILURES:
Experimental investigations have indicated that when a footing fails due to
insufficient bearing capacity, distinct failure patterns are developed,
depending upon type of failure mechanism. Failure is accompanied by
appearance of failure surfaces and by building of sheared mass of soil. Vesic
(1963) observed three types of bearing capacity failures (fig. 9.2).
1. General shear failure, 2. Local shear failure and 3. Punching shear
failure.
1. General shear failure : In the case of general shear failure, continuous
failure surfaces develop between the edges of the footing and the ground
surface, as shown in Fig. 9.2(a). When the pressure approaches the value of
¥S , the state of plastic equilibrium is reached initially in the soil around the
edges of the footing, and it then gradually spreads downwards and out wards,
Ultimately, the state of plastic equilibrium is fully developed throughout the soil
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