ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINNERING (CE 522)

CE 522: Instructor: Dr Prabir Kolay 1/2

Department of Civil & Environmental Engg.
Homework Assignment # 2
Topic: Bearing Capacity of Layered Soil and
Mat Foundation

Due Date: February 12, 2014
Problem 1
For a strip foundation in two layered clay, given the following data:

B =0.92 m, L =1.22 m, D
f
=0.92 m, H =0.76 m

1
=17 kN/m
3
,
1
=0, c
1
=72 kN/m
2

2
=17 kN/m
3
,
2
=0, c
2
=43 kN/m
2

Determine the gross ultimate bearing capacity.

Problem 2
A square foundation 1.5 m 1.5 m is located at a depth of D
f
of 1.5 m on layered
sand. A weaker sand layer is located at a depth H of 1.0 m, measured from the bottom
of the foundation.

For the top sand layer,

1
=40, c
1
=0, unit weight,
1
=18 kN/m
3

and for the bottom sand layer,

2
=32, c
2
=0, unit weight,
1
=16.7 kN/m
3

Determine the net allowable load that the foundation can support. Use FOS of 4.

Problem 3
A mat foundation on a saturated clay soil has dimensions of 25 m 25 m. Given:
dead and live load =48,000 kN, c
u
=20 kN/m
2
, and
clay
=18.5 kN/m
3
.
a) Find the depth (D
f
) of mat for a fully compensated foundation.
b) What will be the depth of the mat D
f
for a factor of safety, FOS of 2 against bearing
capacity failure?



ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINNERING (CE 522)
CE 522: Instructor: Dr Prabir Kolay 2/2


Problem 4
Following are the results of a Standard Penetration Test (SPT) I the field (sandy soil):

Depth (m) Field value of N
60

1.5 9
3.0 12
4.5 11
6.0 7
7.5 13
9.0 11
10.5 13

Estimate the newt allowable bearing capacity of a mat foundation 6.5 m 6.5 min
plan. Here depth of foundation, D
f
=1.5 m and allowable settlement =50 mm.
Assume that the unit weight of the soil, =16.5 kN/m
3