SETTLEMENT ANALYSIS

Settlement calculation consists of three parts:

1. Estimate Δ𝜎′
2. Compute settlement under idealized conditions
3. Adjust the computed settlement to account for shape, depth, rigidity etc.
SETTLEMENT OF SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS
COHESIONLESS SOIL
Method based on CPT
1. A curve showing the relationship between depth and 𝑞𝑐 shall be prepared.
2. It is broken into several parts, each part having approximately same value.
3. The average cone resistance of each layer is taken for calculating the constant of
compressibility:
1.5𝑞𝑐
𝐶=
𝜎𝑜′
4. Settlement of each layer within the stressed zone:
𝐻 𝜎′𝑜 + Δ𝜎′
𝑆𝑡 = 2.303 log
𝐶 𝜎′𝑜
Method based on Plate Load Test
1. Plate load test should be performed at the proposed foundation level and the settlement
of a 30 cm square plate under design intensity of loading is estimated.
2. The total settlement is given by:
2𝐻 2
𝑆𝑡 = 𝑆 1 ( )
𝐵 + 0.3
Where:
𝑆𝑓 = final settlement (m) of footing of width 𝐵
𝑆1 = settlement (m) of loaded plate
Method based on SPT
1. The measured 𝑁-values are first corrected for overburden.
2. The average of the corrected values between the base of the foundation and a depth 𝐵
below the base is calculated.
3. The settlement at unit pressure is read from the chart as function of 𝑁 and 𝐵.
4. Settlement at any other pressure is computed by assuming the settlement to be
proportional to the intensity of pressure.
COHESIVE SOIL
The total settlement:
𝑆𝑓 = 𝑆𝑖 + 𝑆𝑐

Clay layer sandwiched between cohesionless soil layers or between a cohesionless soil layer at the
top and rock at the bottom:
𝑆𝑖 = 0
 𝑆𝑐 = 𝑆𝑜𝑒𝑑
If the compressibility changes with depth, the clay layer shall be divided into a number of
sublayers and the settlement of each layer shall be computed separately.
Clay layer resting on cohesionless soil layer or rock
The immediate settlement beneath the center or corner of a flexible loaded area is given by:

1 − 𝜇2
𝑆𝑖 = 𝑞𝐵 𝐼
𝐸
Where:
𝜇 = Poisson’s ratio (0.5 for clay)
𝐼 = influence factor (function of 𝐿/𝐵)
𝐸= modulus of elasticity (determined from the stess-strain curve from CU test)
CORRECTION FOR DEPTH AND RIGIDITY
Effect of depth of foundation
The theory assumes that stress is applied at the ground surface. For computation of settlement of
foundations located at a certain depth, a correction should be applied:
𝐷𝑓 𝐿
𝑆𝑓𝑑 = 𝑆𝑓 × Depth factor=fcn ( , )
𝐵 𝐵
Effect of rigidity on Foundation
Foundation elements can be rigid (concrete footing) or flexible (base of earth embankment and
steel tanks). Rigid systems settle uniformly and flexible ones settle more at the center and less at
the ends. In case of rigid foundation, the total settlement at the center should be reduced by a
rigidity factor.
𝑆(rigid) = 0.8𝑆(flexible)

SETTLEMENT OF PILES
ELASTIC SETTLEMENT OF PILES
The total settlement under a vertical load 𝑄𝑤 is given by:

𝑆𝑒 = 𝑆𝑒(1) + 𝑆2(2) + 𝑆𝑒(3)

𝑆𝑒(1) = elastic compression of pile

𝑆2(2) = elastic settlement of soil at the base
𝑆𝑒(3) = elastic settlement due to shaft load

Elastic compression of pile

(𝑄wb + 𝜉𝑄ws )𝐿
𝑆𝑒 (1) =
𝐴b 𝐸p

𝑄wb = load carried at the base

𝑄ws = load carried by skin resistance
𝐸p = elasticity modulus of pile
𝜉 = varies between 0.5 to 0.67
Elastic settlement of soil at the base
𝑄wb 𝐷
𝑆𝑒 (2) = (1 − 𝜇2𝑠 )𝐼wb
𝐴𝑏 𝐸s

𝐼wb ≈ 0.85
Settlement due to shaft load
𝑄 𝐷
𝑆𝑒 (3) = ( ws ) (1 − 𝜇2𝑠 )𝐼ws
𝑝𝐿 𝐸s
𝑓av

𝐼ws = 2 + 0.35√𝐿/𝐷

Question:

ELASTIC SETTLEMENT OF PILE GROUPS

 Vesic
𝐵𝑔
𝑆𝑔(𝑒) = √ 𝑆𝑒
𝐷
 Mayerhof: for group piles in sand and gravel
0.96𝑞√𝐵𝑔 𝐼
𝑆𝑔(𝑒) (mm) =
𝑁60
Where:
𝑄𝑔
𝑞 = 𝐿 𝑔 𝐵𝑔
(kN/m2)
𝐿(m)
𝐼 = 1 − 8𝐵
𝑔 (m)

PRESSURE INCREMENT DUE TO LOADS

The pressure increments due to loads from deep foundations are not calculated using elastic
theory rather approximate methods are used.
1. For friction piles it is assumed that the fictitious footing is at a depth of 𝐷𝑝 /3 above the
pile tip.
2. For end bearing piles the fictitious footing is at the top of the bearing layer.
3. For pile groups which transmit the loads partly through friction and partly through point
bearing the stress in the compressible upper strata may be computed assuming that the
frictional load acts on a fictitious footing 𝐻1 /3 above the bearing stratum.
CONSOLIDATION SETTLEMET OF PILE GROUPS
Consolidation settlement of a pile group in clay can be estimated as follows.
1. Let:𝐿 = embedment length
𝑄𝑔 = total load (– effective weight of soil above the group remove by excavation, if the pile
cap is below the original ground surface)
 2
2. Assume that 𝑄𝑔 is transmitted to the soil beginning at a depth of 𝐿 from top of the pile.
3
𝑄𝑔 spreads out as 2V:1H from this depth.
3. Calculate Δ𝜎′𝑖 at the middle of each soil layer 𝑖.
𝑄𝑔
Δ𝜎′𝑖 =
(𝐵𝑔 + 𝑧𝑖 )(𝐿𝑔 + 𝑧𝑖 )
2𝐿
Where, 𝑧𝑖 = distance from 𝑧 = 0 ( 3 ) to the middle of 𝑖th layer.
4. Calculate the consolidation settlement of each layer caused by Δ𝜎′𝑖 :
Δ𝑒(𝑖)
𝑠𝑐(𝑖) = ( )𝐻
1 + 𝑒0(𝑖) 𝑖
𝜎′𝑜(𝑖) + Δ𝜎′(𝑖)
Δ𝑒(𝑖) = 𝐶𝑐(𝑖) log
𝜎′𝑜(𝑖)
5. The total settlement is then: 𝑆𝑐(𝑔) = ∑𝑆𝑐(𝑖)

Question

1. 𝐿 = 15 m, 𝑄𝑔 = 2000 kN.
2. The stress distribution starts at a depth of 10 m from top of the pile as 2V:1H.
3. Calculations:
𝐻𝑖 𝑧𝑖 𝜎′𝑜 Δ𝜎′(𝑖) 𝑆𝑐(𝑖)
𝑖
(m) (m) (kN/m )2
(kN/m ) 2 (mm)
1 7 3.5 134.8 51.6 162.4
2 4 9 181.62 14.52 15.7
3 2 12 208.99 9.2 5.4
Total 183.5
NEGATIVE SKIN FRICTION
Negative skin friction is a downward force, acting on piles and other deep foundations, due to the
surrounding soil moving downwards relative to the foundation. Negative skin friction can
develop from the following:
1. A cohesive fill placed over a cohesionless soil deposit (foundation passing through
compressible strata into a bearing stratum)
2. A cohesionless fill placed over a compressible, cohesive deposit. In this case there is some
downdrag in the fill zone, but the principal downdrag will occur in the zone of consolidation.
3. Lowering of the groundwater table with resulting ground subsidence.
For a single pile the negative skin resistance may be estimated as follows using ESA:
1. For cohesive fill overlying cohesionless soils:
𝐿
𝑄𝑛 = ∫0𝑓 𝑓𝑛 𝑝 𝑑𝑧
2. For cohesionless fill overlying cohesive soils: Negative skin friction exists from 𝑧 = 0 to 𝑧 =
𝐿1 (depth of the neutral depth).
′
(𝐿 − 𝐻𝑓 ) 𝐿 − 𝐻𝑓 𝛾′𝑓 𝐻𝑓 2𝛾𝑓 𝐻𝑓
𝐿1 = [ + ′ ]−
𝐿1 2 𝛾 𝛾′
(for friction piles)
𝐿 1 = 𝐿 − 𝐻𝑓
(for end bearing piles)
The total downward drag force:
𝐿
𝑄𝑛 = ∫01 𝑓𝑛 𝑝 𝑑𝑧

The effect of the negative skin friction is two fold:

i) The skin friction in soft clay helping to resist superstructure load is wiped out.
ii) The downward movement of soil will impose a drag equal to the skin friction to be
borne by end bearing.
𝑄𝑢𝑙𝑡 = 𝑄𝑏 − 𝑄𝑛

Questions:
1. 𝐻𝑓 = 2 m. the pile is circular in cross-section with a diameter of 0.305 m. for the fill above
the water table 𝛾𝑓 = 16 kN/m3 and 𝜙′ = 32°. Determine the total drag force. Use 𝛿 = 0.6𝜙′.