Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
General:
A soil shear failure can result in excessive building distortion and even collapse. Excessive settlements can result in structural damage to a
building frame nuisances such as sticking doors and windows, cracks in tile and plaster, and excessive wear or equipment failure from
misalignment resulting from foundation settlements.
It is necessary to investigate both base shear resistance (ultimate bearing capacity) and settlements for any structure. In many cases
settlement criteria will control the allowable bearing capacity.
Except for occasional happy coincidences, soil settlement computations are only best estimates of the deformation to expect when a load
is applied.
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 1/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
Also Read: Purpose of Foundation | Steel Structure Failure | Soil Bearing Capacity Analysis | Soil Shear Failure
A small computed AH of 10mm, where the measured value is 5 or 20 mm, has a large error, but most practical structures can tolerate
either the predicted or measured values. What we do not want is an estimate of 25 mm and a subsequent settlement of 100 mm.
Ads by Google
Components of Settlement:
The components of settlement of a foundation are:
1. Immediate settlement
2. Consolidation Settlement, and
3. Secondary compression (creep)
H = Hi + U Hc + Hs
H = total settlement, Hc = consolidation settlement, H = secondary compression, U = average degree of consolidation. Generally, the
final settlement of a foundation is of interest and U is considered equal to 1 (i.e. 100% consolidation)
1. Immediate Settlement
Immediate settlement takes place as the load is applied or within a time period of about 7 days.
Predominates in cohesion less soils and unsaturated clay
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 2/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
Immediate settlement analysis are used for all fine-grained soils including silts and clays with a degree of saturation < 90% and
for all coarse grained soils with large co-efficient of permeability (say above 10.2 m/s)
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 3/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
Es, = Elastic Soil Parameters. A major problem is of course to obtain correct stress-strain modulus Es. Es can be found from laboratory
tests like unconfined compression tests,
Triaxial compression tests, and in-situ tests like SPT, CPT, Plate load tests, Pressure meter etc
m = number of corners contributing to settlement Hi. At the footing center m= 4; and at a corner m = 1, at a side m = 2.
IF = Embedment reduction factor, which suggests that the settlement is reduced when it is placed at some depth in the ground. For
surface footing IF = I
Is = Influence Factor
The above equation for Is is strictly applicable to flexible bases on the half space. In practice, most foundations are flexible because even
every thick footing deflects when loaded by superstructure load. If the base is rigid, reduce Is factor by about 7%. The half space may
consist of either cohesion less material or any water content, or unsaturated cohesive soils.
Secondary compression/creep
After primary consolidation the soil structure continues to adjust to the load for some additional time. This settlement is termed secondary
consolidation/secondary compression. At the end of secondary consolidation the soil has reached a new Ko-state (at-rest state).
Ads by Google
Secondary consolidation may be the larger component if settlement in some soils, particularly in soils with a large organic component.
Secondary consolidation is associated with both immediate & consolidation type settlements, although it is usually not of much significance
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 4/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
with immediate settlements. The magnitude of secondary compression for a given time is generally greater for NCC than for OCC.
The rate of secondary compression Jin the consolidation (oedometer) test can be defined by the slope C of the final part of the
compression/log time curve. Where Hsl=thickness of the laboratory sample at time t1, Hsl = Change in sample thickness of soil sample
between t1 and t2.
H = Thickness of the field consolidating stratum at the end of primary consolidation. Commonly initial thickness is used unless the primary
consolidation is very large. Say more than 10% of initial thickness.
t100 (f) = time taken for primary consolidation to complete in the field
Where t100 (lab) and t100 (f) = time taken for primary consolidation to complete in the laboratory df, dlab = are respectively maximum
drainage paths in the field and laboratory. For one-way drainage d= thickness of the layer of interest or sample thickness in the laboratory,
for two-way drainage d = half of the thickness of the layer of interest/sample.
Settlement Limits
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 5/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
Total settlement is the magnitude of downward movement. Differential settlement is non-uniform settlement. It is "the difference of
settlement between various locations of the structure. Angular distortion between two points under a structure is equal, to the differential
settlement between the points divided by the distance between them.
Theoretically, no damage will be done to a structure if it settles uniformly as a whole regardless of how large the settlement may be. The
only damage would be to the connections of the underground utility lines. However, when the settlement is non-uniform (differential), as is
always the case, damage may be caused to the structure.
The tolerable, settlements of different structures, vary considerably. Simple-span frames can take considerably greater distortion than rigid
frames. A fixed-end arch would suffer greatly if the abutments settle or rotate. For road embankments, storage silos and tanks a settlement
of 300mm - 600mm may be acceptable, but for machine foundations the settlement may be limited to 5mm 30mm. Different types of
construction materials can withstand different degrees of distortion. For example, sheet metal wall panels do not show distress as readily
as brick masonry.
To reduce differential settlement, the designer may limit the total settlement and use the following equation for the calculation of the
differential settlement:
Guidelines to limiting values are suggested by a number of sources, but following routine limits appear to be conventionally acceptable
(Skempton and Mac Donald, 1956)
Sands
Maximum total settlement = 40 mm for isolated footings = 40 to 65 mm for rafts
Clays
Maximum total settlement = 65 mm for isolated footings = 65 to 100 mm for rafts
The differential settlement may also be evaluated in terms of the angular distortion given by: (Hdiff) = /L
Where = relative settlement between the two points and L = Horizontal distance between the two points. Based on a large number of
settlement observations and performance of structures, the suggested limits for tolerable differential settlements are show in table below.
SUBSCRIBE
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 7/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
Search AboutCivil
SEARCH
Custom Search
Similar Articles
Ultimate Bearing Capacity
Types of Piles
How to Write a Soil Investigation Report | Lab Test Report
Pile Foundations - Design & Construction
Pile Driving Equipment - Pile Hammers
Offshore Concrete Piles Construction
Load Capacity Of Piles
Purposes and Functions of Foundations
Gross Pressure Intensity
Types & Methods of Construction of Foundation
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 8/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
1. MEGASTRUCTURES
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 9/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
3. BRIDGE ENGINEERING
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 10/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
4. SOIL MECHANICS
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 11/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
5. BRIDGE ENGINEERING
Log in
FEEDBACK/CONTACT FORM
YOUR NAME
SUBJECT
MESSAGE
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 13/14
11/9/2017 Soil Settlement Types, Calculations & Analysis - Settlement Limits
http://www.aboutcivil.org/types-of-soil-settlement.html 14/14