THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

EXAMINATIONS OF November 2008

Code and Name of Course: CVNG 3005 FOUNDATION ENGINEERING Paper:
Date and Time: Duration: 2 Hours

ANSWER ALLQUESTIONS
Only non-programmable calculators may be used

1. Compute an estimate of the allowable undrained Bearing Capacity for a 2.5 m square footing
founded at 1.5 m depth within the soil profile illustrated in Figure Qu. 1a, using the data provided
in Figure Qu. 1a and Figure Qu. 1b

2. If the consolidation test for a sample taken from the middle of the Silty Clay 1 (Figure Qu. 1a )
reveals; C
r
/(1+e
0r
) = .015, C
c
/(1+e
0c
) = 0.25 and P'
c
= 90 kN/m
2
and for a sample from the middle
of Silty Clay 2: C
r
/(1+e
0r
) = .011, C
c
/(1+e
0c
) = 0.19 and P'
c
= 150 kN/m
2
, determine the expected
settlement of the 2.2 m square footing for a 1600 kN column load.

3. A 450 mm diameter augered reinforced concrete pile is cast at 15 m depth within the soil profile
shown in Figure Qu. 1a. Determine the allowable undrained bearing capacity of this pile using
soil parameters inferred from the data provided in Figure Qu. 1a and Figure Qu. 1b..

4. If this pile is to be used in a group of 4 piles (2x2 array with c/c spacing = 2B) and 3 m of fill is to
be placed over the entire site after installing the piles, determine the expected load carrying
capacity of the pile group, using soil parameters inferred from the data provided in Figure Qu. 1a
and Figure Qu. 1b.

5. An embankment fill for a roadway is to be constructed over a swamp profile as indicated in Figure
Qu 5. by instantaneously placing the 1
st
fill lift of 2m and keeping it in place for 6 months before
placing the 2
nd
lift. Determine the Factor of Safety of slice No. 3 (i) for undrained conditions upon
the application of the 1
st
2m lift of fill (ii) drained conditions immediately before placement of the
2
nd
lift (6 months) and (iii) drained conditions 8 months after placement of the 2
nd
lift of fill.
Consolidation analysis of the profile indicates that the pore pressure dissipation at the base of the
slice is given by u(t) = u(0).e
-kt
, where
u(t) = excess pore water pressure at time t (months),
u(0) = initial excess pore water pressure at time t = 0
k = 0.08 a numerical exponent
t = time in months.

6. The soil profile over a depth of 20 m at a proposed building site is illustrated in Figure Qu. 1a.
Using the weighted average method on the SPT distribution with depth derive and sketch the first
four modal frequencies for this profile to a depth of 30 m. In what seismic Site Class would you
place this site? Give reasons for your answer.

7. Given the soil conditions Qu. 6 exist at a location where the maximum expected short and long
period spectral accelerations (2% probability in 50 years) are 0.8g and 0.4g respectively, develop a
design acceleration spectrum for this site using the ASCE7-05/IBC 2006 methodology and
indicate on the spectrum the periods at which spectral accelerations are likely to be
underestimated. Give reasons for your answer. Data from Figure Qu. 7 and Figure Qu. 7 may be
used in this question.

8. Using the Broms assumptions derive from first principles an expression that would enable you to
determine the ultimate horizontal load placed at an eccentricity e above the ground surface in a
cohesive soil for (a) short pile, (b) long pile and (c) an intermediate pile.

9. A reinforced concrete pile of 400 mm square section and yield moment capacity 90 kNm is embedded 6
m into a silty sandy clay with c = 15 kN/m
2
, = 18 and = 18 kN/m
3
. The clay layer 0-3 m has an
OCR = 3.5 and 3-6 m OCR = 1.5. Determine the maximum horizontal force that can be applied at 0.6
m above the ground surface at a rigid pile cap. Derive any equations used.

page 2

15
15
4
8
15
25
60
60
0
5
10
15
20
1 10 100 1000 10000
SPT (blows/ft)
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
soil layer Water Table BH1
Silty Sand ' = 34
= 19 k!"
3
Silty #lay 2 ' = 20$ %' = 10 k!"
2
= 1& k!"
3
'ine Sand ' = 3(
= 20 k!"
3
)ra*el and Sand
= 20 k!"
3
Silty #lay 1 ' = 20$ %' = 5 k!"
2
= 1( k!"
3


Figure Qu. 1a
page 3

Table 1 Terzaghi Bearing Capacity Factors



Figure Qu. 1b






Figure Qu.5
page 4




Shear Wave Velocity vs SPT
Vs = 107.43e
0.0322N
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
SPT N (Blows/ft)
S
h
e
a
r

w
a
v
e

v
e
l
o
c
i
t
y

V
s

(
m
/
s
)

Figure Qu. 7