KAEA 3233 - SOIL MECHANICS II

Stress Distribution
in Soil Mass Part 3
Dr. Tan Chee Ghuan
Department of Civil Engineering
Faculty of Engineering
University of Malaya

Vertical Stress Caused by a Rectangular Load

Shallow foundation

Vertical Stress Caused by a Rectangular Load

Vertical Stress Caused by a Rectangular Load

Table: Variation of I2 with m and n

Vertical Stress Caused by a Rectangular Load

Table: Variation of I2 with m and n (continued)

Vertical Stress Caused by a Rectangular Load

Chart gives the stress at a
distance z, beneath a corner
of a rectangular loaded area

Example 4

The flexible area shown in the figure is uniform loaded. Given that
q = 150 kN/m2, determine the vertical stress increase at point A.

Example 5

Vertical stress beneath loaded areas of

irregular shape

The vertical stress at any particular depth in the soil

due to the action of vertical load on the surface of the
ground was given and explained by the famous
Boussinesqs theory.
This theory gave formulae to calculate vertical stresses
at a point for different types of vertical loading, taking
into consideration only a few well defined and
standard shape of loading like a point loading, line
loading, strip loading, rectangular loading and circular
loading.
When some complex shape of loading, like a plan of a
structure was given, it became very cumbersome to
calculate the vertical stress using these formulas.

Vertical stress beneath loaded areas of

irregular shape

Hence, a need for more simpler and faster method of

stress calculation was realized.

Newmark formulated a new simple graphical method

to calculate the vertical stress at any particular depth
caused due to any shape of vertical uniformly
distributed loading in the interior of an elastic,
homogeneous and isotropic medium, which is bounded
by horizontal planes (i.e. semi-infinite medium).
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Newmarks Influence chart

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How to Use Newmarks Influence Chart

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How to Use Newmarks Influence Chart

Procedures:
1. Draw the plan of the loaded area on a tracing sheet to the same scale as
the scale of the line segment AB on the chart representing the depth, z.
2. Mark the location of the point (P) where the vertical stress is required on
the plan.
3. Place the tracing sheet over the chart, such that P coincide with the center
of the chart.
4. Count the number of mesh (n) covered by the plan.
In case of partly covered mesh an intelligent judgement of the fraction of mesh
covered is required.
Let the total number of mesh be equal to n . Then the vertical stress at the
desired depth is given by:

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Example 6
A raft foundation of dimension 11 m x 6.2 m is subjected to total load of 10000 kN
and placed on the surface of the ground. Determine the vertical stress due to the
raft foundation at a depth of 5 m below the ground level. The raft.

Number of mesh covered = 29 x 4

(n)
= 116

z = 0.005 x 116 x {10000/(11x6.2)}

= 85 kN/m2

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z=5m

Example 6
Given:

5m
2m

q = 150 kN/m2
5m

2.5 m

Determine the vertical stress of soil at 5 m below the point A using Newmarks
Influence Chart.

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