Strength Based Foundation

Design

Martin Johnson
 Current Design Practice
1. Above-ground structure designed using USD
(or ASD) Load Combinations
2. Foundations are proportioned using ASD
Load Combinations
3. Foundation reactions are recalculated into
USD Load Combinations
4. Steel and Concrete Foundation components
are designed
 Design Basis
Traditional engineering practice
Foundation design is based on allowable stresses, with
allowable foundation load capacities for dead plus live loads, to
limit static settlements.
Provides factor of safety against exceeding ultimate capacities.
Allowable soil stresses for dead plus live loads are increased
arbitrarily by one-third for load combinations that include wind
or seismic forces.
Conservative and not based on explicit consideration of the
expected strength and dynamic properties of the site soils.
Strength-based design of foundations facilitates more
direct satisfaction of the design basis.
 New Definitions
FOUNDATION GEOTECHNICAL CAPACITY:
The capacity of a foundation based upon the
supporting soil, rock or controlled low-strength
material.
FOUNDATION STRUCTURAL CAPACITY:
The design strength of foundations or internal
foundation components
determined in accordance with adopted material
standards (typically either ACI or AISC standards).
 Factored Load Combinations
Load Combinations are identical as those used
to design the supported structure.
Foundation dead loads need to be included.
25% (for ELF analysis) and 10% (for modal
analysis) Reduction in Foundation Overturning
Provisions
(Unless inverted-pendulum or cantilevered-column type
structure)
are still permitted.
 Geotechnical Resistance Factors,
Resistance
Direction and Type of Resistance
Factors
Vertical Resistance
Compression (Bearing) Strength 0.45
Pile Friction (either upward or downwards) 0.45
Horizontal Resistance
Lateral Bearing Pressure 0.5
Sliding (by either Friction or Cohesion) 0.85

Based on values from AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications.

 Nominal Strength
The Nominal Strength is characteristically
defined as the strength that is determined
using conservative estimates of material
properties.
Example: Where the Nominal Strength of the
soil beneath a foundation is determined based
upon the Specified Minimum Compaction of
the soil beneath the foundation.
 Nominal Strength, Qns
The nominal foundation geotechnical capacity,
Qns, determined using any of the following
methods:
presumptive load-bearing values,
by a registered design professional based on
geotechnical site investigations that include field
and laboratory testing to determine soil
classification and as-required active, passive and
at-rest soil strength parameters, or
by in-situ testing of prototype foundations.
 Presumptive Load Bearing Values
Found in IBC Table 1806.2.
permitted to be multiplied by 3.0 when used
with the strength design load combinations.
No additional increases to the resulting values
of vertical foundation pressure or lateral
bearing pressure are permitted for load
combinations that include wind or earthquake
loads (i.e., no additional 1/3 stress increase).
 Acceptance Criteria
For linear seismic analysis procedures, factored
loads, including reductions where permitted,
shall not exceed foundation design strengths,
= Qns.
Example, for:
= 0.45, Qns = 0.45 x 3.0 x ASD = 1.35 x ASD
equal to the typical ratio of USD/ASD load
combinations
Thus, near parity between ASD and USD
Methods.
 ASCE 7-16 Proposal
Nearly identical, except:
Occasional slight differences in wording.
= 0.8 is permitted when nominal
foundation capacity is determined by AHJ-
approved testing of full-scale prototypes.
 Example: ASD vs. USD Design
Forces at base of footing
D = 100 kip, L = 50 kip, E = +/-10 kip vert., 30 kip horiz.
ASCE Load Combinations
ASD Load Combinations USD Load Combinations
D+L = 150 k (vert) 1.2 D + 1.6 L = 200 k (vert)
D + 0.75 (L + 0.7 E) = 145.5 k (vert)
1.2 D + L + 1.0 E = 180 k (vert)
= 16.9 k (horiz)
= 30 k (horiz)
D 0.7 E = = 107 k (vert)
= 21 k (horiz) 0.9 D 1.0 E = = 80 k (vert)
= 30 k (horiz)
 Example: ASD vs. USD Design
Soil = sandy gravel
USD Design
ASD Design
Resistance factor,
Allowable vertical pressure = 3.0 ksf Compressive bearing, = 0.45
Lateral sliding friction coeff. = 0.35 Lateral Sliding, = 0.85

Sliding, D/C = 21 k / (0.35 x 107 k) Nominal Strength, Qns = 9.0 ksf

= 0.56 Qns = 0.45 x 9 = 4.05 ksf
Try 7.5 x 7.5 ftg., A = 56.25 sf Sliding, D/C = 30 k / (0.85 x 80k)
Max vert. pressure = 150 k / 56.25 sf = 0.44
= 2.67 ksf < 3, ok Try 7.5 x 7.5 ftg
D/C = 0.89 Max vert. pressure = 200 k / 56.25 sf
= 3.56 ksf < 4.05, ok
D/C = 0.88