CAIRO lJNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering Division

Fourth Year Civil Engineering December 2013

Time Allowed: 3 Hours Foundations

Attempt all questions

Any missing data may be reasonably assumed

Question 1
y; Prove that the unconfined compressive strength of saturated clay can be considered
as the allowable net bearing capacity of this clay.

)') A large footing settles more than a small one resting on the same ground profile
v and subjected to the same stresses. Give reasons using neat sketches.

c) Find the maximum load that can be supported by a 3-m x 3-m footing shown in
/ Figure 1 knowing that the ground water table is located at the ground surface.

p
Ground surface

1.5 m Medium Stiff Clay

c, = 0.5 kg/em'
1.5 m Y5al = 2 tim}
. . . . 3 mx3 m . ..
""'/,""f/:~. ,M.;,,~. ~/I:~',......
,
,.,. j .) J .,..,. $ '.•. , .....',. .• , .. • , } .j J. J .,.."2

2.0 m ,( /'i Soft Clay C ll = 0.25 kg/ern

.. r;,. ?
E ~ '.. j'/ m, = 0.03 cmvkg Ysat = 1.8 tim)
j/ //,/ ...../ ..., ,. .' .... ,....

Incompressible Layer

Figure 1

d) Referring to Figure 1, if the ground water table at the area of the footing is lowered
,./ to 3-m below ground surface, calculate the expected settlement under the footing
due to the consolidation of the soft clay layer. Assume that the soil is saturated
after the ground water table is lowered.

Question 2
Make a complete design and draw neat sketches for a combined footing (with a plain
concrete base) to support the two columns shown in Figure 2. The foundation level is
chosen at a 2.0 meter depth from ground surface, where the net allowable bearing capacity
/ is I kg/ern'. The design should result in uniform stress distribution under the footing.
.i-:
1/6 -------------
 Ii = 40t P2 = SOt
,40cm 60cm

3.9 m
Figure 2

Question 3
a) Define using neat sketches the term "negative skin friction" in piles and show how
it affects the design of pile foundations.
/
b) A pile 0.5-m in diameter and l5~m tong (measured from the bottom of the pile cap
which is located 2-m below the natural ground surface) is driven into a clay. The
undrained soil shear strength (cu) increases linearly with depth such that c, = 0.4
cry' (where cry' is the vertical effective overburden stress). Determine the allowable
pile load capacity considering the below information:
• The safety factor against failure is 2.5.
4!1 The clay saturated unit weight is 2 t/m".
e The adhesion coefficient between the pile and clay (c) is 0.8.
• End bearing capacity factor (Nc) = 9.
• Groundwater is located 2-m below the natural ground surface.
• Any increase in soil strength below the pile tip shall be ignored.

c) For the soil conditions shown in Figure 3, find the required length of piles
considering the most critical ground water level. Use a safety factor of2.5. The end
bearing capacity factor (Nc) is 9 and the adhesion coefficient between the pile and
/ clay («) is 0.6. Note that H.G.W.L. = high ground water level and L.G.W.L. = low
ground water level.

Question 4
a) Derive the formula for active earth pressure coefficient in case of horizontal ground
surface according to Rankine's theory.
b) For the gravity type retaining wall shown in Figure 4, determine the lateral pressure
~ force (magnitude, direction, and point of application) acting on the wall just after
its construction.
 H.G.W.L.
G.S.

:-,::L-.....L.:--'~:_,::.:...::.:...::.:...::.:.....:::::i: i::::::::: i::: i:!::: i: i:i:;:

1.2 In 1.2 m
:.:::::.:::::::::.:.:::. i·ii:,...::--,::--,::--,::--,::_,_:

-$~~~--~-I
2.0m ...1<.;:# ;AL
· . .. .. . . . ... . .. .. . . . ... . . . . . .
, . .
. .
.
:':':':':':':':-:-:':':':':-:':',
··· ... ... . .. . .. . .. . .. ... . .. . .. . ... .. . .. . ...... .. .
.:-:-:-:-:.:-:-:-:-:-:-:.:.:-
. . .. ,

·. . ..... .. . ..... . ','

. ..
................................. . .

6.0m ::::::::::::::>..
·.... ............
::>..:-..:-..:-..:-..>....... :.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::.:.:.:
................
.1 I I 1.2 m

:::::::::::::::::::: :.::.::.::.::.: :.::

.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::-:-:-
..................
.
-·6·_·_·E)·_·_·0·-
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: .:.:-:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: .
~
. I I .

·................................ :.: SAND ~ = 30° :::::::

: : : Ysot = 1.8 Vm3 ••• Plan

Elevation

Figure 3

LOm O.S.
i = 100 O.W.T.

Layer I
2.5 m
y= 1.7 Vm3
Cu = 0.15 kg/em'

Layer I]

3.5m y = 1.8 tlm3

$=300

\
4.0m
-/
Figure 4

3/6
Question 5
a) Design a filter material which can be used to drain water due to rains from
a backfill soil having the following gradation: »» , ....

Sieve No. Percent Passing (%)

40 (0.425 mm) 100.0
60 (0.25 mm) 7~.0
100 (0.15 mm) 20.0
140 (0.106 mm) 10.0
200 2.0
b) For the cantilever type retaining wall shown in Figure 5, check the overall stability,
make the structural design, and give neat dimensioned sketches showing the
reinforcement.

Question 6
a) Make a complete design for the fixed earth support sheet pile wall shown in Figure
6 (distance between anchors = 3.0 m).

b) For the braced cut shown in Figure 7, determine the load at each strut CA,B, C) and
check the stability of its bottom (assume two parallel waUs, horizontal spacing
between struts = 2.5 m). Ifit is unsafe suggest possible solutions.

0.6m q (LiveLoad) =;; 1.0 tlm2

+--t
r- I I I --r-------------
~ .

y = 1.7tlm3
~= 36°
1\=25°
4.0m qllll = 2.0 kg/em!

/~
l.Om
I-
I II 0.6m

0.6m 3.5m
I I
Figure 5

4/6
 G.S.
...-~

2.0m
.
.1
I
Ydry = 1.6t/rrr'
4.0m <p = 33·

Figure 6

~
q = 1.0 tlm2 6.0m
____, = l.0 11m2
...r..w:r.
-=-2.0m ---
-
A

3.5m

y= 1.8 11m3
3.5 m
$=31°
C

2.0m
G.W.T.

3.0m
----
.
15.0m Figure 7

~ Rock

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Examiners:
1- Prof. Ashraf Kama! Hussein
2- Dr. AmI' Farouk Elhakim

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