3.

0 Design of Shallow
Foundations
Definition of the problem

And compare it with

supporting material
capacity to carry such a
pressure
Definition of the problem

Footing should not

collapse due to
shear failure or
excessively settle
owing to material
compressibility
3.0 Design Essentials
● Recall that the performance of any foundation is judged
by its ability to resist both the bearing capacity failure
and excessive settlement.
● it therefore means .................

Bearing
Capacity Settlement
Analysis Analysis

Design of Shallow Foundations to meet both

bearing capacity and settlement requirements
3.1 Spread footing: Geotechnical design

● Design for Concentric Downward Loads

● Design for Eccentric or Moment Loads

● Design for Shear Loads

● Design for Wind or Seismic Loads

● Lightly Loaded Footings

● Footing on or Near Slopes

● Footings on Frozen Soils

● Footings on Soils Prone to Scour

● Footings on Rock
3.2 Design for concentric loads

● Allowable Bearing Pressure Method

◦ (qa)bc to satisfy bearing capacity
requirements

◦ (qa)s to satisfy settlement requirements

◦ (qa)design is the lower of (qa)bc and (qa)s

● Design Chart Method

 3.3 Foundation depth
● The foundation depth is among the first things to be
decided on and this is based on geotechnical
investigation recommendation, which itself is based on
the nature of the subsurface conditions
3.4.1 Minimum depth: Square and rectangular
footings
3.4.1 Minimum depth: Continuous footings
3.4.3 Other considerations for minimum
depth

 Depth to “competent” soil

 Depth of frost penetration

 Presence of expansive soils

 Potential for scour

 Possibility of a shallow landslide

3.4.4 Other considerations for maximum
depth

 Potential undermining existing

foundations, utility lines etc.

 Desire to avoid ground water table

 Desire to avoid the need for excavation

shoring
3.4 Allowable bearing pressure method

 Allowable bearing pressure, qa is the largest

bearing pressure that satisfies both bearing
capacity and settlement criteria.

 Select depth of embedment, D

 Determine the allowable bearing pressure
based on bearing capacity analysis using the
smallest applied load
3.5 Allowable bearing pressure method

 Determine the allowable bearing pressure

based on settlement analysis using the
largest applied load

 Select qa as the lower value of the two

allowable bearing pressures.
 Worked out example: Design of shallow foundation
for concentric loading

● The size of an isolated footing is to be limited

to 1.5 m square. Calculate the depth at which
the footing should be placed to take a load of
200 tonnes with a factor of safety 3. The soil is
having angle of internal friction  = 30o ,  = 2.1
g/cc, weight of footing 5% of the external load.
Nq = 22, N = 20.
 Solution to example 1
The soil must be granular soil since it has no cohesion

Allowable bearing capacity for square footing:

qallow = 1/F { 1.3 cNc + D (Nq – 1) + 0.4  B N } + D

Now total load = 200 + 5/100 x 200 = 210 tonnes

qallow = 210/(1.5 x 1.5).

VENJOH

Put values in the above eq. 2015-04-19 03:47:12

--------------------------------------------
why isn't the load converted into
newtons fromtonnes?
210/1.5 x 1.5 = 1/3 { 2.1 x D (22-1) + 0.4 x 2.1 x 1.5 x 20} + 2.1 x D

= 14.7D + 8.4 + 2.1D

16.8D = 93.4 – 8.4 = 85

 D = 85/16.8 = 5.6 meters

 The footing should be placed at least 5.6 m below the ground level
Worked out example 2: Design of shallow foundation
for concentric loading

● The results of a plate load test in a sandy soil are given

below. The size of the plate is 0.305x0.305m. Determine
the size of square footing of a column foundation that
should carry a load of 2500 kN with a maximum
settlement of 25 mm.

Load/unit area (kN/m2) 200 400 600 700

Settlement (mm) 5 12.5 28 60

Solution to example 2

Given:
Size of the plate 0.305 x 0.305 m.
Load v/s settlement , draw a curve or plot the data.
Load on footing------2500 kN
Max. settlement = 25mm Load 2
200 400 600 800 kN/m

10

Settlement (mm)
30

50

70
80
Solution to example 2
The relevant equation is:
(Size in m)

Settlement of footing is determined through trial and error

method – iteration procedure
Solution to example 2
What this means is that you assume the size of footing and
find the corresponding amount of settlement where the trial
agrees with the conditions given (25mm settlement) will be
the size of footing.Thus,
Table of results
Qo , Assumed qo Sp SF from above
(kN) BF (cm) Qo /BF 2 , corresponding Eq. (mm)
(kN/m2) to Qo (mm)
2500 400 156.25 4 13.8
2500 300 277.8 8 26.35
2500 320 244.10 6.8 22.70
2500 310 260.10 7.2 23.86

● Recommended footing size is B 3.10m

Worked out example 3: Design of shallow foundation
for concentric loading

Plate load test performed on a uniform deposit of sand and

the following observations were recorded.

Load t/m2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60
Settlement (mm) 4.5 8.5 16 31.3 50 74 104

If the size of the plate was 30 x30cm, plot the load-settlement

curve and determine the load on a footing 1.5m x 1.5m.
Would the footing safely carry such a load if the settlement is
not to exceed 50 mm?
Solution to example 3

● Given:

● Size of plate 30 x 30 cm

● Footing size 1.5 x 1.5 m

● Settlement of footing 50 mm

● Plot Load vs settlement

Solution to example 3

Load t/m2
10 20 30 40 50 60

10
Settlement (mm)
30

50

70

90
 Solution to example 3

● Now from load – settlement curve the load corresponding to this

settlement = 20 t/m2.
●  Safe load on this footing for 50mm settlement = 1.5 x 1.5 x 20
= 45 tons. Therefore the footing would be safe.
 Worked out example 4: Design of shallow foundation
for concentric loading

A load test was made with a 35 cm square plate at a depth

of one meter below the ground level in soil with  = 0. The
water table was located at a depth of 5m below the ground
level. Failure occurred at a load of 5200 kg. What would be
the ultimate bearing capacity per unit area for a 1.6m wide
continuous footing with its base loaded at the same depth
in the same soil. Unit weight of soil was 1.9 g/cm3 above
water table. Note that for  = 0, Nc = 5.7, Nq = 1 , N = 0.
Assume general shear failure.
Solution to example 4

For square footing,

qf =1.3 c Nc + D Nq + 0.4  B N
Taking the case of load test,

B = 0.35cm , D = 1.

Since  = 0 , Nq = 1 and N = 0

5200/(.35 2x1000) = 1.3 x c x 5.7 + 100 x 1.9 x1.0.

7.42 c = 42.5 – 1.9 = 40.6

c = 40.6/7.42 = 5.47 tonnes/m2 .

Solution to example 4

Now for continuous strip footing of width 1.0m

qf = c Nc + D Nq + 0.5  B N

= 5.47 x 5.7 + 1.9 x 1 x 1 + 0

= 31.2 + 1.9 = 33.1 ton/m2 .
 3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● When footings have overturning moments as well as axial
loads, the resultant soil pressure may not coincide with the
centroid of the footing as illustrated in the figure below.
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● Assuming the footing is sufficiently rigid, application
of statics gives the resultant soil pressure equal to
P, with the point of application through the centroid
of the pressure diagram, and at an eccentricity to
satisfy moment equilibrium.

● This same situation can be produced by having a

column off-centre or at-centre columns to very tall
buildings where wind action may induce appreciable
bending moments at the base of the columns and
foundations of retaining structures among others.
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● The linear non-uniform soil pressure diagram (see
figure in the following slide) is obtained from
superposition of compression and moment stresses.

● A uniform resultant soil pressure can be deliberately

ensured by placing a column away from the centre.
This solution is obviously valid only for moments
which always act in the direction shown for that
footing configuration. It is not a valid solution for
wind moments, since reversals can occur.
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● It should be evident that a column can transmit a
moment to the footing only if it is rigidly attached.
● There is a very serious question if a spread footing
(unless very large in plan) can sustain an applied
column moment without undergoing rotation.
● From structural analysis, if the footing rotates
an amount , this results in moments in the
opposite direction to that being applied by the
column to develop.
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● Thus, any footing rotation reduces the moment
applied to the footing with a corresponding
change to the far-end moment on the column.
● Obviously, a sufficiently large rotation can
reduce the footing moment to zero (but not less
than zero).
● It is therefore important that the differential soil
pressure across the footing is limited in order to
avoid large rotations of the footings.
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● In the analysis of rigid footings, the soil
pressure can be computed from principles of
mechanics of materials for combined bending
and axial loads.

● For moment about an axis perpendicular to the

footing length L this gives,
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● Note that strictly the weight of the half of the footing
on appropriate side of the moment axis should be
used to decrease the applied moment.

● A slight reduction in maximum soil pressure will be

obtained as well as a small increase in the minimum
soil pressure if this is done.

● When the eccentricity is sufficiently large, the

computed minimum soil pressure becomes negative,
indicating a tensile stress state between the soil and
the footing.
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● The soil tension on the footing is zero for cohesionless
materials and is nearly zero for cohesive soil.

● It is standard practice to neglect any soil tensions; so if

the soil pressure turns out to be negative we say this is a
tension stress and neglect that portion of the footing
from any load-carrying capacity for this load condition.

● To determine the maximum eccentricity to avoid

development of tension stress (for the footing to be fully
effective) the soil pressure equation is equated to zero,
thus;
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● This middle third defines what is sometimes called
the kern limit or dimensions illustrated below.
 3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● When the resultant soil pressure is exactly at kern
limit, the toe pressure is a maximum; the heel pressure
is zero and the average base pressure is qmax/2.
 3.6 Design for eccentric loads
● This differential pressure distribution will most certainly

cause a base rotation and it is recommended to always

increase the base length somewhat so that the average

and maximum pressures have a ratio larger than 0.5,

that is, heel pressure larger than zero and closer to the

maximum toe value.

● Also note that the toe pressure qmax  qa as furnished

by the geotechnical consultant.

3.6 Design for eccentric loads

Eccentricity out of middle third of footing

● There are occasions when it is not possible to

keep the resultant soil pressure inside the middle
one-third of the base.

● This situation occurs when one or more of the

design load combinations substantially exceeds
the overturning capacity.
 3.6 Design for eccentric loads
Eccentricity out of middle third of footing
● For eccentricity e > L/6 with respect to one axis, an
equation for the maximum soil pressure and the effective
footing length L’ can be obtained from the figure below
where it is obvious the base area is not fully effective by the
amount L-L’.
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
Eccentricity out of middle third of footing

● The area of the pressure triangle (see figure)

must equal to the vertical load P and acts at L’/3
from the toe through the triangle centroid.

● This point is at a distance e = M/P from the

footing centre so that
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
Eccentricity out of middle third of footing

● Substituting for L’ into the expression for P and

solving for q we obtain,

● With P, qa’ and eccentricity e fixed, we solve for

B and L by trial and error to satisfy the equality
 3.6 Design for eccentric loads
Eccentricity out of middle third of footing

● The soil pressure for footings with eccentricity about

both axes (see figure below) can be computed when
no footing separation occurs as:

● Or
 3.6 Design for eccentric loads
Eccentricity about both axes
 3.6 Design for eccentric loads
Eccentricity out of middle third of footing
● Noting that the use of a negative sign gives the
minimum pressure at one corner and a positive sign
gives the maximum pressure qmax qa’, we can solve
for optimum base dimensions as follows (and optimum
being defined as a fully effective base area and one
corner pressure = 0).
(a) Set the relevant equation to zero and obtain
3.6 Design for eccentric loads
Eccentricity out of middle third of footing

(b) Substitute equation of the previous step in the

main equation and using (+) obtain

(c) Obtain maximum qmax, by taking derivative of

equation in the equation of step (b) with respect L
and set it to zero and solve for L to obtain,
 3.6 Design for eccentric loads
Eccentricity out of middle third of footing

this gives B = 12ey when L is substituted back into equation

obtained in step (a).
With these values for B and L used in the flexural equation
where B, L, ex and ey are as defined on the figure of
eccentricity about both axes we will obtain optimum base
dimensions where qqa’ and with the base area fully effective.
This might not be the most economical base as illustrated in
the following example.
Worked example 1: Design for eccentric loads

A 24 m long retaining wall has a 6m wide foundation at

a depth of 1.5m in a silty sand having c = 1.5 t/m2 ,
 = 25o and  = 2 t/m3 . The wall carries a horizontal
load of 25 ton/m run at a point 2m above the base and a
centrally applied load of 100 t/m run. Determine the
safety factor against general shear failure of the wall,
(take Nc = 20.7, Nq = 10.7, N = 6.6)
Solution to example 1
Determine Z, e, B’, and L’ from:
e/Z = tan = H/V = 25/100 = 0.25 , Z =2 m.
e/Z = 0.25 , e = 0.25 x 2 = 0.5 ,  = 14o
B = B- 2e = 5 , L = 24m A = 5 x24 =120 m2

H = 25 x 24 V =100 x 24
 Ic = Iq = 0.616
I = Iq2 = 0.379
qf = c Nc Ic+ D Nq Iq+ 0.5  B N I = 52
Actual Bearing pressure for B = 100/5 = 20
Factor of safety = 52/20 = 2.6