NPTEL- Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

Module 6
Lecture 35
Evaluation of Soil Settlement -1
Topics

1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT
1.2.1 Immediate Settlement from Theory of Elasticity
 Settlement due to a concentrated point load at the surface
 Settlement at the surface due to a uniformly loaded flexible circular area
 Settlement at the surface due to a uniformly loaded flexible rectangular
area
 Summary of elastic settlement at the ground surface (z = 0) due to
uniformly distributed vertical loads on flexible areas
 Settlement of a flexible load area on an elastic layer of finite thickness

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The increase of stress in soil layers due to the load imposed by various structures at the foundation level will
always be accompanied by some strain, which will result in the settlement of the structures. The various
aspects of settlement calculation are analyzed in this chapter.

In general, the total settlement S of a foundation can be given as

𝑆 =𝑆 +𝑆 +𝑆 (1)

Where

𝑆 = Immediate settlement

𝑆 = Primary consolidation settlement

𝑆 = Secondary consolidation settlement

The immediate settlement is sometimes referred to as the elastic settlement. In granular soils this is the
predominant part of the settlement, whereas in saturated inorganic silts and clays the primary consolidation
settlement probably predominates. The secondary consolidation settlement forms the major part of the total
settlement in highly organic soils and peats.

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1.2 IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT

1.2.1 Immediate Settlement from Theory of Elasticity
 Settlement due to a concentrated point load at the surface

For elastic settlement due to a concentrated point load (Figure 6. 1), the strain at a depth z can be given in
cylindrical coordinates, by

Figure 6.1 Elastic settlement due to a concentrated point load

1
𝑧 = [𝜎𝑧 − 𝜎 + 𝜎𝜃 ] (2)

Where E is the Young’s modulus of the soil. The expressions for 𝜎𝑧 , 𝜎 , and 𝜎𝜃 are given in equations ,
respectively in earlier modules. Substitution of these in equation (2) and simplification yields

𝑄 3(1+ ) 2 𝑧 3+ 1−2 𝑧
𝜖𝑧 = − (3)
2𝜋 ( 2 +𝑧 2 )5/2 ( 2 +𝑧 2 )3/2

The settlement at a depth z can be found by integration equation (3):

𝑄 (1+ )𝑧 2 2 1− 2
𝑆 = 𝜖𝑧 𝑧 = 2 +𝑧 2 )3/2
+( 2 +𝑧 2 )1/2
2𝜋 (

The settlement at the surface can be evaluated by putting z = 0 in the above equation:
𝑄
𝑆 = (1 − 2
) (4)
𝜋

 Settlement at the surface due to a uniformly loaded flexible circular area

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The elastic settlement due to a uniformly loaded circular area (Figure 6.2) can be determined by using the
same procedure as discussed for a point load, which involves determination of the strain 𝜖𝑧 from the
equation and determination of the settlement by integration with respect to z.

Figure 6.2 Elastic settlement due to a uniformly loaded circular area

1
𝜖𝑧 = [𝜎𝑧 − (𝜎 + 𝜎𝜃 )

Substitution of the relation for 𝜎𝑧 , 𝜎 , and 𝜎𝜃 in the preceding equation for strain and simplification gives
(Ahlvin and Ulery, 1962) where q is the load per unit area. A’ and B’ are nondimensional and are functions
of z/b and s/b; their values are given in table 7 and 8 in chapter 3.
1+ ′ ′
𝜖𝑧 = [ 1−2 + ] (5)

The vertical deflection at a depth z can be obtained by integration of equation 6 as where 1 = ′ and b is the
radius of the circular loaded area. The numerical values of 2 (which is a function of z/b and s/b) are given in
table 1.

1+ 𝑧
𝑆 = 1 + (1 − ) 2 (6)

From equation (6) it follows that the settlement at the surface (i. e. , at z = 0) is

1− 2
𝑆 = 2 (7)

The term 2 in equation (7) is usually referred to as the influence number. For saturated clays, we may
assume = 0.5. so, at the center of the loaded area (i. e. , s/b = 0), 2 = 2 and

1.5 0.75
𝑆 = = = (8)

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Table 1 Values of 𝑰𝟐 (After Ahlvin and Ulery 1962)

/
𝑧/ 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.5 2
0 2.0 1.97987 1.91751 1.80575 1.62553 1.27319 .93676 .71185 .51671
0.1 1.80998 1.79018 1.72886 1.61961 1.44711 1.18107 .92670 .70888 .51627
0.2 1.63961 1.62068 1.56242 1.46001 1.30614 1.09996 .90098 .70074 .51382
0.3 1.48806 1.470044 1.40979 1.32442 1.19210 1.02740 .86726 .68823 .50966
0.4 1.35407 1.33802 1.28963 1.20822 1.09555 .96202 .83042 .67238 .50412
0.5 1.23607 1.22176 1.17894 1.10830 1.01312 .90298 .79308 .65429 .49728
0.6 1.13238 1.11998 1.08350 1.02154 .94120 .84917 .75653 .63469
0.7 1.04131 1.03037 .99794 .91049 .87742 .80030 .72143 .61442 .48061
0.8 .96125 .95175 .92386 .87928 .82136 .75571 .68809 .59398
0.9 .89072 .88251 .85856 .82616 .77950 .71495 .65677 .57361
1 .82843 .85005 .80465 .76809 .72587 .67769 .62701 .55364 .45122
1.2 .72410 .71882 .70370 .67937 .64814 .61187 .57329 .51552 .43013
1.5 .60555 ,60233 .57246 .57633 .55559 .53138 .50496 .46379 .39872
2 .47214 .47022 .44512 .45656 .44502 .43202 .41702 .39242 .35054
2.5 .38518 ,38403 .38098 .37608 .36940 .36155 .35243 .33698 .30913
3 .32457 .32403 .32184 .31887 .31464 .30969 .30381 .29364 .27453
4 .24620 .24588 .24820 .25128 .24168 .23932 .23668 .23164 .22188
5 .19805 .19785 .19455 .18450
6 .16554 .16326 .15750
7 .14217 .14077 .13699
8 .12448 .12352 .12112
9 .11079 .10989 .10854
10 .09900 .09820

where = 2 is the diameter of the loaded area.

At the edge of the loaded area ( . . , 𝑧/ = 0and s/b = 1), I2 = 1.27 and
0.475
𝑆 = = 1.27 0.75 = 0.95 = (9)

The average surface settlement is

𝑆 = , = 0.85𝑆 ( , ) (10)

 Settlement at the surface due to a uniformly loaded flexible rectangular area

The elastic deformation in the vertical direction at the corner of a uniformly loaded rectangular area of size
𝐿 × can be obtained by proper integration of the expression for strain. The deformation at a depth z below
the corner of the rectangular area can be expressed in the form (Harr, 1966)
/
𝑧/ 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 12 14
0 .33815 .25200 .20045 .16626 .14315 .12576 .09918 .08346 .07023
0.1 .33794 .25184 .20081
0.2 .33726 .25162 .20072 .16688 .14288 .12512
0.3 .33638 .25124
0.4
0.5 .33293 .24996 .19982 .16668 .14273 .12493 .09996 .08295 .07123
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1 .31877 .24386 .19673 .16516 .14182 .12394 .09952 .08292 .07104
1.2 .31162 .24070 .19520 .16369 .14099 .12350
1.5 .29945 .23495 ..19053 .16199 .14058 .12281 .09876 .08270 .07064
2 .27740 .22418 .18618 .15846 .13762 .12124 .09792 .08196 .07026
2.5 .25550 .21208 .17898 .15395 .13463 .11928 .09700 .08115 .06980
3 .23487 .19977 .17154 .14919 .13119 .11694 .09558 .08061 .06897
4 .19908 .17640 .15596 .13864 .12396 .11172 .09300 .07864 .06848
5 .17080 .15575 .14130 .12785 .11615 .10585 .08915 .07675 .06695
6 .14868 .13842 .12792 .11778 .10836 .09990 .08562 .07452 .06522
7 .13097 .12404 .11620 .10843 .10101 .09387 .08197 .07210 .06377
8 .11680 .11176 .10600 .09976 .09400 .08848 .07800 .06928 .06200
9 .10548 .10161 .09702 .09234 .08784 .08298 .07407 .06678 .05976
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10 .09510 .09290 .08980 .08300 .08180 .07710

1−2
𝑆 = (1 − 2
) 3 − 4 (11)
2 1−

1 1+ 12 + 12 + 1 1+ 12 + 12 +1
Where 3 = +
𝜋
1+ 12 + 12 − 1 1+ 12 + 12 −1

(12)

1 −1 1
4 = (13)
𝜋 2 2
1 1+ 1 + 1

𝐿
1 = (14)

𝑧
1 = (15)

Values of 3 and I4 are given in table 2.

For elastic surface settlement at the corner of a rectangular area, substituting 𝑧/ = 1 = 0 in equation (11)
and make the necessary calculations; thus,

𝑆 = (1 − 2
) 3 (16)
2

The settlement at the surface for the center of a rectangular area (Figure 6.3) can be found by adding the
settlement for the corner of four rectangular areas of dimension 𝐿/2 × /2. Thus, from equation (11),

Figure 6.3 Determination of settlement at the center of a rectangular area of dimensions 𝐿 ×

( /2)
𝑆 =4 (1 − 2
) 3 = (1 − 2
) 3 (17)
2

The average surface settlement can be obtained as

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𝑆 , = 0.848𝑆 ( , ) (18)

 Summary of elastic settlement at the ground surface (z = 0) due to uniformly

distributed vertical loads on flexible areas

For circular areas:

1− 2
𝑆 = 2
2

Where

=Diameter of circular loaded area

2 = 2 (at center)

2 = 1.27(at edge)

2 = 0.85 × 2 = 1.7(average)

For rectangular areas, on the basic equations (16) to (18) we can write

𝑆 (1 − 2
) 5 (19)

Where

5 = 3 (at center)

5 = 12 3 (at edge)

5 ≈ 0.848 3 (average)

Table 3 gives the values of 5 for various 𝐿/ ratios.

 Settlement of a flexible load area on an elastic layer of finite thickness

For the settlement calculation, it was assumed that the elastic soil layer extends to an infinite depth.
However, if the elastic soil layer is underlain by a rigid incompressible base at a depth H (Figure 6.4), the
settlement can be approximately calculated as

𝑆 =𝑆 (𝑧=0) −𝑆 (𝑧= ) (20)

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Figure 6.4 Flexible loaded area over an elastic soil layer of finite thickness

Where 𝑆 (𝑧=0) and 𝑆 (𝑧= ) are the settlements at the surface and at z = H, respectively.

Foundations are almost never placed at the ground surface, but at some depth (Figure 6.5). Hence, a
correction needs to be applied to the settlement values calculated on the assumption that the load is applied
at the ground surface. Fox (1948) proposed a correction factor for this which is a function of / , 𝐿/ and
Poisson’s ratio v. thus,

Figure 6.5 Average immediate settlement for a flexible rectangular loaded area located at a depth from
the ground surface

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𝑆′ = 6𝑆 ( ) (21)

Where

6 = correction factor for foundation depth,

𝑆′ = corrected elastic settlement of foundation

𝑆 = elastic settlement of foundation calculated on assumption that load is applied at ground surface

By computer programming of the equation proposed by Fox, Bowles (1977) obtained the values of 6 for
various values of / length-to-width ratio of the foundation, and Poisson’s ratio of the soil layer. These
values are shown in Figure 6.6.

Table 3 Values of 𝑰𝟓
5
𝐿/ Center Corner Average
1 1.122 0.561 0.951
2 1.532 0.766 1.299
3 1.783 0.892 1.512
5 2.105 1.053 1.785
10 2.544 1.272 2.157
20 2.985 1.493 2.531
50 3.568 1.784 3.026
100 4.010 2.005 3.400

Janbu et al, (1956) proposed a generalized equation for average immediate settlement for uniformly loaded
flexible footings in the form

𝑆 = 𝜇1 𝜇0 (for = 0.5) (22)

Where

𝜇1 = Correction factor for finite thickness of elastic soil layer, H, as shown in Figure 6.5.

𝜇0 = Correction factor for depth of embankment of footing, , as shown in Figure 6.5.

= Width of rectangular loaded area of diameter of circular loaded area

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Figure 6.6 Correction factor for the depth of embedment of the foundation. (Bowles 1977)

Christian and Carrier (1978) made a critical evaluation of equation (22), the details of which will not be
presented here. However, they suggested that for = 0.5, equation (22) could be retained for immediate
settlement calculations with a modification of the values of 𝜇1 and μ2 . The modified values of 𝜇1 are based
on the work of Groud (1972) and those for 𝜇0 are based on the work of Burland (1970). These are shown in
Figure 6.7. Christian and Carrier inferred that these values are generally adequate for circular and
rectangular footings.

Figure 6.7 Improved chart for use in equation (22). (After Christian and Carrier 1978)

Another general method for estimation of immediate settlement is to divide the underlying soil into layers
of finite thicknesses (Figure 6.5). It the strain at the middle of each layer can be calculated. The total
immediate settlement can be obtained as where ∆𝑧( ) is the thickness of the layer and 𝜖𝑧( ) is the vertical
strain at the middle of the layer.

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𝑆 = =
=1 ∆𝑧( ) 𝜖𝑧( ) (23)

The method of using equation (23) is demonstrated in example 2.

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