The 12

th
International Conference of
International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (IACMAG)
1-6 October, 2008
Goa, India

Dynamic Response of Model Footings Over a Rigid Base Under
Vertical Vibrations

Ramesh.H.N., Raghavendra Rao. M.V.
Professors, Faculty of Civil Engineering, U.V.C.E., JB campus, Bangalore-560056

Prathap Kumar. M. T.
Assistant Professor, G.C.E., Ramanagaram & Research Scholar, UVCE, Bangalore

Bhavya.M & Nethravathi.S
PG students, UVCE, Bangalore

Keywords: Resonant frequency, Damping Ratio, Peak displacement, Stiffness

ABSTRACT: The design of substructure under the action of dynamic loads is very complex because of erratic,
heterogeneous and intricate characteristics of supporting soil medium, thereby affecting vibration characteristics
of soil foundation system. Further, the experimental data presently available in literature in support of this are
also meager. Therefore, an attempt has been made to conduct an experimental investigation to study the
characteristics of soil foundation system resting on rigid base, representing heterogeneity. Model footings of size
500mmx500mmx100mm and 500mmx500mmx200mm were subjected to vertical mode of vibration using
sinusoidal waves by using block vibration test apparatus to study the response of soil foundation system.
Important parameters like mass of foundation (varying the depth of the foundation block), damping ratio, stiffness
of soil-foundation system (varying thickness of soil layer underneath the footing) have been considered in the
study that have an effect on the vibration characteristics of soil-foundation system. It is observed that, as
frequency increases the values of displacement increases. In all the tests, the readings were stable only up to
particular values of frequency after which it became highly random and unstable. This is due to the reason that
the mass of the footing was less resulting in reduced contact pressure. Therefore, an increase in mass of the
footing increases the magnitude of contact pressure beneath the footing resulting in an increased value of peak
acceleration occurring at resonance.
1 Introduction

The design of a machine foundation is more complex than that of a foundation, which supports only static loads.
The designer should, therefore, be well conversant with the method of load transmission from the machine as
well as with the problems concerning the dynamic behavior of the foundation and the soil underneath the
foundation. The most important parameters for the design of machine foundation are - the operating frequency of
the machine and the natural frequency of the foundation soil system and the amplitude of vibration of the
machine at its operating frequency. One of the key steps in current methods of dynamic analysis of a foundation
soil system to predict resonant frequency and amplitude under dynamic loading is to estimate the stiffness and
damping of the foundation soil system. Based on the assumptions that foundation is a rigid body attached to the
surface of an elastic half-space, many investigators presented the stiffness and damping factors for the
foundation considering various modes of vibration, various contact stress distributions, displacement conditions
and various shapes and sizes.

Reissner (1936) presented an analytical solution for vertical vibrations of a circular disc resting on elastic half
space, considering the contact pressure distribution to be uniform. Reissner was the first to use elastic half-
space theory for soil dynamic problems. Quinalan.P.M. (1953) and Sung (1953) gave independently
mathematical solutions for three types of contact pressure distribution namely uniform, parabolic and rigid base
distributions. Sridharan and Nagendra (1981) carried out statistical analysis of some of the available experimental
results to predict the resonant frequency and maximum displacement amplitude of a machine- foundation-soil
system, subjected to vertical vibration as a function of the size, weight of the foundation and the excitation level.
On the basis of their study, they concluded that The variation of resonant frequency with the area and weight of
the foundation is predictable using the existing theoretical analysis, which does not take into account the effect of
excitation level. Gazetas and Kenneth H. Stokoe (1991) reported comprehensive experimental results of 54 free-
vibration tests on model footings with different embedment depths in sand and having circular, square and
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rectangular base shapes. The results for vertical and coupled swaying- rocking oscillations were used to verify
the homogeneous-half space solutions in the form of algebraic equations and graphs for dynamic stiffness and
damping factors. Particular attention was accorded for selecting appropriate values of S-wave velocity. Close
agreement was found between theory and experimental results for vertical oscillation and for swaying-rocking
mode. Baidya and Murali Krishna (2000) conducted an experimental investigation for the dynamic response of
foundation on finite stratum underlain by a rigid layer. In this study, the effect of stratum thickness and the
dynamic response of the foundation system were investigated experimentally, by conducting the vertical vibration
test using mechanical oscillator on different stratum depths with different static weights and different eccentric
angles, . It was observed that, with the increase in static weight, the natural frequency and the amplitude
decreases and with the increase in , the natural frequency decreases and the resonant amplitude increases.
Initially with the increase in stratum thickness, amplitude increases and after some depth it decreases and the
thicker the soil depth, the smaller is the resonant frequency and higher is the resonant amplitude.

Several theories have been proposed for the design of machine foundations resting on soils that idealize these
as homogeneous elastic half spaces. In reality, however, soils are rarely homogeneous. The soil in the natural
strata can exist in a state consisting of a hard rock at shallow depth and consisting of different soil layers having
different properties (soil layering). Presence of a hard stratum compared to the top layer, or a rock layer, acting,
as a rigid boundary within the influence depths is one of the common features in the natural deposits. Many soils
exhibit an increase in shear modulus with depth. All these methods are based on approximations and
assumptions and therefore, considerable engineering judgment is required to take into account of several
parameters affecting it. It is well established that stiffness of the foundation soil system depends on several
factors namely, initial static stress, magnitude of dynamic stress increment, the distribution of stresses over the
contact area, variation of shear modulus with depth, layering in the soil medium, embedment of footing etc.
Hence, the nature of dynamic loads and non-homogeneity of soil make the analysis and design of foundation
subjected to dynamic loads more complex. Further, the experimental data available in literature are also meager.
The present investigation involves the study of the effect of vertical vibration on displacement and resonant
frequency of massless model footings resting over rigid base. Based on the parameters obtained from the
various tests, the soil stiffness, damping ratio and shear modulus values have been calculated theoretically by
using an appropriate mass-spring-dashpot model to study the effect of vibration characteristics of soil.
2. Experimental Program

In the present investigation an attempt has been made to make a parametric study of the vibration response by
considering different thickness of footings (varying the mass of foundation block) and varying the thickness of
sand deposits, overlying the rigid base. Tests were conducted on two model footings resting on a sand bed
overlying a rigid base of 0.3m thickness. The rigid base being a bed of M20 concrete (1:11/2:3 mix proportion)
and of plan dimensions equal to that of the test pit that is 2.5m x 2.5m. The thickness of sand bed has been so
chosen, that, the influence of rigid boundary occurring at shallow depth on the dynamic response of model
footings can be studied. The thickness of the sand bed has also been varied in the experimental program.
2.1 Preparation of foundation bed

A pit of size 2.5m x 2.5m x 1.4m was excavated in the field, with another small narrow trench of dimensions 0.9m
x 0.3m x 0.3m on one of the sides of the pit. This trench was used for housing of the motor. The width of the
main test pit was kept equal to 5 times the width of the proposed model footing to be tested (which is 0.5m). At
the bottom of the pit, a plain cement concrete bed of 0.3m thickness and of mix M20 is cast in-situ, representing a
rigid boundary surface or simulating the rock outcrop occurring at shallow depth. The locally available sand which
was cleaned and passing (2mm sieve) is used to represent a finite sand layer of specified thickness To maintain
a uniform condition throughout the test program, the sand was filled into the pit by raining technique, which was
accomplished by using a drum serving as sand reservoir and provided with a hose pipe of adjustable length at
the bottom through which the sand can be pored into the pit from a calibrated height of fall. The sand poured was
leveled by a straight edge after achieving the specified thickness. The density achieved was 17kN/m
3
giving a
relative density of 80%. Tests were conducted for two specified thickness of sand of 150mm and 300mm.

Figure 1.shows experimental set up of the block vibration test conducted in the field on model footings underlain
by layers of sand bed over rigid base to study the dynamic response of model footings subjected to vertical
vibration.








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Figure 1.Experimental Setup.
2.2 Experimental procedure

Two concrete model footings of same plan dimensions 500mm x 500mm but of different thickness of 100mm and
200mm have been selected and a lazan type mechanical oscillator was used to conduct block vibration test for
vertical mode of vibrations. A base plate was placed centrally over the model footing and the model footing lying
over the prepared sand stratum. The oscillator was then placed over the base plate A rubber pad was placed
between the footing and base plate to cover up surface irregularities and hence to ensure proper contact. Proper
care was exercised to coincide the center of gravity of the vibrating system with that of the center of gravity of the
footing. Different eccentric settings were selected to simulate different intensities of dynamic forces in the
vibrating system. After setting the required eccentricity, the oscillator was connected to a variable speed
D.C.motor through a flexible shaft. The shaft connecting the oscillator and the motor should be as straight as
possible. Accelerometer was mounted on the top of the base plate, which was firmly fixed on to the footing to
measure the amplitude. Using the digital vibration meter, the values of displacement, velocity and acceleration
were recorded. The oscillator was then made to run slowly using the motor equipped with a speed control unit.
The foundation block was then subjected to vibration in vertical mode. Frequency (speed in rpm) and
corresponding amplitude of vibration were recorded by a photo tachometer and a vibration meter respectively. To
obtain the foundation response and to know the resonant frequency accurately, the amplitudes were recorded at
regular frequency intervals of 100rpm. A sufficient time gap between two successive measurements was allowed
to have a stable reading. Finally, amplitude v/s frequency curves were plotted for different tests. Frequency
corresponding to maximum displacement amplitude of the response curve was taken as resonant frequency. The
soil in the test pit below the rigid base consisted of silt (58%) mixed with sand (32%) and clay (10%). Liquid limit,
plastic limit and shrinkage limit of the soil was 31%, 25% and 14% respectively. The properties of sand used in
the experimental program are as shown in table 1.


Table 1 Properties of Sand Used

Sl No
PROPERTIES

1 Specific gravity 2.59
Coarse sand (%) 1
Medium sand (%) 67
Fine sand (%) 31
2
Grain size
analysis
Silt or clay(%) 1
3 Coefficient of uniformity 2.1
4 Coefficient of curvature 1.05
5 Relative Density (%) 80


3 Experimental results

3.1 Effect of footing thickness, eccentricity and depth of sand layer on resonant frequency

Vertical vibration tests were conducted on two model footings resting on 150mm and 300mm thick sand bed
overlying the rigid base using block vibration test setup. Each model footing was subjected to variation in
frequency and eccentricity angles and the corresponding displacement, velocity and acceleration were
measured. The speed (frequency) was varied approximately in steps of 100rpm. Readings of displacement,
velocity and acceleration were recorded after stabilized condition is reached. Typical plots of frequency versus
displacement are as shown in figure 2(a), (b), (c) and (d). In all the tests, the readings of displacement become
random and unstable, when the measured acceleration reached a particular value. The measured values of
Mechanical
oscillator
Vibration
meter
Speed
controlling
unit
Motor
Flexible
Shaft
Rigid base,
150mm thick
M20 concrete
Sand
la er
GL
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displacement and resonant frequency obtained from various tests are used in the calculation of damping ratio
and stiffness of soil.

From the figure 2(a), (b), (c) and (d), following observations are made-As frequency increases, the value of
displacement increases. In all the tests, the readings of displacement become random and unstable, when the
measured acceleration reached a particular value. Therefore the readings corresponding to this stage have been
taken as the maximum value of displacement and the corresponding frequency is considered as resonant
frequency. This is due to the reason that the mass of the footing was less and resulting in reduced contact
pressure, which indicates the importance of mass of the foundation in reducing the values of resonant frequency.
Also, as eccentricity increases, the resonant frequency also increases but the percentage increase in resonant
frequency decreases with increase in eccentricity as shown in table 2. It can be seen that the increase in
eccentricity increases, the resonant frequency in the case of 100mm thick footings resting on sand bed of 150mm
thickness increase whereas those with 200mm thick footings, there is not much variation in resonant frequency,
with increase in eccentricity, particularly when it is increased from 16
0
to 20
0
. Also, it can be noted that increase in
thickness of the footing increases the resonant frequency.




Frequency vs Displacement
0
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Frequency,(rpm)

D
i
s
p
l
a
c
e
m
e
n
t
,
(
m
m
)
=8
=12
=16
=20
Size Of Footing:0.5mx0.5mx0.1m
Vibrating Mass: 162.5kg
Thickness Of Sand Bed:0.15m
Frequency vs Displacement
0
0.002
0.004
0.006
0.008
0.01
0.012
0.014
0.016
0.018
0 500 1000 1500
Frequency(rpm)
D
i
s
p
l
a
c
e
m
e
n
t
(
m
m
)
=8
=12
=16
=20
Size Of Footing:0.5mx0.5mx0.1m
Vibrating Mass: 162.5kg
Thickness Of Sand Bed:0.30m


(a) (b)





Frequency vs Displacement
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08
0.09
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
Frequency(rpm)

D
i
s
p
l
a
c
e
m
e
n
t
(
m
m
)
=8
=12
=16
=20
Size Of Footing:0.5mx0.5mx0.2m
Vibrating Mass: 225kg
Thickness Of Sand Bed:0.15m
Frequency vs Displacement
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0 500 1000 1500 2000
Frequency(rpm)
D
i
s
p
l
a
c
e
m
e
n
t
(
m
m
)
=8
=12
=16
=20
Size Of Footing:0.5mx0.5mx0.2m
Vibrating Mass: 225kg
Thickness Of Sand Bed:0.30m


(b) (d)

Figure 2 Frequency -displacement response curves under different sand stratum thickness.





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Table 2. Summary of measured values of Resonant Frequency and Displacement

Dimensions of model
footings
(in mm)
Thickness of sand bed
(mm)

0

Peak
Displacement
(mm)
Resonant Frequency (rpm)
fnr
8 0.011 714
12 0.012 908
16 0.026 903
500x500x100 150
20 0.014 907
8 0.013 1006
12 0.015 1200
16 0.016 1100
500x500x100 300
20 0.017 1203
8 0.050 1911
12 0.057 1916
16 0.084 2206
500x500x200 150
20 0.084 1704
8 0.015 1206
12 0.044 1716
16 0.045 1712
500x500x200 300
20 0.018 1306


3.2 Effect of eccentricity on damping ratio and stiffness of soil-foundation system.

Mass-spring-dashpot mechanism with a suitable modification for the presence of hard stratum is adopted for
evaluating stiffness, k and damping ratio, D using the measured values of resonant frequency and peak
displacement. The governing differential equation of motion for the damped forced vibration model with single
degree of freedom as shown in figure 6.9 can be written as

( ) sini
2
e
e
m t F kx x c x m = = + +
& & &
(1)
Where x x x , ,
. ..
are the acceleration, velocity and displacement respectively; me is the magnitude of total
eccentric rotating mass, e is the eccentricity and is the circular frequency of the applied harmonic force. The
solution for the equation 1 can be easily obtained and at frequency ratio /n =1 the damping factor of the soil
foundation system can be obtained from equation 2 using the measured values of peak displacement It can be
shown that

(2)

Natural frequency of the system is obtained using equation 3.

(3)

Finally, the stiffness of the soil-foundation is obtained by equation 4.
m
2
n
f
2
4 k = (4)
Where
D = damping ratio, fn = natural frequency of soil-foundation system
fnr = measured resonant frequency of the foundation-soil system
)
2
D 1 (2D
1
e
e
m
xm

=
2
2D - 1
fn
fnr =
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x = Displacement of the mass at resonant frequency, = Eccentricity angle of the oscillator,
k = Stiffness of soil foundation system, m = Vibrating mass including the footing and oscillator
me= eccentric mass of the oscillator, e= eccentricity of the rotating mass.

Table 3.Summary of the computed values of damping ratio and stiffness of the soil-foundation system

Dimensions of model
footings
(mm)
Thickness of
sand bed
(mm)

0


Damping
Ratio
Stiffness of soil
foundation system
(10
5
N/m)
8 0.0984 9.26
12 0.0969 14.97
16 0.0989 14.81
500x500x100 150
20 0.0932 14.93
8 0.0989 18.39
12 0.0981 26.15
16 0.0969 21.97
500x500x100 300
20 0.0957 26.29
8 0.0999 91.85
12 0.0999 92.31
16 0.0999 122.42
500x500x200 150
20 0.0999 73.03
8 0.0996 36.58
12 0.0991 74.06
16 0.0998 73.54
500x500x200 300
20 0.0981 42.64




Figure 3 Variation of Damping Ratio with eccentricity


0.088
0.09
0.092
0.094
0.096
0.098
0.1
0.102
8 12 16 20
Eccentricity in degrees
D
a
m
p
i
n
g

r
a
t
i
o
on 150mm thick
sand bed"
500x500x100mm
footing on 300m
thick sand bed
500x500x200m
thick footing on
150mm thick
sand bed
500x500x200mm
thick footing on
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Figure 4 Variation of Stiffness with eccentricity

Table 3 shows the values of damping ratios and stiffness of the soil-foundation system, which were computed
using equations 2,3 and 4. Figure 3 and 4 shows the variation of damping ratio and stiffness with eccentricity for
various footings resting on 150mm and 300mm thick sand bed. It can be seen that damping values of soil-
foundation system are significantly low (<10%) and the values of damping ratio does not vary much with change
in eccentricity. Also, values of damping ratio increases with increase in mass of the footing and thickness of
underlying sand bed. The Stiffness increases continuously although marginally for smaller thickness of footing
resting on both 150mm and 300mm thick sand bed, whereas for a larger thickness of footing i.e., 200mm the
stiffness initially increases and then decreases.
4. Conclusions

The influence of rigid boundary underlying sand bed on vertical vibrations of mass less rigid footings has been
studied experimentally by subjecting them to vertical vibrations and it can be concluded that presence of rigid
base at shallow depth significantly influences the resonant frequency of soil foundation system. Mass of
foundation resting over rigid base has an influence on the vertical mode of vibration. Vertical mode of vibration
changes at a particular value of acceleration, which varies from 0.4 to 0.5g for a footing of 100mm thickness
whereas it is 0.8 to 1.0g for a footing of 200mm thickness. As the thickness of sand bed increases the resonant
frequency increases which is probably due to wave attenuation and reflection due to the presence of rigid
boundary at shallow depth and the footing blocks are having very less mass. However, the effect of increasing
thickness of sand bed over the rigid base needs further investigation to verify the effect of wave attenuation and
reflection due to the presence of rigid boundary. Also, it is observed that the values of damping ratio increases
with increase in size of footing and thickness of sand bed and does not vary with eccentricity and the stiffness of
the soil increases with increase in mass of footing. Since an oscillator generates sinusoidal harmonic motion, the
behavior of model footings is observed to be frequency dependent. However, in actual practice, the machine
foundations invariably produce vibrations, which are not sinusoidal, and frequency dependent. Hence, in such
cases the trends of the observed behavior of the present study have to be reexamined. Change in damping
values with force of excitation is not significant, which is perhaps due to non-existence of radiation damping.
5 References

Baidya D.K and Murali Krishna (2000) Dynamic response of foundations on finite stratum - An experimental investigation,
Indian Geotechnical Journal, pp 327-349.

George Gazetas and Kenneth .H. Stokoe.H, (1991) Free vibration of embedded foundation: Theory versus Experiment,
Journal of Geo-technical engineering, Vol. 117, No. 9, September.

IS 5249-1992 Determination of Dynamic Properties of Soil Method of Test, Second Revision, BIS.

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
8 12 16 20
Eccentricity in degrees
S
t
i
f
f
n
e
s
s

x
1
0

5

N
/
m
500x500x200mm
footing on 150mm
thick sandbed
500x500x100mm
footing on 300mm
thick sand bed
500x500x200mm
footing on 150mm
sand bed
500x500x200mm
footing on 300mm
thick sand bed
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Quinlan,P.M (1953) Dynamic Testing Of Soils: The Elastic Theory Of Soil Dynamics (Symposium), Special Technical
Publication No.156

Richart Vibrations of Soils and Foundations Prentice Hall Publications New Jersey

Sridharan.A and Nagendra (1981) Response of circular footings to vertical vibrations, Journal of Geo-technical engineering,
Vol. 107, No. GT7, July, pp 989 995.

Sung. T. Y.(1953) Dynamic Testing Of Soils: Vibrations In Semi-Infinite solis Due To Periodic Surface Loadings (Symposium),
Special Technical Publication No.156,ASTM



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