Soil Mechanics

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

page 1

Contents of this chapter :

CHAPITRE 8.

EUROCODE 7 REQUIREMENTS (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS) ...........................1

8.1 ULTIMATE LIMIT STATES ...........................................................................................................1

8.1.1 VERIFICATIONS......................................................................................................................1
8.1.2 CONSEQUENCES CLASSES .....................................................................................................2
8.1.3 EQU VERIFICATION ...............................................................................................................2
8.1.4 GEO AND STR VERIFICATIONS...............................................................................................3
8.1.5 VERIFICATION PROCEDURE AND PARTIAL FACTORS FOR UPLIFT (UPL) ......................................4
8.1.6 VERIFICATION OF RESISTANCE TO FAILURE BY HEAVE DUE TO SEEPAGE OF WATER IN THE
GROUND (HYD) ................................................................................................................................4
8.1.7 BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS .................................................................................................5
8.1.8 EXAMPLE ..............................................................................................................................6
8.2 EXERCISE : SOIL FAILURE VERIFICATION TO EC7 OF A CANTILEVER WALL ....................................9

Chapitre 8.
8.1

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

Ultimate Limit States

8.1.1 Verifications
Where relevant, it shall be verified that the following limit states are not exceeded:

loss of equilibrium of the structure or the ground, considered as a rigid

body, in which the strengths of structural materials and the ground are
insignificant in providing resistance;

internal failure or excessive deformation of the structure or structural

elements, including e.g. footings, piles or basement walls, in which the
strength of structural materials is significant in providing resistance;

failure or excessive deformation of the ground, in

which the strength of soil or rock is significant in
providing resistance;

Soil Mechanics

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

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loss of equilibrium of the structure or the ground due to uplift by water

pressure (buoyancy) or other vertical actions;

hydraulic heave1, internal erosion and piping in the ground caused by

hydraulic gradients (HYD).

8.1.2 Consequences classes

As already seen in the "Calcul des Structures" course, the Eurocodes distinguish three
consequence classes. The following paragraphs will only mention the partial factors related to the
CC2 consequences class which is the most common (Medium consequence for loss of human life;
economic, social or environmental consequences considerable). This class usually concerns
residential and office buildings, public buildings where consequences of failure are medium.
8.1.3 EQU verification
The Eurocode says at paragraph 2.4.7.2/NOTE 1 : Static equilibrium EQU is mainly relevant in
structural design. In geotechnical design, EQU verification will be limited to rare cases, such as a
rigid foundation bearing on rock, and is, in principle, distinct from overall stability or buoyancy
problems. If any shearing resistance Td is included, it should be of minor importance.
The verification consists in comparing the destabilizing effects to the stabilizing effects :
Edst;d Estb;d + Td

soulvement

Soil Mechanics

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

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Partial factors for EQU

Parameter
Permanent action (G)

Unfavourable
Favourable

Symbol

EQU

G, dst

1.1

G, stb

0.9

Variable action (Q)

Unfavourable
Favourable

Q, dst
-

1.5
-

Accidental action (A)

Unfavourable
Favourable

A, dst
-

1.0
-

Coefficient of shearing resistance (tan')

'

1.25

Effective cohesion (c')

c'

1.25

Undrained shear strength (cu)

cu

1.4

Unconfined compressive strength (qu)

qu

1.4

Weight density ()

1.0

8.1.4 GEO and STR verifications.

Except for the design of axially loaded piles and anchors, it shall be verified that a limit state of
rupture or excessive deformation will not occur with either of the following combinations of sets of
partial factors:
Combination 1: A1 + M1 + R1
Combination 2: A2 + M2 + R1
where + implies: to be combined with.
NOTE In Combinations 1 and 2, partial factors are applied to actions and to ground strength
parameters.
Partial factors on Actions or the Effects of Actions
Parameter

Symbol A1 A2

Permanent action (G)

Variable action (Q)

Unfavourable

G, dst

1.35 1.0

Favourable

G, stb

1.0 1.0

Unfavourable
Favourable

Q, dst
-

1.5 1.3
0.0 0.0

Partial factors on Soil Parameters

Parameter
Coefficient
(tan')

Symbol M1
of

shearing

M2

resistance

Effective cohesion (c')

'

1.0

1.25

c'

1.0

1.25

Undrained shear strength (cu)

cu

1.0

1.4

Unconfined compressive strength (qu)

qu

1.0

1.4

1.0

1.0

Weight density ()

2
3
4

destabilizing
stabilizing

The partial factor to the weight density (unit weight) must be understood as a material coefficient, this does
not supersede the permanent actions coefficient like the coefficients to apply to the self weight of the soil
(1.0/1.35). It is only applied in formulas of soil resistance like the bearing capacity (see 8.2.5).

Soil Mechanics

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

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Partial resistance factors for spread foundations

Parameter

Symbol R1

Bearing resistance (Rv)

Rv

1.0

Sliding resistance (Rh)

Rh

1.0

8.1.5 Verification procedure and partial factors for uplift (UPL)

Verification for uplift (UPL) shall be carried out by checking that the design value of the
combination of destabilizing permanent and variable vertical actions (Vdst;d) is less than or
equal to the sum of the design value of the stabilizing permanent vertical actions (Gstb;d) and of the
design value of any additional resistance to uplift (Rd):
Vdst,d= Gstb;d + Rd
where
Vdst,d = Gdst;d + Qdst;d
Parameter

Symbol

UPL - Partial
factor set
Permanent action (G)

Unfavourable

G, dst

1.0

Favourable

G, stb

0.9

Q, dst
-

1.5
0.0

'

1.25

Variable action (Q)

Coefficient
(tan')

of

Unfavourable
Favourable
shearing resistance

Effective cohesion (c')

c'

1.25

Undrained shear strength (cu)

cu

1.40

Note that the ' coefficient is applied on tan(') not on '. That means that the design friction angle
(also called angle of shearing resistance in the EC7) is equal to 'd = atan[(tan('))/ '].
8.1.6 Verification of resistance to failure by heave due to seepage5 of water in the ground
(HYD)
This case will be seen later, when studying water flows into soils. It is given here to have all the
EC7 requirements grouped together.
When considering a limit state of failure due to heave by seepage of water in the ground
(HYD), it shall be verified, for every relevant soil column, that :
1. the design value of the destabilising total pore water pressure (udst;d) at the bottom of the
column is less than or equal to the stabilising total vertical stress (stb;d) at the bottom of the
column : udst;d stb;d, or
2. the design value of the seepage force (Sdst;d) in the column is less than or equal to the
submerged weight (Gdst;d ) of the same column Sdst;d Gstb;d

infiltration

Soil Mechanics

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

Parameter

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Symbol

HYD - Partial
factor set
Permanent action (G)
Variable action (Q)

Unfavourable

G, dst

1.35

Favourable

G, stb

0.9

Unfavourable
Favourable

Q, dst
-

1.5
0.0

8.1.7 Bearing capacity of soils

General shear failure
The form of this failure is illustrated in Fig. 8.5, which shows a strip footing6.

Figure 1 : General Shear Failure Mechanism

The failure pattern is clearly defined and it can be seen that definite failure surfaces develop within
the soil.
A wedge of compressed soil (I) goes down with the footing, creating slip surfaces and areas of
plastic flow (II). These areas are initially prevented from moving outwards by the passive
resistance of the soil wedges (III). Once this passive resistance is overcome, movement takes
place and bulging7 of the soil surface around the foundation occurs. With general shear failure
collapse is sudden and is accompanied by a tilting8 of the foundation.
The bearing capacity of the soil will thus depend on three factors resisting to that failure
mechanism:
the cohesion (this term is usually neglected, in order to be on the safe side and because
cohesion may not always be present)
the eventual pressure q existing on the horizontal top surface of zone III. This pressure
may be due to the weight of soil above the foundation level and to a surcharge. If soil levels
are different on either side of the footing, the lower one is taken for the calculation of the
bearing resistance, because it is a favourable action resisting to the soil displacement.
the unit weight (also called weight density) of the soil below the foundation level

Semelle filante
bombement
8
basculement
7

Soil Mechanics

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

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The Eurocode 7 gives the general formula in its Appendix D, available as separate PDF on the
Moodle website.
That formula contains several correction factors taking into account :
the shape and inclination of the foundation base
the inclination and eccentricity of the force R acting on the foundation base. In case of
eccentricity of the force R, the bearing capacity is compared to the mean stress R/(L'xB')
acting on an effective surface L'xB', centered around the force R.
8.1.8 Example
(taken from Elements of Soil Mechanics, Ian Smith, Eighth Edition, Napier University, Edinburgh)

A concrete foundation 3m wide, 9m long and 0.75m deep is to be founded at a depth of 1.5m in a
deep deposit of dense sand. The angle of shearing resistance of the sand is 35 and its unit
weight is 19kN/m . The unit weight of the unreinforced concrete is 24kN/m .
The foundation is subjected to a permanent vertical line load of 220kN/m at an eccentricity of
0.3m, together with a permanent horizontal line load of 50kN/m acting at the base of the
foundation as illustrated in Figure 2

Figure 2
Establish the magnitude of the over-design factor for the Eurocode 7 GEO limit state.

Soil Mechanics

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

Ultimate bearing capacity, Qu = qu x A'=1439 x 23.2=33 384 kN

Over-design factor : = Rd/Fd = 33 384 / 3 848.6 = 8.67
Since >1 the GEO limit state requirement is satisfied.

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Soil Mechanics

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

Ultimate bearing capacity, Qu = qu x A'=653.5 x 23.2=15 161 kN

Over-design factor : = Rd/Fd = 15 161 / 2 850 = 5.32
Since >1 the GEO limit state requirement is satisfied.

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Soil Mechanics

8.2

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

Exercise : soil failure verification to EC7 of a cantilever wall

q
A
B

backfill

stem
H

F backfill

toe

heel

C
T

LH

undisturbed soil

Figure 3

Data:
T= 1 m
S= 0.7 m
LH= 3.7 m
H= 6 m
E= 0.7 m
F= 1 m (frost depth)
Q= 10 kN/m
Backfill :
Unit weight =
17
'=
30
c'=
0
Undisturbed soil:
Unit weight =
17
'=
25
c'=
0

kN/m

kN/m

We will only focus here on the soil failure verifications (the structural failure STR - of the
concrete is more relevant of the "Reinforced Concrete" course).
The two soil failures we have to consider in this case are :
the bearing capacity of the soil
the horizontal gliding of the wall
The following simplifications, on the safe side, will be taken :
the passive earth pressure in front of the toe is neglected,

Toe = patin ; heel = talon ; stem = voile

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Soil Mechanics

Eurocode 7 requirements (EN 1997 - GEOTECHNICS)

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the friction against the stem is neglected

The combination load cases we have to consider are represented at figure 4.

Combination 1 : A1 + M1+ R1
Q x1,50

Q x1,50

soil x1,35
tan()

soil

G x 1,35

tan()

Combination 2 : A2 + M2 + R1
Q x1,30

Q x1,30

soil

tan()/1.25

tan()/1.25

soil

Figure 4
The surcharge may be favourable (stabilizing) if applied over the heel length, so we have to
consider two load arrangements for the surcharge in each combination
For the sliding resistance, the verification consists in checking that the total horizontal force is less
or equal to V. (see the notion of "frottement sec" in your Mechanics course of BAC1). The friction
coefficient is taken equal to tan(') as the base of the wall is cast against the soil, thus the shear
failure is likely to occur in the soil just below the base.
In this exercise, the wall is supposed very long compared to its transversal dimensions, that
means that the ratio B'/L' of the formula can be neglected.