HERIOT - WATT UNIVERSITY

School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society

Foundation Engineering
CLASS EXAMPLE
A flexible concrete raft foundation is founded at a depth of 1.0m in a deep deposit of
saturated clay as shown below (all dimensions in metres). The foundation is subjected to
uniform pressures of 250kN/m2 and 150kN/m2 over the shaded area and unshaded areas
respectively. Using Fadum's chart, obtain the intensity of vertical stress induced at a point in
the soil 3.0m below point A. The saturated unit weight of the clay can be taken as 20kN/m3.
Consolidated undrained triaxial tests were carried out on representative samples of the clay
and gave the following results:
Axial Strain
%

Deviator
Stress kN/m2

61

108

143

161

170

178

176

172

Using these data, determine the elastic settlement likely to occur at point A.
Relevant formula:

B
(1 2 )I
Eu

I = influence value on chart provided.

6.0

4.0

6.0

A
4.0

6.0

1.2
1.0

0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0

3
L/B

SOLUTION