Basics of Foundation Design, Bengt H.

Fellenius

CHAPTER 3
SETTLEMENT CALCULATION

3.1 Introduction
A foundation is a constructed unit that transfers the load from a superstructure to the ground. With regard
to vertical loads, most foundations receive a more or less concentrated load from the structure and transfer
this load to the soil underneath the foundation, distributing the load as a stress over the “footprint” of the
foundation. Part of the soil structure interaction requirement is then the condition that the stress must not
give rise to a deformation of the soil in excess of what the superstructure can tolerate.

Deformation is expressed by the terms movement, settlement, and creep. Although all three mean
deformation, they are not synonyms—they are related, but not equal. It is important not to confuse the
terms.

3.2 Movement, Settlement, and Creep

Movement occurs as a response when a stress is applied to a soil, but the term should be reserved to
deformation due to increase of total stress. Movement is the result of a transfer of stress to the soil (the
movement occurs as necessary to build up the resistance to the load), and when the involved, or
influenced, soil volume successively increases as the stress increases. For example, when adding load
increments to a pile or to a plate in a static loading test (where, erroneously, the term "settlement" is often
used). As a term, movement is used when the involved, or influenced, soil volume increases as the load
increases.

Settlement is volume reduction of the subsoil as a consequence of an increase in effective stress. It

consists of either one or the sum of "elastic" compression and deformation due to consolidation. The
elastic compression is the compression of the soil grains (soil skeleton) and of any free gas present in the
voids. The elastic compression is often called "immediate settlement”. It occurs quickly and is normally
small (the elastic compression is not associated with expulsion of water). The deformation due to
consolidation, on the other hand, is volume change due to the compression of the soil structure associated
with an expulsion of water—consolidation. In the process, the imposed stress, initially carried by the
pore water, is transferred to the soil structure. Consolidation occurs quickly in coarse-grained soils, but
slowly in fine-grained soils. As a term, settlement is used when the total stress is constant and the
involved, or influenced, soil zone stays the same, while the effective stress increases.

Creep is compression occurring without an increase of effective stress. Creep does not usually involve
expulsion of water, but is associated mainly with slow long-term compression of the soil skeleton. Creep
is usually small, but may in some soils add significantly to the total deformation of the soil. It is then
acceptable to talk in terms of settlement due to creep or "creep settlement".

The term "settlement" is normally used for the deformation resulting from the combined effect of load
transfer, increase of effective stress, and creep during long-term conditions.

The magnitude of the settlement is a function of the relative increase of effective stress: The larger the
existing effective stress before a specific additional stress is applied, the smaller the induced settlement.

April 2006