Calculation of Bearing capacity from

Standard Penetration Test (SPT)

• IS : 2131-1981  Method for Standard Penetration Test (SPT) for soil

• IS : 6403-1981 clause 5.2.2  Ultimate net bearing capacity of
cohesionless soil based on Standard Penetration Resistance value
Calculation of Bearing capacity from
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
Angle of internal friction from
SPT value Bearing Capacity Factors
Calculation of Bearing capacity from
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)

For the SPT data shown in fig, estimate the ultimate net bearing
capacity at – 2 m. Assume footing width as 1.5 m and unit weight of
soil as 20 kN/m3.

Depth (m) Number of blows required for consecutive

penetrations of 15 cm
1st 15 cm 2nd 15 cm 3rd 15 cm
2 8 10 10
2.75 13 16 18
3.5 10 10 12
4.25 8 8 6
5 13 13 8
Calculation of Bearing capacity from
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
Calculation of N value
Depth Number of blows required for N value
(m) consecutive penetrations of 15 cm

1st 15 cm 2nd 15 cm 3rd 15 cm

2 8 10 10 20
2.75 13 16 18 34
3.5 10 10 12 22
4.25 8 8 6 14
5 13 13 8 21
Average: 22.2

(IS : 6403-1981 clause 5.2.2)

 Calculation of Bearing capacity from
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
Corrections applied (IS:2131-1981 Clause 3.6)
• Correction for overburden pressure • Correction for Dilatancy
(Hansen and Thornburn, 1974)

Depth N value Corrections

(m) N’ N’’

2 20
3.5 22
4.25 14
5 21
Average:
Calculation of Bearing capacity from
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
Average N value =?
f =?
Nq =?
Ng =?
qd =?
Calculation of Bearing capacity from
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)

Calculation of allowable bearing pressure: A direct approach

(Terzaghi and Peck, 1967)
Calculation of Bearing capacity from
Static Cone Penetration Test (SCPT)
• IS : 4968 ( Part III )- 1976
Method for subsurface sounding
for soil: Static Cone Penetration
Test (SCPT)
• IS : 6403-1981 clause 5.2.3 
Ultimate net bearing capacity of
cohesionless soil based on Static
Cone Penetration Test
Calculation of Bearing capacity from
Static Cone Penetration Test (SCPT)
A portion of a cone-
penetration test is in figure.
Estimate the ultimate net
bearing capacity of a square
footing of size 2m2m at a
depth of 2m.
Calculation of Bearing capacity from
Static Cone Penetration Test (SCPT)

qc,avg
2

qc,avg = ?
qd/qc = ?
8
qd = ?
Plate Load Test (IS : 1888- 1982)
Ultimate bearing capacity from Load-Settlement curves

For Cohesionless soil:

For Clay soil:
Plate Load Test (IS : 1888- 1982)

Settlement Calculation
Plate Load Test (IS : 1888- 1982)
A plate load test was conducted on a uniform deposit of sand and the following
data were obtained:

Pressure 50 100 200 300 400 500 600

kN/m2
Settlement 1.5 2.0 4.0 7.5 12.5 20.0 40.0
mm

The size of the plate was 600 mm × 600 mm and that of the pit 3 m × 3 m × 1.5 m.
A square footing, 2m × 2 m, is to be founded at 1.5 m depth in this soil. Assuming
the unit weight of soil as 20 kN/m3 and the factor of safety against shear failure as
3 and the maximum permissible settlement as 40 mm, determine the allowable
bearing pressure.
Plate Load Test (IS : 1888- 1982)

qu = ?
qnu= ?
qns= ?
Settlement of plate corresponding to
permissible settlement of foundation,
Sp=?
Safe settlement pressure=?
Allowable bearing pressure=?
 Analysis of mat foundation
(IS:2950 (PART I)-1981, IS:6403-1981)
The plan of a mat foundation with 9
columns is shown in figure. Assuming that
the mat is rigid, determine the soil pressure
distribution. All the columns are of size
0.6mX0.6m.

 Calculate the total load

 Find out the point of action of load
 Determine the pressure at points A,B,C
and D.
Design of shallow foundation
(IS:1080-1985, IS: 456-2000 clause 34)

Design a square reinforced concrete footing for the following data

Column load = 800 kN

Allowable soil pressure = 200 kN/m2
Size of column = 0.4 m x 0.4 m
Effects of Adjacent Building Construction
Explain how the new construction is going to affect the stability of old
building in terms of foundation settlement. Assume both are square
footings.
900 kN 1500 kN

Footing of existing Footing of new

structure structure 0m

-1 m
1m 1m 1.5 m

-2.8 m

Clay
mv= 4x10-4 m2/kN
-4 m
 Effects of Adjacent Building Construction
900 kN 1500 kN
Consolidation settlement,
Footing of existing Footing of
0m
structure new structure

1 -1 m
Where, Dp : vertical stress increment at 1m 2 1.5 m

the middle of soil layer

-2.8 m
mv: coefficient of volume compressibility Clay
mv= 4x10-4 m2/kN
H: thickness of soil layer -4 m

 Vertical stress increment at the middle of clay layer due to old footing = ?
 Corresponding settlement = ?
 Vertical stress increment at the middle of clay layer due to new footing = ?
 Corresponding settlement = ?
 Vertical stress increment at the middle of clay layer due to overlapping of pressure from old and new
footings = ?
 Corresponding settlement = ?
Excavation

A vertical cut is made through a homogeneous soil mass (c=20 kN/m2, f=20o, g=16.5
kN/m3). Determine the safe depth of the cut taking the factor of safety of 2.
Excavations

A cut of depth 10 m is made in a cohesive soil deposit (c=30 kN/m2, f=0 and
g=19kN/m3). There is a hard stratum under the cohesive soil at a depth of 12m below
the original ground surface. If the required factor of safety is 1.5, determine the safe
slope.
Necessity of excavation dewatering

The sand layer of the soil profile

shown in figure is under artesian
pressure. A trench is to be excavated
in the clay up to a depth of 4m.
Determine the depth of water h to
avoid boiling.
Ground improvement

We have somehow found eo = 0.8 in a sand deposit and have estimated the desired
ef = 0.5 and a trial grid spacing of 3 m. Make an estimate of the amount of sand fill
required per meter of improvement depth.
Pile Load Test (IS:2911 (Part 4) -1985))

The load-settlement data shown in figure were

obtained from a full-scale static load test on a
250-mm diameter, l7-m long concrete pile.
Compute the safe load capacity.
Calculation of end bearing capacity of pile
from Static Cone Penetration Test (SCPT)
(IS 2911 (Part 1/Sec 1) : 2010 Annex B-3.2)

A portion of a cone-
penetration test is in figure.
Estimate the end bearing
capacity of a deep foundation
of 0.5 m diameter at a depth
of 8m.
Calculation of end bearing capacity of pile
from Static Cone Penetration Test (SCPT)

qc2

qc0 =?
qc1 =?
qc0
8
qc1 qc2 =?
qu =?
Pile groups

A 16-pile group has to be arranged in the form of a square in soft clay with uniform
spacing. Neglecting end-bearing, determine the optimum value of the spacing of the
piles in terms of the pile diameter, assuming a shear mobilisation factor of 0.6.
Diameter D

Spacing S
Pile groups
Pile groups
Converse-Labarre equation [Moorhouse and Sheehan (1968) ]

Check it for the previous problem.