Load Testing and Settlement Prediction of Shallow Foundation
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 12
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to critically examine insitu test methods as a means for predicting settlement of shallow foundations. Accordingly, a diameter concrete footing was statically load tested. Prior to construction, insitu [standard penetration test (SPT), cone penetration test (CPT), dilatometer (DMT), and pressuremeter (PMT)] and laboratory tests were performed to determine engineering properties of the soil. Predictions of the footing settlement were made by traditional as well as finite element methods. The results of the static load test showed settlements were over predicted by all methods. However, the traditional methods provided reasonable settlement estimates using either SPT- or back computed CPT(N) as input. Finite element analyses using either DMT or CPT derived input parameters provided reasonable settlement estimates. Finite element analyses using SPT or PMT derived input parameters provided poor settlement estimates. The Mohr–Coulomb (elastoplastic) model, accounting for overconsolidation, provided better estimates than the hardening soil (hyperbolic-cap) model for all insitu test derived parameters.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Florida Department of Transportation (RPWO-14, BC-354) under directorship of the project coordinator Peter Lai. Landy Rahelison, currently of Madagascar, performed settlement analysis and assisted with the load testing. Others contributing to the field load testing were: Mike Muchard and Don Robertson of Applied Foundation Testing, Brian Hathaway of Mactec Engineering, Danny Brown, Scott Jacobs, Josh Logan, of the University of Florida, and Paul Bullock of GRL Engineers.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 12 • December 2007
Pages: 1494 - 1502
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Apr 27, 2006
Accepted: Aug 23, 2006
Published online: Dec 1, 2007
Published in print: Dec 2007
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