Module 9 : Foundation on rocks

FOUNDATION ON ROCKS

Content

9.1 INTRODUCTION
9.2 FOUNDATION TYPES ON ROCKS
9.3 BEARING CAPCITY- SHALLOW FOUNDATION
9.3.1 Ultimate bearing capacity
9.3.2 Safe bearing pressure
9.3.3 Estimation of bearing capacity
9.3.4 Analysis of bearing capacity on rock
9.4 PRESSURE BULBS - IN ELASTIC HALF PLANE
9.5 DESIGN REQUIREMENTS - FOUNDATIONS
9.6 SETTLEMENT IN ROCKS
9.7 ROCK SOCKETED PIERS

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LECTURE 31

9.1 INTRODUCTION
Usually rocks are considered to be a good foundation material and strength is rarely
an issue while designing any structure over rock. But, inherently rocks comes with
weaknesses and that comes the real challenges for the design. Moreover, if the load is really
very large such as in cases of heavy bridge piers or sky scrapers etc., the bearing capacity
may need to be checked specially for rocks which rocks is weak or moderately strong.
Sometimes, rocks may have defects, or inherently weak like chalks, clay shales or clay bands,
friable sandstones, tuffs or porous limestones, or sometimes rocks may be highly weathered
or fractured, such situations heavy foundation load may develop excessive deformation which
is undesirable. Settlement of more than 20mm has also been observed with foundation
pressure of even lesser than 10kPa (Sowers, 1977).
There are issues with the rock foundations specially if the rocks are decomposed, in
karstic limestone which are soluble, rocks with faults, weathered rock with or without filling
material, fractured/ fissured rocks etc. (figure 1). Figure 1(a) is an ideal condition for rock
foundation construction as the rock is relatively strong with no fracture, having clearly
defined bedrock surface and is smooth and horizontal. Figure 1(b-f) depicts different
problematic rocks for foundation construction.
One of the example, where failure happens due to problematic rock below foundation
is St. Francis Dam failure, California 1928. This concrete gravity dam constructed in 1926
and collapsed in 1928. Failed primary due to existence of weak rocks below. Rock was
Schists and soft argillaceous conglomerate separated by a distinct fault. Its crushing strength
was less than 4MPa. Conglomerate also did have veins of gypsum, a soluble mineral. Dam
was founded on schist, not considered reliable founding rock. Conglomerate below the
reservoir caused enormous leakage of stored water leading to the failure.

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a) Ideal situation b) Decomposed c) Karstic limestone

d) Faulted rock e) Weathered rock with residual soil f) Fractured rock

Figure 9.1 : Different problematic rocks (Goodman, 1997)

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a) Before failure

a) After failure

Figure 9.2: Photograph of St. Francis dam, California, USA.

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Figure 9.3: Geological section at the site of St.Francis dam, California, USA.

Many other dams across the world failed due to improper investigation, wrong planning and
design of foundation. Definite for the safe design of any dam, one of the important aspect to
be considered is rock mechanics principles and geology of the site.

9.2 FOUNDATION TYPES ON ROCKS

Different type of foundation may be constructed in rock, may be categorized in three groups,

• Shallow foundation
• Deep/Pile foundation
• Rock socketed piers
Failure in rock foundations may happen in a number of modes. Mode of hard, brittle rock
may be totally different than the mode observed from weak rocks. More ever, if
joints/fissures are present, same rock may again have a totally different mode of failure.
Rocks are weak in tension and therefore the propagation of extension cracks leads to
indentation of the loaded foundation on rock. Once the load reaches the tensile strength of
the rock crack initiates, further loading may extends the crack and with still higher load,
cracks coalesce and interfere leading to eventual failure. Foundation on rock masses
undergoes additional permanent deformation due to the closure of the fissures, pores and
cracks. Below shown figures different failure modes observed in rocks. (Goodman, 1989).

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Footing

SOIL

ROCK

(a) Footing on rock

Load
Pile cap
Structure
Fill

Soil

Rock

(b) End bearing piles resting on rock

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Rock socketed
pier

Clayey soil

Sandy soil

Medium clay
Stiff clay

Rock Socket

Rock

c) Rock socketed pier

Figure 9.4: Different type of foundations, a) Footing on rock b) End bearing piles
resting on rock c) Rock socketed pier

9.3 BEARING CAPACITY

The bearing capacity of foundations founded on rock masses depends mostly on the
ratio of joint spacing to foundation width, as well as intact and rock mass qualities like joint
orientation, joint condition (open or closed), rock type, and intact and mass rock strengths. To
perform satisfactorily, shallow foundations on rock must have two main characteristics.
They have to be safe against overall shear failure in the rock mass that supports them. They
cannot undergo excessive displacement, or settlement. Hence, there are two criteria for
design, Sliding and shear failure and Settlement. Rock bearing capacity mentioned in various
building codes are basically approximate values and it is advisable to go for the bearing
capacity based on measurement of some particular parameters using insitu & laboratory tests.

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Cracking

shearing

Figure 9.3: Different failure modes for foundation on rock a) Cracking b) crushing c)
Wedgeing d) Puching e) shearing

Different failure modes are possible for a footing on rock (Ladanyi, 1972). Cracking
happens, if the rock mass is relatively un-fractured. After crack initiates, further loading
extend cracks, and at still higher load, cracks coalesce and interfere and eventually crush
under additional increment of load. Due to dilatancy effect, cracked and crushed rock under
the loaded area expands outward, eventually generating some radial networks of cracks
(wedges) propagating upto surface. Additionally, in compressible seams or weakly cemented
sedimentary rocks due to heavy load, irreversible settlement without cracking and wedging,
known as punching failure.

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9.3.1 Ultimate bearing capacity

As per old US building codes, the ultimate bearing capacity (the load per unit area of the
foundation at which shear failure/sliding in rock mass occurs).
Soft rock 1.4 MPa

Medium rock 2.4 MPa

Hard rock 4.8 MPa

Effect of fracture intensity on bearing capacity can be estimated using RQD,

RQD >90% No reduction

%50 <RQD< 90% Reduce by a factor 0.27-0.7

RQD <50% Reduce by a factor 0.25-0.1

If clay seems are found further reduction is made.

Allowable load will depend on many factors,

a) Occurrences During Excavation

• Undulating rock surface below a level ground;

• Heterogeneity of rock mass (the bearing capacity may vary up to 10 times in
apparently the same rock mass because of presence of localized fractures/shear
zones/clay gauge/clay
• weathering/alternate hard land soft beds, etc.
• Solution and gas cavities;
• Wetting, swelling and softening of shales / phyllite & expansive clays,
• Bottom heave;
• Potential unstable conditions of the slope and
• High in situ horizontal stresses.

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b) Adjacent Construction Activities

• Blasting (Controlled blasting techniques such as line drilling, cushion blasting and
pre-splitting are available if it is necessary to protect the integrity of the work just
outside the excavation);
• Excavation
• Ground water lowering ( excepting in highly pervious sedimentary rock, this
phenomenon is rare in most of igneous and metamorphic rocks ) and

c) Other Effects
• Scour and erosion ( in case of abutments and piers );
• Frost action
• Flooding (only erodible rocks like sale and phyllite ) and
• Undesirable seismic response of the foundation.

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