Problem Set: Foundation Engineering

(IMPORTANT)
Instructions: Using Engineering handwriting, copy first the following problem before presenting your
solution. Use long bond paper and provide about ½ inch imaginary margin on all sides. Show
your solutions neatly and provide graph or diagram if possible. Erasures are prohibited. Deadline
of submission is on July 11, 2019 at 9:00 am. Late submissions will not be accepted. Failure to
meet the above requirements may force me to not accept your work and for you having a failing
grade of 40% for this test.

Box your final answers only. Any final answer with no clear solution and not written in the box
will not be accepted. One point will be given for each correct answer (35 points in total). You
must get at least 60% of the total number of points to passed this test.

1. The foundation of the new structure is to be laid on a bed of sand overlying a layer of saturated
clay 1.5 meters thick. Below the clay layer is another bed of coarse sand. The effective
overburden pressure at the middle of the clay layer before construction of the foundation is 100
kN/m². Due to foundation loading an additional increase of 100 kN/m² in vertical pressure is
expected at the middle of the clay layer.

An undisturbed sample of clay, 2 cm thick was tested in a floating ring consolidation apparatus
with opportunity of drainage both ways. Under a pressure of 100 kN/m², the total change in
thickness was 0.06 cm and under 200 kN/m², it was 0.1 cm. The time taken for 50% of the total
settlement to occur under the 200 kN/m² pressure was 1 hour. Compute (1) Coefficient of
volume decrease for the range of 100 to 200 kN/m², (2) ultimate settlement of clay bed, (3) time
required for 50% of the ultimate settlement.

2. A two meter thick saturated clay layer is sandwiched between two highly pervious layers of
coarse sand. When a building is constructed on the ground surface, it starts settling due to the
consolidation of the clay layer. If the average coefficient of consolidation of clay is 4.5 x 10 -4
cm²/sec, in how many days will the building reach half of its final settlement?

3. Sub-surface exploration at the site of a proposed building reveals the existence of a 2.4 meters
thick layer of soft clay below a stratum of coarse sand which is 4 meters thick and extends from
the ground surface upto the top of the clay layer. The ground water table is at 2.5 meters below
the ground surface. Laboratory tests indicate the natural water content of clay as 40%, average
liquid limit 45% and specific gravity 2.75. Also, the clay is proved to be normally consolidated.
The unit weights of sand above and below the water table are respectively 17.8 kN/m³ and 21.0
kN/m³. Estimate the probable final settlement of the building, if its construction will increase
the average vertical pressure on the clay layer by 71 kN/m².
4. A 20 mm thick undisturbed sample of a saturated clay is tested in the laboratory with drainage
being allowed both through the top and bottom faces. The sample reaches 50% degree of
consolidation in 60 minutes. If the clay layer from which the sample was obtained is 4 meters
thick and is free to drain through both top and bottom surface, calculate the time required by
the clay layer to undergo the same degree of consolidation. What would have been the time of
consolidation if the clay layer were free to drain only through its top surface? Assume uniform
distribution of consolidating pressure.

5. Two identical specimen of a soil were tested in triaxial apparatus. First specimen failed at a
deviator stress of 770 kN/m² when the cell pressure was 200 kN/m², while the second specimen
failed at a deviator stress of 1370 kN/m² under a cell pressure of 400 kN/m². (a) Determine the
value of cohesion and angle of friction for the soil. (b) If the same soil is tested in a direct shear
apparatus, estimate the shear at which the sample will fail under a normal stress of 600 kN/m².

6. Consolidated undrained triaxial tests are performed on two identical specimens of saturated,
remoulded clay with pore pressure measurements. The observations are recorded in the table
below:

Test No. Consolidation Cell pressure at Deviator stress Pore pressure at

Pressure (kPa) failure (kPa) at failure (kPa) failure (kPa)
1 250 250 179 101
2 350 350 242 145

Determine the values of the shear strength parameters, cohesion and friction, for the clay both
in terms of total and effective stresses. If in the consolidated undrained test, an identical
specimen is first consolidated under a cell pressure of 400 kPa, what would be the deviator
stress at failure?

7. A 5-meter high vertical wall supports a cohesive backfill with upper horizontal surface. The
properties of the backfill are as follows:

Upper 3 meters depth:

γsat = 17.6 kN/m³; c = 7.5 kN/m²; φ = 20°

Lower 2 meters depth:

γsat = 19.2 kN/m³; c = 10 kN/m²; φ = 20°

The free water level stands behind the wall at a depth of 4 meters from top. Neglecting negative
pressure up to a depth of tension cracks, determine the total active pressure and its point of
application.

8. Calculate the passive earth pressure per meter length against a 5 meter high retaining wall if it is
pushed towards a clayey backfill (c = 25 kPa and φ = 30°) with horizontal top, flush with the top
of the wall. The backfill carries a surcharge of intensity 40 kPa and weighs 18 kN/m³. Find also
the point of application of this pressure.
9. A strip footing 1.6 meter wide rests on the surface of a dry cohesionless soil having φ = 17° and γ
= 18 kN/m³. If the flood causes the water table to rise temporarily to the surface, what
percentage of the ultimate bearing capacity is reduced. Take Nγ = 4

10. Figure below shows a soil profile consisting of two layers of clay, and two layers of sand, all of
which are completely submerged. Compute the total settlement under a uniform load of 120
kN/m², well distributed over a large area. Given the following properties:

(a) Sand Layers:

γsat = 20.86 kN/m²

(b) Clay Layers:

ω = 38%; Cc = 0.26; Gs = 2.72

11. A saturated soil stratum 6 meters thick lies above an impervious stratum and below a pervious
stratum. It has a compression index of 0.28 and a coefficient of permeability of 3.5 x 10 -4
cm/sec. its void ratio at a stress of 150 kN/m² is 1.95. Determine:
(a) The change in void ratio due to an increase in stress to 210 kN/m²
(b) Settlement of the soil stratum due to the above increase in stress
(c) Time required for 50 percent consolidation
Assume time factor for 50 percent consolidation as 0.20
12. A retaining wall 6 meters high retains sand with φ = 30° and unit weight of 24 kN/m³ up to a
depth of 3 meters from the top. From 3 meters to 6 meters, the material is a cohesive soil with c
= 20 kN/m² and φ = 20°. Unit weight of cohesive soil is 18 kN/m³. A uniform surcharge of 100
kN/m² acts on the top of soil. Determine the total lateral force acting on the wall and its point of
application.

13. A retaining wall with soft saturated clay backfill is 7 meters high. For the undrained condition (φ
= 0) of the backfill, determine:
(a) The maximum depth of the tensile crack
(b) The active force before the tensile crack occurs
(c) The active force after the occurrence of the tensile crack
Use γ = 16 kN/m³; cu = 17 kN/m²

14. For the retaining wall shown below

(a) Calculate the factor of safety against overturning
(b) Calculate the factor of safety against sliding
(c) Calculate the factor of safety against bearing
For a more conservative design, neglect the forces on the passive side of the wall
15. A rectangular footing 2m x 3m rests on a c-φ soil, with its base at 1.5m below the ground
surface. Calculate the safe bearing capacity, using a factor of safety of 3 on net ultimate bearing
capacity. The soil has the following parameters: γ = 18 kN/m³; c = 10 kN/m²; φ = 30°. Use the
modified Terzaghi’s equation.

16. A square footing located at a depth of 1.5m from the ground surface carries a column load of
150 kN. The soil is submerged having an effective unit weight of 11 kN/m³ and an angle of
shearing resistance of 30°. Find the size of the footing using Terzaghi’s equation, if FS = 3; for φ =
30°, Nq = 10 and Nγ = 6

17. A square footing 1.2m x 1.2m rests at a depth of 1m in a saturated clay layer 4m deep. The clay
is normally consolidated, having an unconfined compressive strength of 40 kN/m². The soil has a
liquid limit of 30%, γsat = 17.8 kN/m³, ω = 28% and Gs = 2.68. Determine the load which the
footing can carry safely with a factor of safety of 3 against shear. Also, determine the settlement
if the footing is loaded with this safe load. Use Terzaghi’s equation