NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

Module 5

(Lecture 18)
MAT FOUNDATIONS

Topics
1.1 FIELD SETTLEMENT OBSERVATIONS FOR MAT FOUNDATIONS
1.2 COMPENSATED FOUNDATIONS
1.3 Example

FIELD SETTLEMENT OBSERVATIONS FOR MAT FOUNDATIONS

Several field settlement observations for mat foundations are currently available in the literature.
In this section we compare the observed settlements for some mat foundations constructed over
granular soil deposits with those obtained from equations (12 and 13).
Meyerhof (1965) compiled the observed maximum settlements for mat foundations constructed
on sand and gravel, as listed in table 1. In equation (13) if the depth factor, 1 + 0.33( /), is
assumed to be approximately 1,
all (net )

= 0.25

cor

[5.19]

Table 2 shows a comparison of the observed maximum settlements in table 1 and the settlements
obtained from equation (19). For the cases considered the ratio of calculated / observed varies
from 0.84 to 3.6. Thus calculation of the net allowable bearing capacity with equation (12 or 13)
will yield a safe and conservative value.
Stuart and Graham (1975) reported the case history of the 13-story Ashby Institute building of
Queens University, Belfast, Ireland, construction of which began in August 1960. It was
supported by at foundation 180 ft (length) 65 ft (width). Figure 5.5a shows a schematic
diagram of the building cross section. The nature of the subsoil along with the field standard
penetration resistance values at the south end of the building are shown in figure 5.5b. The base
of the mat was constructed about 20 ft below the ground surface.

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Figure 5.5 Ashby Institute Building of Queens University, as reported by Stuart and Graham
(1975); (a) building cross section; (b) subsoil conditions at south end
The variation of the corrected standard penetration number with depth is shown in table 3. Note
that the average cor value between the bottom of the mat and a depth of 30 ft ( /2) is about
17. The engineers estimated the average net dead and live load [equation (16)] at the level of the
mat foundation to be about 3360 lb/ft 2 .
From equation (13)
=

all (net )

0.25cor 1+0.33

[5.20]

Substituting appropriate values into equation (20) yield the settlement at the south end of the
building:
(3360 /1000 )

= (0.25)(17)[1+0.33(20/65)] = 0.72 in.

The construction of the building was completed in February 1964. Figure 5.6 shows the
variation of the mean settlement of the mat at the south end. In 1972 (eight years after
completion of the building) the mean settlement was about 0.55 in. Thus the estimated settlement
of 0.72 in. is about 30% higher than that actually observed.

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Table 1 Observed Maximum Settlement of Mat Foundations on Sand and Gravel
Reference

(ft)

Case
no.

Structure

T. Edison

Rios and
Silva
Sao Paulo, (1948)
Brazil

60

Banco
Brasil

do Rios and
Silva
(1948);
Sao Paulo, Vargas
Brazil
(1961)

Iparanga

cor () all (net ) (kip/ Observed maximum

settlement, (in. )
ft 2 )
15

4.8

0.6

75

18

5.0

1.1

Vargas
(1948)

30

6.4

1.4

C. B. I. Vargas
Esplanada
(1961)

48

22

8.0

1.1

Vargas
(1948)

13

20

4.8

0.5

Schultze
(1962)

74

25

5.0

0.95

Schultze
(1962)

52

20

4.6

0.8

Schultze
(1962)

67

10

3.6

0.4

Sao Paulo,
Brazil
4

Sao Paulo,
Brazil
5

Riscala
Sao Paulo,
Brazil

Thyssen
Dusseldorf,
Germany

Ministry
Dusseldorf,
Germany

Chimney
Cologne,
Germany

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Table 2 Comparison of Settlements Observed and Calculated
Case 1

calculated
observed

Maximum observed
settlement, (in. )
0.6

Calculated settlement,
[equation (19)]

1.1

1.11

1.0

1.4

2.84

2.03

1.1

1.45

1.32

0.5

0.96

1.92

0.95

0.8

0.84

0.8

0.92

1.15

0.4

1.44

3.6

1.28

2.1

Refer to table 1

Table 3 Determination of Corrected Standard Penetration Resistance

Depth
ground
(ft)
20

below Field
standard (ton/ft 2 )
surface penetration
number,
21

1.2

25

22

30

1
=

()

[equation
chapter 2)]

0.91

19

1.5

0.82

18

21

1.8

0.75

16

35

15

2.1

0.69

10

40

20

2.4

0.65

13

45

18

2.7

0.61

11

50

50

3.0

0.58

29

= (depth); = 120 lb/ft 3 (assumed)

Table 4 from chapter 2

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Figure 5.6 Mean settlement at the south end of the mat foundation, as reported by Stuart and
Graham (1975)
COMPENSATED FOUNDATIONS
The settlement of a mat foundation can be reduced by decreasing the net pressure increase on
soil, which can be done by increasing the depth of embedment, . This increase is particularly
important for mats on soft clays, where large consolidation settlements are expected. From
equation (16), the net average applied pressure on soil is

For no increase of the net soil pressure on soil below a raft foundation, should be zero. Thus

[5.21]

This relation for is usually referred to as the depth of a fully compensated foundation.

The factor of safety against bearing capacity failure for partially compensated foundations (that
is, < /) may be given as
=

net ()

net ( )

[5.22]

For saturated clays, the factor of safety against bearing capacity failure can thus be obtained by
substituting equation (10) into equation (22):
=

0.195
1+0.4

5.141+

[5.23]

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

Example 3
Refer to figure 5.4. The mat has dimensions of 60 ft 100 ft. The total dead and live load on the
mat is 25 103 kip. The mat is placed over a saturated clay having a unit weight of 120 lb/ft 3
and = 2800 lb/ft 2 . Given = 5 ft, determine the factor of safety against bearing capacity
failure.
Solution
From equation (23), the factor of safety
=

0.195
1+0.4

5.14 1+

Given: = 2800 lb/ft 2 , = 5 ft, = 60 ft, = 100 ft, and = 120 lb/ft 3 . Hence
=

(0.195 )(60)
5
1+0.4
100
60
25 10 6 lb

(120)(5)
60 100

(5.14)(2800 )1+

Example 4

= 4.66

Consider a mat foundation 90 ft 120 ft in plan, as shown in figure 5.7. The total dead load and
live load on the raft is 45 103 kip. Estimate the consolidation settlement at the center of the
foundation.

Figure 5.7

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Solution
From equation (64 from chapter 1)

= 1+
log

= (11)(100) + (40)(121.5 62.4) +

= 18 12 in.

18
2

(118 62.4) 3964lb/ft 2

= 0.28
= 0.9

For = 45 106 lb, the net load per unit area

4510 6

= = 90120 (100)(6) 3567lb/ft 2

In order to calculate , we refer to section 5. The loaded area can be divided into four areas,
each measuring45 ft 60 ft. Now using equation (19 from chapter 4), we can calculate the
average stress increase in the clay layer below the corner of each rectangular area, or
(2 /1 ) =
= 3567

2 ( 2 ) 1 ( 1 )
2 1

(5+40+18) ( 2 ) (5+40) ( 1 )

For (2 ) ,

18

45

= = 5+40+18 = 0.71

60

= = 63 = 0.95
2

From figure 5.8, for = 0.71 and = 0.95, the value of (2 ) is 0.21. Again, for (1 ) ,

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

Figure 5.8 Conventional rigid mat foundation design

Fig 5.9 (Continued)

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

45

= = 45 = 1

60

= = 45 = 1.33
1

From figure 5.8, (1 ) = 0.225, so

(2 /1 ) = 3567

(63)(0.21)(45)(0.225)
18

= 615.3 lb/ft 2

So, the stress increase below the center of the 90 ft 120 ft area is (4)(615.3) = 2461.2 lb/ft 2 .
Thus
=

(0.28)(1812)
1+0.9

3964+2461 .2

log

3964

= 6.68 in.