BRIDGES: GEOTECHNICAL DESIGN CRITERIA FOR SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS

1. Introduction
An adequate foundation should support the superstructure with an adequate margin of safety
against shear strength failure of the underlying ground while limiting the anticipated movements
to within values commensurate with serviceability. The below design criteria are defined
collectively mainly after AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications 2012.

2. Bearing resistance
The factored resistance qR shall be taken as

qR = b qn

(10.6.3.1.1-1)

where:
b = resistance factor specified in table 10.5.5.2.2-1
qn = nominal bearing resistance

Notwithstanding the above, a conservative minimum safety factor of 3.0 against a bearing
capacity type failure will be adopted.

3. Foundation Depth

The minimum foundation depth shall not be less than 1.5 m below the natural ground
level or finished grade level whichever is the deepest.
The foundation shall be located to bear below the maximum anticipated depth of scour,
erosion or undermining (10.6.1.2)
As a general rule, foundations shall not rest on too soft or weak soil. Alternatively, the
unsuitable material shall be replaced and replaced with properly compacted engineered
fill. (C10.6.1.1).

4. Serviceability Criteria
4.1.

Tolerable movement

The angular distortion between adjacent foundations shall be as follows: (C10.5.2.2)

0.008 rad (1:125)
0.004 rad (1:250)

for simple spans

for continuous spans

In addition to the requirement of AASHTO for serviceability provided above, the following
criteria according to (WSDOT Geotechnical design Manual) shall also be considered in the
evaluation of the impact of the calculated settlement on the supported super-structure.

Total
Settlement
at Pier or
Abutment
H 25 mm
25 mm < H
100 mm

Differential Settlement Over 100

Feet (30m) within Pier or
Abutment, and Differential
Settlement Between Piers
H100 18.75 mm

H > 100 mm

H100 > 75 mm

4.2.

18.75 mm < H100 75 mm

Action
Design and Construct
Ensure structure can
tolerate settlement
Obtain Approval prior
to proceeding with
design and
construction

Settlement Analysis:

4.2.1.Methodology for Cohesionless Foundation Soils

Shallow foundation settlement resting on cohesionless soils shall be estimated using

elastic theory or empirical procedures.
The magnitude of elastic settlement is estimated as a function of the applied stress
beneath the footing and the corrected SPT blow count or deformation modulus.
According to MJ TOMLISON, a correction to the total immediate settlement shall be
applied to account for the foundation rigidity (I R) and depth factor (ID). The total corrected
elastic settlement ( corrected) can be corrected as follows:

corrected

= IR . ID.

calculated

4.2.2.Influence Depth
For settlement calculation purposes, the depth of influence to be considered shall be the
greater of the following (both measured from bottom of base of shallow foundation):

Three times the footing width (C10.6.2.4.2)

The depth where additional stress due to the foundation load is equal to or
less than 20% of overburden stress.

4.2.3.Foundation Rigidity Factor (IR)

The stress distribution used to calculate elastic settlement assumes footing is

based on a totally flexible loaded area. According to ACI, he relative stiffness
factor (Kr) can be used to evaluate the relative rigidity of structural foundation. The
following formula (Meyerhof 1953) may be used to estimate the relative rigidity:

Kr=

EC I B
E S B3

Where:
EC IB = Foundation stiffness
Es B3 = Soil stiffness

if Kr 1.0 then the foundation is rigid.

In case of rigid foundation the calculated total immediate settlement at the center
of shallow foundation can reduced by a rigidity factor IR equal to 0.8 after
Tomlinson, 1996).

4.2.4.Foundation Depth Factor (ID)

A correction is applied to the calculated settlement in the form of depth factor ID. This

depends on the depth to area ration and the length to breadth ration of the
foundation.

Depth factor ( I D )=

Corrected settlement for a foundation at depth D

Calculated settlement for surface foundation

4.2.5.Deformation Modulus of Cohesionless Soils and Rock

Granular Soil Deformation Modulus (Es)
The measured SPT blow-count shall be used to obtain the modulus of elasticity (Es) and
Poissons ratio for normally consolidated granular soil according to the empirical relationships in
table C10.4.6.3-1, and could be summarized in metric units as follows:
Es = 0.7 to 1.17 N MN/m2 (where N=SPT blow-count corrected)

The measured SPT blow counts shall be corrected for the overburden effect as follows:
N160 = CN N60
Where:
'

40/ V

CN = 0.77 log , and CN 2.0

10

Rock Mass Deformation Modulus (Em):

The elastic modulus of a rock mass (Em) shall be calculated according to the following equation:

Em = 10
Em

RMR10
40

= Elastic modulus of the rock mass (Gpa)

RMR

= Rock mass rating specified in Table 10.4.6.4-1,3