CHAPTER 2

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 2.0 STRESSES IN SOIL

 There are two types of stress in soil.

(i) The stress due to soil’s own weight, normally called

the in-situ stress or overburden pressure, and

(ii) the change of stress due to applied load.

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 2.1 Introduction (the change of
stress due to applied load)
 Stress influence extends both downward & outward
within the soil in the general area where the load is
applied.

 The increase in pressure in the soil at any horizontal

plane below the load is the greatest directly under
the load & diminishes outward.

 Pressure  as depth .

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 2.1 Introduction (type of applied loading)

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 Load

A Ground surface

1 3 5 7 9

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 2-1 Introduction
 Distribution of stress is important with regard to
stability analysis & settlement analysis of foundations

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2-2 Vertical pressure below a concentrated
load (point load)
 Two methods for calculating pressure below a
concentrated load
 Westergaard equation
 Boussinesq equation
 Both result from theory of elasticity
 Both assume stress is proportion to strain

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 2-2 Vertical pressure below a
concentrated load
 Westergaard equation
Q (1  2 ) /( 2  2  )
z 
 
eqn 2 - 1
2z (1  2 ) /( 2  2  )  (r / z )
2 2 3/ 2

 z  verticalstress at depth, z Q

Q  concentrated load

  Poisson' s ratio z

z  depth
z
r  horizontal distance from point of application of x
r
q
P to point at which p is desired
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2-2 Vertical pressure below a
concentrated load
 Westergaard equation (cont’d)
 z, the vertical stress at depth z resulting from load Q is
also known as vertical stress increment
 Stress existing prior to application of the load is the
overburden pressure

If Poisson' s ratio is taken to be zero, eqn 2 - 1 reducesto

Q
z 
z 1  2(r / z ) 
eqn 2 - 2
2 2 3/ 2

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2-2 Vertical pressure below a
concentrated load
 Boussinesq Equation
3Q
 z


2z 1  (r / z )
2

2 5/ 2
eqn 2 - 3

 For low r/z ratios, the Boussinesq equation gives higher

values of p than those resulting from the Westergaard
equation

 The Boussinesq Equation is more widely used

 To simplify computation efforts, stress influence

factors which are related to r/z are used
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 2-2 Vertical pressure below a
concentrated load
 Westergaard equation is simplified to
Q Q
 z

z 2 1  2(r / z ) 
2 3/ 2
 2 Iw
z
eqn 2 - 4

I w is the stress influence factor for the Westergaard equation

 The Boussinesq equation can also be written as

3Q P
 z


2z 2 1  (r / z ) 
2 5/ 2
 2 IB
z
eqn 6 - 5

I B is the stress influence factor for the Boussinesq equation

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 2-2 Vertical pressure below a
concentrated load
 Values of IW and IB for different values of r/z can be
determined from the figure below

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 Example 2-1
 A concentrated load of 2500 kN is applied to the
ground surface
 Determine the vertical stress increment due to this
load at a depth of 6 m directly below the load
Q = 2500 kN

z=6 m

r=0
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 Example 2-1 Solution
Given z  6m
r 0
Q  2500 kN
From eqn 6 - 3,
3Q
 z  2z 2 1  (r / z ) 2 5 / 2
 
(3)(2500 kN)
 z (2) (6 m) 2 [1  (0 / 6 m) 2 ]5 / 2
  33. 2 kN/m 2

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 Example 2-1
Solution (cont’d)
 Alternatively, using the chart

With r/z  0, I B  0.48

From eqn 6.5
Q
 z  z2 IB
2500 kN
 z (6 m ) 2
  0. 48  33.3 kN/m 2

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 Example 2.2(Problem)
 Given :
 A concentrated load 2500 kN is applied to the ground
surface.
 Required
 The vertical stress increment due to this load at a point 6 m
below the ground surface and 5 m from the line of the
concentrated load (i.e. r= 5 m, z = 6 m, as illustrated in
Figure 2.4 (Use Boussinesq’s Eqn.)
 Calculate using equation and chart.

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 Example 2.2 (Problem)
Q= 2500 kN

Z= 6 m

r=5m

Figure 2.4
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 2-3 Vertical pressure below a
loaded surface area
 Very often concentrated loads are not applied directly
onto soil
 Instead, concentrated loads rest on footings, piers, etc
& the load is applied in the form of uniform load
 Two methods for computing vertical pressure below a
loaded surface area
 Approximate method
 Elastic theory

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 2-3 Vertical pressure below a
loaded surface area
 Approximate method
 This method is based on the assumption that the area
(in the horizontal plane) of stress below a concentrated
load increases with depth

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 2-3 Vertical pressure below a loaded
surface area (cont’d)
 Approximate method, simple method, 2:1 method
 Stress at depth z is given by

Q
 z  eqn 2 - 6
( B  z )( L  z )
 z  approxim ate verticalstress at depth z
Q  total load

B  width

L  length

z  depth

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 2-3 Vertical pressure below a
loaded surface area
 Approximate method (cont’d)
 Because Q, L and B are constants, as depth   z

 This method is considered crude at best

 It may be useful for preliminary stability analysis of
footings
 For settlement analysis, the approximate method may
not be accurate enough

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 Example 2-3
 A 3 m-by-5 m rectangular area carrying a uniform load
of 240 kN/m2 is applied to the ground surface.

 Determine the vertical stress increment due to this

load at a depth of 6 m below the ground surface by the
approximate method

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 Example 2-3
Solution From given,

Q  ( 240 kN/m 2 )( 3 m)( 5 m)  3600 kN

B  3 m, L  5 m, z  6 m
From eqn 2 - 6,

Q
 z 
( B  z )( L  z )
3600 kN
 z   36 .4 kN/m 2

(3 m  6 m)(5 m  6 m)

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 Example 2.4 (Problem)

For a rectangular footing 34m in size carrying a

column load 1500 KN, determine the vertical stress at
depth of 2 m using a 2:1 load distribution method.

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 2-3 Vertical pressure below a
loaded surface area
 Method based on Elastic Theory
 Uniform load on a circular area
 z = depth from centre of circle

 r = radial distance from centre of circle

 a = the radius of circle on which the uniform load acts

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 2.3 Vertical pressure below a
loaded surface area
 Method based on Elastic Theory
 Uniform load on a circular area (cont’d)
 By computing z/a & r/a, the influence coefficient is
determined using the Fig 6.6 or Table 6.1
 This coefficient is multiplied by the uniform load to
determine the pressure at desired point

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 Figure 2.7 Influence
factor for stress
distribution under
circular load
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 Uniform load on a circular area (cont’d)
The integration of Boussinesq equation for stress
distribution under circular footing can be calculated
as:
z = q Iz (2.11)

where Iz is influence factor taken from a chart in Figure

2.7 which is called the bulb method.

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 Example 2-6 (cont’d)
 Soil with a unit weight of 16.97 kN/m3 is loaded on the
ground surface by a uniformly distributed load of 300
kN/m2 over a circular area 4 m in diameter

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 Example 2-6 (cont’d)
 Determine the vertical stress increment due to this
uniform load at a depth of 5 m below the centre of the
circular area
 The total vertical pressure at the same location
(1=o+)

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 Figure 2.7 Influence
factor for stress
distribution under
circular load
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 Example 2-6 (cont’d)
Solution
With a  2m,
r  0m
z  5m
r 0m
 0
a 2m
z 5m
  2.50
a 2m
From figure or table, influence coefficien t  0.200
p  (0.200)(300 kN/m 2 )  60.0 kN/m 2
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 Example 2-6 (cont’d)
Solution (cont’d)

Total vertical pressure

 overburden pressure ( o )  vertical stress increment ( )
 o  z  16.97 kN/m 3 (5 m)  84.8 kN/m 2
Total vertical pressure  84.8  60.0  144.8 kN/m 2

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 Example 2-7 (Problem)
Calculate the stress in a soil element at depth of 4 m due
to a column load of 300 kN at point A and B by using;
(a) Boussinesq formula,
(b) (b) Figure 2.6 to find the stress according to
Boussinesq and Westergaard formulas. Point A is
directly below the load (r = 0) and point B is at a
distance of 1.5 m from point A ( Figure 2.7).

Example 2.7

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 0.5

0.4 Boussinesq
Westergaard
0.3
N

0.2

0.1

0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
r/z

Figure 2.6 Stress distribution under a point load

Solution 2.7
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 2-3 Vertical pressure below a
loaded surface area
 Uniform load on a rectangular area
 z = depth below loaded surface
 A = width of rectangle
 B = length of rectangle
 By computing B/z and A/z, influence coefficient can
be determined using Table 6.2 or Fig 6.8
 Influence coefficient is multiplied by the uniform load
applied to the rectangle area to determine p

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 Vertical pressure below a loaded surface area
Q

Ground surface
B

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 2-3 Vertical pressure below a loaded
surface area
 Uniform load on a rectangular area (cont’d)
 Pressure determined by this method is acting at
depth z directly below a corner of the rectangle
area
 To determine the pressure at points other the
corner, it is accomplished by dividing the area into
rectangles
 The pressure due to each rectangle is add/subtract
accordingly
 The next figure should facilitate understanding

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 2-3 Vertical pressure below a
loaded surface area
 Uniform load on a rectangular area (cont’d)

Fig 2-9 The dot represents the point at which the pressure at
depth z is required
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Figure 2.8 Influence factor
for stress distribution under
rectangular footing

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 Example 2-8
 A 6 m-by-9 m rectangle foundation carrying a uniform
load of 300 kN/m2 is applied to the ground surface
 Determine the vertical stress increment due to this
uniform load at depth of 6 m below the centre of the
loaded area

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 Example 2-8 (cont’d)
Solution
 This corresponds to case II of Fig 2-9, so the area is
divided into 4 equal parts
B  3 m; L  4.5 m; z  6 m
A
B  mz or m 
z
3m
m   0.5
6m
B
L  nz or n 
z
4 .5 m
n  0.75
6m
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 Example 2-8 (cont’d)
Solution (cont’d)
 For 3 m by 4.5 m loaded area from Fig 2.8,
 influence coefficient = 0.107
 By summing the effect of each of the small area

p  (4)(0.107)(300 kN/m 2 )
p  128.4 kN/m 2

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 Example 2-9
 A 1.5 m-by-1.5 m footing located 1 m below the
ground surface as shown in figure carries a load of
650 kN

 Determine the net vertical

stress increment due to this
load at a depth of 5 m below
the centre of the footing

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 Example 2-9 (cont’d)
Solution
 The total area is divided into 4 equal areas, 0.75 m-by-
0.75 m as shown in figure
A  0.75 m; B 0.75 m; z  5 m
A
A  mz or m 
z
0.75 m
m   0.150
5m
B
B  nz or n 
z
0.75 m
n  0.150
5m
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 Example 2-9 (cont’d)
Solution (cont’d)
 Influence coefficient = 0.0103
 As the 1.5 m-by-1.5 m footing consists of 4 smaller
area of areas of 0.75 m-by-0.75 m and each of these
4 areas shares a corner at point A.

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 Example 2-9 (cont’d)
Solution (cont’d)
Net vertical stress increment at footing' s base
650 kN
  (17.32 kN/m 3 )(1 m)  271.6 kN/m 2
(1.5 m)(1.5 m)
p  (4)(0.0103)(net vertical stress increment at the base)
p  (4)(0.0103)(271.6 kN/m 2 )
p  11.2 kN/m 2

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  Example Problem 2.10 (Problem)

 A plan of a building shows areas ABCD and CEFG

carrying uniform pressure of 140 kN/m2 and 70 kN/m2
respectively (Figure P2.10). Determine the vertical
stress 10 m below point X and E

Figure P 2.10

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 Solution
70 kPa
140 kPa
C E
B C

30 m
X
M G
X

A D
K
20 m

Solution 2.10

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 Embankment Loading
 The influence chart to be used for calculating the stress
distribution under trapezoidal loading representing a long
embankment was developed by Osterberg (Figure 2.9).
 The chart can only be used to calculate the stress at the
centerline of the embankment and since the chart only
represents half of the embankment, the stress is:

 z = 2 q Iz

 where q is the weight of the embankment ( q = h f ),

with h is the height of the embankment and f is the unit
weight of the fill.
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 Embankment Loading cont’d

a b

qo

z = 2I qo z
z

Figure 2.10
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 Example 2.11

 If an embankment (Figure P2.11) is to be constructed

on the soil. Compute the additional stress 10 m below
the center of the embankment using Osterberg chart.
The height of the embankment is 3.5 m, and the unit
weight of the compacted soil is 20 kN/m3.
a=5 m b=7 m

h=3.5 m

Figure 2.11 z=10 m

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 Solution

 For the embankment q = h x f = 20 x 3.5 = 70 kN/m2

 At z = 10 m, a/z = 0.5
b/z = 0.7 From Osterberg chart, we get Iz = 0.40

 The stress below the center of the embankment is

 z = 2 Iz qo = 2 x 0.40 x 70 = 56 kN/m2

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2-3 Vertical pressure below a loaded surface
area (strip load)
 Uniform load on a strip area
 Can be determined using figure
beside
 B = strip width
 r = radial horizontal distance
from the strip footing’s centre
line
 z = depth

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 Example 2-12
 Soil with unit weight of 17.92 kN/m3 is located on the
ground surface by a wall footing 1 m wide
 The load of the wall footing is 295 kN/m of wall length
 Determine the:
 vertical stress increment due to the wall footing at a
point 3 m below the edge of the strip
 Total vertical load at the same location

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 Example 2-12
Solution

From figure, with

r 0.5 m
  0.5
B 1m
z 3m
  3.0
B 1m
Influence coefficien t  0.20
  (0.20)(295 kN/m)  59.0 kN/m of wall length

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 Example 2-12
Solution (cont’d)

Total vertical load  overburden pressure ( o )

 vertical stress increment ( )
 o  z
 (17.92 kN/m 3 )(3 m)
 53.8 kN/m 2 , (53.8 kN/m of wall length)

Total vertical load  53.8 kN/m  59.0 kN/m

 112.8 kN/m of wall length

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2-3 Vertical pressure below a loaded surface area

 Uniform load on any area

 Vertical pressure below a
uniform load on any area can be
determined using an influence
chart (see figure) developed by
Newmark based on Boussinesq’s
equation

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Example 2.13

A rectangular foundation 6 x 3 m carries a uniform pressure of

250 kN/m2 is placed near the surface of a soil mass. Determine the
vertical stress at a depth of 3 m:

(a) the corner of the foundation (point A),

(b) below one edge of the foundation (point E),

(c) the center of foundation (point O), and (d) below a

point on the center line 1.5 m outside the long edge of
the foundation (point D).

Use Newmark chart.

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 6m

3m
E
O

1.5 m

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Solution
Q Q length = Depth =3m
L = 6m = 2 x length Q Q
B = 3 m = length Q Q

Q Influence value 0.001 Q

Scale

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61
Solution
Q Q length =Depth =3m
L= 6m = 2 x length Q Q
B = 3 m = length Q Q

Q Influence value 0.001 Q

Scale

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Solution
Q Q length =Depth =3m
L= 6m = 2 x length Q Q
B = 3 m = length Q Q

Q Influence value 0.001 Q

Scale

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63
Solution
Q Q length =Depth =3m
L= 6m = 2 x length Q Q
B = 3 m = length Q Q

Q Influence value 0.001 Q

Scale

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64
Solution

Scale the line QQ on Figure 2.10 to be equal to 3 m (depth in

question)
Draw the base of the foundation according to this scale
Put the points in questions on the center of Newmark chart
Count the number of boxes covered by the graph (foundation base)

For point A N = 196 z = 250 x 0.001 x 196 = 49 kPa

For point E N = 268 z = 250 x 0.001 x 268 = 67 kPa
For point O N = 472 z = 250 x 0.001 x 472 = 118 kPa
For point D N = 122 z = 250 x 0.001 x 12 = 30.5 kPa

Please note: This value may not be correct.

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 Example 2.14 Problem

An L shaped foundation shown in Figure P 2.13 is carrying a uniform load

of 70 kPa. Determine the vertical stress 15 m below point A by using
Newmark chart.

10 m

10 m

15 m

30 m

Figure P 2.14
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 TUTORIAL SOLUTIONS
 Chapter 6TUT.doc

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