Texas Tech University

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Chapter 8:
Shallow FoundationsSynthesis
Priyantha Jayawickrama,

Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Spread Footings-Geotechnical
Design

8.1 Design for Concentric Downward

Loads
8.2 Design for Eccentric or Moment Loads
8.3 Design for Shear Loads
8.4 Design for Wind or Seismic Loads
8.5 Lightly Loaded Footings
8.6 Footing on or Near Slopes
8.7 Footings on Frozen Soils
8.8 Footings on Soils Prone to Scour
8.9 Footings on Rock

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Design for Concentric Downward

Loads

Allowable Bearing Pressure Method

Design Chart Method

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Foundation Depth

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Minimum Depth
Square & Rectangular Footings

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Minimum Depth-Continuous
Footings

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Other Considerations; Minimum

Depth

Depth to competent soil

Depth of frost penetration (Figure 8.15)
Presence of expansive soils
Potential for scour
Possibility of a shallow landslide

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Considerations; Maximum Depth

Potential undermining existing

foundations, utility lines etc.

Desire to avoid ground water table

Desire to avoid the need for excavation
shoring

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Allowable Bearing Pressure Method

Allowable bearing pressure, qa is the
largest bearing pressure that satisfies
both bearing capacity and settlement
criteria.

Select depth of embedment, D

Determine the allowable bearing
pressure based on bearing capacity
analysis using the smallest applied load
CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Allowable Bearing Pressure Method

Determine the allowable bearing

pressure based on settlement analysis
using the largest applied load

Select qa as the lower value of the two

allowable bearing pressures.

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Example 8.1

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Example 8.1

A site for a new parking garage; an

urban re-development project

Column loads range from 250k to 900k

a = 1.0 inches and Da = 0.6 inches

Site was occupied with old commercial

buildings

Old buildings were demolished and

their basements backfilled with SW,
sandy silt, silty sands

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Example 8.1

A series of five exploratory borings

Estimated OCR = 3 and N60 = 60

C= 0 and =35

GWT at depth of 200 ft

Upper 10ft excavated and recompacted
to provide uniform support

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Example 8.1

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Design Chart Method

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design