Geotechnical Design of Building Foundations
By: Austin Almiranez, Loren Docena, Jordan Mai, and Kylar Eubanks
Department: Civil Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Timothy D’Orazio
We analyzed and compared two sites given various soil, fill, and foundation parameters in order to predict the center settlement of a structure over time. Site 1 consisted of multiple layers of fine and coarse material which resulted in a double drainage system. Site 2 consisted of a single layer of coarse grain material on top of a clay layer that is underlined by bedrock which resulted in a single drainage system. Both sites are evaluated after a layer of either sand or gravel fill is placed on top of the soil area over a certain period of time to act as a surcharge. A surcharge load, typically consisting of fill material, is placed on the designated area in order to exert pressures on the underlying soft soil. Soft soils have a low bearing capacity and may be susceptible to consolidation resulting in large settlements when subjected to building loads. In order to build on soft soil deposits, a surcharge load is added on top of the soil prior to building construction to prevent large or differential settlements and potential damage to the structures. Site types were also studied and calculated of their bearing capacity for punch-through failure foundation. The cost and amount of settlement were put into consideration in which type of foundation design is the best for a client.