Chapter Eight
Stresses in a Soil Mass
1. Stress caused by a point load:
3p z3 v 2 (r 2 z 2 ) 5/2
or
v 1 2 z 2 [(1 ( r ) 2 ]5/2 z 3p
where,
r x 2 y2
Example 1: Three point loads, shown in figure, calculate the increase in vertical stress at point B. Solution: For the effect of p2
3p z3 v 2 (r 2 z 2 ) 5/2
P1=150 t P2=125 t P3=150 t
3m 4m
4m
z = 3 m and r = 0
3 *125 33 v 6.631t/m 2 2 (0 2 32 ) 5/2
For the effect of p1, z= 3 m and r x 2 y 2 42 02 4m
3*150 33 v 0.619t/m 2 2 (42 32 )5/2
v total 6.631 2 * 0.619 7.869t/m 2
2. Vertical stress caused by a uniform line load:
v 2q z[(x/z) 2 1]2
or
v 2 q/z [(x/z) 2 1]2
Example 2: For the point A, shown in figure below calculate the increase of vertical stress due to the two line loads. Solution:
v1 2q1 z[(x/z) 1]
2 2
2 * 20 2[(2 / 2) 1]
2 2
1.592
v2
2q 2 z[(x/z) 1]
2 2
2 * 30 2[(6 / 2) 1]
2 2
0.095
v total v1 v2 1.592 0.095 1.687 kN/m 2
3. Vertical stress caused by a uniform strip load: (finite width and infinite length)
Example 3: q = 200 kN/m2, B = 6m, and z = 2m. Determine the vertical stress increase at 9, 6, 3, and 0. Solution: a = B/2 = 6/2 = 3m
v q
x 9 6
x/a 3 2
z/a 0.67 0.67
0.1 0.2
20 40
3
0
1
0
0.67
0.67
0.71
0.93
142
186
4. Vertical stress caused by a triangular strip load:
5. Vertical stress caused by a uniformly loaded circular area:
Example 4: A circular foundation of diameter 10m transmits a uniform contact pressure of 150 kN/m2 . plot the following vertical stress profiles induced by this loading: a) beneath the center, down to 10m, and b) on a horizontal plane 6m below the foundation, between the center and a distance of 12m from the center.
Solution: a) the vertical stress at various depths below the center of the foundation
z, m z/R qv/qs qv 0 0 1 150 1 0.2 0.97 145.5 2 0.4 0.92 138 3 0.6 0.85 4 0.8 0.75 5 1 0.64 96 6 1.2 0.54 81 7 1.4 0.46 69 8 1.6 0.39 58.5 9 1.8 0.34 51 10 2 0.28 42
127.5 112.5
b) the vertical stress values on a horizontal plane 6m, below the foundation for various offsets from center. z/R = 6/5 = 1.2
0 0 0.54 81 1 0.2 0.53 79.5 2 0.4 0.5 75 3 0.6 0.45 67.5 4 0.8 0.38 57 5 1 0.3 45 6 1.2 0.22 33 8 1.6 0.14 21 10 2 12 2.4
x, m x/R qv/qs qv
0.06 0.035 9 5.25
6. Vertical stress caused by a uniform rectangular loaded area:
Example 5: The plan of a rectangular foundation shown below transmits a uniform contact pressure of 120 kN/m2. Determine the vertical stress induced by this loading: (a) at a depth of 10m below point A, and (b) at a depth of 5m below B.
Solution: )a(
v (A) v1 v2 v3 v4
q [f(m, n) 1 f(m, n) 2 f(m, n) 3 f(m, n) 4 ]
Rectangle 1 2 3 4 m = B/z 10/10 = 1 10/10 = 1 5/10 = 0.5 5/10 = 0.5 n = L/z 5/10 = 0.5 20/10 = 2 20/10 = 2 5/10 = 0.5 F(m,n) 0.12 0.199 0.135 0.085
v (A) 120(0.12 0.199 0.135 0.085) 64.68 kN/m2
)b(
v (B) q [f(m, n)1 f(m, n) 2 f(m, n) 3 f(m, n) 4 ]
Rectangle 1 2 3 4
m = B/z 19/5 = 3.8 19/5 = 3.8 4/5 = 0.8 4/5 = 0.8
n = L/z 31/5 = 6.2 6/5 = 1.2 31/5 = 6.2 6/5 = 1.2
f(m,n) 0.2478 0.216 0.185 0.165
v (B) 120(0.2478 0.216 0.185 0.165) 1.416 kN/m2
Example 6: Plan view of a loading shown in the figure below. Find the vertical stress increase at a depth of 10 m below point A. Solution:
Example 7: The flexible area is uniformly loaded. Given: q = 300 kN/m2. Determine the vertical stress increase at point A.
Solution:
v (A) v1 v2 v3
for semicircle part (area 1)
z 3 2 , and R 1.5
x 0 0 R 1.5
from figure
v 0.29 q
v1 0.29 * 0.5 * 300 43 .5
for rectangular part (area 1 and 2)
m L 8 2.667 z 3
, and n B
z
1 .5 0.5 , from figure , f(m,n) = 0.136 3
v2, 3 0.136 * 2 * 300 81.6
v (A) 43.5 81.6 125.1 kN/m 2
7. Influence (Newmark) chart for vertical stress distribution:
8. Approximate methods for stress distribution (2:1 method)
also called as (linear stress distribution)
qBL (B Z)(L Z)
qD 2 (D Z)
2
for rectangular or square
for circular
Example 9: A 4.5 m2 foundation exerts a uniform pressure of 200 kN/m2 on a soil, determine, the v due to the load to a depth of 10m below its center using: 1. m,n chart method 2. approximate method 3. Newmark chart at depth of 5m.
Solution: (1)
z
2.5
m = B/z
2.25/2.5 = 0.9
n = L/z
0.9
f(m,n)
0.1625
4* f(m,n) v 4 * f(m, n) * q
0.65 130
5 7.5
10
2.25/5 = 0.45 2.25/7.5 = 0.3
2.25/10 = 0.225
0.45 0.3
0.225
0.074 0.0375
0.023
0.296 0.15
0.092
59.2 30
18.4
(2)
qBL 200 * 4.5 * 4.5 82.65kN/m 2 (B Z)(L Z) (4.5 2.5)(4.5 2.5)
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
v
(3)
82.65
44.875
28.125
19.263
No. of elements enclosed by plan = 13.9 for one quarter
I = 0.005
v No. of elements * I * q 4 *13.9 * 0.005 * 200 55.6 kN/m2
Problem 1: (H.W.) foundation exerts a uniform pressure of 175 kN/m2 on a soil, determine, the v due to the load to a depth of 8m below points A, O, and P.
Problem 2: (H.W.)
The footing shown in the figure below is subjected to a uniform load of 300 kPa. Calculate the vertical stress increase at a depth of 3m below its center and point A.
A raft foundation of the size given in carries a uniformly distributed load of 300 kN/m2. Estimate the vertical pressure increase at a depth 9 m below the point A.
18m
R3
16.5m
Determine the stress increase at depth of 5m below point A if the q= 175 kPa
7.5
10
20m
15m
