Assessment of Foundation Settlement Prediction using Analytical and Numerical Techniques
Authors: Salahudeen AB, Ijimdiya TS, Eberemu AO, Osinubi KJ
DOI Info: N/A
ABSTRACT
There is a longstanding problem of disparities among analytical methods used by foundation engineers to predict footing settlement. Thus, this study compared several analytical methods using numerical techniques as basis. Nine footing embedment depths of 0.6, 2.1, 3.6, 5.1, 6.6, 8.1, 9.6, 11.1 and 12.6 m with applied foundation pressure of 200 kN/m2 using a 2 m x 2 m x 0.4 m pad footing were considered. Standard penetration test (SPT) N-values corrected to the standard average energy of 60% (N60) obtained from the six geo-political zones of Nigeria were used to obtain the input parameters used for the prediction of foundation settlement using analytical and numerical modelling techniques. Three analytical methods (each of empirical, semi-empirical and elastic) and three numerical modelling software based on finite element codes were used to model foundation settlements and their results compared. Footing settlement values of 30.48, 27.27, 24.28, 25.46, 31.85 and 56.26 mm were obtained for the North Central at 2.1 m footing embedment depth for the empirical, semiempirical, elastic, Plaxis 3D, Plaxis 2D and Geo-Studio respectively. The methods considered were rated and the best performance at shallow depths was observed in the semiempirical method proposed by Schmertmann et al. which was recommended for the prediction of foundation settlements.
Affiliations: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
Keywords: Foundation, Settlement, Prediction, Numerical Modelling, Standard Penetration Test, Finite Element Technique
Published date: 2019/06/30
