NAME OF DEPT: Department of Civil Engineering

Subject Code: 12CE53

Course Title: Foundation Engineering

Total No of Hrs: 60
Pre-requisite: Soil mechanics

Hours per week: 4

Credits: 04 (3-1-0)

Course Objective:
To learn about types and purposes of different foundation systems and structures.
To provide students with exposure to the systematic methods for designing foundations.
To build the necessary theoretical background for design and construction of foundation systems.
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UNIT-1 SITE INVESTIGATION AND SOIL EXPLORATION: Scope and objectives,

planning, reconnaissance, methods of subsurface exploration test pits, seismic refraction,
Auguring and boring depth of boring, spacing of bore hole. Sampling, types of samples
undisturbed, disturbed and representative samples, samplers split spoon sampler, thin tube
sampler, stationary piston sampler, bore log report, data interpretation (Strength parameters
and liquefaction potential).
UNIT-2 FOUNDATIONS: Functions of foundations, requisites of satisfactory foundations,
different types of foundations, types of shallow and deep foundations, selection of type of
foundation based on soil conditions.
UNIT-3 SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS: Introduction, location and depth of foundation,
codal provisions, bearing capacity of shallow foundations on homogenous deposits
Terzaghis formula. Factors affecting bearing capacity, effect of foundation size and shape,
effect of ground water table. Bearing capacity from insitu tests (SPT, SCPT and plate load).
Allowable bearing pressure, bearing capacity of sands and clays problems, design principle
of spread footings, combined footings, raft foundations, foundations on non-uniform soils.
UNIT-4 DEEP FOUNDATIONS: Types of piles based on function, materials and methods
of construction, friction and end bearing piles, factors influencing the selection of pile,
carrying capacity of single pile in granular and cohesive soils static formula, dynamic
formulae (Engineering News and Hileys formula), group action of piles, group capacity by
different methods (Felds rule and block failure criterion), pile load test, negative skin
friction, under reamed piles.
UNIT-5 OTHER TYPES OF FOUNDATIONS: Well foundations forces acting on well,
problems in sinking of wells and remedial measures. Machine foundations model study,
natural frequency of block foundation system, block foundation under vertical vibration.
UNIT-6 FOUNDATION SETTLEMENT: Importance and concept of settlement analysis,
causes of settlement, immediate, consolidation and secondary settlements (no derivations, but
computation using relevant formula for normally consolidated soils), tolerance, codal
provisions, methods of minimizing settlement, differential settlement.
UNIT-7 RETAINING WALLS: Plastic equilibrium in soils active and passive states,
Rankines theory cohesionless and cohesive soils, Coloumbs wedge theory, condition for
critical failure plane, earth pressure on retaining walls of simple configurations, graphical
methods, stability of retaining walls.
UNIT-8 SHEET PILE WALLS AND COFFERDAMS: Types and uses of sheet piles
design of cantilever anchored sheet pile walls. Types and uses of coffer dams.

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References:
1. Gopal Ranjan and Rao, A. S. R., Basic and Applied Soil Mechanics, Wiley Eastern Ltd., New
Delhi
2. Murthy, V. N. S., Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, UBS Publishers Distribution Ltd.,
New Delhi
3. Das, B. M., Principles of Foundation Engineering, Thomson Books/COLE.
4. Bowles, J. E., Foundation Analysis and Design, Mcgraw Hill, 1994.
5. Tomlinson, Foundations Design and Construction.
6. Varghese, P. C., Foundation Engineering, Prentice Hall of India.
7. Punmia, B. C., Soil Mechanics and Foundations, Laxmi Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Course outcome:
Application of theories of soil mechanics to Foundation design. In particular, the ability to deal
with parameter variability and uncertainty that arises with real problems.
Ability to design foundations (shallow, piled, piled raft) and retaining wall systems.
Ability to interpret borehole log data to determine soil parameters and develop a geotechnical
model.
Understanding of basic principles of soil mechanics, and of the limitations of these theories.
Ability to write a geotechnical report.