3/7/2016

BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus

STRESSES DUE TO APPLIED LOADS

Dr. Ravi Kant MITTAL
Dept. of Civil Engineering
Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani

z
= vertical stress

Boussinesqs problemstress increase at a

point in the Cartesian coordinate
system due to a point load on the surface.

= stress in direction
of x-axis

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xz

= shear stress

Figure 5.6 Stress increase below the

corner of a uniformly loaded
flexible rectangular area.

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ELASTIC THEORY FOR SOILS

PAGES 85-96

IFLUENCE CHARTS by Fadum (1948):

The Fadum chart gives the vertical stress increase located below the
corner of a uniformly loaded area.

Value m=.
Value n=.

Point P at the corner of

four sub-rectangles

Fadum chart can be used for all four sub-rectangles and the
contribution to increase in vertical stress at the point of
interest from all added up to get the value of increase in
vertical stress at that point on account of the original
rectangular loaded area.

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Uniformly Loaded Flexible Circular Area

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Dont use this

figure for
computing
stress at x=o,
i.e. below
centre.
Use formula

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Fig. 19.5 Pressure Bulbs for a square and an infinitely long rectangular footing

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Fig. 19.5 Increase in vertical stress at d = b and d = 2b

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From above observations, it is reasonable to conclude that

the zone of soil influenced by loading a square or
rectangular footing extends to a depth of two times b.
Therefore, in estimating the settlement, we IGNORE the
soil at depths GREATER THAN TWO TIMES b.

Average increase in vertical stress at a depth (Sowers, 1962)

The average increase in vertical stress at any depth z

below a square or rectangular loaded area can be
obtained in two steps:
1. Use FADUM chart with point P at the CENTRE of the
loaded area to determine the increase in vertical
stress at P.
2. Use the appropriate factor (Sowers, table 19.1) to
obtain average increase in vertical stress.

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1 : 2 METHOD
This method visualizes the load applied on a square or
rectangular area is distributed to the soil below through an
imaginary pyramid in soil. The sides of the pyramid slope at 1
horizontal to 2 vertical.
The average increase in vertical stress at any depth z below
the loaded area is:

qlb
(l z )(b z )

Fig. 19.6 Distribution of stressthe 1:2 Method

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Rectangula r area : z
For square B=L

q ( B L)
( B z )( L z )

qB 2
SquareArea z
(B z)2

For strip (take unit length)

Strip area : z

qB
(B z)

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IRREGULAR SHAPED FOOTINGS

While the mathematical solutions are useful when they
approximate the loading applied to the ground surface they are of
little value for irregular shaped areas.
For irregular shaped footings several influence charts have been
developed.
For those footings that can be approximated by a number of
rectangular shapes the best known method of estimating the
stresses in the soil is the:
IFLUENCE CHARTS by Newmark (1942)

USING
ELASTIC THEORY
FOR SOILS

Integration of Boussinesq to
give an
INFLUENCE CHART
Newmark chart
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IFLUENCE
CHARTS by
Newmark (1942):
Any shaped surface
loaded area. The chart
must have an Influence
value(here,1/(10x20) =
0.005) and scale AB
A scale for the uniformed
loaded area is first
established such that the
distance AB (on the chart)
equals the depth at which
the stress is required.

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Then the drawn to scale

area is located so that the
centre of the chart is
directly above the location
of the point on the drawn
to scale area where the
required vertical stress is
to be obtained.
The increase in vertical stress
due to applied pressure q is
= q x I x N
I= the chart influence value,
(given on chart, here 0.005).

The increase in vertical

stress due to applied
pressure is = q x I x N
I= the chart influence value,
(given on chart, here 0.005).
2. the number of sectors
blocks (N) covered by the
drawn to scale area
established from AB.

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Ci (or I) is influence value

AB=3cm=Z=9m
1cm=3m

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Figure 6.3 Uniform vertical loading on an infinite strip

q
sin cos 2

xz

q
sin sin 2

q
z sin cos 2

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Vertical
stress
increase
due to an
embankment
.

CLAY

SAND

Figure 5.9 Contact pressures and settlements for a flexible

foundation:
(a) clay;
(b) granular soil.

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CLAY

SAND

Figure 5.10 Contact pressures and settlements for a rigid

foundation: (a) elastic material (Clay); (b) granular soil.

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