CE 382 Mr.

Bredli
Foundation Engineering Plaku

Introduction to

Foundation Engineering
 AT T E N D A N C E 75% +

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 AT T E N D A N C E 75% +

Topics
Email: [email protected] 1. Types of Foundations
Office: A-032 2. Stress Distribution in Soils
Notes: teaching.bredliplaku.com 3. Site Investigation
4. Settlement of Structures
5. Bearing Capacity of Soils
6. Statics of Shallow, Rigid Foundations
7. Earth-Retaining Structures
8. Piled Foundations
9. Ground Improvement
10. Dewatering – Control of Groundwater
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 Book: CE 366 Foundation Engineering I
Book: Principles of Foundation
Lecture Notes
Engineering
Authors: Altay Birand, Ufuk Ergun and Orhan
Authors: Braja Das and Nagaratnam
Erol
Sivakugan
Link:
ISBN: 978-1337705035
studocu.com\...\ce-366-foundation-engineering-suba...
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 Geotechnical Engineering
• Geotechnical Engineering is also known as geomechanics. It is an
emerging area in civil engineering.

• It deals with soil and rock mechanics using theories like elasticity,
Mohr's circle, and continuum mechanics.

• These methods help create simple solutions for geotechnical and

foundation engineering.

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 Geotechnical Engineering

• Geomaterials include soils, aggregates, and rocks.

• Phase relations, soil classification, compaction, permeability,

seepage, and consolidation are the fundamentals for foundation
engineering.
• Shear strength, slope stability, and soil
exploration are also included.

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 Foundation Engineering

• Every civil engineering project involves some geotechnical or

foundation engineering component.

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 Foundation
Engineering
• Every civil engineering project
involves some geotechnical or
foundation engineering
component.

• This includes earth-supported

structures like foundations and
earth-retaining walls.

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 Soil Exploration

• Soil exploration, also called site investigation, provides data on

soil and rock properties near the structure.

• It involves in situ tests, sampling, and laboratory analyses to

develop a simplified soil profile for design.

• Ground conditions can vary widely, making it challenging to

establish accurate parameters.

• Testing can be expensive, so balancing the budget with the need

for reliable data is essential.

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 Soil Exploration

• Detailed Soil Investigation

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 Soil Exploration

• Boring Log of Site

Investigation
Report

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 Ground Improvement
• When designing structures on soil, it may not always be feasible
or economical to replace the existing soil with a higher-quality
material.

• Ground improvement methods help enhance soil properties to

meet design requirements, reducing the risk of failure and
excessive deformation.

• Each technique has specific advantages and can be chosen

based on the project’s budget, soil conditions, and performance
goals.

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 Ground Improvement
• Compaction is a simple, cost-effective technique frequently used
in highway construction to increase soil density and stability.

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Dynamic Compaction of Soil
Ground Improvement

• Other methods include vibroflotation, dynamic

compaction, blasting, preloading, vertical
drains, lime/cement stabilization, stone
columns, jet grouting, and deep mixing.

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 Solution Methods

• In geotechnical or foundation engineering, there are three

primary approaches to solving problems:
• Analytical Methods

• Physical Modelling

• Numerical Modelling

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 Solution Methods

• Analytical Methods rely on closed-form solutions derived from

established theories, most effective when soil conditions and
boundaries are well-defined.

• Physical Modelling involves creating scaled laboratory models to

test different scenarios and observe how design changes affect
performance.

• Numerical Modelling is used for larger, more complex projects

where closed-form solutions are impractical or insufficient.

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 • The Mohr-Coulomb
failure criteria and
Mohr's circle

Numerical Modelling

• Although soil is a particulate medium, it is often treated as a continuum for

practical analysis.

• Common constitutive models include Mohr–Coulomb, linear elastic, nonlinear

elastic, Cam Clay, and Drucker–Prager.

• Large or complex projects with challenging boundary conditions often make

closed-form solutions impractical.
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 Numerical Modelling

• Numerical methods such as finite element, finite difference, boundary

element, or finite volume approaches can be used.

• These methods discretize the problem domain and solve governing

equations to predict soil behavior under various loads.

• Software packages like PLAXIS, FLAC, and GEO-SLOPE are widely used for
complex geotechnical design.

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 Empiricism

• Empiricism in geotechnical engineering relies on experience,

intuition, and judgment built up over time.

• It includes empirical correlations derived from test data and real-

world observations, allowing engineers to make quick estimates
of soil properties.

• They often come from databases of borehole tests, laboratory

experiments, and trial pits, supported by past experience and
engineering judgment.

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 Literature

• When textbooks do not cover a topic in depth, conducting a

thorough literature review becomes necessary.

• National codes across Europe complement Eurocode 7, adapting

to local soil conditions and practices.

• Major geotechnical journals and conferences (i.e., Géotechnique

by ICE Publishing) provide cutting-edge research and case
studies.

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 CE 382 Mr. Bredli
Foundation Engineering Plaku

Introduction to

Foundation Engineering