LABORATORY FOOTING TEST ON PARTIALLY SATURATED SANDY SOIL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/jt.v78.8576Keywords:
Shallow foundation, bearing capacity, unsaturated soil, suctionAbstract
Conventional analysis and design of shallow foundation are based on the assumption that the soil is under fully saturated condition. However, shallow foundations are typically constructed near the ground surface where the soil is under partially saturated condition. Therefore, more research to investigate the behaviour of shallow foundation in unsaturated soil is very essential in order to aid engineers in making good analysis and design. This paper presents a series of laboratory footing tests conducted on unsaturated sandy soil. A specially designed test tank was fabricated for the test. Square footings of two different sizes (100 mm x 100 mm and 150 mm x150 mm) were used and loaded on Rawang sand which has residual suction value of 10 kPa. The measured values of matric suction of the soil in the test tank were in the range of 0 to 30 kPa. Based on the results, it was observed that bearing capacities of shallow foundation under fully saturated condition were the lowest compared to soil under unsaturated conditions. The highest values were measured at matric suction equals to residual suction (i.e 10 kPa). Furthermore, the relationship between the bearing capacities of shallow foundation with the matric suction was observed to be non-linear.  Â
References
Nyuin, J. D., Md Noor, M. J., Ashaari, Y. and Petrus, C. 2014. Physical Modelling: Effect Of Matric Suction On Settlement Of Unsaturated Sandy Soil. IICON 2014. Kuala Lumpur.
Md Noor, M. J., Mohamed Jais, I. B. and Nyuin, J. D. 2011. Laboratory Modelling: Settlement Due To Groundwater Fluctuation In Partially Saturated Soil. Unsaturated Soils International Conference. Barcelona. 875-880.
Costa, Y. D., Cintra, J. C. and Zornberg, J. G. 2001. Influence of Matric Suction on the Results of Plate Load Test Performed on a Lateritic Soil Deposit. Geotechnical Testing Journal. 26(2).
Oh, W. T. and Vanapalli, S. K. 2013. Scale Effect of Plate Load Tests in Unsaturated Soils. Int. J. of GEOMATE. 4(2): 585-594.
Mohamed F. M. O. and Vanapalli S. K. 2006. Laboratory Investigations for the Measurement of the Bearing Capacity of an unsaturated Coarse-Grained Soil. 59th Canadian Geotechnical Conference. 219-226.
Vanapalli, S. K. and Mohamed, F. M. O. 2007. Bearing Capacity of Model Footings in Unsaturated Soils. Experimental Unsaturated Soils Mechanics. 483-494.
Soilmoisture Equipment Corporation, Santa Barbara, California.
Hilf, J. W. 1956. An Investigation Of Pore-Water Pressure In Compacted Cohesive Soils. USA.
Vanapalli, S. K., Nicotera, M. V. and Sharma, R. S. 2008. Axis Translation And Negative Water Column Technique For Suction Control. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering 26(6): 645-660.
Prandtl L. 1921. On The Penetrating Strength Of Plastic Construction Materials And The Strength Of Cutting Edges. Mathematical Mech. 1(1): 15-20.
Trautmann, C. H and Kulhawy, F. H. 1998. Uplift Load-Displacement Behaviour of Spread Foundations. J. Geotech. Engrg. 114(2): 168-184.
Md Noor, M. J. and W. F. Anderson. 2006. Shear Strength And Volume Change Behavior Of Saturated And Unsaturated Soils. Unsaturated Soils 2006. 1996-2003.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright of articles that appear in Jurnal Teknologi belongs exclusively to Penerbit Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (Penerbit UTM Press). This copyright covers the rights to reproduce the article, including reprints, electronic reproductions, or any other reproductions of similar nature.
