Interference of Multiple Strip Footings on Sand Using Small Scale Model Tests

By using small scale model tests, the interference effect on the vertical load-deformation behavior of a number of equally spaced strip footings, placed on the surface of dry sand, was investigated. At any stage, all the footings were assumed to (i) carry exactly equal magnitude of load, and (ii) settle to the same extent. No tilt of the footing was permitted. The effect of clear spacing (s) among footings on the results was explored. A new experimental setup was proposed in which only one footing needs to be employed rather than a number of footings. The bearing capacity increases continuously with decrease in spacing among the footings. The interference effect becomes further prominent with increase in soil friction angle. In contrast to an increase in the bearing capacity, with decrease in spacing of footings, an increase in the footing settlement associated with the ultimate state of shear failure was observed. The present experimental observations were similar to those predicted by the available theory, based on the method of characteristics. As compared to the theory, the present experimental data, however, indicates much greater effect of interference especially for larger spacing among footings.     

Performance of surface footing on geocell-reinforced soft clay beds

This paper presents the results of laboratory model tests carried out to develop an understanding of the behaviour of geocell-reinforced soft clay foundations under circular loading. Natural silty clay was used in this study. The geocells were prepared using biaxial polymer grid. The performance of the reinforced bed is quantified using non-dimensional factors i.e., Bearing capacity improvement factor (I_f) and Percentage reduction in footing settlement (PRS). The test results demonstrate that the geocell mattress redistributes the footing load over a wider area thereby improving the performance of the footing. The load carrying capacity of the clay bed is increased by a factor of up to about 4.5 times that of unreinforced bed. From the pressure-settlement responses, it is observed that the geocell-reinforced foundation bed behaves as a much stiffer system compared to the unreinforced case indicating that a substantial reduction in footing settlement can be achieved by providing geocell reinforcement in the soft clay bed. The maximum reduction in footing settlement obtained with the provision of geocell mattress of optimum size placed close to the footing is around 90%. Further improvement in performance is obtained with provision of an additional planar geogrid layer at the base of the geocell mattress.     

Vertical Uplift Capacity of Equally Spaced Multiple Strip Anchors in Sand

The ultimate uplift resistance of a group of multiple strip anchors placed in sand and subjected to equal magnitudes of vertical upward pullout loads has been determined by means of model experiments. Instead of using a number of anchor plates in the experiments, a single anchor plate was used by simulating the boundary conditions along the planes of symmetry on both the sides of the anchor plate. The effect of clear spacing (s) between the anchors, for different combinations of embedment ratio (λ) of anchors and friction angle (ϕ) of soil mass, was examined in detail. The results were presented in terms of a non-dimensional efficiency factor (ξ_γ), which was defined as the ratio of the failure load for an intervening strip anchor of a given width (B) to that of a single strip anchor plate having the same width. It was clearly noted that the magnitude of ξ_γ reduces quite extensively with a decrease in the spacing between the anchors. The magnitude of ξ_γ for a given s/B was found to vary only marginally with respect to changes in λ and ϕ. The experimental results presented in this study compare reasonably well with the theoretical and experimental data available in literature.     

Collapse of a Model Strip Footing on Dense Sand Under Vertical Eccentric Loads

The paper focuses on the behaviour of a model strip footing, resting on a saturated dense sandy soil, subjected to centred or eccentric vertical loading. Experimental tests, carried out on a small-scale physical model, are able to reproduce effective stress levels equivalent to those prevailing in prototype problems, thanks to the maintenance of a downward steady-state seepage in the soil. The test program consists of three series of tests, each corresponding to an imposed value of hydraulic gradient, and each involving five load eccentricities; one series, in particular, is carried out with still water. Relevant points of load–settlement curves are related to the evolution of soil-footing collapse mechanism, evidenced by the distortion of some vertical coloured sand strips. The collapse mechanism is formed either by one or two sliding surfaces, depending on both load eccentricities and hydraulic gradient values. Significant differences are shown to occur between centred and eccentric loading footing response. Shear strength parameters obtained from back-analyses carried out on load values recorded at the appearance of each sliding surface on the free soil surface, in both hypotheses of associated and non-associated flow rule validity, are adopted to draw, for each test, a theoretical collapse mechanism consisting, in plane strain, of a log-spiral line with adjacent-end tangents; the obtained theoretical sliding surfaces, in turn, are compared to the experimental ones, showing that these latter are either stress characteristic or zero-extension lines depending mainly on cumulative footing displacements and current effective stress level in the soil.