Back
 IJG  Vol.4 No.10 , December 2013
Allowable Bearing Capacity for Shallow Foundation in Eket Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Southern Nigeria
Joseph Gordian Atat, Idara Okon Akpabio, Nyakno Jimmy George*
Show more
Abstract: P-wave and S-wave velocities were obtained from seismic refraction survey in the foundation layer of Eket, the study area. The Tezcan’s approach discussed extensively in the work was used in conjunction with the existing mathematical relations between elastic parameters and seismic refraction velocities for the study of foundation layers in the study area. Based on the results, the elastic constants, allowable bearing pressure/capacity, ultimate bearing capacity and other parameters in Table 1 were determined. The result shows that allowable bearing pressure increases with increase in shear modulus and shear wave velocity. The empirical relation between allowable bearing capacity and shear modulus shows that the allowable bearing capacity increases with depth. Comparing our findings with some ranges of safe allowable bearing capacities of similar non cohesive/granular soils in literatures, the second layer with allowable bearing capacity range of 72.56 - 206.63 kN·m-2 (average = 154.78 kN·m-2) has been considered to be the safe shallow engineering foundation in the study area. The empirical relations between allowable bearing capacities shear modulus and shear wave velocity, in conjunction with the inferred maps, which serve as our findings, will be used as guide in the location of foundations. The inferred ultimate and allowable capacities correlate maximally for the two shallow foundations penetrated by the seismic waves. This perfect correlation reflects the uniqueness of the method.
Keywords: Allowable Bearing Pressure; Ultimate Failure; P-Wave Velocity; S-Wave Velocity; Shear Modulus
Cite this paper: J. Atat, I. Akpabio and N. George, "Allowable Bearing Capacity for Shallow Foundation in Eket Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Southern Nigeria," International Journal of Geosciences, Vol. 4 No. 10, 2013, pp. 1491-5000. doi: 10.4236/ijg.2013.410146.
References

[1]   S. Grant and G. F. West, “Interpretation Theory in Applied Geophysics,” McGraw-Hill, New York, 1965, p. 583.

[2]   S. K. Sarma and I. S. Lossifelis, “Seismic Bearing Capacity Factors of Shallow Strip Footings,” Geotechnique, Vol. 40, No. 2, 1990, pp. 265-273.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/geot.1990.40.2.265

[3]   M. Budhu and A. Al-Karni, “Seismic Bearing Capacity of Soils,” Geotechnique, Vol. 43, No. 1, 1993, pp. 181-187.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/geot.1993.43.1.181

[4]   R. Richards, D. G. Elms and M. Budhu, “Seismic Bearing of Capacity and Settlements of Foundations,” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Vol. 119, No. 4, 1993, pp. 662-674.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1993)119:4(662)

[5]   L. Dormieux and A. Pecker, “Seismic Bearing Capacity of Foundation on Cohesionless Soils,” Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 121, No. 3, 1995, pp. 300-303.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1995)121:3(300)

[6]   R. Paolucci and A. Pecker, “Seismic Bearing Capacity of Shallow Strip Foundations on Dry Soils,” Soils Foundation, Vol. 37, No. 3, 1997, pp. 95-105.

[7]   A. H. Soubra, “Seismic Bearing Capacity of Shallow Strip Footings in Seismic Conditions,” Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers–Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 125, No. 4, 1997, pp. 230-241
http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/igeng.1997.29659

[8]   J. M. Reynolds, “An Introduction to Applied Environmental Geophysics,” New York, Wiley, 1997, p. 780.

[9]   J. Kumar and V. B. K. M. Rao, “Seismic Bearing Capacity Factors for Spread Foundations,” Geotechnique, Vol. 52, No. 2, 2002, pp. 79-88.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/geot.2002.52.2.79

[10]   T. E. Fumal and J. C. Tinsley, “Mapping Shear Wave Velocities of Near-Surface Geological Materials,” In: J. I. Ziony, Ed., Predicting Area Limits of Earthquake Induced Land Sliding: In Evaluation of Earthquake Hazards in the Los Angeles Region–An Earth Science Prospective, US Geological Survey Paper 1360, 1985, pp. 127-150.

[11]   D. Coundhury and R. K. S. Subay, “Seismic Bearing Capacity of Shallow Strip Footings,” Journal of Manufacturing Systems, Vol. 24, No. 1, 2005, pp. 117-127.

[12]   A. A. A. Othman, “Construed Geotechnical Characteristics of Foundation Beds by Seismic Measurements,” Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 2, 2005, pp. 126-138.

[13]   S. S. Tezcan, A. Keceli and Z. Ozdemir, “Allowable Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundation Based on Shear Wave Velocity,” Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Vol. 24, No. 1, 2006, pp. 203-218.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10706-004-1748-4

[14]   E. U. Ulugergerli and O. Uyanik, “Statistical Correlation between Seismic Wave Velocities and SPT Blow Counts and the Relative Density of Soils,” Journal of Testing Evaluation, Vol. 35, No. 2, 2007, pp. 1-5.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1520/JTE100159

[15]   S. S. Tezcan, Z. Ozdemir and A. Keceli, “Seismic Technique to Determine the Allowable Bearing Pressure for Shallow Foundations in Soils Sand Socks,” Acta Geophysica, Vol. 57, No. 2, 2009, pp. 1-14.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/s11600-008-0077-z

[16]   D. F. Coates, “Rock Mechanics Principles,” In: Mines Branch Monographs 874, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Canada, 1970.

[17]   B. O. Hardin and V. P. Drnevich, “Shear Modulus and Damping in Soils,” Journal of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Division ASCE, Vol. 98, 1972, pp. 667-692.

[18]   T. Imai and Yoshimura, “The Relation of Mechanical Properties of Soils to P- and S-Waves Velocities for Soil in Japan,” Urana Research Institute, OYO Corporation, Tokyo, 1976.

[19]   R. H. Tatham, “Vp/Vs and Lithology,” Geophysics, Vol. 47, No. 3, 1982, pp. 336-344.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1190/1.1441339

[20]   J. G. Atat, G. T. Akpabio, N. J. George and E. B. Umoren, “Geophysical Assessment of Elastic Constants of Top Soil Using Seismic Refraction Compressional and Shear Wave Velocities in the Eastern Niger Delta, Nigeria,” International Journal of Modern Applied Physics, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2012, pp. 7-19.

[21]   N. J. George, A. E. Akpan, A. M. George and I. B. Obot, “Determination of Elastic Properties of the Over Burden Materials in Parts of Akamkpa, Southern Nigeria Using Seismic Refraction Studies,” Archives of Physics Research, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2010, pp. 58-71.

[22]   S. S. Tezcan, Z. Ozdemir and A. Keceli, “Allowable Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations Based on Shear Wave Velocity,” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Vol. 24, 2006, pp. 203-218.

[23]   K. Terzaghi and R. B. Peck, “Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice,” 2nd Edition, John Wiley and Sons, London, 1967.

[24]   J. E. Bowles, “Foundation Analysis and Design,” 3rd Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1982.

[25]   J. H. Scott, F. T. Lee, R. D. Carroll and C. S. Robinson, “The Relationship of Geophysical Measurements to Engineering and Construction Parameters in the Straight, Creek Tunnel Pilot Boring Colorado,” International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences & Geomechanics Abstracts, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1968, pp. 1-30.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(68)90020-X

[26]   K. R. Massarsch, “Deformation Properties of Fine-Grained Soils by Means of Seismic Tests,” Keynote Lecture, International Conference on Site Characterization, ISC’2, Porto, 19-22 September 2004, pp. 133-146

[27]   A. H. Soubra, “Seismic Bearing Capacity of Shallow Strip Footings in Seismic Conditions,” Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers–Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 125, No. 4, 1997, pp. 230-241
http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/igeng.1997.29659

 
 
Top