Author: haroonkhan

Based on the theoretical approaches, bearing capacity of a soil can be found knowing the strength parameters, density, depth of foundation and water table possible. Terzaghi’s bearing capacity theory has been used mostly which suits most of the field conditions. Field plate-load test can be conducted at the stipulated depth of foundation. Indirect methods such…

The following factors directly or indirectly affect the bearing capacity of soil:

The design of foundation is primarily based on the concept of bearing capacity of the soil. Thus the bearing capacity is defined as the load or pressure developed under the foundation without introducing damaging movements in the foundation and in the super-structure supported on the foundation. Since damaging movements may result from foundation failure (collapse)…

It is the earth that provides the ultimate support for most of the structures including buildings, bridges, dams, highways, etc. The behaviour of the supporting ground may therefore affect the stability of structures. The supporting ground is invariably the soil, particularly for buildings, which is weaker than any construction material like wood, concrete, steel or…

The term re-claimed soils comprises of all materials deposited on a site using various methods for different purposes. It is justifiable to name the re-claimed materials as soil, when it comes to the purposes of construction of structures on them considering them as foundation material. Industrial and commercial development of urban areas, development of navigation…

Among different types of soils spread over the Indian Peninsula, only six major deposits have been identified, viz., marine deposits, black cotton soils, lateritic soils, alluvial deposits, desert soils and boulder deposits. 1. Marine Deposits They are generally formed in seawater areas. These deposits cover a narrow belt of tidal flats all along the coast…

Weathered materials have been moved from their original location to new locations by one or more of the transportation agencies, viz., water, wind, gravity and glacier and deposited to form transported soil. Such deposits are further classified depending on the mode of transportation causing the deposit. For example, soils that are carried and deposited by…

Weathering (due to climatic effects) and leaching of water soluble materials in the rocks are the geological process in the formation of these soils. The rate of rock decomposition is more than the rate of erosion or transportation of weathered material, and results in the accumulation of residual soils.

Based on the method of formation, soil may be categorised as residual and transported soils. Residual soils have formed from the weathering of rocks and practically remain at the location of origin with a little or no movement of individual soil particles. Transported soils are those that have formed at one location (like residual soils),…

Methods of exploration are indirect methods, semi-direct methods and direct methods of exploration. 1. Indirect Methods Indirect methods consist of geophysical and sounding methods. In these methods, depths to the principal strata are established based on some physical properties of the material, and the measurements are made on the ground surface. No samples are obtained…