COMPUTER AIDED ESTIMATION OF DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT OF FOOTING FOUNDATIONS

Abstract

Whether or not total settlement is objectionable, there can be no doubt about differential settlement. Secondary stresses produced by differential settlement are some times as Large as the stresses induced due to all other causes and may even lead to the failure of structure. Variation in soil strata, variation in foundation loading, large loaded areas on flexible foundations. variation in site conditions are the prominent factors leading to differential settlement between parts of a structure. It also depends upon the layout and rigidity of structures and compressibility of soil beneath the building. In the present dissertation an attempt has been made to develop a computer program for the evaluation of differential settlement as precisely as possible taking all pertinent phenomena into consideration. 1.e. rigidity of the structure, soil properties and its behaviour under footing load etc. The effect of variation in the nature of soil from footing to footing can be analysed. It has been found that change in bending moment ordinates, is significant due to the differential settlement of structure. Also the axial force on footings get altered to the extent of 10-15 X. Thus it is apparent that a rational analysis for stress resultants should consider super structure— sub-structure..