An Introduction to Settlement and Volume Expansion in Soils

J. Paul Guyer, P.E., R.A., Fellow ASCE, Fellow AEI

Course Outline

1.  INTRODUCTION
2.  ANALYSIS OF STRESS CONDITIONS
3.  INSTANTANEOUS SETTLEMENT
4.  PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SETTLEMENTS
5.  TOLERABLE AND DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT
6.  METHODS OF REDUCING OR ACCELERATING SETTLEMENT
7.  ANALYSIS OF VOLUME EXPANSION
8.  REFERENCES

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

Upon completion of this course you will:

• Learn about the three components of soil settlement;
• Learn how superimposed loads cause pore pressures to increase, forcing water from compressible stratum which decreases volume and causes settlement;
• Learn how stresses exceeding the present effective vertical pressure of overburden produce preconsolidation;
• Learn about the mechanisms of settlement for coarse-grained soils;
• Learn how to use shape and rigidity factors to calculate settlements of points at the surface of an elastic half-space;
• Learn how to calculate the magnitude of immediate settlement in clay;
• Learn a method for calculating instantaneous settlement of isolated footings on coarse-grained soils;
• Learn how the typical loading cycle during building construction may cause swell and heave during foundation excavation, followed by application of the structural load which recompresses subsoil and may extend consolidation into the virgin range;
• Learn how to use pressure-void ratio diagrams;
• Learn how to correct settlement calculations for overconsolidated clays that may give an overestimate of the settlement;
• Learn the relationship between the Settlement Ratio and the Overconsolidation Ratio;
• Learn about the relationship between initial shear stress and the overconsolidation ratio; and
• Learn about the time rate of primary consolidation.

Intended Audience

This course is intended for civil engineers, structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, geologists and other design and construction professionals wanting an introduction to methods and techniques for analyzing and designing for soil settlement and expansion for foundations and footings for buildings and structures.

Benefit for Attendee

This course will give engineers and other design and construction professionals an introduction to soil expansion and settlement for structure foundations.

Course Introduction

This is an introduction to methods, techniques and equipment for analyzing and designing for soil expansion and settlement for structure foundations.

About Course Author

Paul Guyer is a registered mechanical engineer, civil engineer, fire protection engineer and architect with over 35 years experience in the design of buildings and related infrastructure.  For an additional 9 years he was a senior-level advisor to the California Legislature on infrastructure and capital outlay issues.  He has designed and supervised the design of hundreds of construction projects requiring the preparation of detailed working drawings and specifications for federal, state and local public agencies and private companies.  He is a graduate of Stanford University and has held numerous national, state and local positions with the American Society of Civil Engineers and National Society of Professional Engineers.

Course Content

The course content is contained in the following PDF file:

An Introduction to Settlement and Volume Expansion in Soils

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Course Summary

This course will tell you about painting and coating materials selection criteria, recommendations for different substrates, how to repair substrate surfaces, standards of substrate condition and cleanliness, and methods of surface preparation.

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

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DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.

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