NOTES AND GEOTECHNICAL

FORMULAS ENGINEERING
By Engineer Jhe
COMPILATION OF NOTES, SUMMARY OF FORMULAS AND CALCULATOR TECHNIQUES

MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE

INFINITE SLOPE
𝒉
𝑯

With PARTIAL seepage

𝒄 𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕 𝑯 − 𝜸𝒘 𝒉 𝒕𝒂𝒏∅
𝑭𝑺 = +ቈ ቉
𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕 𝑯𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜷𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷 𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕 𝑯 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜷
𝒘𝒚 ′ 𝑾 WHERE:
𝑐 cohesion
𝜷 ∅  angle of internal friction
𝑯
𝒘𝒙 ′

𝑭𝒇
𝑭𝒄
𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒅𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏
𝑵

L and H must be perpendicular with each other

full seepage
𝒄 𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕 − 𝜸𝒘 𝒕𝒂𝒏∅
NORMAL STRESS (𝜎) shear STRESS (𝜏) 𝑭𝑺 = +ቈ ቉
𝟐
𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕 𝑯𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜷𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷 𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜷
𝝈 = 𝜸𝑯𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜷 𝝉 = 𝜸𝑯𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜷𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷 WHERE:
𝑐 cohesion
WHERE: WHERE: ∅  angle of internal friction
𝜷 slope (inclination from the horizontal 𝜷 slope (inclination from the horizontal

FACTOR OF SAFETY AGAINST SLIDING IMPORTANT NOTE:

F.S > 1  SAFE Kapag walang sinabi sa problem na may seepage or ground
F.S = 1  CRITICAL water table, ASSUME “NO/WITHOUT SEEPAGE”
F.S < 1  SAFE
Without seepage
𝒄 𝒕𝒂𝒏∅
𝑯 𝑭𝑺 = +
𝜸𝑯𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜷𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜷
WHERE:
𝑐 cohesion
∅  angle of internal friction

MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE
 FINITE SLOPE – PLANE FAILURE
SOLVING FOR WEIGHT (W)
CULMAN’S METHOD 𝟏
𝑾 = 𝜸𝑽 𝒐𝒓 𝑾 = 𝜸 ൤ 𝒃𝒉 ∙ 𝟏൨
𝟐

𝒘𝒚 ′ 𝑾 Volume of
Failure plane
𝒘𝒙 ′ Failure
Plane
𝑯 𝑭𝒄 𝒔 𝒃
𝑭𝒇 cohesive 𝜷
𝜷 𝑵 Strength
𝜽
𝑯 𝑳 𝑯
Sliding force
Angle of failure Frictional
(failure plane from Strength
Horizontal) 𝜷
𝜽
𝒔+𝒃

Angle of
Slope
SOLVING FOR cohesive strength (fc) SOLVING FOR FRICTIONAL strength (fF)
FACTOR OF SAFETY (F.S) CRITICAL ANGLE 𝑭𝑪 = 𝒄𝑨 𝒐𝒓 𝑭𝑪 = 𝑪ሾ𝑳 × 𝟏𝒎ሿ 𝑭𝑭 = 𝑵𝝁 = 𝑵𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜽
𝑭 𝒇 + 𝑭𝒄 𝑭𝒇 + 𝑭𝒄 𝜷 + ∅𝒅
𝑭𝑺 = = 𝜽𝑪𝑹 =
𝑾𝒙 ′ 𝒘𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 𝟐
cohesion Normal force = Wy’
Length of plane
MAXIMUM HEIGHT/DEPTH OF CUT Stability number STABILITY FACTOR
failure
𝟒𝒄𝒅 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜷𝒄𝒐𝒔∅𝒅 𝒄𝒅 𝟏
𝑯= ቈ ቉ 𝒎= 𝑺𝑭 = Wy’ Wx’ (sliding force)
𝜸 𝟏 − 𝒄𝒐𝒔൫𝜷 − ∅𝒅 ൯ 𝜸𝑯 𝒎
𝑾𝒚 ′ = 𝑾𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽 𝑾𝒙 ′ = 𝑾𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽
WHERE: WHERE:
Solving for developed ∅𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑑 𝑾 Weight 𝑾 Weight
𝜃 Angle of Failure 𝜃 Angle of Failure
𝒄 𝒕𝒂𝒏∅
𝑭𝑺 = =
𝒄𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒏∅𝒅

MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE

GENERAL SHEAR FAILURE

NOTE: qu  Ultimate bearing Capacity

𝜸𝑩  increase in effective pressure (based on footing to B distance below)

q  surcharge load (effective pressure at the base

RECTANGULAR FOOTING
Footing Dimension
𝟎. 𝟑𝑩 𝟎. 𝟐𝑩
TERZAGHI’S BEARING CAPACITY 𝒒𝒖 = 𝒄𝑵𝒄 ൬𝟏 +
𝑳
൰ + 𝒒𝑵𝒒 + 𝟎. 𝟓𝜸𝑩 𝑵𝒚 ൬𝟏 −
𝑳
൰
FOR SHALLOW FOOTING/FOUNDATION ONLY
Cohesion Surcharge
Depth of embedment
Soil overburden
𝑫𝒇 ≤ 𝑩
Ground Surface
Df  Depth of footing
B  smaller dimension SQUARE FOOTING
Footing Dimension
𝑫𝒇
𝒒𝒖 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝒄𝑵𝒄 + 𝒒𝑵𝒒 + 𝟎. 𝟒𝜸𝑩 𝑵𝒚
𝑳×𝑩
Cohesion Surcharge
𝑩
Depth of embedment
Soil overburden

CIRCULAR FOOTING
TYPES OF FAILURE Footing Dimension
 General shear failure
 Local shear failure 𝒒𝒖 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝒄𝑵𝒄 + 𝒒𝑵𝒒 + 𝟎. 𝟑𝜸𝑩 𝑵𝒚
 punching

Cohesion Surcharge
Depth of embedment
Soil overburden
PRELIMINARY STEPS:
1. Determine if general shear or local shear failure STRIP FOOTING
IMPORTANT NOTE Cohesion Footing Dimension

Kapag walang sinabi if general or local 𝒒𝒖 = 𝒄𝑵𝒄 + 𝒒𝑵𝒒 + 𝟎. 𝟓𝜸𝑩 𝑵𝒚

shear failure, assume GENERAL SHEAR

Surcharge
2. Determine if WHAT TYPE OF FOOTING Depth of embedment
Soil overburden
FOOTINGS:
 Square
 Rectangle
 Circle
 strip

MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE
 LOCAL SHEAR FAILURE
NOTE: Palitan lang ng c’ ang lahat ng c sa formulas

C’ 𝑡𝑎𝑛∅’
𝟐 𝟐
𝒄′ = 𝒄 𝒕𝒂𝒏∅′ = 𝒕𝒂𝒏∅
𝟑 𝟑
PILES ON SAND
Qup  Ultimate bearing load of pile
BEARING CAPACITY FACTORS:
Must be in radians
Ground Surface
𝑵𝒒 𝑁𝐶

𝒆ሺ𝟏.𝟓𝝅−∅ሻ𝒕𝒂𝒏∅ 𝑵𝑪 = ൫𝑵𝒒 − 𝟏൯𝒄𝒐𝒕∅

𝑵𝒒 = PILE
∅
𝟐𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 ൬𝟒𝟓 + ൰ No need to
𝟐 𝑁𝑦
Be in radians
𝑵𝑪 = 𝟏. 𝟏൫𝑵𝒒 − 𝟏൯𝒕𝒂𝒏ሺ𝟏. 𝟑∅ሻ

SOLVING FOR q and 𝛾𝐵

Ground Surface
Qtip

END BEARING RESISTANCE/POINT BEARING CAPACITY

Effective Stress
Consider the water table (if there is any) 𝑸𝒆𝒃 = 𝑸𝒕𝒊𝒑 = 𝑷′ ∙ 𝑨𝑷 ∙ 𝑵𝒒
𝑳×𝑩 𝒒 = 𝜸 × 𝑫𝒇 WHERE:
𝑷′ Effective vertical stress at pile tip
𝑨𝑷  Area of pile tip (square, rectangle or circular)
𝑵𝒒  bearing capacity factor

𝑩
Ground Surface
𝜸𝑩 = 𝜸 × 𝑩
FOR B:
 Square  Use any of length or width SKIN FRICTION/FRICTIONAL CAPACITY
 Rectangle  use least dimension
 Circle  use diameter 𝑸𝑺𝑭 = 𝑷 ∙ 𝑨𝑷𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎 ∙ 𝒌 ∙ 𝝁
WHERE:
𝑷 Perimeter of Pile Section
𝑨𝑷𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎  Area of pressure diagram
NET FOUNDATION PRESSURE QSF 𝒌  coefficient of lateral pressure between pile and sand
FACTOR OF SAFETY (F.S) 𝝁  coefficient of friction between sand and pile
𝒒𝒏𝒆𝒕 = 𝒒𝒈 − 𝒒
𝒒𝒖 𝒒𝒖𝒏𝒆𝒕
𝑭𝑺 = =
𝒒𝒈 𝒒𝒏𝒆𝒕
Gross foundation pressure
𝑭
𝒒𝒈 =
𝑨

MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE

PRESSURE DIAGRAM – CRITICAL DEPTH (DC)

B
Ground Surface
Dense sand LOOSE SAND
𝑫𝑪 = 𝟐𝟎 × 𝑩 DC
𝑫𝑪 = 𝟏𝟎 × 𝑩
NOTES FOR B: NOTES FOR B:
𝑪𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝑷𝒊𝒍𝒆 diameter of pile 𝑪𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝑷𝒊𝒍𝒆 diameter of pile L
𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝑷𝒊𝒍𝒆  least Dimension 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝑷𝒊𝒍𝒆  least Dimension
𝑺𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝑷𝒊𝒍𝒆  Any side 𝑺𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝑷𝒊𝒍𝒆  Any side

ULTIMATE BEARING LOAD OF PILE

𝑸𝒖 = 𝑸𝒆𝒃 × 𝑸𝑺𝑭 LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE
ALLOWABLE BEARING CAPACITY THREE (3) CATEGORIES
𝑸𝒖 1. At rest – causes no wall
PRESSURE
𝑭𝑺 = DIAGRAM
2. ACTIVE – CAUSES WALL TO MOVE AWAY FROM SOIL
𝑸𝒂 3. PASSIVE – Causes wall to move toward soil

At rest condition
PILES ON CLAY AT REST CONDITION At rest earth pressure coefficient
END BEARING RESISTANCE/POINT BEARING 𝑷𝒐 = 𝒌𝒐 𝜸𝒉 When there is no given ocr
𝑸𝒆𝒃 = 𝑸𝒕𝒊𝒑 = 𝒄 ∙ 𝑨𝑷 ∙ 𝑵𝒄 SKIN FRICTION/FRICTIONAL CAPACITY WHERE: 𝒌𝒐 = 𝟏 − 𝒔𝒊𝒏∅
𝒌𝒐 at rest earth pressure coefficient
WHERE:
𝑸𝑺𝑭 = 𝑸𝑺𝑭𝟏 + 𝑸𝑺𝑭𝟐 + ⋯ 𝑸𝑺𝑭𝒏 𝜸  unit weight of soil
When ocr is given
𝒉  height of soil considered
𝒄 cohesion
𝑨𝑷  Area of pile tip (square, rectangle or circular)
𝑵𝒒  bearing capacity factor 𝒌𝒐 = ሺ𝟏 − 𝒔𝒊𝒏∅ሻඥ𝑶𝑪𝑹

𝜶 METHOD 𝜷 METHOD Angle of internal

friction
𝑸𝑺𝑭 = 𝒄 ∙ 𝑳 ∙ 𝜶 ∙ 𝑷 𝑸𝑺𝑭 = 𝜷 ∙ 𝑳 ∙ 𝝈′𝒎 ∙ 𝑷
WHERE: WHERE:
Active condition
𝑷 Perimeter of Pile Section
𝑳  length of pile
𝑷 Perimeter of Pile Section
𝑳  length of pile
active earth pressure coefficient
AT REST CONDITION
𝒄  cohesion 𝜷  skin factor
𝜶  adhesion factor/frictional constant
When the upper surface is inclined
NOTES FOR SKIN FACTOR 𝑷𝒂 = 𝒌𝒂 𝜸𝒉
NORMALLY CONSOLIDATED CLAY
𝝀 METHOD 𝜷 = ሺ𝟏 − 𝒔𝒊𝒏∅ሻ𝒕𝒂𝒏∅
WHERE:
𝒌𝒂  active earth pressure coefficient
𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷 − ට𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 𝜷 − 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 ∅
𝑸𝑺𝑭 = 𝝀 ∙ 𝑳ሺ𝝈′ 𝒎 + 𝟐𝒄ሻ ∙ 𝑷
𝜸  unit weight of soil 𝒌𝒂 = 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷ሾ
OVER CONSOLIDATED CLAY 𝒉  height of soil considered
𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷 + ට𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 𝜷 − 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 ∅
WHERE: 𝜷 = ሺ𝟏 − 𝒔𝒊𝒏∅ሻ𝒕𝒂𝒏∅ඥ𝑶𝑪𝑹
𝑷 Perimeter of Pile Section
𝑳  length of pile FOR EFFECTIVE STRESS (𝜎′𝑚 )
𝒄  cohesion
𝝀  effective frictional factor
MEASURED FROM GROUND SURFACE UP TO When THE UPPER SURFACE OF FILL IS
THE MID-HEIGHT OF PILE (EACH LAYER) HORIZONTAL (𝛽 = 0)
𝝈′𝒎 = 𝑯𝟏 𝜸𝟏
IMPORTANT NOTE 𝟏 − 𝒔𝒊𝒏∅
When designing, always choose the 𝒌𝒂 =
SMALLEST/LEAST VALUE between the 𝟏 + 𝒔𝒊𝒏∅
methods

MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE
 PASSIVE condition
active earth pressure coefficient
When the upper surface is inclined
GROUND WATER TABLE - NOTES
AT REST CONDITION
𝑷𝒑 = 𝒌𝒑 𝜸𝒉 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷 + ට𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 𝜷 − 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 ∅
WHERE:
𝒌𝒑  passive earth pressure coefficient
𝒌𝒂 = 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷ሾ
𝜸  unit weight of soil
𝒉  height of soil considered
𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷 − ට𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 𝜷 − 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 ∅
“HEIGHT OF”  measured from bottom
“DEPTH OF:  measured from top
When THE UPPER SURFACE OF FILL IS GROUND WATER TABLE
HORIZONTAL (𝛽 = 0)

𝟏 + 𝒔𝒊𝒏∅
𝒌𝒂 =
𝟏 − 𝒔𝒊𝒏∅

ADDITIONAL EARTH PRESSURE PARAMETERS PILES

WATER COHESION SURCHARGE
𝑷𝒘 = 𝜸𝒘 𝒉 active 𝑷𝒒 = 𝒌𝒒
𝑷𝒄 = −𝟐𝒄ඥ𝒌
IMPORTANT NOTE
 For group of piles, the consolidating layer
PASSIVE starts at two-thirds of the length of pile to the
rock interface.
𝑷𝒄 = 𝟐𝒄ඥ𝒌  The height below the two-thirds of the length
of pile increases 2V:1H

𝟐
ሺ𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒆ሻ
PRESSURE DIAGRAM EXAMPLE: ASSUME ACTIVE 𝟑 FOR ∆𝑃
SOIL WATER COHESION SURCHARGE 𝑷
∆𝑷 =
𝑨
𝜸𝟏 𝑷𝒄 = −𝟐𝒄ට𝒌𝒂𝟏
𝑷𝒒 = 𝒌𝒂𝟏 𝒒 WHERE:
𝑷  applied axial load
𝒌𝒂𝟏 𝑯𝟏 𝒙 ∆𝑷 𝒙 𝑨  Area of soil st Midspan height of
Midheight of the consolidated layer
𝑭𝟏 Consolidating layer 𝑯
𝟐 Height of
𝑷𝒂𝟏 = 𝒌𝒂𝟏 𝜸𝟏 𝒉𝟏
consolidating 𝑷
z 𝟏 layer

𝜸𝟐 = 𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕 𝑭𝟐 ROCK
𝒌𝒂𝟐 𝑯𝟐
𝑭𝟒 𝑷𝒄 = −𝟐𝒄ට𝒌𝒂𝟐 𝑷𝒒 = 𝒌𝒂𝟐 𝒒

𝑷𝒂𝟐 = 𝒌𝒂𝟐 𝜸𝟏 𝒉𝟏 𝑭𝟑 𝑷𝟒 = 𝜸𝒘 𝒉 When solving for x,

𝑷𝒂𝟑 = 𝒌𝒂𝟐 ሺ𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕 − 𝜸𝒘 ሻ𝒉𝟐 Do similar triangles
𝑩 + 𝟐𝒙
FORCE (F)
𝑭 = 𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎 × 𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉/𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒑
𝒒

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B. SOLVE FOR MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM SOIL PRESSURE

FOUNDATION
𝒙 𝒆

𝒒𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝒒𝒎𝒂𝒙
𝒒𝒎𝒂𝒙

CASE 1 CASE 2
−𝑷 𝟔𝑴 𝒒𝒎𝒊𝒏 = 𝟎
STEPS: 𝒒𝒎𝒊𝒏 = + 𝟐
A. Considering loads, solve for ptotal and moment 𝑨 𝒃𝒅
𝟐𝑷
A.1) SOLVE FOR THE WEIGHT OF FOOTING (IF NEEDED) −𝑷 𝟔𝑴 𝒒𝒎𝒂𝒙 =
𝒒𝒎𝒂𝒙 = − 𝟐 𝟑𝒙ሺ𝑳ሻ
𝑨 𝒃𝒅
WEIGHT (self weight)
𝑺𝒘 = 𝜸𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒆 × 𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 Must be both NEGATIVE. If magh positive ang qmin,
Proceed to case 2

A.2) SOLVE FOR PTOTAL AND OVERTURNING MOMENT (M)

Ptotal OVERTURNING MOMENT (M) SOLVING FOR AREA OF FOOTING IN CONTACT

𝑷𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 = 𝑷 + 𝑺𝑾 𝑴 = 𝑷 × 𝒆𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 WITH THE SOIL
NOTE: CONSIDER THE COMPRESSION PART ONLY

For eccentricity
Eccentricity ഥ
𝑩 − 𝟑𝒙
𝑩 ZZZZ
𝒆= −ഥ
𝒙 𝑳
𝟐 ഥ
𝟑𝒙

CONCENTRICALLY COLUMN
WITH MOMENT ഥ
𝟑𝒙
𝑴𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑩 𝑹𝑴 − 𝑶𝑴
𝒆= ഥ= −𝒆
𝒙 ഥ=
𝒙
𝑨𝒙𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅 ሺ𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒏ሻ 𝟐 𝑹𝒚
FOR 𝑥ҧ
𝑩 𝑹𝑴 − 𝑶𝑴
ഥ=
𝒙 −𝒆 ഥ
𝒙=
𝟐 𝑹𝒚

MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE
 BOUSSINESQ THEORY
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL LINE LOAD
𝒒

𝜽 Ground Surface

SOLVING FOR STRESS AT A CERTAIN POINT

If the line load (q) is inclined, obtain the vertical

and horizontal component using the given angle

VERTICAL LINE LOAD HORIZONTAL LINE LOAD

𝟐𝒒𝒗 𝒛𝟑 𝟐𝒒𝑯 𝒛𝟐 𝒙
𝑷= 𝑷=
𝝅ሺ𝒙𝟐 + 𝒛𝟐 ሻ𝟐 𝝅ሺ𝒙𝟐 + 𝒛𝟐 ሻ𝟐
WHERE: WHERE:
𝒛  depth 𝒛  depth
𝒒𝒗  vertical component of q 𝒒𝑯  horizontal component of q
x  horizontal distance x  horizontal distance

Formula for boussinesq and westergaard

boussinesq
𝟑 𝟏
𝑷 𝑰𝑩 = ∙
∆𝝈𝒛 = ∙𝑰 𝟐𝝅 𝒓 𝟓
𝒛𝟐 𝑩 ሾ𝟏 + ሺ ሻ𝟐 ሿ𝟐
𝒛

westergaard
𝟏 𝟏
𝑷 𝑰𝒘 = ∙
∆𝝈𝒛 = ∙𝑰 𝝅 ሾ𝟏 + 𝟐ሺ𝒓ሻ𝟐 ሿ𝟏.𝟓
𝒛𝟐 𝒘 𝒛

MADE BY: JHENARD DANIEL M. GUINTO, RCE