Foundations

Frontal (traditional) teaching

Risultati della tra

2. SURFACE FOUNDATIONS: Introduction (Definition of surface foundation, Choice of laying surface, Partially or totally compensated surface foundations, Underpinning of existing buildings). Foundations on plinths (Isolated plinths, plinths with connecting beams). Foundations on inverted beams and on slabs (simple inverted beams, slabs with constant thickness, slabs with increased thickness under the pillars, box slabs, etc.). Bearing capacity: Failure mechanisms (General failure, local failure, punching failure). Simplified scheme (Factors affecting the bearing capacity and estimation of the depth of the sliding surface). Bearing capacity calculation methods: Terzaghi solution (1943), Brinch-Hansen (1970) formulation for incoherent and cohesive soils, Richard et al. (1993) approach, Paolucci and Pecker approach (1997). The formulations for non-general failure mechanisms. The load-bearing capacity for foundations on stratified soils. Methods for the calculation of induced stresses in the ground. Settlements: Introduction (Absolute settlements, differential settlements, rigid rotation, relative rotations, angular deformations, deflection, curvature, Effects of foundation settlements on elevated structures, depth of influence for the calculation of foundation settlements). Methods for calculating settlements in static conditions for non-cohesive soils (The theory of elasticity; the Burland and Burbidge method, 1985; the Schmertmann method, 1970; the Berardi and Lancellotta method, 1991) and for cohesive soils (The course of settlements over time; instantaneous settlement; primary consolidation settlement according to the Skempton and Bjerrum Method, 1957; secondary consolidation settlement). Settlements due to seismic events. Settlements due to vibro-driving of piles. Settlements near excavation fronts. Admissibility of settlements (Permissible values ​​of foundation movements according to the geotechnical literature, EC1, EC7 (1994) and the indications provided by the NTC, 2018. Methods for reducing distortions in the foundation). Geotechnical and structural design of shallow foundations according to Italian Technical Regulations (NTC, 2018).

3. PILE FOUNDATIONS / MIXED FOUNDATIONS: Piles subject to vertical loads: Executive typologies (PIles realised without removing soil or removing soil, intermediate piles, micropiles). Bearing capacity (Lateral bearing capacity, end bearing capacity, correlation with the results of in-site tests). Settlements (Method of Poulos and Davis, 1980), simplified non-linear model. Piles in a group (Edge effect, group effect, bearing capacity, settlements). Negative friction (Physical phenomenon, modelling, determination of the neutral point). Vertical load tests and non-destructive tests (Test equipment, execution method, instrumentation, interpretation of results; non-destructive tests: cross-hole tests in piles, mechanical admittance method). Piles subject to horizontal forces: General considerations. Evaluation of the pile shear forces and bending moments for the ultimate limit state condition. Evaluation of the pile horizontal displacement, rotation, shear forces and bending moments for the serviceability limit state condition. Mixed foundations. Geotechnical and structural design of pile foundations and mixed foundations according to Italian Technical Regulations, NTC, 2018.

4. SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION: Soil-structure interaction with surface foundations (Static conditions: Winkler's method; Dynamic conditions: vibrating table tests; impedance method, calculation codes, Standards). Soil-structure interaction with pile foundations (kinematic and inertial interaction; pseudo-static analyzes, simplified and complete dynamic analyzes, Technical Regulations).

5. INNOVATIVE AND GREEN TECHNOLOGIES: geothermal piles; soil-waste material mixtures, to reduce the seismic risk of structures/infrastructures.

1) Ongoing evaluations

2) Design of a shallow foundation and of a pile foundation

3) Oral exam

Describe the Cross-Hole test and explain what it is for.

What is the maximum depth required by the Technical Standards for Construction (NTC2018) for the calculation of Vs, eq?

Does the CPT test allow a visual examination of the soil?

What is the scissometric test used for?

What produces the group effect in a piling? How can it be reduced?

In the Gazetas impedance method, what stiffness is the surface foundation supposed to have?

In which sections of the pile should we expect the maximum kinematic moment?

With what approaches is it possible to study the dynamic pile-soil interaction?

At what depth from the pile head can we consider the moment of inertia to be negligible?

Illustrate how an energy pile.

What geotechnical solutions do you know to reduce the seismic risk?

What is the most important data of a CPT test?

What is the minimum distance to be respected between one SPT test and another within a borehole? 

What instrumentation is needed to monitor the settlements of a foundation?

If you want to maintain surface foundations in a building that requires seismic retrofitting, what interventions can / must be done in the foundation?

Illustrate how the ultimate geotechnical limit state check is carried out for a surface foundation.

What is the substantial novelty introduced in the formula of Paolucci and Pecker, 1997 for the calculation of qlim with respect to the formula of Brinch-Hansen, 1970?

With which theory do I calculate the tension induced in the soil by a load spread uniformly distributed over a square area?

Explain the criterion with which the structural design of a surface foundation with inverted beams is carried out.

 Illustrate the Berardi and Lancellotta (1991) method for calculating the settlements of a surface foundation. 

What in situ tests need to be done to use the method of Schmertmann et al., 1978 and that of Berardi and Lancellotta, 1991?

What does the secondary consolidation settlement indicate and what parameters do we need to be able to calculate it?

According to the Eurocodes, what are the admissible values ​​of absolute settlements for a foundation?

What do we mean by a partially compensated foundation and a fully compensated foundation?

When are micropiles used?

What kind of mixture are Tubfix micropiles made of?

In what range does the efficiency of a pile group fluctuate?

How is the ULS verification set up in the event of a pile immersed in two layers, one of which is in negative friction?

Illustrate the criteria by which the reinforcement of a foundation pile is chosen.

How do we define the Winkler constant?

What is the behavior of the soil reaction under a superficial foundation with the Winkler approach? And how does it differ from a real soil reaction?

Does the acceleration expected on the soil surface change or not if we consider the free field condition or the presence of a structure on the surface?

What does the inertial interaction depend on?