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Sponsored by ASCE Continuing Education and the Geo-Institute (G-I).
INSTRUCTOR: Geoff Chao, Ph.D., P.E.
Purpose and Background
Foundations on expansive soil sites are one of the most challenging problems facing builders, engineers, and building owners today. Many of the problems result from failure to identify expansive soils on the sites, inadequate design and construction, use of inappropriate foundation systems, and/or improper construction practices. Damage to structures and infrastructure due to expansive soils is a billion-dollar issue. This webinar provides geotechnical, structural, construction engineers, and engineering geologists with the innovative tools necessary to design and construct foundations on expansive soils. It explains first to identify expansive soils and its properties that must be considered when designing the foundations. Heaving and shrinkage of subsoils during the wetting and drying cycles could result in damage to foundations. The webinar discusses briefly the impact of wetting and drying cycles on expansive soils. It describes eave prediction methods applied to the design of the foundations and pitfalls to be avoided in the design. The webinar utilizes a computer program, SVHeave, co-developed by SoilVision Systems Ltd and Engineering Analytics, Inc., to assist in heave prediction. This webinar also introduces design charts that were developed using a finite element program, APEX, to assist in the foundation design process.
Primary Discussion Topics
- Introduction
- Laboratory testing for expansive soils
- Impact of wetting and drying cycles on expansive soils
- Heave prediction methods
- Design of shallow and pier foundations
Learning Outcomes
- Identify how to obtain key soil properties for design of foundations on expansive soils
- Explain the impact of wetting and drying cycles on expansive soils and be able to make decisions about depth and degree of wetting
- Describe how to predict heave using various heave prediction methods
- Define how to appropriately design shallow and deep foundations using the tools that are provided
Webinar Benefits
- Learn how to use index properties to identify expansive soils
- Learn how to determine soil design parameters from oedometer tests
- Understand various methods of heave prediction
- Learn innovative tools on the design of foundations on expansive soils
- Avoid pitfalls on the design of the foundations on expansive soils
Intended Audience
- Civil/geotechnical engineers
- Structural engineers
- Forensic engineers
Engineering geologists - Students / educators
- Researchers interested in cross-cutting topics
Webinar Outline
- Introduction
- Distribution of expansive soils
- Damage from expansive soils
- Laboratory testing for expansive soils
- Index properties
- Consolidation swell test
- Constant volume test
- Water migration in expansive soils
- Progression of water in expansive soils
- Observed depth and degree of wetting
- Heave prediction methods
- Nelson (2010) method
- US Army (1983) method
- Fredlund (1983) method
- Design of shallow and pier foundations
- Shallow foundation
- Pier foundation