Grade Beam Analysis
Grade Beam Analysis
(OP)
I've been wrestling with a problem lately; hopefully somebody can help me out.
The soils engineer will often give a differential settlement deflection value with an associated span. Usually 1/2" in 40 feet or something similar.
How do you design a grade beam section given this data? (assume conventional 2-pour foundation for slab-on-grade residential foundation)
I tried backing a uniform load out based upon the span and delta. Then generate an actual Moment from this. Compare this moment with the allowable and voila!
But this is clearly incorrect. Uniform load is directly proportional to Moment of Inertia. Therefore, the larger the section, the larger the moment! No Good!
Any ideas??
The soils engineer will often give a differential settlement deflection value with an associated span. Usually 1/2" in 40 feet or something similar.
How do you design a grade beam section given this data? (assume conventional 2-pour foundation for slab-on-grade residential foundation)
I tried backing a uniform load out based upon the span and delta. Then generate an actual Moment from this. Compare this moment with the allowable and voila!
But this is clearly incorrect. Uniform load is directly proportional to Moment of Inertia. Therefore, the larger the section, the larger the moment! No Good!
Any ideas??






RE: Grade Beam Analysis
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
www.SlideRuleEra.net
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
Lets assume the soils engineer gave me a deflection of 1/2" in 40 feet. Do I check the footing size (assume 10"x12" w/ 1-#4 T/B) for all the tributary wall/floor/roof loads for a clear span of 40 feet?
Its not gonna work. no way, no how. Not even close.
I don't think that is how you do it. I don't think that is the intent of the info given by the soils engineer.
Anthony W. Chute, P.E.
Option One Consulting Engineers
Newport Beach, Calif.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
This is exactly what I thought to do. But how? I used the fixed-fixed beam model and backed out a uniform load from the delfection equation. Then, use plug this into the formula for moment and design accordingly. But this doesn't work! if you increase your section (b & d), this increases moment of inertia then increase moment. A larger section should not make it worse!
How should you determine the moment from the deflection??
Anthony W. Chute, P.E.
Option One Consulting Engineers
Newport Beach, Calif.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
BTW, AISC manual beam formula might be good enough for most of engineers who are farmilar with statically indeterminate structures but have not enough time to plug in Roark's formula, or at least one time throughly gone thru textbook to blakbox run.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
I hope other SE's have been sandbagging on this.
I always look at the maximum differentioal settlements given and compare them to my building type. If I am designing a wood framed building I can accept a lot of settlement. If it is a masonry or glass box, not so much. You did not say what type of building.
To look at it another way, 1/2" in 40 feet is L/960. If I was sizing a beam to support masonry I might check deflection for L/600. L/960 looks pretty good in that respect.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
I would take a step back to understand where the estimated differential settlement came from and what it was based on. There will be different settlements depending on loading, soil type, density, etc.
For some reason, there is a misconception that geotechnical engineers provide tolerable settlements. These should be structure specific and determined by the structural engineer.
I always request tolerable total and differential settlements from the structural engineer. I am not in a position to determine tolerable settlements for a structure that I am not intimately familiar. I then provide recommendations to accommodate the tolerable settlements provided.
Since bearing pressure is most often governed by settlement, a higher recommended bearing pressure can be given if higher settlements can be tolerated. Conversely, we can provide a different bearing pressure for low tolerable settlement.
I have been involved in structures that can only tolerate 1/4" of TOTAL settlement. Conversely, I have been involves in projects that can tolerate 2" or higher of total settlement. Obviously, these would result in very different allowable bearing pressures or subgrade moduli.
Sorry for the rant, but this happens all of the time.
To address anthonyc007's original question, there are a couple of things to think about.
If the soils are organic in nature or are very loose/soft, then you shouldn't really count on the soils for any support, especially if grades have been raised significantly.
If there are deep foundations due only to large column loads, then the existing, inorganic soils can be relied upon for some support.
I would request a subgrade modulus or design bearing pressure from the geotechnical engineer. Explain to them what you are trying to do and get their recommendation. As I said before, these things are site specific and structure specific. A differential settlement of 1/2" in 40 feet is not set in stone. They could even provide subgrade preparation recommendations for very low tolerable settlements.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
M = 6EI(Delta)/L^2
where Delta is the 1/2" and the L is your 40feet x 12.
I also design the beam as a beam on elastic foundation from the slab loads on top of it and then add the moment from the elastic beam to the sinking support moment and design for that.
Hope this helps.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
Your forumla is the one I initially came up with. But it is clearly wrong. Increasing the section will increase the I. Making the section stronger should not make the moment worse.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
I can't vouch for the accuracy of PE's formula but just sitting back reading this, if you increase the stiffness of the grade beam it can't deflect to match the soil profile and would have to carry larger moments.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
That's my opinion anyways. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
So that leads me to my original question: What do I do with this information from the soils guy? (1/2" in 40 feet)
How do I utilize it to design a proper footing? There must be some other analysis that makes sense.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
How much deflection will your building accept?
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
So.....(forgive me) how do I do this:
"This should then be compared against the "actual" moment produced by the design loads. This is calculated, as PE states, by doing a beam on elastic foundation analysis"
?
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
If you wish to persue an anaytical solution then you need to get a good reference. You should have the theory and calculations in some text from college. Mine is "Advanced Mechanics of Materials", 2nd Ed by Seely and Smith. You could probably find the equations in Roark. A key term will be "k", the Modulus of Subgrade Reaction. Ask the geotech for assistance with this.
Alternatively, as has been suggested by others, you can evaluate the significance of the stated deflection on your structure. Using a combination of engineering judgement along with selected references you may determine that differential settlement is not a problem. If that is the case then you can design your foundation on the basis of bearing capacity only.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
Classical solution of beam on Elastic Foundation in the "Foundation Analysis and Design" by Joseph E. Bowels listed formulas for deflection, slope, moment and shear along with coefficients table. Hope following steps can be any help.
1st - initial size up by plug in the upper deflection and upper moment from actual building loading to the formula PEStructural mentioned. BTW the formula is the AISC manual beam formula for a concentrated load with fixed ends; and understood deflected shape and boundary condition.
2nd - plug in moment due to deflection and actual loading to Bowels formula; pick a modulus of subgrade from soil type or bearing value. Tweak out the upper limit deflection while optimizing the gradebeam size while doing so, you can have a feel for which affects what. BTW soils engineer did not pick up the settlement number from the sky; structural engineer supply the expected maximum wall load and column load in addition to construction types, so the number is somewhat specific for subject building.
3rd - try Enercalc in quick way to compare and for concrete design.
4th - be aware liquefaction effect and expect larger magnitude seismic induced differential settlement. BTW USGS posted liquefaction map for California and USC published the DMG SP 117 – Guidelines for Analyzing and Mitigating Liquefaction in California.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
If you do not wish to design this to death, you are done. One half inch in 40 feet is quite good compared to what I normally see. A wood framed structure with normal finishes should accept that easily. I suspect that with nominal width footings your bearing pressures will also be well below the allowable. If you or your client is sensitive to settlements you could size your footings for service loads. That would probably help more than anything. Ask your soils engineer. Be it my design, I would put minimum reinforcing in the walls with a couple #5 top and bottom to make them act as beams and a few control joints to avoid unsightly cracks. This would reduce the differential deflection even more and avoid calls if there is enough moment to overstress the reinforcing. Hope this helps.
Good luck.
RE: Grade Beam Analysis
This may help for your calc.