How to take settlement effect into consideration when
How to take settlement effect into consideration when
(OP)
How can one take the effects of settlement on a building when one designs for buildings? I'm not talking about the design of the foundations, but rather, the building itself. Thanks!





RE: How to take settlement effect into consideration when
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: How to take settlement effect into consideration when
RE: How to take settlement effect into consideration when
1. Try to equalize, as best as possible, the long term dead loads to all the footings, spread and strip.
2. Design the concrete stem walls to span at least 10 feet should there be any localized settlement.
3. For isolated pad (spread) footings, use grade beams to transmit any settlement to other footings.
4. Make sure that the geotech, in his soils report, outlines the anticipated settlement amount and makes any recommendations he thinks should be undertaken to minimize the effects.
5. Over-excavate and place structural backfill for better bearing, possibly less settlement.
6. As a last resort - piling.
I'm sure others in this forum have more ways, but these are the most typical I know.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: How to take settlement effect into consideration when
Regarding the building itself, I believe there are rules of thumbs regarding allowable differential settlement for different building systems.
Strategies for the building include:
- Steel - keep connections loose during construction per standard erection procedures (simplification).
- Concrete and P/T - Use a stiffer foundation or have sand pockets at the columns (expensive).
- Precast - Everything is pinned - shouldn't be a problem.
RE: How to take settlement effect into consideration when
from a structural and architectural point of view, there are set limits for differential settlement / rotation etc.. which will vary from one structure type to another. You may want to check the chart presented in the NAVFAC manual, Bowles also has a table for the same. From a structural point of view I believe that structural engineers will agree with me that differential settlement could add significant loads to the frame elements which must be accounted for in the design.