Also, for fills a frequent consideration is the attainment of terminal settlement. This is ascertained from a planned settlement monitoring program.
For cohesionless soils, settlement is in the main immediate while for cohesive soils, the consolidation characteristics will provide a guide for the determination of the settlement monitoring program - long term settlement.
A note of caution though, soil science is not an exact science. Theory always gives conservative results.
For a fill, settlement results from both the fill material (duration dependent on fill material), depth/thickness of fill, thickness and depth of underlying clay layer - from a sub soil investigation survey.
The choice of foundation type will depend on the type of facility proposed and loads in service.
NB Hydraulically placed, well graded granular fills can support light structures - for which a pad foundation may be proposed. For critical facilities however, for which settlement is a key consideration, then a pile foundation is the answer. Even for piles, ongoing settlement gives rise to negative skin friction.
Frequently though, it is often the practice that fill grounds serve only to provide a working platform subjected to minimum service loads - roads, walkways etc.
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