Experimentally measurement and analysis of stress under foundation slab

Abstract

Understanding of a load redistribution into subsoil below building foundation is an important knowledge for reliable design and its economy too. The article presents the results of a physical model of a foundation slab and its interaction with the subsoil. The interactions were investigated comprehensively by monitoring the developments of stress in the subsoil and foundation slab settlement during its loading. The load acting on the foundation was applied by strutting the hydraulic press against heavy steel frame which was established by the Department of Building Structures, Faculty of Civil Engineering of VSB -TU Ostrava for this purpose. The preparatory phase of the present experiment involved the homogenization of soil during which trio pressure cells in three horizons were gradually fitted. The quality of homogenization was checked on an ongoing basis through field tests: dynamic penetration load test, dynamic plate load test and seismic measurement of foundation slab response. Finally, the homogenized soil was subjected to mechanical analysis to determine the strength and deformation parameters for basic Mohr-Coulomb constitutive model.