Foundation Engineering

UNION COLLEGE

Civil & Environmental Engineering Department

Winter 2027

Foundation Engineering

CEE-444

Professor	Dr. Ashraf Ghaly, P.E.
Department	Civil & Environmental Engineering
Office	Olin 102D
Tel., email	518-388-6515, ghalya@union.edu

Lectures: T&Th 9:00AM-10:45AM.

Consultation: Immediately after every class, or by appointment.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The goal of this course is to help civil engineering students develop the ability to analyze and design shallow foundations, mat foundations, earth retaining structures, sheet pile walls in waterfront structures, braced cuts, and pile foundations. Geotechnical analysis of the above structures is fully detailed in addition to comprehensive structural design. Real-world applications are presented and discussed. Prerequisite: CEE333.

COURSE GRADE

Assignments = 30%
Class Participation = 10%
Midterm Exam (Th, 6th week) = 30%
Final Examination = 30%

COURSE GRADE
90+ = A	85+ = A-	80+ = B+	75+ = B	70+ = B-	65+ = C+	60+ = C	55+ = C-	50+ = D

NOTES

Attendance of exams is mandatory.
If you must miss the midterm test due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control (a letter from the Dean of Students will be required in this case), your 30 points of the midterm test will be automatically transferred to the final exam, i.e., your final will be graded out of 60 points. No makeup for the midterm test will be allowed for any reason. If you miss the midterm without a supporting letter from the Dean of Students, there will be 10 points penalty, i.e, the maximum score you can earn in your final exam is 50/60.
If you must miss the final exam due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control (a letter from the Dean of Students will be required in this case), your grade in the course will be prorated based on the components of your term work. No makeup for the final exam will be allowed for any reason.
Students are randomly selected to participate in class discussion. If you are unprepared or absent without documentation (a formal note from a doctor, nurse, coach, dean of students, etc.), this will impact participation credit.
Due date for assigned course work will be announced in class. Late submission is assessed at -1 point per day or part thereof.
The academic performance of the students in this course will be held to the standards of Union College's Honor Code.
Students with disabilities will be accommodated as per Union College's Policy.

TEXTBOOK

Das, B.M. (2023). "Principles of Foundation Engineering" 10th Edition, Cengage Learning. ISBN: 9780357684658.

COURSE TOPICS

0.      General Review of Soil Mechanics
         0.1       Soil Properties
         0.2       Laboratory Determination of Soil Properties

1.      Shallow Foundations
         1.1       Ultimate Bearing Capacity
         1.2       Terzaghi's Bearing Capacity Theory
         1.3       Water Table Effect on Bearing Capacity
         1.4       General Bearing Capacity Equation
         1.5       Eccentrically Loaded Foundations

2.      Settlement of Shallow Foundations
         2.1       Types of Foundation Settlement
         2.2       Elastic Settlement
         2.3       Elastic Settlement of Foundations on Saturated Clay
         2.4       Elastic Settlement of Sandy Soil
         2.5       Elastic Settlement of Eccentrically Loaded Foundations
         2.6       Consolidation Settlement
         2.7       Vertical Stress Increase in Soil Caused by Foundation Load
         2.8       Allowable Bearing Pressure in Sand Based on Settlement Consideration
         2.9       Field Load Test

3.      Mat Foundations
         3.1       Common Types of Mat Foundation
         3.2       Bearing Capacity of Mat Foundations
         3.3       Differential Settlement of Mats

4.      Lateral Earth Pressure and Retaining Walls
         4.1       Lateral Earth Pressure At-Rest
         4.2       Rankine Active Earth Pressure
         4.3       Coulomb Active Earth Pressure
         4.4       Rankine Passive Earth Pressure
         4.5       Coulomb Passive Earth Pressure
         4.6       Angle of Wall Friction
         4.7       Rankine Active and Passive Earth Pressure for Inclined Granular Backfill
         4.8       Lateral Earth Pressure due to Surcharge
         4.9       Stability of Retaining Walls
         4.10     Proportioning of Retaining Walls
         4.11     Drainage from the Backfill on the Retaining Wall

5.      Sheet Pile Walls in Waterfront Structures
         5.1       Cantilever Sheet Piling Penetrating Sandy Soil
         5.2       Cantilever Sheet Piling Penetrating Clay
         5.3       Anchored Sheet Pile Wall
         5.4       Free Earth Support Method for Penetration of Sandy Soil
         5.5       Free Earth Support Method for Penetration of Clay
         5.6       Moment Reduction for Anchored Sheet Pile Walls
         5.7       Fixed Earth Support Method for Penetration of Sandy Soil
         5.8       Anchors

6.      Braced Cuts
         6.1       Lateral Earth Pressure in Braced Cuts
         6.2       Design of Various Components of a Braced Cut
         6.3       Stability of Braced Cuts
         6.4       Failure of Single Wall Cofferdam by Piping

7.      Pile Foundations
         7.1       Types of Piles and Method of Installation
         7.2       Load Transfer Mechanism
         7.3       Equations for Estimation of Pile Capacity
         7.4       Point Bearing Capacity of Piles Resting on Rocks
         7.5       Elastic Settlement of Piles
         7.6       Pullout Resistance of Piles
         7.7       Laterally Loaded Vertical Piles
         7.8       Pile Driving Formulas
         7.9       Stress on Pile During Pile Driving
         7.10     Pile Load Tests
         7.11     Efficiency of Group Piles
         7.12     Consolidation Settlement of Group Piles
         7.13     Elastic Settlement of Pile Groups
         7.14     Negative Skin Friction

DESIGN SESSIONS

1.      Geotechnical design using Terzaghi's and general bearing capacity theories.
2.      Structural design of shallow foundations using standard code of practice.
3.      Computation of elastic and consolidation settlement of shallow foundations.
4.      Geotechnical and structural design of mat foundations.
5.      Geotechnical design of earth retaining structures under at-rest, active, and passive conditions.
6.      Structural design of reinforced concrete retaining walls.
7.      Geotechnical and structural design of sheet pile walls in waterfront structures in cohesive and cohesionless seabed conditions.
8.      Design of anchor block behind sheet pile walls in waterfront structures.
9.      Geotechnical and structural design of braced cuts in homogeneous and stratified soil layers.
10.    Design of single piles and group piles. Computation of group efficiency and consolidation settlement. Computation of negative skin friction.

ASSIGNMENT & EXAM SCHEDULE

Topic	Assignment #	Week Assigned	Week Due
1. Shallow Foundations	1	2	3
2. Settlement of Shallow Foundations	2	3	4
3. Mat Foundations	3	4	5
4. Lateral Earth Pressure and Retaining Walls	4	5	6
5. Sheet Pile Walls in Waterfront Structures	5	6	7
6. Braced Cuts	6	7	8
7. Pile Foundations	7	8	9

Exam	Week	Tested Topics
Midterm	6	1, 2, 3, 4
Final	11	4, 5, 6, 7

STUDENTS TAKE AWAY

Students will develop an understanding and appreciation for the geotechnical and structural design of shallow foundations used in civil engineering projects.
Students will learn how to make decisions on whether isolated shallow foundations or a mat foundation will be better to support loads from structures. Structural design of mat foundation will be covered in addition to the geotechnical design.
Students will understand how to calculate earth and water pressures on retaining wall and waterfront structures. Students will run structural analysis to determine the proper sections of the designed retaining system.
Students will learn how braced cuts are supported and will calculate the forces acting on the supporting components of a braced cut system. These forces will be used to determine the proper sections of a braced cut system.
Students will be introduced to the decision-making process required to select a deep foundation to support structural loads. Deep foundations such as piles require geotechnical as well as structural design. Pile depth, diameter, number in a group are all decision that students will learn how to determine and verify the safety of their selection.

RELATIONSHIP OF COURSE TO ABET PROGRAM OUTCOMES

An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering.
An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data.
An ability to design a system, component or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability and sustainability.
An ability to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems.
An ability to communicate effectively.
A recognition of the need for and ability to engage in life-long learning knowledge of contemporary issues.
An ability to use techniques, skills and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

A. Ghaly Homepage Union College Homepage