TM 5-818-1 / AFM 88-3, Chap. 7
Table 5-4. Methods of Eliminating, Reducing, or Coping With Settlements.
Method
Comment
Use of piles, piers, or
Differential settlements between
deep footings.
buildings and surrounding ground
can cause problems.
Excavate soft soil and
Can be very costly if the com-
replace with clean
pressible layer extends to
granular fill.
large depth.
Displace soft soil with
Difficult to control.Pockets of
weight of granular
entrapped soft soil can cause
fill or by blasting.
large differential settlements.
Reduce net load by
Weight of one story building is
excavation.
equal to weight of one or two
feet of soil.
Surcharge or preload
Settlement is reduced by amount
site before
which occurs before construc-
construction.
tion. Preload may be limited
by stability considerations.
Delay construction of
Settlement which occurs before
buildings to be built
construction does not affect
on fills.
building.Fill settlement can
be accelerated using sand
drains.
Use a stiff foundation
Can greatly reduce differential
with deep grade beams.
settlements.
Install leveling jacks
Building can be releveled
between the foundation
periodically as foundation
and the structure
settles.
Select a building type
Steel frames, metal siding, and
which has a large tol-
asphalt floors can withstand
erance for differential
large settlements and remain
settlement.
serviceable.
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
5-11
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