Abstract:
Background:
The stability of structures to a great extent depends on the foundation. The foundation of a building structure plays a key role in transferring the
loading from the structure to the soil underneath. In foundation design, the effect of changes in soil moisture content to soil deformation and
subsequent differential settlement during the lifespan of a structure is often ignored.
Objective:
This research establishes the relationship between soil moisture content and soil deformation for soils in the Nairobi area and its environs. Soil
deformation in some foundation supports in a building leads to an unequal settlement resulting in differential settlement. The research further
determines the influence of soil deformation on the differential settlement of a typical four-storey reinforced concrete frame structure.
Methods:
Seven soil samples collected from the Nairobi area and its environs were subjected to moisture content variation. Soil deformation was measured,
and the laboratory test results were applied to determine the modulus of subgrade reaction constant for the elastic foundation. A four-storey
reinforced concrete frame structure was modelled at varying foundation conditions. The resulting differential settlement for frame structure was
evaluated. Two control cases were assessed. The structural behaviour depicted by changes in bending moments, shear forces, differential
settlement, and member stresses for varying foundation cases was assessed. Staad Pro software was applied in structural modelling.
Results:
Increasing soil moisture content from 30% to 50% and 75% by keeping all other factors constant led to increased soil deformation ranging from
17.2% to 34% for the 7 soil samples tested. Structural modelling revealed that increasing soil moisture content at a group of four outer footings in a
16 footings’ building contributes to significant changes in shear forces, bending moments, compressive and tensile stresses, and supports the
differential settlement. Differential settlement induced by soil deformation arising from an increase in soil moisture content from 30% to 75%
increased by 49.1%.
Conclusion:
Increase in soil moisture content contributed to soil deformation, which led to a significant differential settlement in a line of foundation’s outer
footings in a building. The moisture content-caused differential settlement, which contributed to remarkable changes in the amount and distribution
pattern for shear forces, bending moments, compressive and tensile stresses, and node displacement when the soil moisture content was increased
from 30% to 75%.An increase in soil moisture content to 50% and above at some footings of a building would lead to structural failure unless the
building structure is specifically designed to withstand such differential settlement. Construction stakeholders should consider the differential
settlement attributed to variation in soil moisture content during the structure’s lifespan and safety factors adequately at the design stage to avoid
potential structural failure and even collapse.