Bearing Capacity and Settlement Characteristics of Soil: A case study of FUTO Senate Building & FUTO NDDC Hostel Area, Owerri, Imo State.

The sole purpose of this project work is to determine the settlement characteristics of soil for the construction of building, a case study at FUTO Senate Building  area  and FUTO NDDC hostel area, other objectives are the classification of the  soil, determination of the strength properties of these soils and also making of  sundry recommendations about the type of foundation most suitable for the 
construction of buildings on these soils. Soil samples were collected from FUTO  Senate Building areas and FUTO NDDC hostel. Physical and classification tests  were carried out to determine the nature of the soils present at this study areas. 
These tests are bulk, dry density test, and sieve analysis test. These tests were  conducted in accordance to BS 1377. The soil sourced from FUTO Senate  Building area at a depth of 2.5 m have a bulk density of 1.9 Kg/m3 and a dry  density of 1.7 Kg/m3 with a moisture content of about 15.3%, while that from  FUTO NDDC hostel at a depth of 2.25 m have a bulk density, dry density and  moisture content of 1.9 Kg/m3 , 1.6 Kg/m3 and 17.9% respectively. Consolidation  test was carried out and the settlement of the soil was obtained from data’s  obtained from this test within the range of 8.3 – 8.5 mm. Plate load tests were  also carried out at both study areas resulting to a safe bearing capacity of 722.33  KN/M2 and total settlement of 16.05 mm at FUTO Senate Building area, and 720  KN/M2 and total settlement of 18.2 mm at FUTO NDDC hostel area. The soil  sourced from the study areas has good engineering properties and was  recommended for construction of buildings with pad and strip foundation.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title Page……………………………………………..……………….i
Certification ........................................................ii
Approval............................................................. iii
Dedic...................................................................iv
Acknowledgement .............................................v
Abstract ..............................................................vi
List of Tables ......................................................x
List of Figure.......................................................xi

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION ..................................................1
1.1 Background of Study....................................1
1.2 Problem Statement.......................................2
1.3 Objective of the Study ..................................2
1.4 Significance of Study ...................................3
1.5 Scope of Study..............................................3
1.6 Limitations of Study .....................................4

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW .........................................5
2.1 Soil.................................................................5
2.2 History of Soil as an Engineering Material..5
2.3 Geotechnical Properties of Soil...................7
2.4 Grain Size Distribution..................................8
2.4.1 Sieve Analysis..........................................10
2.5 Consolidation and Compressibility ...........11
2.6 Shear Strength of Soil.................................13
2.6.1 Introduction..............................................13