Harmonized European standards for

construction in Egypt
Eurocode 7 Geotechnical design
Roger Frank
Professor, Ecole des Ponts ParisTech

Organised with the support of the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality

Outline
1. Introduction
2. Contents of Eurocode 7 - Parts 1 & 2
3. Some aspects of Eurocode 7-1
Characteristic values
ULS Design Approaches

SLS Serviceability limit states

4. Liaisons. Associated standards

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

STRUCTURAL EUROCODES
EN 1990

Actions on
structures

EN 1991

EN 1992

EN 1993

EN 1994

EN 1995

EN 1996

EN 1999

EN 1997

Structural safety,
serviceability and
durability

EN 1998

Design and
detailing

Geotechnical
and seismic
design

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Eurocode 7 Geotechnical design

EN 1997-1 (2004) : General rules
EN 1997-2 (2007) : Ground investigation
and testing

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

2. Contents of Eurocode 7
Parts 1 & 2

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Contents of Part 1 (EN 1997-1)

Section 1 General
Section 2 Basis of geotechnical
design
Section 3 Geotechnical data
Section 4 Supervision of
construction, monitoring and
maintenance
Section 5 Fill, dewatering, ground
improvement and reinforcement

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Section 6 Spread foundations

Section 7 Pile foundations
Section 8 Anchorages

Section 9 Retaining structures

Section 10 Hydraulic failure
Section 11 Site stability

Section 12 Embankments

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Informative annexes
Annexe C Passive earth
pressure

Annex C
Active
earth
pressure

Annexes D & E : Bearing capacity of

foundations
R/A' = c' Nc bc sc ic +
q' Nq bq sq iq +
0,5 ' B '
N b s i
R /A' = v0 + k p*le

Annexe F : Settlement of foundations

s = p b f / Em

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Contents of Part 2 (EN 1997-2)

Section 1 General

Section 2 Planning and reporting of

ground investigations

Section 3 Drilling, sampling and gw

measurements
Section 4 Field tests in soils and
rocks

Section 5 Laboratory tests on soils

and rocks

Section 6 Ground investigation report

> Also a number of Informative

annexes

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EN 1997- 2
Field tests in soils and rocks (Section 4)
Clauses on :
CPT(U), PMT, FDT, SPT, DP, WST, FVT, DMT, PLT

Objectives, specific requirements, evaluation of test
results, use of test results and derived values
Annexes with examples on use of results and derived
values for geotechnical design

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EN 1997- 2
Lab. tests on soils and rocks (Section 5)













preparation of soil specimens for testing

preparation of rock specimens for testing
tests for classification, identification and description of soils
chemical testing of soils and groundwater
strength index testing of soils
strength testing of soils
compressibility and deformation testing of soils
compaction testing of soils
permeability testing of soils
tests for classification of rocks
swelling testing of rock material
strength testing of rock material
Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Results of test standards (EN 1997-2

Field test

Test results

CPT/CPTU

qc , fs , Rf (CPT) / qt , fs , u (CPTU)

Dynamic probing

N10 (DPL, DPM, DPH); N10 or N20 (DPSH)

SPT

N , Er (SPT), soil description

Pressuremeters (PMT)

EM ,,pf , plM (MPM); expansion curve (all)

Flexible dilatometer (FDT)

EFDT, deformation curve

Field vane test (FVT)

cfv , crv , torque-rotation curve

Weight sounding test (WST)

continuous record of penetration depth or Nb

Plate loading test

pu

Flta dilatometer test

P0 , p1 , EDMT , IDMT , KDMT (DMT)

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Annex A)

Laboratory tests
Soils: w ; ; s ; grain size distribution curve ; wP , wL ; emax , emin , ID ; COM ; CCaCO3 ; CSO42-, CSO32- ; Ccl ; pH ;
compressibility, consolidation, creep curves, Eoed, p or Cs, Cc, p, C ; cu (lab vane) ; cu (fall cone) ; qu ; cu (UU) ;
- and u curves, paths, Mohr circles ; c, or cu, cu=f(c), E or Eu ; -u curve, - diagram, c, , residual
parameters ; ICBR ; k (direct lab, field or oedometer)
Rocks: w ; and n ; swelling results ; c, E and ; Is50 ; -u curve, Mohr diagram, c, , res par ; T ; - curve,
paths, Mohr circles ; c, , E and

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Geotechnical properties
Type of test
F= field L= laboratory

F1

Correlations

F2

L1

C1

Test results and

derived values

L2
C2

EN 1997 -2
EN 1997 -1

Cautious selection

Geotechnical model and characteristic

value of geotechnical properties
Application of
partial factors

Design values of geotechnical

properties
Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Information
from other
sources on
the site, the
soils and
rocks and
the project

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3. Some aspects of Eurocode 7-1

Characteristic values
and design values

ULS Design Approaches

SLS and deformations of structures

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Characteristic value
of geotechnical parameters
P The characteristic value of a geotechnical parameter shall
be selected as a cautious estimate of the value affecting
the occurrence of the limit state.
If statistical methods are used, the characteristic value
should be derived such that the calculated probability of a
worse value governing the occurrence of the limit state
under consideration is not greater than 5%.

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Design values of geotechnical parameters

Design value of a parameter : Xd = Xk / M

Design values of actions and resistances

fulfilling for STR/GEO ULS :
Ed = E {F.Fk }

Ed Rd

and Rd = R { Xk / M }

(= at the source)
or

Ed = E.E { Fk }

and Rd = R { Xk } / R

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Ultimate limit states Eurocode 7-1

EQU

: loss of equilibrium of the structure

STR : internal failure or excessive deformation
of the structure or structural elements
GEO : failure or excessive deformation of the
ground
UPL : loss of equilibrium due to uplift by water
pressure (buoyancy) or other vertical actions
HYD : hydraulic heave, internal erosion and
piping caused by hydraulic gradients

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

EN1990 - Ultimate limit states

EQU and STR/GEO

Ed< Rd
Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

J.A Calgaro

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STR/GEO : ULS - persistent and transient situations

Approaches

Action ( F)

Symbol

Set A1

Set A2

Permanent
Unfavourable
Favourable

G
G

1,35
1,00

1,00
1,00

Variable
Unfavourable
Favourable

Q
Q

1,50
0

1,30
0

Symbol

Set M1

Set M2

Angle of shearing resistance

1,00

1,25

Effective cohesion

1,00

1,25

Undrained shear strength

cu

1,00

1,40

Unconfined strength

qu

1,00

1,40

Weight density

1,00

1,00

Combinations
A1 + M1 + R1
&
A2 + M2 + R1

Or A2 + M1 or M2+ R4
A1 + M1 + R2

A1 or A2 + M2 + R3

Ed< Rd

Soil parameter ( M )

Resistance ( R )

Symbol

Set R1

Set R2

Set R3

Bearing capacity

Rv
Rh

1,00
1,00

1,4
1,1

1,00
1,00

Sliding

 R for Spread
foundations

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Ultimate limit states (UPL)

buried
hollow
structure

Anchored
structure

slab below
water level

Sand

Sand
Sand

Anchorage

Water
tight
surface

Water
tight
surface

Injected sand

Examples of situations where

uplift might be critical

Gdst;d + Qdst;d Gstb;d + Rd

Former ground surface
Sand

Sand

v
W atertight surface

lightweight
embankment
during flood

Clay
bottom
of
an
Gravel
excavation

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Clay
Clay

Gravel

Ultimate limit states (HYD)

Heave due
to
seepage
of water

Water
low
permeability
soil

Permeable
subsoil

piezometric level in
the permeable
subsoil

Piping

Sand

udst;d stb;d
udst;d stb;d

Example of situation where

heave or piping might be critical

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Accidental situations
Actions : all values of F (and M) = 1.0
Resistances :
all values of R (and M) depend
on the particular accident

Seismic situations : see Eurocode 8-5

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Verifications of ULS
Ultimate limit states of static equilibrium (EQU) :
Ed,dst Ed,stb
Ultimate limit states of resistance (STR/GEO) :
Ed Rd
Ultimate limit state of uplift (UPL) :
Gdst;d + Qdst;d Gstb;d + Rd
Ultimate limit state of hydraulic failure (HYD) :
udst;d stb;d or Sdst;d Gstb;d
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EN1990 - Serviceability limit states

SLS

Verifications :

Ed Cd
Cd = limiting design value of the relevant
serviceability criterion
Ed = design value of the effects of actions
specified in the serviceability criterion, determined
on the basis of the relevant combination
all F and M = 1.0
Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

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Movements and deformations of structures

smax

s max

25

settlement s, differential
settlement s, rotation
and angular strain

relative deflection and

deflection ratio /L

and relative rotation

(angular distortion)

(after Burland and Wroth,

1975)
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Foundations of buildings (Eurocode 7, 1994)

*
*

Serviceability limit states (SLS) : max 1/500

Ultimate limit states (ULS)
:
max 1/150
smax 50 mm
smax 20 mm

Foundations of bridges
Moulton (1986) for 314 bridges in the US and Canada :
*
max 1/250
(continuous deck bridges)
and max 1/200
(simply supported spans)
* sHmax 40 mm
In France, in practice :
ULS : max 1/250
SLS : max 1/1000 1/500
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4. Liaisons. Associated standards

EN 1990: Eurocode : Basis of structural

design

EC 8 - 5 : Earthquake resistance design:

foundations, retaining structures
and geotechnical aspects

TC 288 : Execution of geotechnical works

TC 341 : Geotechnical investigation and
testing
ISO/TC 182 Geotechnics :

SC1 Soil and rock classification

SC3 Foundations, retaining structures &

earthworks
Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

Execution of geotechnical works TC 288

Published standards

(October 2010)

EN 1536

: Bored piles (1999), 79 p

EN 1538

: Diaphragm walls (2000), 46 p

EN 1537

: Ground anchors (2000), 56 p

EN 12063

: Sheet piling (1999), 76 p

EN 12699

: Displacement piles (2001), 45 p

EN 12715

: Grouting (2000), 49 p

EN 12716

: Jet-grouting (2001), 36 p

EN 14199

: Micropiling (2005), 45 p

EN 14475
EN 14490

: Reinforcement of fills (2007), 49

: Soil Nailing (2010)

EN 14679

: Deep mixing (2005), 49 p

EN 14731

: Deep vibration (2006), 22 p

EN 15237

: Deep vertical drainage(2007), 52 p

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Investigation and laboratory testing

Published documents as of April 2010 (TC 341)
Standards (4) Short title (date of publication)
EN ISO 14688-1
: Identification of soils (2002-08)
EN ISO 14688-2
: Classification of soils (2004-07)
EN ISO 14689-1
: Identification of rock (2003-12)
EN ISO 22475-1
: Sampling - principles (2006-9)
Technical specifications (12)
TS 22475-2 : Sampling - qualification criteria (2006-9)
TS 22475-3 : Sampling conformity assessment (2007-12)
TS 17892-1 to 12 (2004-11) to be replaced by ENs:
Water content, Density of fine grained soils,
Density of solid particles, Particle size distribution,
Oedometer test, Fall cone test,
Unconfined compression test,
Unconsolidated triaxial test,
Consolidated triaxial test,
Direct shear test,
Permeability test,
Atterberg Limits
Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt

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Field (in situ) testing

Published documents as of 1st April 2010 (TC 341)
Published standards (4) Short title (date of publication)
EN ISO 22476-2 : Dynamic probing (2005-01)
EN ISO 22476-3 : Standard penetration test (2005-01)

Published technical specifications (2)

TS 22476-10 : Weight sounding test (2005-05)
TS 22476-11 : Flat dilatometer test (2005-05)

SPT

WST

DP

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DMT

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Conclusions

Eurocode 7 is :

- a tool to help European geotechnical engineers speak

the same language
- a necessary tool for the dialogue between geotechnical
engineers and structural engineers
Eurocode 7 helps promoting research
- it stimulates questions on present geotechnical
practice from ground investigation to design models
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and to really conclude :

It should be considered that knowledge of the ground
conditions depends on the extent and quality of the
geotechnical investigations. Such knowledge and the
control of workmanship are usually more significant to
fulfilling the fundamental requirements than is
precision in the calculation models and partial factors.

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Thank you for your attention !

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Contact Us
Name of Speaker:
Title:
Organisation:

Roger Frank
Professor
Ecole des Ponts ParisTech

Email:

frank@cermes.enpc.fr

Links:

www.bsigroup.com

Project Team Leader:

Keith Moyes

Email:

keith.moyes@bsigroup.com

Links:

www.bsigroup.com

Harmonized European standards for construction in Egypt