{"id":6508,"date":"2021-04-26T13:58:06","date_gmt":"2021-04-26T13:58:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buildsoftsupport.com\/?post_type=ht_kb&#038;p=6508"},"modified":"2026-07-02T14:09:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T14:09:38","slug":"how-to-add-soil-layers-how-to-add-a-soil-layer-profile","status":"publish","type":"ht_kb","link":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/knowledge-base\/how-to-add-soil-layers-how-to-add-a-soil-layer-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"How to add soil layers, how to add a soil layer profile"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Before we get started<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>A model can contain multiple soil layer profiles.<br \/>\nAlso read: <a href=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/knowledge-base\/how-many-soil-layer-profiles-can-be-taken-into-account\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How many soil layer profiles can be taken into account?<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Soil layers can be applied under a beam, a slab or a plate.<br \/>\nSoil layers are not designed to be applied to walls.<\/li>\n<li>The article below explains how you can add soil layers one by one in Diamonds, but <a href=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/knowledge-base\/template-soil-layer-import\/\">you can also import an entire soil layer profile<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to assign a soil layer profile?<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Select the beams\/ plates under which you want to apply soil layers and click on <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"img_inline alignnone size-full wp-image-4178\" src=\"https:\/\/buildsoftsupport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/KnopOndersteuning.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"32\" height=\"31\" \/>.<\/li>\n<li>With the Y-displacement, choose for <em>Soil layers<\/em> and click on\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"img_inline alignnone size-large wp-image-6512\" src=\"https:\/\/buildsoftsupport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ButtonSoil.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" \/>.<\/li>\n<li>Then, click on <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"img_inline alignnone size-full wp-image-7763\" src=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/KnopToevoegen.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" \/> and enter the general settings:\n<ul>\n<li>Choose between a CTP (often used in Belgium\/ the Netherlands) or M\u00e9nard test (used in France).<\/li>\n<li>Enter the position of the water level below the original ground level. This position is used to determine if Diamonds should calculate the soil stresses using the wet or dry density of soil. <a href=\"https:\/\/buildsoftsupport.com\/knowledge-base\/how-to-add-ground-or-water-pressure\/\">You should define any water and\/or soil pressures manually as a load<\/a>!<\/li>\n<li>Select if the bottom layer should be extended to infinity. This option is checked by default because it results in a conservative value for the settlement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Click on <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"img_inline alignnone size-full wp-image-7763\" src=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/KnopToevoegen.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" \/>\u00a0to add a new soil layer.<br \/>\nEnter the properties of one soil layer (see below).<br \/>\nIf you have foundation slabs on different levels (Y-coordinate), you enter the soil layers starting from the ground level.<\/li>\n<li>Add as many soil layers as necessary.<\/li>\n<li>Hit OK to close all the dialogs.<\/li>\n<li>Click on\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"img_inline alignnone size-full wp-image-1546\" src=\"https:\/\/buildsoftsupport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Calculate.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"26\" \/>\u00a0to run the elastic analysis.<br \/>\nIn the tab page Soil, set the reference load group\/ combination to an SLS combination.<\/p>\n<p>A table with soil layers is not suitable for FEM-calculations. So the soil layers are translated into functions. Each mesh node in the foundation, will have its function depending on the loads present in that mesh node\u2026 That\u2019s why you have to choose a reference combination<br \/>\nThe loads in the reference combination will determine the behaviour of the soil function.<br \/>\nSoil functions in Diamonds, can only be trained to do one thing: either understand how compressed soil works or either understand how soil under tension works.<br \/>\nBy consequence: if you need the settlement in combinations that contains mainely vertical downward loads, you should take a reference combination that contains mainely vertical loads.If your model also contains combinations that mainely consist of vertical upward loads (water pressure) then you should redo the calculation a second time, using a reference combination that also contains mainely vertical upward loads.<br \/>\nIf you try to calculate a combination that consists mainely of vertical upwards loads, with a reference combinations that contains mainely vertical downward loads, that can lead to iteration problems.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7764\" src=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SoilLayers.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"580\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SoilLayers.png 580w, https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SoilLayers-300x278.png 300w, https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SoilLayers-50x46.png 50w, https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SoilLayers-60x56.png 60w, https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SoilLayers-35x32.png 35w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"su-accordion su-u-trim\"><div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-default su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span>Soil parameters for a CPT test<\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\">\nFor a Cone Penetration Test (CPT for short) you need to enter the following data:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>layer thickness<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The <strong>compressibility constant C<\/strong> is usually given in the report of the CPT-test.<br \/>\nOtherwise it can be calculated from:<\/p>\n<p class=\"ql-center-displayed-equation\" style=\"line-height: 37px;\"><span class=\"ql-right-eqno\"> &nbsp; <\/span><span class=\"ql-left-eqno\"> &nbsp; <\/span><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/ql-cache\/quicklatex.com-a0e696ea64e997b011464cd935c59a96_l3.png\" height=\"37\" width=\"78\" class=\"ql-img-displayed-equation quicklatex-auto-format\" alt=\"&#92;&#091;&#67;&#32;&#61;&#32;&#92;&#102;&#114;&#97;&#99;&#123;&#92;&#97;&#108;&#112;&#104;&#97;&#32;&#92;&#99;&#100;&#111;&#116;&#32;&#113;&#95;&#99;&#125;&#123;&#92;&#115;&#105;&#103;&#109;&#97;&#39;&#95;&#123;&#118;&#46;&#48;&#125;&#125;&#92;&#093;\" title=\"Rendered by QuickLaTeX.com\"\/><\/p>\n<p>With<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/ql-cache\/quicklatex.com-1739e84b65a42bd788f3847ba5f1787b_l3.png\" class=\"ql-img-inline-formula quicklatex-auto-format\" alt=\"&#113;&#95;&#99;\" title=\"Rendered by QuickLaTeX.com\" height=\"12\" width=\"14\" style=\"vertical-align: -4px;\"\/> the conical resistance<\/li>\n<li><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/ql-cache\/quicklatex.com-976ceff3072efad066e3213913ae18c6_l3.png\" class=\"ql-img-inline-formula quicklatex-auto-format\" alt=\"&#92;&#115;&#105;&#103;&#109;&#97;&#39;&#95;&#123;&#118;&#46;&#48;&#125;\" title=\"Rendered by QuickLaTeX.com\" height=\"19\" width=\"28\" style=\"vertical-align: -5px;\"\/> the granulometric tension at the depth <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/ql-cache\/quicklatex.com-2ce27f7d2d82e3b238176ec7e7ee9118_l3.png\" class=\"ql-img-inline-formula quicklatex-auto-format\" alt=\"&#104;\" title=\"Rendered by QuickLaTeX.com\" height=\"12\" width=\"10\" style=\"vertical-align: 0px;\"\/><\/li>\n<li><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/ql-cache\/quicklatex.com-5f44d9bbc8046069be4aa2989bff19aa_l3.png\" class=\"ql-img-inline-formula quicklatex-auto-format\" alt=\"&#92;&#97;&#108;&#112;&#104;&#97;\" title=\"Rendered by QuickLaTeX.com\" height=\"8\" width=\"11\" style=\"vertical-align: 0px;\"\/> correlationfactor (see EN 1997-1-2 Table D.2)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>recompressibility constant A<\/strong> can be calculated using C depending on the soil type<br \/>\n(source: Afleiden van de samendrukbaarheid uit in-situ proeven\u2019 \u2013 KVIV-TI)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sand: A = 8 to 10 x C<\/li>\n<li>Loam: A = 4 to 5 x C<\/li>\n<li>Clay: A = 3 x C<\/li>\n<li>Peat: A = C<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>drainage ratio CC<\/strong> [%]\nThis value is a measure for how much of the consolidation (relaxation) has occurred between the moment of excavation and (re)loading.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>CC = 0%<br \/>\nExcavation and loading by the foundation happen quickly one after the other. There is no soil relaxation possible. At foundation level, the soil stress is equal to the original geostatic stress.<\/li>\n<li>CC = 100% (default value)<br \/>\nThere is a long time between the excavation and loading by the foundation, causing all preconsolidation to fade out. At foundation level, the soil stress is equal to 0 kN\/m, and it will act like the natural ground surface.<br \/>\nThis results in larger settlements (more conservatice) than CC=0%. More info <a href=\"https:\/\/buildsoftsupport.com\/knowledge-base\/how-to-take-an-excavation-into-account\/\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>CC does not only depend on the time between excavation and loading, but also on the soil type, in the particular the drain capacity. The more easy it is for a soil to drain the pore water, the faster the soil will relax and the preconsolidation will be gone.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For a foundation pit that is being drained, CC will be 100%.<\/li>\n<li>Sand drains well, so CC will be approximately 100%.<\/li>\n<li>Thin top layers of clay will drain quite quickly, so CC will between 50 and 75%.<\/li>\n<li>Thick lower layers of clay will drain rather slow, so CC will be between 25 and 50%.<\/li>\n<li>Thick deep layers of clay will drain slow, so CC will be between 0 and 25%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In practice 0% and 100% are used the most often.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>overconsolidation ratio OCR<\/strong> takes pr\u00e9loading, different from an excavation, into account. For example: an old building will be demolished before building a new one. Or a large pile of soil (above the ground level) will be removed before construction starts.<br \/>\nThe old building and the pile of soil are a preloading of the soil which cannot be considered as an excavation. You&#8217;ll need to increase the OCR-value for that.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-default su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span>Soil parameters for a M\u00e9nard test<\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\">\nA pressuremeter test also provides soil parameters necessary for the settlement calculation with the use of iterative method.<br \/>\nThis test is conducted with the help of an expanding cylinder. It is either directly situated in a pre-drilled hole, or brought to a proper depth by autoforage, sinking, vibration or any other suitable procedure. The measurements of the ground deformations based on the pressures put on the probing head allow you to make a chart of deformations in terms of exerted forces and to deduce the mechanical characteristics of the soil.<br \/>\nThe pressuremetric compression modulus EMK determined this way at different depths is perfectly analogous to the compression constant C. The settlements are determined by Terzaghi\u2019s law but with the use of the following equation:<\/p>\n<p class=\"ql-center-displayed-equation\" style=\"line-height: 40px;\"><span class=\"ql-right-eqno\"> &nbsp; <\/span><span class=\"ql-left-eqno\"> &nbsp; <\/span><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/wp-content\/ql-cache\/quicklatex.com-ed8de20aafb5152b5a594130cea4d604_l3.png\" height=\"40\" width=\"206\" class=\"ql-img-displayed-equation quicklatex-auto-format\" alt=\"&#92;&#091;&#115;&#40;&#105;&#41;&#61;&#92;&#115;&#117;&#109;&#32;&#92;&#102;&#114;&#97;&#99;&#123;&#92;&#97;&#108;&#112;&#104;&#97;&#32;&#95;&#123;&#107;&#125;&#92;&#99;&#100;&#111;&#116;&#32;&#92;&#68;&#101;&#108;&#116;&#97;&#32;&#104;&#125;&#123;&#69;&#95;&#123;&#77;&#75;&#125;&#125;&#92;&#99;&#100;&#111;&#116;&#32;&#92;&#68;&#101;&#108;&#116;&#97;&#32;&#92;&#115;&#105;&#103;&#109;&#97;&#32;&#95;&#123;&#122;&#125;&#40;&#105;&#41;&#92;&#093;\" title=\"Rendered by QuickLaTeX.com\"\/><\/p>\n<p>In this formula, \u0394\u03c3z(i) corresponds to the vertical tension resulting from upper loads and observed at point i situated at depth z. \u0394h corresponds to the thickness of a layer of the soil in question.<br \/>\nThe coefficient \u03b1k depends on the nature of the soil and can be taken from the table below:<\/p>\n<table align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Nature of the soil<\/td>\n<td>Peat<\/td>\n<td>Clay<\/td>\n<td>Lime<\/td>\n<td>Sand<\/td>\n<td>Gravel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Very compacted<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8211;<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">2\/3<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1\/2<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1\/3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Normally compacted<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">2\/3<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1\/2<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1\/3<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1\/4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Non-compacted<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8211;<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1\/2<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1\/2<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1\/3<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">1\/4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Before we get started A model can contain multiple soil layer profiles. Also read: How many soil layer profiles can be taken into account? Soil layers can be applied under a beam, a slab or a plate. Soil layers are not designed to be applied to walls. The article below&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"ht-kb-category":[1274],"ht-kb-tag":[1277,119,814,875,787,148,117,169,1218],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/6508"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/ht_kb"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6508"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/6508\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30115,"href":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/6508\/revisions\/30115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"ht_kb_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb-category?post=6508"},{"taxonomy":"ht_kb_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/support.buildsoft.eu\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb-tag?post=6508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}