ABSTRACT
Eurocode 7 offers general guidance on design of different foundation types and recognizes that foundations cannot be always considered in isolation from the structure. When a significant potential for stress redistribution exists, the exceedance of geotechnical ultimate limit state may become highly unlikely. However, it is often the geotechnical serviceability that guides the design as it may lead to a structural failure. The paper presents a case study with the results of a numerical analysis performed for a cooling tower of a conventional power plant, located in an area characterized by difficult geotechnical conditions. Firstly, a prediction of the settlement distribution has been conducted to assess the serviceability limit state and the behavior of the foundation. Then, a detailed distribution of moduli of subgrade reaction has been proposed for structural analysis. The measurements of vertical displacements of the foundation, conducted during the construction, validated the assumptions of the design.
