Using modified inverse distance weight and principal component analysis for spatial interpolation of foundation settlement based on geodetic observations

Abstract

Abstract The article presents a novel computation technique for predicting the settlement of reinforcement concrete (R.C) raft foundations based on total station and precise leveling measurements. Modified inverse distance weight (MIDW) and principal component analysis (PCA) are developed to predict the nonmeasurable settlement of raft foundations and are compared to regression techniques. Wall measurements are used to verify the proposed interpolation methods. Six observation epochs were carried out over 3 years for the R.C raft foundation of a multistory building in Baltim, Egypt, which rests on clay soil, to monitor and predict the foundation settlement. The obtained results show that PCA and MIDW models outperform other models in interpolating nonmeasurable (invisible) points, while the accuracy of MIDW is the best. The developed techniques can be used to interpolate nonmeasurable (invisible) points to understand the actual behavior of foundation settlement. The monitoring building showed that the slope of the foundation in the X direction is 7.9 and 14.5% after 5 and 26 months, respectively.