Practice question

What type of vertical movement is associated with uniform settlement?

  1. Lateral movement
  2. Rotational movement
  3. Fishing movement
  4. Vertical movement

Answer: D — Vertical movement

Uniform settlement means every part of the foundation drops by about the same amount, so the overall movement is downward in the vertical direction while the structure remains level. There’s no tilt or rotation, which would indicate differential settlement. Horizontal shifts would be lateral movement, not part of uniform settlement, and a rotation would imply the structure tilting. So the vertical direction of movement best describes the effect of uniform settlement.

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